Systematic drawing and description of Celts and Ringstone. Introduction Dear students, today we shall discuss on the technologically new type of tools which are totally different from the accurately drawn and described tools. Except bone tools of Upper Palaeolithic cultural phase, all the lithic tools whether they may be heavy core and flake tool/ lighter flake tools/ blade tools/ microliths, possess primary and secondary flake scars along with other flaking technique signs a saimbols on the surfaces of the tools. Here all the tools possess fine smooth surfaces with or without glazing smooth surface. All these ground and smolt tools have different shapes with different styles of working edges. They are collectively known as Celts. Various types of celts are: axetype, adzetype, rectilinear shouldered Celt. According to the nature of the working end and butt end another varieties of the ground and polished tools are Chisel and ringstone. These tools will be discussed, illustrated and described systematically in this module. Axe type of Celt The term Celt was applied to a stone, bronze or iron chisel ended Prehistoric implement. The ground stone axe or axetype of Celt is roughly triangular in shape, though the exact form varies from one specimen to another, it being broad or narrow and sometimes square or elongated In an axe broader surfaces- the upper and the undersurface meet in a gentle or rarely oblique slope or beveling surfaces to form the centrally placed cutting edge. The two lateral sides are usually thick (square or sounded) or also slopping and intersecting at the broad base. The butt end is somewhat pointed comparison to the working end. The cross-section is generally fairly thick, biconvex or lenticular. Adze type of Celt An adze type of Celt is a tiniesh triangular piece. It is usually made on flake. It is flat on the surface, while the other is slightly convex and meets at the edge. The cutting edge is formed by the intersection of one beveling surface with the plane surface of the ventral side. Sometimes beveling is found from both the surfaces. The cross-section is plano-convex. Chisel It is an exact pprotopype of any metal chisel. A stone Chisel is a small, narrow, Cylindrical or recrtangular piece, with two of its smoother sides tapering half way down the edge to form a broad edge. This tool is applied to the timber so that the edge cuts the timber on a wide front across the fibre of the wood. The cross section is either square or circular in shape. Shouldered Celt A classic tool type, the distribution of which is primary confined to South-East Asia. Burma and Eastern India. The chief characteristics feature of this shouldered Celt is the prolongation of the butt-end into a tenon to provide a suitable haft. In some cases the
body and tenon are square, and the right angle between them is sharply cut or sawed by a wire like instrument. Ring stones A ringstone is comparatively thick, round or rectangular stone with its surface smoothed by pecking and grinding. This tool has a central hole, which is about half-an-inch (1/2 ) or even an inch (1 ) in diameter, bored from both the surfaces. Thus in section this hole resembles the ancient hour glass, broad at the top and bottom, and narrow at the centre. The side of the ring stones is generally convex or rounded, but in Eastern India and China stones with highly polished and beveled surfaces are noticed. Such ring stone seen to have been used as weights for digging sticks and are thus suggestive of primitive agriculture. Besides, it might also served as mace heads. It is evident from many Chalcolithic sites in Western Asia and India. I. Procedures for drawing the given specimen accurately For drawing an accurate image of the given neolith, all the procedures followed while drawing the Palaeoliths in the previous classes should be continued. They are: 1. Orientation of the supplied tool, 2. Nature of presentation, 3. Require instruments and procedures, and 4. Technique of drawing. Orientation of the supplied tool: Unlike other Palaeoliths and Mesoliths, Neoliths are normally drawn placing its working end facing downward. Thus any type of Celts or Chisel is given, the working edge should be placed facing downward. It is not applicable in the case of ringstone, as it does not possess a particular point as it working end ( any side could work as working tip). Like other lithic tools, dorsal should be drawn first followed by profile and ventral views and lastly and smoothed areas, the surface which possesses more beveled area is considered as dorsal. Nature of presentation Three dimentional ground and polished is represented by two dimentional images. The boundary of the specimen is illustrated by using a thick line. The area of the beveling surface is also surrounded by the thick line, and shading is done by dots and straight lines. Section views are also shown by using straight parallel lines and thick boundary lines. Required instruments and needed materials All the supplied instruments and needed material either to be supplied by the department concerned or to be brought by each student remain the same. Technique of drawing: It is also similar to other lithic tool drawings. It is comparatively found easier than the drawing of Palaeolithic and Mesoliths, because Neoliths do not possess any flake scars as they are ground and polished tools. In rare cases some waves of the beveling area or underground portion of chipped or peck surfaces are seen. The measurements of the tools, position of placing and fixing it accurately for drawing purposes are also similar to the previous practical classes. 1. First measure the maximum length of the supplied tool along its axis.
2. And then draw two horizontal lines on the respective drawing sheet forming the proximal and distal boundaries of the supplied tool(s). 3. Next is drawing an imaginary line across the longitudinal axis of the given tool which dissects the specimen into two halves horizontally. Then the specimen is placed facing one of its horizontal halves parallel to the plane surface of the drawing table. 4. To confirm the accurate position of the given tool, each student should draw a line along its axis (x-axis) and another line crossing the longitudinal axis along its half length (y-axis). 5. Measuring the height of each end points falling on the working tip, butt end, and two lateral sides to fixed in accurate position. 6. The next step is fixing the specimen in its proper position by filling the gaps using plasticene. 7. After getting its proper position, the specimen is then transferred to the drawing sheet. While transferring so, one hand of the student holde the artifact with plasticene, and the other hand of the student hold one set square already placed affixing to the lower horizontal line already drawn as the lower margin of the specimen. 8. Next is to find out, the arises and important prominent points which would help while drawing the given tool accurately. Hence take a chalk stick and gently roll over the dorsal surface of the supplied specimen, so that the student can mark the prominent points and arises. 9. The next steps is the drawing of the outline by dots (consecutively) using a sharp and pointed pencil, and a setsquare. While drawing the outline of the artifact, each student should always remember to mark the end points or starting points of each prominent arises, Which will later help the student while drawing the accurate position of the arises of the given tool. 10. The next is removal of the lithic tool from the drawing sheet and taking the accurate measurments by using either two set squares and a divider or a compass and two dihedons (a folded index card) or both. At least three measurements should be taken from three marked lateral side end or starting points, the measurements thus taken is noted on a rough sheet first, and then plotted again on the drawing sheet but within the already drawn outline illustration of the supplied tool. An arch should be drawn for each measurement to get a fixed point. The point where the three arches cross is considered to be the accurate point which is the desired point. If the three arcs/ arches do not cross at the same point, the same procedure should be repeated. In this way, each student can find many desired points. 11. And now join the desired points to represent the arrises in between the flake scars by using pencil. 12. The final step is shading. It is a means of expressing volume ssand is done with a pencil in light hatching or grey tint. Shading also expresses the nature of the flake scar (represented by more or less curved lines), striking platforms, broken areas (if any), cortex region, and the nature of manufacturing techniques. The same procedure is repeated while drawing the outline and different arises or flaked surfaces of the profile view and ventral view of the tool. The cross-section of the
specimen is taken normally at its half length along its longitudinal axis where maximum thickness is also taken. II. Systematic Description of the supplied tool. For Describing a given Neolith systematically each student should follow the model list below. 1. Museum No / Accession No. 2. Raw material / Rock type : 3. Measurements: a) Maximum length along its axis. b) Maximum breadth along its half length. c) Maximum thickness along its half length. 4. State of preservation: The given specimen is rolled and patinated. 5. General description: The given tool is somewhat triangular in shape and moderately large in size. The working end is board and sharp whereas the butt end is thick and somewhat pointed. The surface present on the given specimen is fined, smoothed, and glazed. a) Dorsal view: The dorsal surface is represented by a finely smooth surface with some portion of original pebble surface at its centre. The working tip is produced b y beveling and polishing. b) Profile view: The profile view is moderately thick. The dorsal and ventral surface do not meet throughout the length of the tool but both meet toward the cutting edge and from the working tip. c) Ventral view: The whole ventral surface is represented by the smooth, ground, and polished surface only. No beveling work is seen on this surface. 6. Probable tool making technique: From the shape, size, and nature of smooth surfaces present on the given specimen, it might have been prepared by using grinding and polishing method of tool making techniques. 7. Probable tool type: From the shape, size, manufacturing technique and nature of the working edge, the given specimen is identified as axe type of Celt. 8. Probable cultural period and chronology: Culturally this adze of Celt is belonged to Neolithic culture and chronologically to Holocene epoch. 9. Probable function and economy: The given artifact might have been used for agricultural purposes after hafting to handle. It might have also been use as a carpenter s tool, meant for smoothing and beveling irregular surfaces of wood. Economically this artifact belongs to food producing stage. Conclusion Hello students now let me come to its conclusion, that the drawing and description of Neolithic tools are easier than the Palaeoliths and Mesoliths. All the tools drawn and describe in this module nare produced by chipping, pecking, grinding, and polishing methods commonly known as grinding and polishing technique. Most of the tools are
associated with carpentry or wood works and agricultural purposes and belonged to the food producing economy.