Burning flint: An experimental approach to study the effect of fire on flint tools

Burnt lithic artefacts are regularly discarded from microwear analyses, causing a bias in the functional interpretation of prehistoric sites. This is especially true when burnt lithics numerous as typically case on Mesolithic sites Northern Belgium. stone potentially hold information regarding functional, spatial, and social organisation site. Therefore, investigating impact burning tools, preservation traces crucial. In this paper, we present experimental approach developed to tackle problem. Flint tool replicas were several open fire experiments, organised reproduce conditions that realistic those original contexts. way, could evaluate different fuel types longevity intensity fire. These experiments provide essential effects heat physical aspects flint artefacts. relation between raw material characteristics degree studied well. addition, results be related spatial distribution flints surface hearths. The findings interpreted socio-economical level order better understand how why have ended up