The Topanga Culture: Final Report on Excavations, 1948Treganza, Adan E. (Adan Eduardo)
History
The Topanga Culture: Final Report on Excavations, 1948
Treganza, Adan E. (Adan Eduardo)
California -- Antiquities; Topanga Canyon (Calif.)
One specimen appears to have served a dual function as a tool. A portion
of one edge is concave and the remainder convex, as on a typical side
scraper. Both working margins display considerable wear.
Examples illustrated by Rogers (1939, pl. 8, _h_, _k_) for the desert
Playa industry differ in that they are consistently subrectangular,
elongated, and have a broader concave scraping edge along each of two
sides.
_Thumbnail scrapers (fig. 3, b)._--Only a single specimen falls in this
category. It is roughly circular in outline, thin, lenticular in cross
section, and flaked on both surfaces. The example made of a dark-brown
chert is 2 cm. in diameter and 4 mm. thick. The lone occurrence of this
type of tool would seem to indicate a lack of emphasis on light delicate
work. Implements of this nature are usually best associated with cultures
of later origin.
_Choppers_
_Unifaced choppers or heavy duty scrapers._--These are produced from large
cores of basalt or from a split cobble and exhibit flaking only on one
face. (Treganza and Malamud, 1950, pl. 20, _d-e_).
_Bifaced choppers._--These are large cores bifacially flaked along an edge
to effect a sharp, sinuous margin that may extend around the entire
periphery or only a portion of it (_ibid._, pl. 20, _a-b_).
_Crescentic Stone or "Amulet"_
This class is represented by but a half of a single specimen obtained
during the second season (pl. 21, _m_). Though this specimen varies
somewhat from illustrated examples there seems to be little doubt as to
its general classification. The function of these implements remains open
to question, and varient forms appear to have considerable latitude in
time and areal distribution in western United States. Similar forms may be
noted for the Lake Mohave Culture and the San Dieguito-Playa industry
(Campbell _et al._, 1937. pl. XXXVIII, _a-c_; M. J. Rogers, 1939, pl. 8,
_a-c_).
_Drill or Reamer_
(Pl. 23, _d-e_)
Two very similar pieces make up the addition to this class. Both are
elongated, tapering sections of rose quartzite on which the margins have
been retouched and the tip of each is notably abraded. The large ends show
no evidence of preparation for hafting, so presumably they were used as a
hand reamer or drill. The lengths are 6 cm. and 10 cm.
_Hand Pick_
The two new specimens, roughly triangular in outline, resemble the single
piece recovered in 1947. On both, the working end tapers to a heavy,
well-formed point, whereas the opposite end is bulbous and fits
comfortably into the palm of the hand. Lengths are 9.8 cm. and 13 cm.,
respectively, with basalt and quartzite as materials.
_Projectile Points_
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