From Mechanics to Gestures: Understanding Knapping Actions Through Controlled Lithic Experiments
- Date: Mar 12, 2025
- Time: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
- Speaker: Dr. rer. nat. Li Li, The Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), University of Algarve, Portugal
- Location: Online
- Host: Human Palaeosystems Research Group
- Contact: kutowsky@gea.mpg.de

Experimentation is a crucial component of lithic studies, providing a platform to verify hypotheses and develop
inferences about past stone tool technology. The uniformitarian nature of stone material’s fracture mechanics
allows researchers to study past lithic technologies by replicating the forms of stone artifacts observed in the
archaeological record with considerable confidence. Here, I will focus on controlled experiments using mechanical apparatuses and standardized materials, which allow the control and isolation of different knapping variables for studying their effects on flaking. Although we have gained significant insights into how and why knappers control different variables to achieve their desired outcomes, there is still much to learn about how they manipulate knapping gestures. By drawing on relevant fracture mechanics literature, we can connect previously archaeologically invisible knapping variables, such as hammer strike angle and hammer size, with measurable lithic attributes. Our study highlights the importance of linking basic flaking mechanics to knapping actions to better understand the technical decisions made by hominins and the evolution of their technical knowledge over time.
About the Speaker

Dr. Li Li is an associate researcher at The Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), University of Algarve. She specializes in experimental archaeology and computer modeling. Dr. Li’s research integrates experimental archaeology with fracture mechanics to investigate the technical decisions made by hominins. Her current work focuses on modeling human dispersal and migration patterns in southern Africa, with a particular emphasis on the archaeological record in Mozambique. She also conducts controlled experiments to explore the flaking mechanics underlying knappers' actions. Dr. Li has conducted fieldwork in various regions, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.