Flexibility and Conceptual Fidelity in the Production of Keilmesser with Tranchet Blow

The present paper discusses terminological and technological issues related to prominent stone artifacts of the Middle Paleolithic. The Keilmesser with tranchet blow in focus can be described as asymmetrical (mostly bifacial) knives with a back, whose active edge has been shaped by a modification called tranchet blow (Fr. coup de tranchet, Ger. Schneidenschlag) in such a way that a straight, stable, small-angled cutting edge is formed. With regard to the spatial and chronological setting, this paper focuses on Western and Central European assemblages from the late Middle Paleolithic. Referring to earlier contributions, the difficulty of these artifacts lies not only in their recognition and analysis, but also in the disparate terminology underlying other studies. Therefore, this work represents an attempt to propose a uniform terminology in order to enable the comparison of these remarkable lithic artifacts within different assemblages. Furthermore, we offer a precise description of the pieces with regard to their technological differentiation from pieces with supposedly similar modifications. This study is an attempt to use technological aspects to further develop a tool concept that reflects the flexibility and conceptual fidelity in the production of Keilmesser with tranchet blow. The decisive factor for this concept is its great dynamic, since the equifinal property of the tranchet blow can be achieved flexibly via different production paths.