Endscrapers, the most abundant tool class at Eastern North American Paleoindian sites, are flaked stone specimens predominately used for scraping hides. They are found broken in high frequencies at these sites, a pattern that has been attributed to use. However, previous experimental and ethnographic research on endscrapers suggests that they are difficult to break. We present a series of replication experiments assessing the amount of force required for endscraper breakage, as well as the amount of force generated during human use. We also analyze which morphometric variable best predicts the breakage force. Our results demonstrate that the force humans can generate is far below the breakage force, which is best predicted by endscraper thickness. Finally, we examine an actual Paleoindian endscraper assemblage, concluding that human use was not the cause for breakage. Taphonomic factors such as plowing, or trampling, are a much better potential explanation for the high breakage frequencies present at Paleoindian sites.

中文翻译：

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人类的行为还是通俗的？关于北美东部古印第安人底虫的破坏

封顶器是北美东部古印第安人遗址中最丰富的工具类别，是主要用于刮制皮革的片状石标本。在这些位置发现它们以高频率破碎，这是使用的一种模式。但是，先前对折纸器的实验和人种学研究表明，折纸器很难折断。我们提出了一系列复制实验，评估了刮板折断所需的力，以及在人类使用过程中产生的力。我们还分析了哪个形态变量最能预测断裂力。我们的结果表明，人类可以产生的力远低于折断力，而折断力是用刮板厚度最好地预测的。最后，我们考察了一个实际的古印度爬山虎组合，结论认为人类使用不是造成损坏的原因。诸如犁耕或践踏这样的音符因素，是对古印度遗址高断裂频率的更好的潜在解释。