ABSTRACT Lithic analysts have long used cortical coverage as a variable for assessing reduction intensity; however, differing interpretative frameworks can yield inconsistent conclusions. Dibble et al.'s ([2005]. The measurement and interpretation of cortex in lithic assemblages. American Antiquity, 70(3), 545–560. doi:10.2307/40035313) cortex model established a baseline for interpreting cortex within the organization of technology. In this paper, we employ their model and variations of interval scale assessments to address both methodological and interpretative issues associated with its application using lithic materials from the multicomponent Beaucoup site in northern Montana. For example, knowledge of raw material shape has important implications for archaeological interpretation at the Beaucoup site where the use of a scalene ellipsoid model provided a better estimate for initial raw material shape than a spherical model. We further identify that a 4-Interval scale provides the most expeditious and interpretively robust approach for quantifying cortex as a variable.

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评估皮层比率：西北平原Beaucoup网站（24PH188 / 189）的示例

摘要岩石分析家长期以来一直将皮层覆盖率作为评估还原强度的变量。但是，不同的解释框架可能会得出不一致的结论。Dibble et al。（[2005]。岩性组合中皮层的测量和解释。美国古代，70（3），545-560。doi：10.2307 / 40035313）皮层模型为解释组织内的皮层建立了基线技术。在本文中，我们使用他们的模型和区间标度评估的变体来解决与使用蒙大拿州北部多组分Beaucoup现场的石质材料应用其相关的方法论和解释性问题。例如，原材料形状的知识对博库普遗址的考古解释具有重要意义，在这里，使用斜角椭球模型比球形模型更好地估计了初始原材料的形状。我们进一步确定，4-间隔量表提供了最快速和解释力强的方法来将皮层量化为变量。