Bringing Order to the Bipolar Disorder - A review of collated research into bipolar lithic reduction
Channel: Iarthar Heritage
Date: 2023-04-18

IAI Conference - 'Essential Archaeology: Recent Excavations and Research', Dublin, 24/03/2023-25/03/2023
https://www.iai.ie/


Presenter: Cian Hogan - Iarthar Heritage / CeártaCloch Lithic Analysis
https://iarthar.eu/Ce%C3%A1rtaCloch/

Abstract
Lithics are a ubiquitous artefact within the Irish archaeological record. Practitioners are familiar, to varying degrees, with freehand reduction and the platform cores and removals that are created. However, bipolar reduction plays a significant part in Irish lithic traditions. This approach is much less understood within Irish research, with considerable misrepresentations present. This relates not only to the method of reduction itself, but also the products created by it, its occurrence, and its significance. Given its apparent increasing role in lithic reduction from earlier to later periods, this undermines the comprehension of lithic traditions – specifically bipolar, but also as a whole.
Within a broader project looking at lithics on Chalcolithic and Bronze Age domestic sites, bipolar reduction became a key research focus. A review of international literature, mostly originating in the last 20 years, was undertaken. This provided for a different understanding of bipolar reduction. The method is shown to have characteristic markers and products, and nuances in its application. A summary of this information and alternative views is presented.