The Tranchet Technique in Lowland Maya Lithic Tool Production

The tranchet technique is one of several specialized lithic production techniques recognized in the chert tool workshops at Colha and other ancient Maya lithic tool production sites in northern Belize. The technique involves the formation of a sharp cutting edge by the removal of a single flake transversely across the wide distal end of a tool. The technique described in this paper was used in the Late Preclassic Maya workshops in the mass production of formal utilitarian tools and continued in the early Late Classic period. The tranchet tools manufactured in the workshop sites were distributed widely over northern Belize. The specific technique of production is described along with the characteristic debitage including the unique tranchet flake. Since one successful removal of a tranchet flake was required to manufacture one tool, tranchet flakes can provide a means of estimating minimum numbers of tranchet tools produced at each workshop. Variability in the tool form and use-wear patterns indicate that tranchet bit tools were hafted and used for a variety of functions including cutting, chopping, adzing and possibly scraping both soft and hard materials. The distribution of the tools and tranchet flakes is traced from the production locales to the consumer sites.