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Glite Dictionary
🔄 Two-sided 🪨 A flaked tool
biface

biface

9.6
A stone tool that people shape on both sides to make a sharp edge
  • noun
  • /ˈbaɪfeɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : biface
  • The museum exhibited various stone tools, including sharp bifaces used by early humans.

Examples

  • We marveled at simple objects that were crafted six centuries ago: stone handtools, biface points, and pottery indented with plant material and thumbnail imprints.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Archaeologists discovered a collection of ancient bifaces that were expertly crafted on both sides.

  • Each biface in the display had been meticulously flaked to create a cutting edge.

How Precise

biface
  • Specialized
9.6
knapping
  • Specialized
9.9
chipping
3 3.8
striking
1 4.4
breaking
224 1.7

Surface Forms

biface singular
bifaces plural

Morphology

biface = face (semi-transparent) = bi + face

The components 'bi-' + 'face' are visible, but the specific technical meaning ('flaked on both sides') requires archaeological knowledge beyond simple composition.

Etymology

Biface comes from bi- ('two') and face ('face'), and a 'biface' tool is one that is worked on both sides to make a sharp edge. So a biface stone tool has two 'faces' flaked to create its cutting edge.