Middle and Late Bronze Age Metal Tools from the Aegean, Eastern ...

Phornou Korifi, Myrtos, and Ayia Photia; the tool was also hoarded in the EBA II and III
carpenter’s caches from Kythnos, Eutresis, Petralona, and, Thebes. 380
Regional
total
MBA LBA General 2 nd millennium
Crete 186 21 (4 are E-MBA) 121 44
Mainland 142 11 124 7
Islands 36 0 26 10
Cyprus 91 20 68 3
Anatolia 317 49 213 55
Syria-Palestine 50 13 27 10
Shipwrecks 18 - 18 -
Total 840 110 (4 are E-
MBA)
597 129
Table 4.7: Chisel distribution (not including socketed chisels; see next chapter section)
The cutting edge width and the shaft length of chisels fluctuate drastically,
meaning that there are multiple subtypes; a scatter plot of the chisel dimensions (526
examples with measurements) conveys the staggering range of sizes for this implement
(Fig. 4.9). The impressive array of chisel forms is certainly a result of specialized and
manifold craft needs. Evely applied this conclusion to modern chisels: “A cursory
examination of modern tool kits will reveal the broad range of specialized chisels that
have been developed: a carpenter may possess thirty or so, and a stonemason but a few
less.” 381 Some chisels are even double-sided (ten of these appear in the database), which
emphasizes their variability. There are two double-sided forms; the first is a shaft with
two chisel edges on opposite ends, and the second is more accurately termed a chisel-
drill, for it consists of a shaft with opposing chisel and drill tips. The diversity in chisels
is well discussed in previous tool studies. Evely listed 6 Minoan categories with several
sub-types, Deshayes classified 14 different versions, Branigan recognized 7 Aegean
groups (with subdivisions), and Catling proposed 3 Cypriot types. 382
Because of the
380 Branigan 1969; Fitton 1989; Evely 1993, 16
381 Evely 1993, 2, figure 1.
382 Evely 1993, 2-11; Deshayes 1960, volume ii, 36-50; Branigan 1974, 168-170; Catling 1964, 95-96.
158