Termination type

In lithic reduction, termination type is a characteristic indicating the manner in which the distal end of a lithic flake detached from a core. Common types include:

• Snap/bending fractures, which occur when the material breaks because its elasticity has been exceeded;
• Step fractures, which terminate in abrupt right-angle breaks;
• Hinge fractures, which result because of the application of a force insufficient to detach the flake at the intended point but sufficient to be redirected through the material ahead of the flake. Such a flake is characterized by a rounded or blunt distal end;
• An overshot or outrepasse fracture, which occurs when the flake dips and removes a section of the opposite margin of the artifact
• Perverse fractures, "twisting" breaks caused when force is redirected through the material in a helical fashion;
• Feather or monotomic fractures, which produce flakes with distal edges that only a few molecules thick. These flakes are extremely sharp, indicating a flawless detachment. These are the intended results of some lithic reduction techniques, and are very desirable for opportunistic tool use that does not require retouching or sharpening.