1. Skill – an introduction
Nada Khreisheh

2. What is Skill?
Photos: Whitlock 2011

4. What is Skill? 1:
A) the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance
B) dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks 2:
a learned power of doing something competently : a developed aptitude or ability
(Merriam-Webster 2012)

5. Types of Skill
Skill can be divided into 2 separate areas of understanding and ability:
Connaissance (Knowledge).
Savoir-faire (Know-how).
Identified by Pelegrin in relation to flintknapping (1990).
Connaissance – understanding of how a task should be performed, mental image of intended object, understanding of technical stages that must be performed.
Savoir-faire – physical ability to carry out a task, possession of necessary motor skills and ability to adapt these as needed.

6. Skill Aquisition
Learning:
Observation
Emulation
Teaching
Practice

7. Skill Acquisition Teaching: Archaeological evidence: Observation
Demonstration
Scaffolding
Archaeological evidence:
Spatial evidence
Artifactual evidence

8. Skill Acquisition Aptitude/natural abilities: Motor skills
Spatial abilities
Intelligence
Age
Sex
Size/weight/strength

9. Why is this important for archaeologists?
Interpreting behaviour
Understanding archaeological remains.
Identifying children.
Understanding social structure.
Identifying craft specialisation.

10. Why is this important for experimental archaeologists?
Craft skills
Understanding technology from artefacts
Time factors
Learning/teaching methods
Project Development – identifying highly skilled craftspeople

11. Conclusion Skill is an important concept for archaeologists.
Studying it can help us get a better understanding of human behaviour from archaeological remains.
It is a key issue for experimental archaeologists demonstrating craft skills and planning experimental projects.
References:
Pelegrin, J. 1990: Prehistoric lithic technology: some aspects of research, Archaeological Review from Cambridge. 9 (1),