
A burin is a tool which can take many forms but all are made by the burin blow technique. This has been defined as the action of making the ´sides´ of a burin.
A burin spall can be defined as "the part of a flake, blade, or bladelet detached by burin blow technique" (Tixier 1974, 9).
"The 'sides' of a burin consists of one or more burin facets, that is, flake scars each of which is produced by striking a piece off a flake, blade or bladelet, which may or may not have been prepared to receive this blow. The piece which is struck off is usually long and narrow, and is called the 'burin spall'." (Tixier 1974, 9)