|
Date: |
|
Description: | Late Mesolithic translucent white quartz or quartzite scalene triangle, or micro-triangular, microlith, probably a barb. While it is largely the same in plan as a flint barb, it is twice as thick due the coarser crystaline structure of its raw material. There are removals to the entire surface and a dark silver grey inclusion on the centre of the dorsal side. The proximal end has been finished with a single removal. Retouch confined to the dorsal side and is covering, sub-parallel, and abrupt on one mesal, semi-abrupt on the other. The unusual choice of knapping stone, given the local abundance of good quality rhyolite, chert, and imported flint, may have accorded this tool special significance. That said it seems rather small for a social statement and has been knapped with enough skill to turn it into a fully functional tool. Probably used as part of a composite arrow or barbed spear. Dating from c7000 to c3500 BC. Flint microliths of similar form have have been excavated at various sites throughout Britain, including Cherhill (Wiltshire) where they were dated to the early sixth millenium BC.The length is 9mm, width 4mm, thickness 2.5mm, and the weight is 0.05g.A similar microlith in flint is SWYOR-C11663..
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
MICROLITH
Late Mesolithic flint microlith made…
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
MICROLITH
Mesolithic honey flint microlith barb.…
-
BLADE
A complete knapped lithic implement…
-
|