A cast of a Solutrean "laurel leaf" spear point, over 13 inches long. These delicate and beautiful implements were prepared by delicate flaking across the surface. Many are so large and delicate that they could never have been actually used, and may have been status objects.
Photo: Man before history by John Waechter
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Shaped flakesVariously shaped flakes may be struck off fine-grained rocks by varying the angle and force of the blow and using different hammers. The principle is simple: radiating waves of force, like ripples in a pond, crack out chips. Telltale signs exist on flakes which have been produced by man; they never occur on naturally broken stones. |
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Baton techniqueUsing a pointed implement of wood, bone or stone, the artisan forces a flat flake from the lower surface of the tool by pressing against the edge in a slightly downward movement. |
Acheuilian hand-axeAn Acheuilian hand-axe shows the effects of delicate edge retouching by the baton method. With this technique, toolmakers fashioned especially sharp, straight-edged cutting tools. |
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Pressure FlakingUsing a pointed implement of wood, bone or stone, the artisan forces a flat flake from the lower surface of the tool by pressing against the edge in a slightly downward movement. |
Shouldered PointEnd-on views of pressure-flaking show how force is applied to the tool edge itself. Controlled fracturing with this method results in finer flakes and finer tools, like the leaf point at right. |
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Making a Levallois FlakeThe levallois flake has a distinctive predetermined shape. A nodule is prepared by trimming its sides (top). This core is further refined by flaking small chips from both surfaces (center). A final brisk blow at one end removes the finished flake (bottom), already sharp and in need of no further retouching. |
Making a Levallois PointThe levallois point is begun in exactly the same way, except that in the second stage, instead of chipping the top surface, the maker drives off two large parallel flakes (middle), leaving a ridge down the center. A light blow then removes a small flake from one end; one final blow drives off the point. |
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A core for many blades is prepared by breaking a large flint nodule in two with a hammerstone. Using either piece, the maker then knocks long, thin flakes from the outside rim leaving a tapering fluted core. From this he produces a whole series of finished blades, striking them off one by one as he spirals around the nucleus. By striking between ridges he will get a hollowed blade (top right). It has been estimated that a two-pound nucleus, flaked in this fashion, will yield some 25 yards of working edge, whereas a hand-axe shaped from the same stone would yield about four inches of effective edge. |
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Starting with a fluted blade, the toolmaker first snaps the pointed end (left). Next, using a wood or antler hammer, he chips the broken end to make a striking platform, then dulls one edge (two views, second drawing). He may now make either a single or double beveled edge (third and fourth drawings) with one of the methods described in detail below. |
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Tipping a burin can be done in two ways. In the first, the blade is rested on an anvil stone and struck with a wood or bone baton, causing the tip to fly off at an angle determined by how the blade is held. In the second method, the blade is pressed sharply against a stone to remove the tip. If a double bevel is desired, the blade is turned over and flaked again.
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