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2| Formation of Flint
Flint is formed in limestone and it belongs to the quartz group of oxide compounds.
There are two theories concerning its origin however both begin the same
1. Silicon oxides (silicates, SiO2) are dissolved with bound water from the soil
2. Dissolved silicates are transported by rivers to the sea
3. Used by sea organisms (e.g: diatoms, Radiolaria, sponges) to create their exoskeleton
4. Organisms sink to the sea floor when dead releasing a silicate concentrate
Note: Vertical fissures in the chalk filled with flint argue in favour of this theory.
MATERIAL STUDIES| Flint & Obsidian
Note: Obsidian is created during a volcanic eruption due to the rapid cooling of magma. No crystals
are formed creating a homogenous mass. It has a 5.5 on the Mohs scale.
Secondary locations
Mining Flint
1. Vertical shafts were hacked away to
access the flint layers in chalk
2. Passages were made, and flint was
collected
3. Quarries could also be made cutting of
horizontal shafts into slopes
MATERIAL STUDIES| Flint & Obsidian
Based on the shape of the distal end, flakes and blades can be further subdivided:
5| Flint Knapping
How do we know?
Basic techniques:
Direct hard percussion Hand-held stone hammer tool (e.g: hammerstone) is used while the
flint is held in the other hand, sometimes supported on the knee
Bipolar Reduction Variant of hard percussion in which the flint is supported on an anvil
and then worked simultaneously with a hard hammer stone
Direct soft percussion Direct blows with a softer tool (e.g: antler/wooden hammer; soft types
of stone such as sandstone/limestone)
Indirect percussion An intermediate piece (or ‘punch’) of antler or wood is used. Flakes
show a smaller platform scar. The advantage of a punch is that the
angle of force can be determined more precisely. This is often a follow-
up of preparatory work with direct percussion.
Contre-coup technique Variant of indirect percussion where the piece is placed on an anvil or
punch and struck with an instrument of soft-percussion. This technique
creates smaller flakes that should shape a blade or flake (retouching)
MATERIAL STUDIES| Flint & Obsidian
Direct pressure Piece is held freely in the hand and can be retouched very finely. Thus,
it is usually associated with the last stages of artefact working.
Direct pressure on an Typically limited to the retouching of tools as the flakes obtained are
anvil very small
Indirect pressure (with the aid of an intermediate piece) through a short and powerful
push with the upper body on a T-piece, long, regular blades could be
obtained. Cores associated with this technique are referred to as
prismatic cores.
Often presents a percussion scar and Often no percussion scar, and very minor
(prominent) percussion cone percussion cone
Retouching the removing of flakes to give an artefact a certain form. It also strengthens the
working edge or blunts another making it suitable to its function.
Steep retouch
Edge retouch
Surface retouch
MATERIAL STUDIES| Flint & Obsidian
6| Stages of Burning
1. Patches with a reddish discolouration and an oily sheen
2. Small cone-shaped chips produced (pot-lids)
3. Flint gets a dark grey colour and starts to show hair fractures
4. Flint gets increasingly lighter in colour and crackles more
5. Falls apart into dust
Heating can increase the workability of the stone making its structure more homogenous and thus
easier to fracture
7| Surface Alterations
Nature affects many changes on flint. These can occur within the flint matrix but also on eluvial flint,
exposed to the elements.
White Patina Reflection of light on the porous outer layer. It is a product of a chemical attack
from dissolved acids in groundwater which has infiltrated the soil.
Glossy Patina Lustrous surface layer appearing on very smooth, fine grained flint surfaces.
Caused by the dissolution of protruding silicate dioxides filling any pores. (in
the instance of irregularities, a white patina is formed)
Dissolution Rounding of protruding edges due to pressure and chemicals from the soil
Phenomena
Frost Action Repeated cycles of frost and thaw create fine fissures which can lead to
internal fracture. A frost fracture is characterised by:
Irregular concentric rings
‘Point of impact’ at the centre
Grainy fracture plane
Middle Palaeolithic
Two stages can be distinguished in the manufacture of bifacial tools/hand-axes:
1. Creation of S-shaped cutting edges using a direct hard or soft percussive ‘alternating
platform technique’. It aims to:
create an object symmetrical in cross-section
Sharp edge as close to the central axes to the piece of flint as possible
2. Thinning of the artefact by soft percussion. Known as the ‘turned edges’ technique.
Preparation of the striking platform is necessary for obtaining a right angle between
the striking angle and reduction plane
Done with ‘truncating’
Creates an edge with and angle between 40° and 60°
The process:
Note: It is possible to create blades with the Levallois technique, but these are relatively wide and
thick
Macrolithic elements were also used. For example, a tranchet axe created using a tranchet blow:
1. Narrow side of the core axe is used as a striking platform for removing the tranchet flake at
the blade end.
2. Cutting edge must lie symmetrically in relation to the axe body
3. Direct percussion probably used