Early humans used tiny, flint ‘surgical’ tools to butcher elephants

[Buckleberry]

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2019/...nt-surgical-tools-to-butcher-elephants/124548

Reminds me of many of the "quick use" bladelettes I find along with the well known Hopewell blades, of which I was gifted a nice small collection of years back from another member of Arrowheadology.
https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/1992/11/01/hopewell-blades/

 

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[old digger]

That is what we call ''Flake Knives". They were also used in the preparation of hides. You will usually find them associated with camp sites.

 

[joshuaream]

Anyone who has knapped has figured out that flakes are razor sharp and easily cut meat.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I have a Woodland site that produces large quantities of these type of Flake Blades.

Every piece in this tray has a worked edge on it somewhere that was used for cutting.

 

[Buckleberry]

Apparently some missed this:

[FONT=&quot]“The analysis included microscopic observations of use-wear as well as organic and inorganic residues,”

and this:

[/FONT][FONT=&quot] "these flint specimens were not merely industrial waste left over from the production of larger tools. In addition, they were the deliberate product of recycled discarded artifacts and intended for a specific use...[/FONT][FONT=&quot]“We show here for the first time that the tiny tools were deliberately manufactured from recycled material and played an important role in the ancient human toolbox and survival strategies,” [/FONT][FONT=&quot]"[/FONT]

 

[smokeythecat]

I found some at Flint Ridge. They are sharp as modern scalpels.

 

[Fred250]

I wonder why they were cutting or incising soapstone. Weird. Thanks for the articles.