Period: Stoneage (5000 - 1700 BC)

Project title: Flint-use in flint-scarce regions

Researcher: Lotte Eigeland, Archaeologist, Norway
Email: lotte.eigeland(at)khm.uio.no

Year: 2008

Abstract:

People in the Stone Age were completely dependent on flint. Everything that was necessary to fulfil the daily needs for clothes, a roof, warmth, food and tools had to be made with the use of good cutting flint of different kinds. And yet people still settled in areas where this essential resource was unavailable. In Norway or the Danish Island of Bornholm flints is very rare and of poor quality. Al the same these areas were clearly populated in the Stone Age. How can this be? Did the strong tribes prevent the weaker tribes in living in best areas? Or were there other reasons, like good hunting conditions, for settling in flint scarce regions? Was Flint perhaps transported over long distances? Perhaps other materials, like antler, was used for cutting tools in stead of flint? Or perhaps the bad flint actually had unknown qualities? These questions can only be answered by coping the flint smiths of the Stone Age through practical experiments!
Archaeologist Lotte Eigeland will therefore investigate, how flint was used and knapped, in areas with little or no natural flint. Can irregular little flint nodules be used for tools? Can frost damaged flint, which is usually discarded in flint rich areas, be used? Were damaged flint axes re-used to make other tools? By producing new tools from this poormans flint, Lotte Eigeland will get an insight in to the production of these indispensable flint tools under difficult circumstances.

Reference number HAF 20/08