SAHARAN NEOLITHIC (CAPSIAN) SET OF FIVE FLINT
BLADES - Exposed Saharan Site - Mali,
Northwest Africa
NORTHWEST
AFRICAN NEOLITHIC PERIOD (CAPSIAN): 8,500 - 6,500 years
ago
These CAPSIAN TRADITION
flint tools were found on an exposed African Neolithic site in the
Sahara Desert in Mali, Northwest Africa. The patina is indicative of
hydration to the flint over thousand of years caused by exposure to
water, an ancient stream bed typical of these sites. They all were struck and fashioned by man (Homo
sapiens sapiens) between 8,500 and 6,500 years ago.
With beautiful
color and fine workmanship, this set offers an excellent opportunity
to add FIVE fine grade Neolithic flint blades to a collection at a
very affordable price. Their smaller size compared to more primitive examples
typify this tool tradition and demonstrate the small nature that
African Capsian Neolithic tools were made in. Impressive to
display and in 'as found' condition. NO RESTORATION, NO REPAIR and NO
MODERN DAMAGE.
In the final Pleistocene
and early Holocene Periods around 10,000 years ago, the Sahara was
believed to be a highly favorable environment for hunters, gatherers
and pastoralists. Freshwater lakes existed between the dunes
in what is now the Tenere region, Lake Chad was eight times its
current size, the highlands supported Mediterranean forest trees,
and a large fauna of animals flourished. The slow drying out
process of the Sahara, began 7,000 years ago and ended 4500 years
ago resulting in the barren conditions that exist to this day.
As we progress from the time from the end of the Pleistocene to the
end of the Paleolithic Period, we see man relying more on meat from
raised animals as opposed to hunted
animals.
At the end of the
Pleistocene Period in North Africa, a blade industry developed
called the CAPSIAN TRADITION. The Capsian industry runs
simultaneously with the Oranian industry and began around 11,000
years ago (9,000 years ago in the Northwest region).
The earliest
blade industry in North Africa is classified as the ORANIAN or also
known as the IBERO-MAURUSIAN TRADITION. The later CAPSIAN tradition is
responsible for the influence of the Oranian industry and eventually
succeeds it at the close of Paleolithic Period, ushering in the
Neolithic Age of stone tool manufacture in this region of
Africa.
The various tools of the
CAPSIAN TRADITION represent some of the most delicately flaked and
beautifully executed smaller stone tools of man. By this time,
the flaking methods utilize small punches for extreme control in the
removal of material and shape of the blade being made. Some
points were so perfectly executed that they were not used at all
but served as items of prestige by their owner and are
sometimes found in association with burials. These finest
points and blades from this period rival any stone implement ever
made by primitive man and were sometimes manufactured out of the
most stunning gem-grade material such as fine translucent chalcedony
and agate as well as transparent crystalline quartz. By this
late age of lithic tool manufacture, stone implements have undergone
man's development by both trial-and-error and cognitive thinking
spanning an overall time exceeding one million years.
FINE GRADE
FLINT BLADES OF SUPERB COLORS AND PATINAS!
1.85" -
1.5" in lengths
SOLD
OC-048 INCLUDES DISPLAY
BOX Actual
Item - One Only |