DEBITAGE

Three (3) pieces of flint debitage (waste flakes), probably from the manufacture of blades, dating to the Mesolithic Period (8,300 BC to 4,500 BC).

The assemblage of flint consists of one (1) piece of primary debitage, one (1) piece of secondary debitage, probably from blade manufacture and a small piece of tertiary debitage which has been reworked into a scraper type tool.

The primary debitage flake measures 29.49mm in length, 16.42mm wide and 7.92mm thick. It weighs 3.1 grams. The dorsal (lower) surface exhibits a lateral bulb of percussion. The ventral (upper) surface exhibits a number of hinge fractures, probably of natural origin. It probably originated as the surface from a flint nodule, which has been removed during the initial stage of core preparation.

The secondary debitage flake measures 33.80mm in length, 15.29mm wide and 6.11mm thick. It weighs 2.8 grams. The ventral (upper) surface exhibits a couple of blade removal scars, possibly rejuvenation flakes from an exhausted core.

The tertiary debitage flake measures 14.90mm in length, 14.98mm wide and 3.49mm thick. It weighs 0.7 grams. Signs of reworking are present as regularly spaced parallel scars along the lower right edge.

All three pieces of debitage exhibit signs of uncontrolled fractures, probably due to movement in the soil. The edges are rolled and slightly abraded.

Together all three pieces weigh 6.5 grams.

They are all of prehistoric dating, mostly likely from the Mesolithic period (8,300 BC to 4,500 BC), in particular the Secondary debitage flake. The other two flakes could be Mesolithic to Late Neolithic in dating (8,300 BC to 2,100 BC).