Silex mésolithique

These 11 irregular triangular or scalene-shaped arrow fittings likely originated from a seasonal hunter-gatherer encampment of the Middle Mesolithic period, circa 6000 B.C.E.

Small but effective!

Aduring the Mesolithic period (10,000 to 7,000 years ago), human societies produced flint arrows, most often in geometric shapes, for hunting and fishing purposes. This period was marked by a major climatic and environmental change related to the end of the last ice age and the beginning of global warming, and saw the development of the forest and the arrival of new game adapted to these environments. These eleven arrowheads in the form of irregular triangles, or scalenes, probably come from a seasonal camp of hunter-gatherers of the Middle Mesolithic, 8,000 years ago. These very small objects, produced from flint blades or flakes, characterize the tools of the last hunter-gatherers. They were used to arm the ends or sides of projectiles used for hunting, notably arrows. Small in size, they testify to the extreme skill in producing effective weapons for hunting and defense. Thinness and lightness allow for increased use in the face of events.