RARE NEANDERTHAL MOUSTERIAN COMBINATION FLINT AWL / SAW (DENTICULATE)

Rock Shelter - Dordogne (Village of Plazac), France

MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD (MOUSTERIAN):  80,000 - 40,000 years ago

This stone tool was fashioned by Neanderthals over 40,000 years ago out of flint and discovered in the world famous region of Dordogne, France, considered to be the "Capitol of Prehistory".  The site this specimen was excavated from is now closed and protected by the government.  This rare artifact was legally collected with the landowner's permission decades ago before the area was sealed.  Dordogne is one of the world's most famous Neanderthal regions and the fact that this archeological site is now off-limits to any collecting, makes this wonderful stone tool artifact exceedingly rare and desirable!  Fine quality Mousterian Neanderthal tools are rare and often move from one private collection to the next as many sites are now destroyed, built over or protected.  It is probable by simple logistics, that over time, high grade archeological tools will most definitely appreciate as collector demand continues to outpace the finite supply circulating amongst collectors that buy pieces and never resell.  Investment aside, no Paleolithic collection should be without representative tools of one of the most famous primitive humans in history!  

This masterfully fashioned MOUSTERIAN COMBINATION AWL / DENTICULATE features some of the finest workmanship for this technology.  Mousterian denticulate tools are characterized by a flake with a series of retouched notches running down one edge.  This is deliberate shaping is seen up above the fine piercing point.  The awl has been extensively worked to a very fine needle point.  The combination of these two tool types is rare!  Only negative is a few flakes from modern damage but the workmanship and rarity of this tool design more than make up for it and has kept the price at a true bargain!  These modern flakes show a differing color from patina and this is actually proof of the authenticity of the tool and natural condition of the age patina.  This superbly designed awl/denticulate was discovered in a rock shelter.  Dramatic secondary knapping and shaping on the denticulate edge.  This specimen is of the FINEST workmanship, patina and retouching.  This rare Neanderthal tool was collected in a rock shelter from a subterranean level that was once a Neanderthal occupation layer.  Famous site find and now closed to future collecting!  NO RESTORATION and NO REPAIR.  Our fortunate purchase of a very old private collection from the original excavator allows us to offer this artifact at a price WELL BELOW ITS BOOK VALUE.

The MOUSTERIAN tool tradition gets its name from artifacts discovered at a primitive rock shelter named Le Moustier located in southwestern France.  Compared to the bulkier tools of the Acheulian produced by the Levallois technique, Mousterian tools are comprised of smaller flakes from an exhaustively worked core which are then retouched on the edges to make a large variety of tools.  These tools are not only smaller than Acheulian specimens, but they are more specialized for their various tasks.  Mousterian tools can be broadly put into four classes: 1) SAWS (Denticulate Tools) and KNIVES,  2) SCRAPERS  3) BORERS  4) HANDAXES, CHOPPERS and CLEAVERS.

Mousterian tool-makers were the primitive humans knows as the NEANDERTHALS.  Neanderthals had massive skeletons and teeth, flat foreheads and heavy brow ridges.  Their skulls were larger than a modern man and contained an average brain capacity of 1500 cc, averaging slightly larger than humans of today. 

FINEST CRAFTSMANSHIP / STYLE - MASTERFUL KNAPPING ON THE ENTIRE DENTICULATE EDGE!

2.6" in length

SOLD     M131     INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX     Actual Item - One Only

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE NEANDERTHAL MOUSTERIAN TOOLS FOR SALE