The Function of Late Neolithic Long Blades and Daggers in Western Europe: An Assessment Based on Use-Wear Analysis of Grand-Pressigny Flint Productions

Abstract

From the fourth millennium bc onward, flint dagger and long-blade workshops developed throughout Europe. Upper Turonian flint from the Grand-Pressigny region (western-central France) is one of the most emblematic examples of this type of lithic production from the end of the Neolithic. The function of long blades is poorly known and subject to debate. A sample of long blades and daggers was thus selected for microwear analysis, in order to record the technical tool functions of these remarkable productions from the end of the West European Neolithic. The main aim of this study is to determine whether these artifacts show any traces coming from use as tools for ordinary daily tasks, or whether they do not show wear-traces and could be interpreted as socially valued objects with no technical utility.

Keywords:

• European Neolithic
• microwear analysis
• flint daggers
• flint blades
• lithic technology

Acknowledgements

This work is based on PhD research carried out at the University of Burgundy (Dijon, France). The author wishes to thank everyone who permitted the study of the archaeological collections in France and Switzerland. The author gratefully thanks Louise Byrne for the English translation and Rebecca Miller for English proofreading of figure captions.

ORCiD

Jimmy Linton http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2688-3265