M314 - NEANDERTHAL COMBINATION MOUSTERIAN FLINT TOOL FROM FAMOUS SITE IN FRANCE

Product Description

ITEM # 

M314

ID

Mousterian Tool

FOUND

Rock Shelter - Dordogne Region (Near Sarlat,
France)

AGE

MOUSTERIAN:  80,000 - 40,000 years ago

SIZE

2.6" long

CONDITION

INTACT AND COMPLETE - NO REPAIR OR
RESTORATION.  

NOTE

EXCEPTIONAL AND INGENIOUS DOUBLE
COMBINATION TOOL WITH FUNCTIONS ON 
BOTH OPPOSING ENDS OF A THICK FLINT 
FLAKE.  PERFECT DEMONSTRATION OF 
NEANDERTHAL RESOURCEFULNESS AND
INGENUITY.

INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX - Actual Item - One Only

Comes with a certificate of authenticity / information sheet

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOUSTERIAN TOOLS

With this offer comes a RARE opportunity to acquire an authentic artifact from a well-known prehistoric rock shelter (all site information provided to buyer) from what is considered one of the most important regions of human prehistory in Europe - the Dordogne Region in France.  This specimen comes from a collection dating back to the early 1900's by a French collector who excavated the Paleolithic layers of the shelter to reveal a level of Mousterian (Neanderthal) occupation lying directly below another level of Upper Paleolithic (Cro-Magnon) occupation.  Such a collection provides a fantastic and RARE window into long-term human prehistoric habitation spanning two Paleolithic periods and from Neanderthal to Cro-Magnon life.  In this collection were not only tools from both periods but also, many fossil remains of animals killed and eaten by these prehistoric humans.  The remains included numerous bones and teeth of horse, red deer, reindeer, aurochs and steppe bison.  The presence of animal bone fragments indicates the process of smashing bones to get to the marrow which was prized for its rich food value as much if not more than the meat itself.  Collections like this come maybe once in a lifetime, if that.  The majority of this collection is being retained by a museum.  This rare chance to acquire such objects will end when we sell out the limited number of specimens we have.   Because collecting these artifacts has been off-limits for decades, genuine fine grade Mousterian Neanderthal tools such as this specimen are most certain to continue to appreciate in value as time goes on.

This is a combination, double-use Neanderthal flake tool.  One end functions as an ENGRAVER and the other end is a RABOT or PLANE.  Made on a very thick flake, the purpose of each end required strength in the cutting edges so both were well-suited to be made on such an unusually thick flint flake as this.  This tool would have been a typical tool needed to fashion artistic crafts such as carvings of bone or ivory.  The thick pointed end could have been used to engrave designs in the object after the surface was made smooth by the scraping of the opposite planing cutter edge of the flake.  The planing cutting edge shows incredibly fine detailed flaking to make a well-formed edge.  There is also evidence of prehistoric use on BOTH ends.  The design of such a tool demonstrates Neanderthal ingenuity and resourcefulness.  This flake tool is complete and in its original form as it was made by Neanderthals at least 40,000 years ago.  All cutting edges are still intact as made.   Intact original sediments from the layer in which it was dug are still attached to the surface of the tool in the microscopic crevices - evidence of authenticity not found in fakes or altered artifacts.  NO RESTORATION, REPAIR OR MODERN DAMAGE.