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What are blades in the context of flaked tools and their usage in various applications?

Answer :

Final answer:

Blades in the context of flaked tools refers to the long, thin, flat, and sharp edged stone flakes that offer a more extensive cutting edge than their predecessor flakes. These were a significant evolution in the Upper Paleolithic period, and part of the larger blade tool industry. Contrarily, Mousterian tools showcase a shift where the flakes themselves were chipped off to be used as tools.

Explanation:

In the context of flaked tools, blades refer to stone flakes that resemble modern knife blades. These blades are characterized by their long, thin, flat structure and sharp edge, allowing a longer cutting than their flake predecessors, making them more efficient. These were part of significant technological advancements made during the Upper Paleolithic period when humans began to shift from the manufacture of round flakes to these blade tools.

The construction method of blade tools is part of the blade tool industry, which includes several distinctive tool industries such as the Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian. The blade tools were constructed from a variety of materials, from antler, ivory, bone to stone. One of the critical tools was the burin, a narrow-bladed flint capable of scraping narrow grooves in bone, Used for carving and reshaping softer materials like bone and antler into tools or works of art.

Whereas, the Mousterian tools, a kind of flake tools, were made from stone flakes rather than cores and included various scrapers, engraving tools. Such Mousterian tools represent the shift in manufacturing process where flakes were chipped off to be used as effective tools.

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