Microblade technology

Microblade technology is a period of technological development marked by the creation and use of small stone blades, which are produced by chipping silica-rich stones like chert, quartz, or obsidian. Blades are a specialized type of lithic flake that are at least twice as long as they are wide^[1]. An alternate method of defining blades focuses on production features, including parallel lateral edges and dorsal scars, a lack of cortex, a prepared platform with a broad angle, and a proximal bulb of percussion^[2]. Microblades are generally less than 50 mm long in their finished state^[3].

History

This technology was developed first in Northern China during the Upper Palaeolithic period, perhaps as early as 30,000 years ago. Because microblade technology is economical (using less raw material than other technologies), relatively easy to make, and extremely portable, it soon came into widespread use over vast parts of northern Asia and northeastern Siberia during and after the Ice Age. Microblade technology was very efficient for hunting because it used light, barbed spears. The barbs would open wounds and the resulting blood loss would kill the prey faster and with less loss of hunting equipment than traditional spears.

The first Native Americans brought this technology with them across the Bering Land Bridge to North America. At leat six independent Native American groups used microblade technology, including Poverty Point/Jaketown, Hopewell culture, Tikal Maya, Northwest Coast people. Specialized craftspeople manufactured millions of microblades in the Mississippian chiefdom of Cahokia, in Illinois ^[4], as did Chumash (tribe) craftspeople in California's Northern Channel Islands. In both of these cases, microblades were sharpened to a point and attached to the end of sticks, creating microdrills. These microdrills were used to drill holes in marine shells to create beads. Shell beads were used as money among the Chumash, and as a result microblades were a vital part of the Chumash economy.

References

1. ^ Crabtree, Don E. (1972). An introduction to flintworking, (Occasional papers of the Idaho State University Museum, no. 28). Pocatello, Idaho: Idaho State University Museum. 
2. ^ Johnson, Jay K. (1983). Poverty Point Period Blade Technology in the Yazoo Basin, Mississippi. Lithic Technology. 
3. ^ Arnold, Jeanne E. (1987). Craft Specialization in the Prehistoric Channel Islands, California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. 
4. ^ Yerkes, Richard W.. Microwear, Microdrills, and Mississippian Craft Specialization. Society for American Archaeology. 

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