Neanderthal Flint Shouldered Mousterian Point Spearhead

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Exceptional Antiquities | Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Oct 11, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-10-11 10:00:00 2018-10-11 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities | Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-art-3500
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Mousterian Levallois Point; found in Indre-et-Loire, West Central France; Mousterian; 80,000 to 40,000 years ago. This Mousterian Point was fashioned of stunning warm gold flint known from the Indre-et-Loire region from which it was originally collected. The concept of a "projectile point" was first known in human history during the Middle Paleolithic Period, whereas, hand axes had been around for over one million years by that same time. This might explain the sheer scarcity of fine grade point specimens. The Mousterian Point or Levallois Point would be humanity's first spearhead. Lashed to a wooden pole, it would have gave rise to the invention of a new weapon for hunting large game. Now, the megafauna of the day such as mammoths, bison, rhino, and horse, could be hunted with greater success. Such a weapon would have also given prehistoric humans a more effective weapon against each other. Size: 2.85" L (7.2 cm)
  
  This robust example was made on a Levallois point, retouched for perfect form, tapering to the base, with "shoulders" flakes on both sides to make for an extremely secure method of hafting this spearhead point to a wooden pole. The entire piece is perfectly preserved as originally made with no modern damage. The edges show evidence of use and re-use from re-sharpening by its former Neanderthal owner. Surface shows prehistoric patina and mineral deposits still embedded in the hinge fractures - irrefutable evidence of an authentic specimen. A rare, rare invention of Neanderthal intelligence improving a new design.
  
  This Mousterian point / spearhead was made by Neanderthals over 40,000 years ago and was discovered in France. France is home to some of Europe's most spectacular Paleolithic sites nearly all of which have long been closed and off-limits to any collecting, which makes this scarce prehistoric weapon a highly desirable acquisition piece for the best collections or investment! This Mousterian Point came from a very old French collection as is the case with all the best material being stashed for decades and decades in private collections of yesteryear when collecting was possible. Today, sites are depleted, closed and protected, preventing further digging of any new artifacts.
  
  Mousterian Points are theorized to have been used as spearheads mounted on the ends of wooden poles and employed to stab large prey by Neanderthal hunters. Certainly a specimen like this would have been a formidable weapon and such a size would have been needed to take down large prey such as Woolly Mammoth, Bison, Aurochs, Cave Bear and Woolly Rhinoceros. The form and execution of this extraordinary spearhead is superb. By this period in time, man had not yet invented the bow and arrow but intact Neanderthal wooden spears have been scientifically documented in situ. Triangular pointed tips first made by Neanderthals were the precursor to the arrowhead!
  
  The Levallois Technique is a method of flake tool manufacture that was first employed in the Acheulian Era about 250,000 years ago by archaic Homo sapiens but perfected in the Middle Paleolithic Era by Neanderthals. It consists of starting with a core of stone and using heavy percussion hammering on one side to remove large flakes in a radial fashion, creating a "turtle-back" profile on one side of the core. A single heavy blow at one end of the core struck the flake off and the end result was a prepared flake (a la Levallois) with a convex shape on one side (from initial flake removal when still attached to the core) and a flat side on the other (from the side split off the remaining core). Edges of this struck flake were then retouched to create the desired cutting edge but the geometry of the two sides remained. It was the Levallois method employed by Neanderthals to manufacture a variety of early tools including the first points that were hafted to wooden poles for use as spears. These were the first known human-made spears and were likely used by thrusting, rather than throwing.
  
  Provenance: private Florida, USA collection, acquired in 2009 from private French collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #139960

  Condition

  Intact and complete. No restoration, repair, or modern damage. Mineral deposits intact. Finest made example with flaked shoulders on both sides to allow hafting to a shaft. Evidence of Neanderthal use and re-sharpening down both sides. Choice color and lustrous earthy patina.
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