Hand Axes / Choppers
Cores / Hammer Stones

DESCRIPTION:  Mousterian Core - Fontmaure (site)
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This artifact is a large Mousterian Aged Core and is of the vibrant golden "candy" gem-grade jasper found around the famous Neanderthal site of Fontmaure, France. This artifacts is multicolored with light green okra, rose, and swirls of plum jasper intrusions with a light cream colored weather cortex with numerous small spots of Crustose lichen growth. This artifact is a larger sized core and shows extensive chipping and modification. Large flake scars are present on all but one side. The top end of this artifact is fairly flat and fits in the hand nicely. This piece could have functioned as a simplistic Hand Axe or Chopper with definite signs of utilization on the tip (ancient crush marks).  This Mousterian Core measures 87mm by 54mm and 43mm width at the thickest point, and dates to the Paleolithic Mousterian period about 80,000 to 40,000 B.C. This artifact is from the famous Neanderthal site of Fontmaure, a "crown jewel" site of the Neanderthal era. The site is named for a local farm and is just one acre in size, situated in Vellèches, a small rural commune in the Department of Vienne, France. This hard to find artifact was collected in the early 1900's and was originally part of an old French collection.

DESCRIPTION:  Mousterian Chopper - Fontmaure (site)
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This artifact is a Mousterian Aged Chopper and is of the vibrant golden "candy" gem-grade jasper found around the famous Neanderthal site of Fontmaure, France. This artifacts is multicolored with small plum jasper intrusions, a rose colored cortex, and a small pocket of crystal intrusions. This artifact was modified from a larger core and worked into a triangular shaped chopping tool with a heavily utilized chopping edge (see detailed edge). There are large sized retouches on the distal end. The platform on the proximal end is fairly flat and fits in the hand nicely. This piece would have been most likely used for fine chopping activities due to its size.  This Mousterian Aged Chopper measures 71mm by 44mm and 46mm width at the thickest point, and dates to the Paleolithic Mousterian period about 80,000 to 40,000 B.C. This artifact is from the famous Neanderthal site of Fontmaure, a "crown jewel" site of the Neanderthal era. The site is named for a local farm and is just one acre in size, situated in Vellèches, a small rural commune in the Department of Vienne, France. This hard to find artifact was collected in the early 1900's and was originally part of an old French collection.

DESCRIPTION:  Mousterian Core Tool
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This larger artifact is a Mousterian Aged Core Tool and is made from a light tan flint, with a heavy cream colored old patina with a slight peach colored under tone, and with a small crystal intrusion. This artifact was modified from a large Levallois flake. There are large sized retouches on the distal end. This artifact has multiple areas of Crustose lichen and Foliose lichen growth present. This artifact measures 91mm by 52mm and 28mm at the thickest point. This piece could have functioned as a simplistic Hand Axe. This Mousterian Core Tool dates to the Paleolithic Mousterian period about 60,000 to 40,000 B.C.  This artifact was a field find as evident with the plow marks on the ventral side and was found in the areas around the Danube River in the Fränkische Alb, located in Southern Germany. This artifact is from an old German collection.   

DESCRIPTION:  Aurignacian aged Chopper
This Aurignacian aged Chopper is of a very fine grained tan and caramel colored chalcedony with some lighter intrusion.  This artifact was crafted from a flake preparation core. Nice flake scars are present on all surfaces of this artifact. The cutting edge is still quite sharp. The platform on the distal end is fairly flat. This piece would not have been used for heavy duty chopping but most likely for fine chopping activities due to its size.  This Chopper measures 66mm by 47mm and 30mm width at the base.  This artifact was discovered in the Paris Basin region of France.  It dates from the Upper Paleolithic, the Aurignacian industry, about 40,000 to 27,000 B.C.

DESCRIPTION: Subtriangular Unifacial Biface
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This is an Acheulean (Paleolithic) age hand axe, measuring 102mm by 91mm by 41mm (at widest point). This artifact is a biface with a Subtriangular aspect and is best classified as a "Unifacial Biface". The flatness ratio is 2.22, which classifies this piece as "Thick". This artifact has a good sharp tip.  The left side edge on the dorsal surface has serrated retouches while the right edge shows little modification.  The proximal end has been trimmed to created a round base.  Ventral surface exhibits a large bulb of percussion and some modification to the base.  This piece is considered a flake tool since it was produced by removing a large flake from a core nodule.  It was discovered in the Dordogne Region, France. This artifact is beautifully mottled light gray and tan fine grain chert with a nice patina.  Cortex can be seen on right dorsal surface of this piece.  This piece probably dates from around 250,000 years old.  
              PRICE: $ 200.00  Sold   ITEM NO: FAP-17

DESCRIPTION: Partial Cordiform Biface
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This is a large and heavy artifact that has been partially worked on both sides.  It has an elongation index of 1.32 which classifies it as cordiform instead of discoidal.  it is also classified as a "thick" biface since its flatness ratio is 2.13, which is less than the 2.35 needed to be called a "thin" biface. This piece has a nice old patina with a light gray mottled flint under tone and highlights of iron oxide.  There is a small amount of cortex on the top and back edge.  This artifact show signs of utilization as can be seen on the lower left photo in the detailed view.  It measures 107mm long by 81mm at its widest.  This artifact was a field find from the historical Touraine province (located in the western Paris Basin)  of France and collected in the early 1900's. This type of artifact dates to the Late Acheulian and Mousterian contexts (Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MAT)). This is a very solid and pleasing piece.

                PRICE: $ 166.00  Sold  ITEM NO: FA-21

DESCRIPTION:  Normandy region Core (Large)

 

This is a well used flake preparation core from the Normandy region of France.  It was only a tiny area of cortex left on one edge.  The entire surface has a wonderfully old looking creamy white patina with highlights of iron oxide.  The base rock is a fine gain light gray chert.  The top of this artifact indicates that this piece was also used lightly as a hammer stone as evident by the conchoidal fracturing and worn edge.  It measures 91mm by 57mm by 49mm.  It dates from the Neolithic period, up to 6,000 years ago.