Neolithic Stone Blade
Tenerean Culture, West Africa
Flintstone / Agate
Circa 4000 BCE

Axe blades such as this were made out of exceptionally high-quality flintstone / agate and belong to the Tenerean neolithic complex in West Africa. They are around 6000 years old. They were produced by specialized flint knappers who also made arrowheads and other tools. Most of them were found in Niger, but there were ateliers in (modern-day) neighboring countries as well. The axe blades had different shapes based on their function / purpose, and when in use they were polished and sharpened along the outer edge. Gradually the axe blades became shorter and were resharpened until they were too small to work with. Most of the axe blades found are in the first stage, simply knapped and ‘fresh’ (found in close proximity to the ateliers). When used and re-sharpened they were dispersed around a wide region, and are much more difficult to find today (Pers. communication, Michel Van Den Dries, 2025).

Weight: 394g

5.5 in :: 14 cm

InventoryID #13-2804

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