IMAGE Microblades: Microblade core, slotted bone point with microblade inserted, and small microblade.
LOCATION: Rice Ridge archaeological site, Kodiak Island, about 4000 B.C.
REFERENCE: Alutiiq Museum, Rice Collection (microblade core 363-89-7-144-250; slotted point 363.89.3.77.236; separate microblade uncataloged)
DIMENSIONS: microblade core 3 cm high.
DESCRIPTION:
The earliest settlers in the Gulf of Alaska used sharp-edged flakes of stone (called "microblades" by archaeologists) that were struck from pieces of chert ("microblade cores"). These flakes of stone were placed in rows along the edges of bone spear heads to make long, sharp edges.
