MAN FROM THE FARTHEST PAST 
“willow-leaf” (narrow) and “‘laurel-leaf’’ (broad) forms 
(Fig. 47). The latter especially occur in great perfection 
during the Middle Solutrean, when they attain a marvel- 
ous perfection both of form and of technique—perfectly 
Fic. 47. Solutrean flint implements and 
weapons of fine laurel-leaf type. Above, two 
forms of shouldered point, perhaps earliest 
type of barbed weapon. After de Mortillet 
symmetrical, some- 
times a foot or more 
in: lenge thy aid 
worked down on 
both sides until in 
some instances they 
are actually trans- 
lucent. The process 
by which the Solu- 
treans achieved this 
result was that 
known as_ pressure 
or ripple flaking, 
whereby long, thin, 
parallel flakes were 
taken off right across 
both faces of the 
blade. As weapons, 
nothing else that 
man of the Old 
Stone Age achieved 
approached these 
leaf points, and 
they may well have 
played a large if not 
decisive part in the 
spread of Solutrean culture across Europe from east to west. 
In its more eastern and presumably earlier aspects, the 
Solutrean culture displays no implements of bone; but 
farther to the west, perhaps as a result of Aurignacian 
contacts, objects of that material, such as awls and smooth- 
ers, and others of reindeer antler, like the déton de com- 
mandement, become numerous. 
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