FLINT KNIVES. 



61 



Flint knife. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 2 represents a well-chipped knife of striped grey flint, having a 

 flat, well-defined base, and the sides tapering to an obtuse point. The under 

 Fig. 2. surface is much flatter than above, although not 



the plane of a single cleavage. The cutting edges 

 show well-marked secondary chipping. A frag- 

 ment of the handle, held fig. 3. 

 by asphaltum, is still attached. 

 This specimen is of much in- 

 terest, as it is of precisely the 

 same shape, size, and material 

 of hundreds found along the 

 Atlantic coast. An identical 

 form is common in Great 

 Britain, where they are usu- 

 ally referred to as "trimmed flakes," a truly descriptive 

 name, but which does not convey any knowledge of Flint knifc - 



the use of such "flakes," which 

 is known to be for cutting. 



Fig. 3 is closely allied to 

 the preceding, but less labor 

 has been put upon it. The 

 original concavo-convex sur- 

 faces of the chip have not been 

 wholly flaked away, but sim- 

 ply the edges made available 

 by secondary chipping, which 

 are, however, very irregular in 

 outline. Like the preceding, 

 this specimen also preserves 

 traces of the asphaltum by 

 which it was formerly united 

 to its handle. 



Flint knife. Fig. 4 represents a speci- 



men of cutting tool presenting many differences from the typical knives 





