84 
The Queensland Naturalist April, 1945 
which one examined in the Queensland Museum 
(Q.E. 2046) is a typical original example of Lake Eyre 
basin technology in the second half of last century. 
The stone implement mounted in the graver, upon 
which interest will focus, is a characteristic microlithic 
geometric implement of the angular variety, which seems 
to fall into that sub-section of the classification which by 
reason of the general triangular form is known to hint 
implement classifiers as “triangles.” Owing to the partly 
enveloping gum, which conceals one margin of the imple- 
ment, its exact form will remain in doubt until an X-ray 
picture can be secured; however, sufficient is visible to 
enable the stone implement to be classified with consider- 
able assurance as an “equilateral triangled geometrical 
microlith. ” Its general form and the position in which it 
is set can be judged from Plate 111.. Figures 1-5, which 
show various aspects and a theoretical estimate of the 
possible shape of that portion which is not visible is 
suggested in dotted line at Fig. 6. 
The visible portion of the microlith is approximately 
11 mm. long, 9 mm. high and 10 mm. in greatest thickness. 
The triangular back is minutely secondarily chipped on 
both edges while the flake edge is without any signs of 
chipping. This may imply that the working edge is con- 
centrated at the tip and against what is sometimes called 
the “chipped” back of the implement. Unfortunately no 
adequate description of the modes of holding of this 
graving tool has been obtained, but by analogy with 
mounted implements of kangaroo tooth and opossum tooth 
used by aboriginal engravers seen at work by the present 
writer in different parts in Australia, it is possible that 
the native artist used many different holds and hence was 
likely to have covered the gamut of possible grips in the 
course of his varied tasks. Although the exact method of 
using the implement is in doubt, it is interesting as yield- 
ing prim a facie evidence that the use of mounted micro- 
lithic geometric flints was known to the natives of the 
Diamantina until the time of the decline of their culture in 
the period of contact with Europeans. In the area near 
and east of Birdsville, boomerangs and clubs are usually 
ornamented with parallel groovings and with carved 
designs, and it would appear that this graving implement 
is well adapted as a tool for this type of work. 
