Stone Artifacts: Cutting Artifacts
Creators: name: L. C. Steege
Publisher: name: The Wyoming Archaeological Society
Year: 2007
Subjects: subject: Pennsylvania
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76734/pennsylvania
subject: Colorado
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/113/colorado
subject: Louisiana
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/193/louisiana
subject: Illinois
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/132/illinois
subject: New Mexico
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/21/new-mexico
subject: Massachusetts
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/133/massachusetts
subject: Arkansas
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/165/arkansas
subject: Wisconsin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/166/wisconsin
subject: Wyoming
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/19431/wyoming
subject: Missouri
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/168/missouri
subject: Texas
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/6923/texas
subject: United States
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/10460/united-states
subject: Late Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/32/late-archaic
subject: Early Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5396/early-archaic
subject: Middle Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/3094/middle-archaic
subject: Middle Paleoindian
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/8359/middle-paleoindian
subject: Early Paleoindian
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/8360/early-paleoindian
subject: Late Paleoindian
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5226/late-paleoindian
subject: Undifferentiated Native American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/9573/undifferentiated-native-american
subject: Folsom
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/6/folsom
subject: Lindenmeier
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132577/lindenmeier
subject: Sandia Cave
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132578/sandia-cave
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: tang knife
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169984/tang-knife
subject: slitter
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169985/slitter
subject: clear fork complex
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169986/clear-fork-complex
subject: Graver
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/902/graver
subject: Pueblo
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/136968/pueblo

description: At the beginning, any sharp edge of a thin flake was considered sufficient for a good cutting edge. When the edge became dulled and chipped from use, the flake was discarded and another picked up either as found in nature or struck off from some suitable material. There was no standard for size or shape; the main requirements were that it be large enough to be held in a hand and sufficiently thin, sharp and strong enough to cut skin, flesh and wood. This type of cutting artifact undoubtedly lasted for a long period of time. By blunting one edge of the flake, a great deal more pressure could be applied to the flake without injuring the hand holding it. A slight convex cutting edge ending in a point added considerably to the efficiency of this flake knife. In our knives today, even with their many specialized functions in our modern lives; we see very little change in the shape of the metal blade over the stone flake knives of ancient origin.