microliths

Microliths are small lithic implements produced during the late Pleistocene and into the early Holocene. They are typically blades or edge-trimmed pieces under about 5 cm in length and are retouched along one or more edges to create a sharp, durable working edge. Many microliths belong to geometric forms, such as lunates (crescent-shaped), trapezes, and small backed blades, though simple retouched flakes also occur. Production usually involves initial blade or flake reduction from a core, followed by pressure flaking to shape and retouch the edges.

Most microliths were not used alone but were hafted in wood or bone to form composite tools. In such configurations they could serve as barbs on spears or darts, tips on arrows, or components of sickles (notably for cutting grasses). The technique enabled compact, portable toolkits that could be renewed or replaced in the field. In different regions microlithic industries appear from the late Epipaleolithic through the early Neolithic, with regional variation: Europe in the Mesolithic, and parts of Asia and Africa in the Late Stone Age.

Geographic distribution is wide; microliths occur wherever lithic resources permit blade production. They are important for archaeologists because their presence can indicate subsistence and technological strategies, such as hunting regimes, plant harvesting, or shifts toward more varied economies in various contexts. Although most were created for hafted tools, microliths also functioned as small cutting implements. The study of microliths provides insight into technological innovation and the spread of complex toolkits across many parts of the ancient world.