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unifacial tool

stone tool
Also known as: uniface blade

Quick Summary

A unifacial tool is a type of stone tool characterized by having only one principal or specialized surface, meaning it is flaked on only one face. These tools were created during the Stone Age, particularly in industries like the Mousterian.12

The creation of unifacial tools involved striking a stone core to detach a shaped flake, which was then used as the implement. This process left a single bevel forming the working edge. Common examples include points and scrapers, with scrapers potentially used for working wood and skins. Prehistoric humans preferred materials like flint for toolmaking due to their chipping properties and the sharp edges they produced.23

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