Place Identification ABORIGINAL FLAKED Mini Poster 4 STONE

Characteristics General • Sharp edges. • Retouch along one or more edges. • Stone rich in silica. • Stone type often different to the natural rock in the area. Flakes • Usually less than 50 mm long. • A ‘striking platform’ (see diagram) visible. • Impact point often present on the striking platform. • A ‘bulb of percussion’ often present below the striking platform. • May have been shaped into A group of artefacts of different size, shape and material a recognisable form,

such as a point or . Cores What are Aboriginal Flaked outcrops of bedrock, or collected Stone Tools? it as pebbles from stream beds • May be fist-sized or smaller. Flaked stone tools were made by and beaches. Many flaked stone • May have one or more hitting a piece of stone, called a artefacts found on Aboriginal scars where flakes have core, with a ‘’, often a places are made from stone types been removed. that do not occur naturally in the pebble. This would remove a sharp Not all of these features fragment of stone called a flake. area. This means they must have been carried long distances. can be seen on each stone Both cores and flakes could be tool and some require an used as stone tools. New flakes were Where are Stone Tools Found? experienced eye to identify them. Breakage can remove very sharp, but quickly became blunt Stone tools are the most common some key features. during use and had to be sharpened evidence of past Aboriginal activities again by further flaking, a process in Australia. They occur in many called ‘retouch’. A tool that was places and are often found with other negative flake scar striking platform retouched has a row of small flake remains from Aboriginal occupation, scars along one or more edges. such as shell and Retouch was also used to shape . They are most common a tool. near rivers and creeks. It is easier to impact point Not all types of stone could be used find them where there is not much for making tools. The best types vegetation or where the ground of stone are rich in silica, hard and surface has been disturbed, for retouch brittle. These include quartzite, , example by erosion. bulb of percussion flint, silcrete and quartz. Aboriginal people quarried such stone from Diagram showing basic flake characteristics collected by people who do not understand the importance of leaving Aboriginal cultural materials where they are found. Erosion and weathering and activities such as ditch digging and ploughing can disturb flaked stone artefacts. They can also be broken when trampled by animals such as cows, or when

run over by vehicles. How flaked stone tools were made The Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria records flaked stone artefacts so that What to Do if You Find Why are Flaked Stone we will have a permanent a Flaked Tools Important? photographic and written record of this important part of the heritage of Do not remove any material from Because stone artefacts do not all Australians. Some particularly the area. If you pick up a stone to rot or rust, they are often the only good examples of places containing examine it, make sure that you put evidence of Aboriginal occupation flaked stone artefacts may require it back where it came from. Check in a particular area. Stone artefacts active conservation so that they can whether it has some of the key can provide information about be preserved for future generations. characteristics. Record the location, where Aboriginal people lived, how noting roughly how many stones they made other tools, hunted and Are Flaked Stone there are. Note whether the area is prepared food. Sometimes traces Artefacts Protected? under threat of disturbance. of wood, plant food, or animal blood All Aboriginal cultural places can survive on the edges of flaked in Victoria are protected by law. What Were Flaked Stone stone tools. Specific marks and Tools Used For? Aboriginal artefacts are also damage on a tool from use can help protected. Flaked stone tools could be made tell us what it was used for. This is quickly, and were used for many because different tasks, such as It is against the law to disturb or everyday tasks, including shaping wood carving or scraping animal destroy an Aboriginal place. Artefacts objects made of wood, bark and skins, damaged the edge in should not be removed from site. bone. They were used as -tips different ways. Please help to preserve Aboriginal in hunting weapons and as to By finding the original source of cultural places by reporting their butcher game. They were also used stone that was used to make tools, presence to the Office of Aboriginal to scrape and prepare animal skins it is sometimes possible to trace Affairs Victoria. for making cloaks, containers and the movement of stone within an Contact: decorative items. area. This tells us about Aboriginal The Heritage Registrar systems of trade, exchange and How Else can Stone Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria social alliances. be Flaked? PO Box 2392 There were a number of changes to Melbourne VIC 3001 Many natural processes can break the stone tools used by Aboriginal stone. These include rockfall and Telephone: 1800 762 003 people over time. Because of this, extreme changes in temperature. www.aboriginalaffairs.vic.gov.au stone tools can help provide an Modern machines, such as ploughs, approximate age for the Aboriginal can also fracture stone. It is occupation of an area. Flaked stone June 2008 important to be able to distinguish tools are one of a range of artefacts Copyright State Government of Victoria 2008. stone that has been naturally or that provide Aboriginal people today Authorised by the Victoria Government, Melbourne accidentally fractured from stone that with an important link to their culture ISBN 978-1-921331-55-8 was deliberately flaked by Aboriginal and past. This publication may be of assistance to you but the people. Some of the characteristics State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is of Aboriginal flaked stone artefacts Threats to Aboriginal wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and may occasionally occur on naturally therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other Stone Tools consequence which may arise from you relying on any fractured stone. However, it is information in this publication. Because stone artefacts are found very rare for two or more of these characteristics to occur on the same in many different places, and are usually small, they can be difficult piece of stone as the result of to protect. They are sometimes a natural process.