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20,000 year old Solutrean burin from Gorham's Cave.
Burin retouch technique.
Upper Palaeolithic burin
A Solutrean burin from Gorham’s Cave (approx. 20,000 years ago). A burin is a multifunctional stone tool. They existed in earlier times but their use was exceptional and it was not until the Upper Palaeolithic that its production and use took off.
Burins are associated with the production of bone or antler tools such as assegais (light spears) or harpoons, portable art carvings, engravings on stone or bone as well as for working hides, be it for cleaning or perforating.
Burins were made by retouching a stone tool to create a dihedral angle at one of its ends. This could have been achieved either by direct percussive strike or with the help of an anvil. It is common to find pieces which have had prior retouches, or cut-outs, to direct the final retouch fracture and create different types of burins.
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