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Flint technology – a specialized craft

It was not just anyone who could make a flint dagger like the Hindsgavl Dagger. It was a very specialized craft, superior to anything that had been seen before, and required a master of the art! The secret behind the sophisticated daggers was the use of the so-called ‘soft technique’. By striking the flint directly with a soft hammer of antler or hard wood, one could make a crude initial form of the flint object. Afterwards a small flaking tool could be pressed on to the surface of the dagger to remove small oblong flint flakes.

Flint technology
The Hindsgavl Dagger, seen from the end of the handle.
Flint technology
Flint kan tilhugges på forskellige måder: Direkte slag med sten (hård teknik); direkte slag med hjortetak (blød teknik); pres med hjortetak (presteknik); indirekte slag på mellemstykke (stødteknik) samt direkte tryk (trykteknik).
Flint technology
The Hindsgavl Dagger was produced by striking directly on the flint with a stone and a soft hammer. After grinding the dagger, very thin parallel flakes were removed from the surface by the so-called pressure-flaking technique.