Laurel-leaf blades
These pieces date from the Solutrean and represent a true technical feat, so thin and fragile are they. The most iconic examples were found in a cache at Volgu, France. Approaching, or even matching, their perfection remains, to this day, a holy grail that many flintknappers strive to reach.
A large flake or slab of flint is gradually thinned through rigorously controlled percussion, using a soft hammer (deer or reindeer antler). Ranging in size from 3 cm to over 35 cm, these pieces are prized above all for being thin, elongated and symmetrical.
