Lot of 12 North African Neolithic Stemmed Arrow Points

Item TB42


Pricing Information for this item can be found on the African Artifacts link. Instructions for ordering can be found on the How to Order web page.

This item is a lot of 12 arrowhead points that were made by the Neolithic (8,000 BC -> 2,500 BC) inhabitants of what is now the desert region of the Southern Sahara (Niger, Chad, Mali, Algeria). Most are triangular points with stems. They were primarily made in the late Neolithic period. Most are made of flint. The nomadic aboriginal peoples that currently inhabit this desert region make a good living collecting lithic artifacts and meteorites. They are the source of most Sub-Saharan artifacts that are currently being found and marketed today.

The Sahara wasn't always a desert. The most recent wet phase is often called the "Saharan Aqualithic Period". The Sahara was like a parkland with Mediterranean vegetation. During this period, the Sahara had huge lakes, thousands of smaller lakes, rivers and streams. The Neolithic people of the Sahara were originally hunter-gatherers. Eventually, some began to domesticate animals such as sheep, goats, pigs and cattle. However, they remained avid hunters as well. Later, farming began in some regions, as evidenced by hundreds of grindstones, stone farming tools, and the remains of grain. Yet, along with these tools, arrowheads are still found. Their love of hunting never abated. When these points were made, the inhabitants would have used these tools and many like them to hunt the small game, birds and fish which abounded.

25 mm < Length < 44 mm ; Weight = 24 gm


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