Microblade Technology in Northern Sweden: Chronological and Cultural Irnplications

Anders Olofsson

doi:10.37718/csa.2002.05

Abstract

This article deals with Mesolithic microblade technology in northern Sweden. The artifacts in question are keeled scrapers, microblade cores, i.e. handle cores (also called wedge-shaped cores) and conical/cylindrical microblade cores, and microblades from Norrland and the provinces of Dalarna and Värmland. It is proposed that microblade production from handle cores was introduced perhaps as early as 7700/7500 BP in northern Sweden, but at least some time during the period 8000—7000 BP. It is possible that this type of core survives right up to ca. 5500 BP. The north Swedish handle core tradition is compared with its neighboring cultures. It is argued that microblade production from oblong handle cores was an innovation that spread from southern Scandinavia or southeastem Norway/western Sweden to northern Sweden during the Early Atlantic period. The Scandinavian handle core tradition as a whole is further compared with its counterparts in northeastern Asia and North America

Highlights

This article is based on parts of a more thorough study on microblade technology in northern Sweden originally published in 1995 (Olofsson 1995), with an addition of the latest research on the subject
The main focus is on artifacts, namely microblade cores, microblades and so-called keeled scrapers found in northernmost Sweden, that is Norrland, and the provinces of Dalarna and Värmland in upper middle Sweden (Fig. 1)
Before I sum up, it is important to look at the possibility of an indigenous development of a handle core industry in northern Sweden

Summary

Introduction

This article is based on parts of a more thorough study on microblade technology in northern Sweden originally published in 1995 (Olofsson 1995), with an addition of the latest research on the subject. The main focus is on artifacts, namely microblade cores, microblades and so-called keeled scrapers found in northernmost Sweden, that is Norrland, and the provinces of Dalarna and Värmland in upper middle Sweden (Fig. 1). These artifact types have been recovered from practically the whole of Scandinavia down to Denmark and northern Germany. The original study is a statistical analysis of 676 artifacts from Swedish museums and other collections with a detailed description of technology, raw material, geographical distribution, etc., much of which, for practical reasons must be omitted here.

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