The Discovery of Flake Tools in Indonesia
The Discovery of Flake Tools in Indonesia
The Discovery of Flake Tools in Indonesia - In the context of the development of stone tools during the Pleistocene in Indonesia and the surrounding areas in Southeast Asia, flake tools or commonly referred to as flakes are often found simultaneously with the discovery of hammer axes or other stone tools. In some places, tool flakes are the dominant element and sometimes this tool is the main element. Below is an explanation of the discovery of flake tools in Indonesia.
The discovery of flake tools in Southeast Asia found in the Philippine Islands, East Malaysia and Indonesia already has stone processing techniques that have been shattered between 30,000-40,000 years ago. So, it is estimated that the manufacture of flake tools in Indonesia has existed since 30,000-40,000 years ago.
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Definition of flake tools
The flake tool, or what is also known as the flake-blade tool or commonly referred to as flakes, is a small stone tool where this tool is used to do the work of cutting objects to be used for hunting animals. Tool flakes have sharp edges like knives and look jagged on some sides.
The function of the flake tool or the use of the flake tool
As in its shape, this tool has the same function as a knife, especially for cutting small objects. In addition, the use of flakes as a tool for skinning game, as a tool for shavings, burrs, scraping, dredging, scraping and sometimes also used to dig tubers in the ground. So that the flake tool can also be said to be a knife from the pre-literate era.
The function of the flake tool itself is certainly different in each time frame, for example during hunting and gathering, the flake tool is certainly used to support animal hunting activities such as piercing, skinning, cutting the meat of the game or to support gathering activities (collecting food) flakes can be used for cutting leaves and for digging tubers.
When humans enter the food producing period or produce food by carrying out agricultural activities, of course flakes are used to support agricultural activities. However, what needs to be underlined is that the basic functions of this flake tool are to cut or more easily a function that has similarities with today's knives.
Flake Tool Making Process
Flake tools are made by crushing or splitting a rock into flakes which are these flakes that will be used as tools and are known as tool flakes. After splitting or selecting the flakes, the flake tool is usually directly used like a knife and sometimes this flake tool is also processed first to make it comfortable to use and does not hurt the hand when holding it.
The Discovery of Flake Tools in Indonesia
In the Indonesian Archipelago, where the discovery of flake tools is very important is the discovery of flake tools in Punung (often referred to as Pacitan Culture) and Ngandong (East Java), Sangiran and Gombong (Central Java), Toalian Culture (Sulawesi), Mengeruda (Flores). ), Sangadat and Gasi Liu Regions (Timor) as well as in the Lahat area (South Sumatra). The discovery of flake tools in Indonesia was first made by von Koenigswald in 1934.
1. Flake Tools in Indonesia : The Discovery of Flake Tools in Sangiran
Flake tools were collected from the ground in the village of Ngebung, which coincided with the discovery of the Trinil fauna. The tool flakes found at the Sangiran site are generally small (2-4 cm) in size and formed through a simple technique. These flakes are usually used as shavings, drills, knives and awls. The main ingredients are chalcedony, translucent yellow and brown and red jasper.
2. Flake Tools in Indonesia : The Discovery of Flake Tools in Ngandong
The location of the discovery of flake tools in Indonesia, one of which is located at the Ngandong site, is around the area where the Pithecantrophus soloensis fossil was found on the steps of the Bengawan Solo River at an altitude of approximately 20 m above river level. It is estimated that this Pithecantrophus soloensis is a human supporter of Ngandong culture.
3. Flake Tools in Indonesia : The Discovery of the Flake Tool at Cabbenge
In 1947 excavations carried out by van Heekeren managed to find a tool flake in Cabbenge. This tool flake was also found along with the fossilized remains of animals on the third and fourth steps east of the Wallanae River. The flake tool basically shows the technique of making Clacton, small and thick. The types include drawstring and taper shapes. A number of blades were also found, including short blades.
Some flake tools have facets on the strike plane. There are also several tools without a punch cone, which are made from stone fragments that are only trimmed at the edges. In general, the flake tools found at Cabbange have many similarities with the flake tools found at Sangiran.
4. Flake Tools in Indonesia : The Discovery of Tool Flake in Flores
In 1957-1958, Verhoeven found flakes tools in Flores, precisely in Wangka, Soa and Maumere areas. The number of flake tools found along with other stone tools in these places is quite large.
The flakes found are rounded, tapered, or concave in shape and are useful as shavings, awls and drills. These flakes are small in shape and some have convex ends. Some of the smaller flake tools were found at Matumenge in a layer of sand and ash that also contains fossilized animal bones.
Of the several archaeological finds in Flores, the most important are in the Mengeruda and Olabula areas. From each of these places a number of stone tools have been collected, especially flake tools from the soil surface containing Stegodon fossils.
In 1961, 1963, and 1968 Verhoeven carried out a number of excavations in the Mengeruda area: in the Boalesa, Matumenge and Lembahmenge areas, respectively, directly in the soil layer containing fossilized bones. The Mengeruda and Olabula areas are located in the western part of Central Flores, on a plateau called the Soa Plain, at an altitude of approximately 500 m above sea level.
Various tool flakes found from Mengeruda, have various forms. The types of flake tools show variations of the main types, namely shaved, taper, and drill. Blade tools include different types of knives and drawstrings. The features of the blade are very close to Sangiran's tools.
5. Flake Tools in Indonesia : The Discovery of Flake Tools in Timor
The flake tools that have been found on the island of Timor can be classified as massive tools, because they are large and thick. As in these types on Flores, the punch cone is clear and wide. These flakes are mainly found in the Atambua area, in the northern Belu plains. The flake tools are thought to have come from the Pleistocene period considering their placement in the Ainaro gravel layer, which turned out to contain Stegodon fossils.
The tradition of flake tools that developed since the Middle Pleistocene period resulted in the form of simple tools. During the Pleistocene, this tradition went hand in hand with the perimbas ax tradition as the dominant element, or this tradition also stood alone, depending on the tradition of blade-chip tools being very important and if you look at the types of tools, they are the main types of tools in supporting daily life.
Various forms began to be created through more advanced manufacturing techniques. Its role is especially apparent in cave life and at the time obsidian rock was used as a material for tools. That is a description of the discovery of flake tools in Indonesia.