Danish Mesolithic Period Flint Core Chisel

Ertebølle Culture, c. 5400–3950 BC, Denmark

A striking example of late Mesolithic craftsmanship, this flint core chisel hails from the heart of Ertebølle territory in northern Denmark. Carefully shaped with a slender body and narrow, pointed edge, this elegant tool was designed for precise carving of wood or bone—an indispensable implement in the day-to-day life of a Mesolithic artisan.

Core chisels such as this are closely related to core axes, sharing their tapered silhouette and refined finish, but optimized for finer, more detailed tasks. The meticulous craftsmanship speaks volumes about the sophistication of Ertebølle flint technology, which produced a remarkable array of tools including axes, adzes, blades, burins, and scrapers.

The Ertebølle culture flourished between 5400 and 3950 BC, primarily along coastlines, riverbanks, and fjords of Northern Jutland. These semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers were masters of aquatic environments, navigating shallow waters in dugout canoes and harvesting from immense oyster beds, as evidenced by the towering shell middens left behind.

In addition to flint, the Ertebølle people utilized bone, antler, wood, and even early ceramics tempered with sand. Their society is also remembered for distinctive burial customs, which included cremation and the interment of grave goods.

Preserved in Denmark’s anaerobic peat bogs, this flint core chisel stands as a powerful link to a culture of innovation, adaptation, and skilled craftsmanship, frozen in time for over 6,000 years.

Good condition. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, nicks and chip, with fading to some finer features. Size approx. 9,1cm x 2,8cm x 1,6cm.

Provenance: Danish private collection.

References and further reading:

Europe's First Farmers – T. Douglas Price, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Cambridge University Press, 2000 (http://assets.cambridge.org/97805216/62031/ sample/9780521662031ws.pdf)

Inland Ertebølle Culture: the importance of aquatic resources and the freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dates from pottery food crusts, Bente Philippsen & John Meadows, Internet Archaeology (doi:10.11141/ia.37.9)