Artifact of the Week: Flakes
Stone tools, or lithics, are the most common artifacts found at local prehistoric sites. There are two general lithic tool classifications in San Diego County: chipped stone and ground stone. The flakes above are examples of chipped stone. The best…
Artifact of the Week: Scrapers and Choppers
During the Middle Holocene, local inhabitants heavily utilized coastal resources. Scrapers and choppers were very useful tools for processing shellfish, cutting wood, and smashing animal bone. Most stone choppers and scrapers from the La Jolla Tradition are made of quartzite.…
Artifact of the Week: Stone Bowls
These stone bowls were found underwater many miles off shore. Their exact use is not known, but they indicate that the people of the Middle Holocene had ocean going boats. These bowls date to the La Jolla Tradition. During this…
Artifact of the Week: Grinding Stones
Grinding tools were used to process many materials, not just seeds. The grinding table is called the netherstone, and the tool held in the hand is called the handstone. This netherstone and handstone are examples of ground stone tools. There…
