Microblade Technology in Northern Sweden: Chronological and Cultural Irnplications

• Published in: Current Swedish Archaeology
• Main Author: Anders Olofsson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet 2002
• Subjects: microblade cores; keeled scrapers; Mesolithic; chronology; Archaeology; CC1-960; Norway; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.37718/CSA.2002.05; https://doaj.org/article/0f87cd4b7d834288a4bfc1ce52a43b22

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