Techniques

To make their weapons and tools, the Magdalenians made use of both specialised and standard techniques. In terms of stone-working, household tools were made of blades, whereas sagaie points required bladelets. Blades and bladelets were highly standardised. Obtaining them required lengthy, meticulous preparation of a stone block that was knapped with a striker (stone, wood, an antler branch) in order to hive off blades from larger blocks, and bladelets from smaller ones. Blades and bladelets were then either used as is, or knapped further to create a cutting edge or a point, or to develop the base in order to attach it. The knapping methods used in the Magdalenian reveal, on one hand, a great deal of knowledge about the physical properties of rocks, and on the other hand the learning of which actions to perform. They thus display great technical know-how – the technical mastery involved in creating large blades required specialised craftsmen.

Objects made of antler were crafted from baguettes obtained by double-grooving, which were then scraped to create their final form.

Spear points as well as some tools were hafted in various ways, as can be seen in the diversity of sagaie points. Outstanding discoveries in Lascaux and Pincevent demonstrate the use of resin and ochre-based adhesives.