The Chalcolithic people demonstrated remarkable expertise in making microliths (small stone tools) and showcased sophisticated stone-working skills alongside their adoption of copper tools.

Mastery of Microliths

• Microliths were tiny, geometrically shaped stone blades, often just a few centimeters long, expertly crafted through skilled flaking techniques.
• These tools were hafted onto wooden or bone handles to create composite instruments such as sickles, arrowheads, barbed spears, and saw-like tools, indicating advanced lithic technology and fine motor control.
• The precision involved in producing standardized microliths highlights their deep understanding of tool-making and practical needs for hunting, harvesting, and processing tasks.

Skilled Stone Workers

• Beyond microliths, Chalcolithic people produced a variety of larger ground and polished stone tools, including axes, adzes, hammerstones, scrapers, and querns, revealing their versatile craftsmanship.
• They were adept at selecting proper raw materials and shaping and polishing stones to attain durable working edges suited for clearing forests, building dwellings, and agricultural activities.
• Their continued reliance on stone technology, even with the introduction of copper, demonstrates adaptive ingenuity and practical knowledge of materials.

Dual Technological Tradition

• Despite the beginning of metal use, stone tools—especially microliths—remained key in daily life throughout the Chalcolithic period.
• The period is thus marked by dual mastery: the intricate production of microliths for precision tasks and the robust manufacture of larger stone implements for heavy-duty work.
• Such sustained expertise in stoneworking highlights the transitional nature of the Chalcolithic Age, bridging the Stone Age and the rise of metallurgy.

This dual tradition of lithic craftsmanship and innovation in both small and large stone tools was a defining feature of the Chalcolithic people’s technological and cultural landscape

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