Stone Age to Iron Age 8: Neolithic borer
[insert image of F2537 Mesolithic borer]
You could make a neat round hole with this boring artefact!
Borers were small flint tools with thin sharp projecting pieces, used for making holes in wood, bone, animal skin or leather.
They were the prehistoric equivalent of an electric drill, but were much, much slower and involved considerably more muscle power!
This one is made from grey flint and is 6.5cm long. It dates from the Neolithic period and was used by one of the first farmers living in the Folkestone area sometime between 4000 and 2500BC.
When the borer was rotated, the sharp flint edge gradually wore away a hole.
Tools like this enabled prehistoric people to make holes in animal skins to attach clothes fasteners, such as string (made from woven plant fibres) and toggles (a bit like those on a duffle coat) which were made from carved wood, animal bone or horn).
These kept your clothes in place. They were the Stone Age equivalent of buttons, zips and Velcro, which weren’t invented for another few thousand years!
Fascinating fact
Borers could also make holes in small shells or pieces of amber (fossilised tree resin) which could be strung into necklaces. The height of prehistoric fashion!