Anvil Stone, Carsethorn

Collected by former curator of Dumfries Museum A E Truckell, this anvil stone was found on the surface near Carsethorn, Kirkbean.   In the process of producing tools from flint or other stone objects, The knapper (a term used for those who who re-shaped flint) first removed the worn outer surface with a hard stone hammer. An anvil stone made the process much easier for the knapper, by giving the worked object something to be seated on.   Mesolithic peoples obtained edged blades by breaking flakes from a larger rock. Their most characteristic blade was the tiny microlith which could be made in a range of shapes and set in groups into wood and bone handles to form arrowheads and spears. They could also be hafted into cutting tools or used to provide a sharp point for piercing. Knapping was a specialise skill, requiring good hand and eye co-ordination as well as a knowledge of stone and the way that it fractured.