Neanderthal Jasper Flake Tool

Formerly in the collection of artist Tony Berlant (b. 1941).

With EU license 2025DMF0222 permitting export, issued by the French Ministry of Culture

First Sculpture: Handaxe to Figure Stone. 27 January - 29 April 2018. Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas.

The Origins of Sculpture. 27 September 2023 - 7 January 2024. Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece.

Berlant, Tony, and Thomas Wynn. First Sculpture: Handaxe to Figure Stone. Nasher Sculpture Center, 2018, Cat. 58.

Galanidou, Nena, et al., editors. The Origins of Sculpture: Archaeological Finds from the Old World and Lesbos 2.5 Million to 50,000 Years Before Present. University of Crete/Benaki Museum, 2023, Cat. 67.

A STRIKING NEANDERTHAL MOUSTERIAN FLINT TOOL SUGGESTING A HUMAN OR ANIMAL HEAD IN PROFILE

Recovered from the important Paleolithic site of Fontmaure in central France, this compelling object occupies a distinct position within the group of so-called “figure stones.” Unlike examples selected for their natural suggestive qualities, the present piece has been actively shaped through knapping to produce a recognizable image. Although we cannot definitively impute intention or mental states to Neanderthals except through evaluation of their material culture, the pointed projection at the side seems to define a nose, whereas a central, recessed area suggests an eye, all set within a broader profile.

Part of the appeal of the present piece lies in the stone itself. The rich yellow and purple tones are characteristic of jasper from Fontmaure, a material long prized for its striking appearance as well as its suitability for toolmaking. In an object such as this, where visual effect appears to have been a significant consideration, the distinctive coloring may well have contributed to its selection.

Its inclusion in the Nasher Sculpture Center’s landmark exhibition First Sculpture: Handaxe to Figure Stone and the Benaki Museum’s The Origins of Sculpture places it within a key group central to current discussions surrounding the emergence of representation in early human history.

Objects such as this blur the boundary between tool and image. Here, the act of making serves both practical and visual ends, offering a particularly direct insight into the evolving relationship between utility and representation in the Paleolithic world.