Microlith · Mesolithic
Natufian lunate
12500–9500 BCE, Natufian
The Natufian lunate is the crescent-shaped microlith of the Levantine Natufian, about 12,500 to 9,500 BCE, used as barbs in composite projectiles and as sickle teeth. Helwan bifacial retouch marks the early phase and abrupt retouch the late. It is the type fossil of the culture.
| Object | Microlith |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12500–9500 BCE |
| Period | Mesolithic |
| Cultures | Natufian |
| Regions | Near East & Mesopotamia |
Diagnostic traits
Crescent-shaped bladelet segment with abrupt or bifacial (Helwan) retouch on the arc; used in composite sickles and projectiles.
Identification
Lunates are crescent-shaped bladelet segments with retouch along the arc, unlike triangles and trapezes of the European Mesolithic; Helwan retouch is bifacial and produces a flat arc, while late Natufian lunates are abruptly backed and smaller. Length is 1 to 3 cm. Sickle gloss occurs on some.
Reproductions and fakes
Easily knapped and sold in bulk lots of Levantine microliths; genuine examples show patina and sometimes gloss. Context is the only real guarantee.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Natufian lunate" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/natufian-lunate. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-natufian-lunate,
title = {Natufian lunate},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/natufian-lunate}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.