obsidian tools

Obsidian tools are cutting instruments made from naturally occurring volcanic glass called obsidian. When properly knapped—shaped by striking with another tool—they create extremely sharp edges, often sharper than metal blades. These tools were used by ancient peoples for cutting, slicing, and scraping tasks. Obsidian's fine fracture properties enable the creation of precise, durable tools for hunting, processing food, and other everyday activities. Their effectiveness relies on careful craftsmanship, harnessing obsidian's natural ability to fracture conchoidally, resulting in highly effective, relatively lightweight tools even thousands of years ago.