Editing Microlith (section)

====Micro points====
These are very sharp bladelets formed by abrupt retouching. There are a huge number of regional varieties of these microliths, nearly all of which are very hard to distinguish (especially those from the western area) without knowing the archaeological context in which they appear. The following is a small selection. Omitted are the foliaceous tips (also called leafed tips), which are characterized by a covering retouch and which constitute a group apart.<ref>{{Cite book
| author = Brézillon, Michel
| title = La dénomination des objets de pierre taillée
| year = 1971
| publisher = [[París]]: Editions du CNRS
| pages =292&ndash;340
}}</ref>
*The ''[[Châtelperronian|Châtelperrón]] point'' is not a true microlith, although it is close to the required dimensions. Its antiquity and its short, curved blade edge make it the antecedent of many laminar microliths.
*The ''[[gravettian|Micro-gravette]]'' or ''Gravette micro point'' is a microlith version of the ''Gravette point'' and is a narrow bladelet with an abrupt retouch, which gives it a characteristically sharp edge when compared to other types.
*The ''[[Azilian]] point'' links the [[Magdalenian]] microlith points with those from the western [[Epipaleolithic]]. They can be identified by a rough and invasive retouching.
*The ''[[Ahrensburgian]] point'' is also a ''peripheral paleolithic'' or western Epipaleolithic piece, but with a more specific morphology, as it is formed on a blade (not on a bladelet), is obliquely truncated and has a small tongue that possibly served as a haft on a spear point.

The next group contains a number of points from the [[Middle East]] characterized as cultural markers.
*The [[Emireh point]] from the [[Upper Paleolithic]] is almost the same as one found in Châtelperrón, which is likely to be contemporary, although they are slightly shorter and also appear to be fashioned from a blade and not a bladelet.
*The ''El-Wad point'' is from the end of the Upper Paleolithic from the same area, made from a very long, thin bladelet.
*The ''[[Khiamian|El-Khiam]] point'' has been identified by the Spanish archeologist González Echegaray in [[Protoneolithic]] sites in [[Jordan]]. They are little known but easy to identify by two basal notches, doubtless used as a haft.<ref>{{Cite book | author = González Echegaray, J. | title = Excavaciones en la terraza de El Khiam (Jordania)
| year = 1964 | publisher = Bibliotheca Praehistorica Hispana}}</ref>

<gallery>
Image:Pointes de chatelperron.jpg|Châtelperrón points
Image:Pointe de la Gravette MHNT PRE.2009.0.231.2.fond (2).jpg|Micro-gravette
Image:Pointe 228.2 La Tourasse (3).jpg|Azilian point
Image:Ahrensburg point.png|Ahrensburguien point
Image:Emireh point.png|[[Emireh point]]
Image:El-Wad point.png|[[El-Wad]] point
Three El-Khiam points from JQ-101.jpg|[[El-Khiam]] point
Image:Adelaida point.png|Adelaide point
File:Helwan points (Abu Salem points sub-type).jpg|[[Helwan]] points (Abu Salem points sub-type)
</gallery>

The ''[[Adelaide]] point'' is found in [[Australia]]. Its construction, based on truncations on a blade, has a nearly trapezoidal form. The Adelaide point emphasizes the range of variation in both time and culture of the laminar microliths; it also shows their technological differences, but sometimes morphological similarities, with geometric microliths. Laminar microliths can also sometimes be described as trapezoidal, triangular or lunate.<ref>Geometric shapes, as we have seen, are present in many laminar microliths: for example the ''Dufour bladelet'' is an elongated lunate shape, the ''El-Emireh point'' is a triangle and the ''Adelaide point'' is a trapeze, the ''El-Wad point'' is spindle shaped; and there are many other examples.</ref> However, they are distinct from the geometric microliths because of the strokes used in the manufacture of geometric microliths, which mainly involved the [[microburin technique]].