SESSION 2 – Ancient lithic trade and economics
The specialized canaanean blade production and distribution system: a technological perspective of the economics of Early Bronze Age society

The Canaanean blades were brought into the sites as trade items from off-site workshops, but were also manufactured on-site on demand. A few expert knappers moved from one site to another bringing with them not only the blades for trading, but also their knapping tools and a few cores, progressively exploited until discard. These specialists were integrated into a wider system, in which contacts and exchanges were probably favoured by the structure of the Early Bronze Age society. Even if the Canaanean blade production and distribution system flourished under the positive effect of urbanism, central authorities did not directly control production. The emergence of complex exchange systems, markets, and other public places oriented towards exchange, offered a medium for more specialized flint knappers, as part of the general system attached to the new urban economic structure.