Ancient Quarries | Wallpaper

This wallpaper shows Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in Texas. The monument protects a mesa covered in a lithic scatter carpet of flint, so thick you cannot walk without stepping on human generated flakes of Alibates flint. The quarries were dug, by hand, 1,000 years ago. However, gathering of flint from the mesa has been taking place for 13,000 years. Alibates flint is a multi-colored stone with the ability to hold a sharp edge. Alibates flint was highly prized and traded throughout much of North America.