Ventrally thinned flakes from south central Queensland: Are they related to bifacial points?

The process of ventral thinning in Australian lithic technology is usually limited to (i) the preparation of bifacial points or (ii) reduction of the bulbar surface to facilitate hafting. In this paper we describe a number of flakes from south central Queensland (Qld) that exhibit ventral thinning beyond the bulbar region, yet do not fulfil the traditional typological criteria of Australian bifacial points. We then consider how similar artefacts from other parts of the world have been interpreted. Our provisional conclusion is that there may not be a universal explanation for the process of ventral thinning, but at least some of the south central Qld artefacts appear to be formal tools that bear some relationship to bifacial points. We also suggest that similar tools may be present in early Holocene and late Pleistocene deposits at Kenniff Cave. In sum, this evidence lends qualified support to McNiven's (1993) hypothesis that bifacial point technology was diffused across parts of Qld through large ceremonial gatherings in the central highlands at least 3000 years ago.