Microblade

This microblade was found at the oldest known archaeological site in North Cascades National Park. Evidence uncovered at Cascade Pass tells us that crossings of the rugged North Cascade mountains by Native peoples began at least 9,600 years ago. Prehistoric peoples returned repeatedly to the site and crossing the pass became a traditional cultural activity embedded in the histories and oral traditions of many tribes living on both sides of the range. Today park visitors can still cross the pass on foot as people did thousands of years ago.

Microblades such as this would have been attached to a handle, much like a present-day knife. Multiple blades would have been chipped from a single piece of quartz. The angled ridge to the right of the artifact tells archaeologists that this was one of many blades that were chipped from the same core. Quartz crystal is common in the North Cascades, so it is likely that the maker found his or her source material close to the site.