Stone tool

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Stone tool

A stone tool

Stone tools are prehistoric tools made from stone. They are among the earliest known human artifacts, providing significant insights into early human technology and culture. Stone tools were used by early humans and their ancestors for various purposes, including hunting, cutting, and processing food.

Types of Stone Tools

Stone tools can be broadly categorized into several types based on their function and method of production:

• Hand axe: A large, bifacially flaked tool used for chopping and cutting.
• Chopper: A simple, unifacially flaked tool used for chopping.
• Scraper: A tool used for scraping hides, wood, and other materials.
• Projectile point: A pointed tool used as the tip of a spear or arrow.
• Blade: A long, thin flake of stone used for cutting and slicing.

Production Techniques

The production of stone tools involves several techniques, including:

• Flintknapping: The process of shaping stone by striking it with another object.
• Percussion flaking: Removing flakes from a stone core by striking it with a hammerstone.
• Pressure flaking: Removing small flakes by applying pressure with a pointed tool.

Historical Significance

Stone tools are crucial for understanding the Paleolithic era, which is divided into three periods:

• Lower Paleolithic: The earliest period, characterized by the use of simple tools like choppers and hand axes.
• Middle Paleolithic: Marked by the development of more sophisticated tools, including scrapers and points.
• Upper Paleolithic: Known for the production of blades and the use of more advanced techniques.

Archaeological Sites

Several important archaeological sites have yielded significant stone tool discoveries, including:

• Olduvai Gorge: A site in Tanzania where some of the earliest stone tools have been found.
• Blombos Cave: A site in South Africa known for its Middle Stone Age tools.
• Clovis culture: A prehistoric Native American culture known for its distinctive projectile points.

Related Pages

• Prehistoric technology
• Lithic analysis
• Archaeology
• Human evolution
• Neolithic Revolution

See Also

• Hand axe
• Chopper (archaeology)
• Scraper (archaeology)
• Projectile point
• Blade (archaeology)
• Flintknapping
• Percussion flaking
• Pressure flaking
• Paleolithic
• Olduvai Gorge
• Blombos Cave
• Clovis culture