A Brief Overview of Tools

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF TOOLS

·  NOT EXCLUSIVELY HUMAN; USED BY OTHER PRIMATES TODAY—

·  DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOOL USING AND TOOL MAKING

·  HOMO HABILIS MOST PROBABLY MADE THE FIRST TOOLS

·  KIT CALLED OLDOWAN FROM OLDUVAI GORGE IN AFRICA

·  WAS ALWAYS CARRIED BY HABILIS

·  HAMMER STONE STRUCK A ROCK (CORE) AND KNOCKED OFF SHARP EDGED FLAKE OF STONE WHICH IS ALL THEY WERE LOOKING FOR

·  NOT FANCY, BUT WERE EFFECTIVE; COULD SLICE ELEPHANT HIDE

·  ALSO HAD CHOPPER STONES TO MASH BONES FOR MARROW

·  2.5 MYA (OR SO) FOR FIRST STONE TOOLS

·  WOOD TOOLS PROBABLY FIRST BUT EARLIEST WOOD TOOL IS DATED AT 1.5 MYA

·  LASTS 200,000 YEARS

·  HOMO ERECTUS TOOLS

·  ABOUT 1.5 MYA FIRST PLANNED STONE TOOL IN HANDAXE

·  ACHEULEAN KIT IS ONLY FOUND/USED IN AFRICA BY ERGASTER AND IN EUROPE WHERE IT IS USED BY HEIDELBERGENSIS

·  ERECTUS IN PEKING/JAVA, STILL USE OLDOWAN KIT

·  LASTS A LITTLE OVER A MILLION YEARS

·  NEANDERTAL TOOLS

·  MOUSTERIAN TOOL KIT 200,000--30,000 YA

·  LEVALLOIS KIT COMES LATER AND IS BEST SPEAR POINT OF THE DAY (FASTENED WITH HIDE OR TENDONS)

·  NEANDERTAL USED STABBING SPEAR “UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL”

·  SPEAR WITH STONE POINT

·  THROWING SPEARS 100,000 YA

·  AFTER NEANDERTAL MET H. SAPIENS CHANGED TO CHATELPERRONIAN KIT, BUT COULDN’T ADAPT QUICKLY ENOUGH

OUT OF A POUND OF STONE:

H. ERECTUS: GOT 8” OF CUTTING STONE

NEANDERTAL: GOT 40” OF CUTTING STONE

·  CRO-MAGNONS (HOMO SAPIENS IN EUROPE)

·  SOLUTREAN TOOL KIT 40,000 YA

·  KNOWN AS THE BLADE TECHNIQUE OF TOOL MAKING

·  FIND A GOOD CORE; GET A GOOD PUNCH (HORN OR BONE); HIT WITH HAMMER STONE

·  WHAT FLAKES OFF IS KNOWN AS A BLADE—2X AS LONG AS IT IS WIDE

·  VERY “COST EFFECTIVE” FOR SCANT FLINT RESOURCES

·  BLADES ARE THEN WORKED WITH BONE OR ANTLER IN A TECHNIQUE KNOWN AS PRESSURE FLAKING

·  BLADES CAN BE PUT INTO HANDLES FOR USE AS KNIVES

·  MICROLITHS EMERGE ABOUT 5,000 YEARS LATER (35,000)

·  VERY SMALL BLADES GLUED INTO WOOD OR BONE

·  SAWS, LATER ARROWS

·  BURINS = DRILLS OR HOLE PUNCHES

OUT OF A POUND OF STONE:

NEANDERTAL: GOT 40 INCHES OF CUTTING EDGE

CRO-MAGNON: GOT 40 FEET OF CUTTING EDGE

OTHER TOOLS:

·  BOOMERANGS = 20,000 YA

·  NEEDLES = 25,000 YA (TOOL PERHAPS MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLING NORTH AMERICA

·  ATLATLS =20,000 YA

·  HARPOON POINTS =25,000 YA

·  BOW AND ARROWS =70,000 YA