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Tools

Tools

More information about stone tools

Acheulean: tool industry characterized by roughly made hand-axes found at St. Acheul, France. This type of toolmaking occurred about 1.5- 0.2mya.

Acheulean stone tool

Advanced reduction flaking: the production of a more specialized tool by accurately removing small flakes along the edge or faces of a flake.

Advanced reduction flaking

bi-facial: having two worked sides

Chopper: a tool made by flaking the edge of a roundish stone on one side.

Core: the piece of stone or raw material from which flakes will be removed and which can be modified and used as a tool itself.

Final reduction flaking: the removal of small flakes from both surfaces of the flake, often by applying pressure with a sharp piece of wood or bone.

Final reduction flaking

Flakes: the thin pieces of stone that have been removed from a core.

Hafting: the fixing of some tools to hafts or handles to make them more efficient to use. Deer antler and wood of many types was used to hold the tool which was sealed in place with gum cement or gum cement and twine bindings. Twine or animal sinew was used to bind the handle in several places and keep it firm.

Hafting

Hammerstone: a stone which is used for making other tools, to detach flakes from a core by percussion or striking.

Initial reduction flaking: the chosen stone is held in one hand and struck forcefully with another hand-held stone, the hammerstone or the chosen stone is struck onto an anvil stone. This action will detach a flake that can be worked further and also results in a sharp edge on the chosen stone, making a chopper or core tool.

Initial reduction flaking

Mousterian: tool industry characterised by finely made hand-axes, blades and points found at Le Moustier, France. This type of tool-making occurred about 200,000-35,000 years ago.

Mousterian stone tool

Oldowan: tools from the tool-making industry in the Olduvai Gorge, Kenya. This type of toolmaking occurred about 2.5 - 2 mya.

Oldowan stone tool

Pecking, grinding and polishing: Pecking is a quick way of removing material from a piece of stone by chipping at it with another stone. Grinding is a way of shaping tools by rubbing them on sandstone abraders. Polishing smoothed and shaped tools by rubbing them against another rock with water and sand.

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