13.3 Technological Innovations and Their Impact

Early humans revolutionized their lives through stone tools and fire control. From simple Oldowan flakes to complex Mousterian tools, these innovations improved hunting, food processing, and survival. Fire use at sites like Wonderwerk Cave provided warmth, protection, and cooking abilities.

Technological advancements had far-reaching impacts on hominin development. Better tools and fire use led to improved nutrition, allowing for brain growth. These innovations enabled humans to adapt to diverse environments, fueling migrations out of Africa and cognitive development through problem-solving and social cooperation.

Early Technological Innovations

Stone tools and fire control

Top images from around the web for Stone tools and fire control

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Oldowan - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Stone tools and fire control

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Oldowan - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Stone tool - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Stone tools
  • Oldowan industry (2.6-1.7 million years ago) marked earliest stone tool technology characterized by simple flaked tools made by striking one stone against another producing sharp edges used as choppers and scrapers for processing plants and animals
  • Acheulean industry (1.76 million-130,000 years ago) introduced more sophisticated bifacial tools shaped on both sides including handaxes and cleavers used for butchering large animals and woodworking
  • Mousterian industry (300,000-30,000 years ago) developed prepared core technique allowing for production of specialized tools for specific tasks like cutting, scraping, and piercing
• Controlled use of fire
  • Evidence from Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa (1 million years ago) shows earliest known controlled use of fire by hominins providing warmth, protection, and cooking capabilities
  • Hearths at Qesem Cave, Israel (400,000 years ago) demonstrate intentional fire maintenance and use in daily activities
• Projectile technology
  • Spears (400,000 years ago) allowed for hunting at a distance increasing safety and efficiency (Schöningen spears)
  • Bow and arrow (64,000 years ago) revolutionized hunting with increased range and accuracy (Sibudu Cave, South Africa)
• Bone and antler tools (100,000 years ago) provided new material for creating finer, more precise tools like needles and harpoons
• Clothing and shelter
  • Evidence of tailored clothing (75,000 years ago) suggests advanced sewing techniques using bone needles (Denisova Cave)
  • Complex shelters and dwellings (40,000 years ago) show improved protection from elements and predators (Kostenki, Russia)

Technology's impact on hominin development

• Adaptation
  • Improved hunting efficiency through better tools and techniques led to increased access to high-quality protein sources
  • Enhanced food processing capabilities allowed for extraction of more nutrients from diverse food sources
  • Better protection from predators and environmental hazards through use of fire and construction of shelters
• Dispersal
  • Ability to survive in diverse environments enabled by technological advancements in tool-making, fire use, and clothing
  • Expansion into new territories facilitated by improved hunting and gathering techniques
    • Out of Africa migrations supported by adaptable tool kits
    • Colonization of Eurasia and beyond made possible by technological innovations for survival in varied climates
• Cognitive development
  • Increased brain size and complexity correlated with technological advancements and problem-solving requirements
  • Development of language and symbolic thought potentially influenced by need to communicate complex tool-making processes
  • Enhanced problem-solving abilities fostered by challenges of creating and improving technologies
  • Improved social cooperation and knowledge transfer necessary for passing on technological skills across generations

Subsistence Strategies and Complex Technologies

Innovations and subsistence strategies

• Shift from scavenging to active hunting
  • Development of more efficient hunting tools like spears and later bow and arrow increased success rates
  • Increased meat consumption provided essential nutrients for brain growth and development
• Expansion of dietary breadth
  • Processing of tough plant materials using stone tools allowed access to new food sources (tubers, nuts)
  • Exploitation of small game and aquatic resources using specialized tools broadened diet (fish hooks, nets)
• Food storage and preservation techniques
  • Smoking and drying of meat extended food availability beyond immediate consumption
  • Use of containers for storage allowed for accumulation of surplus food (baskets, pottery)
• Agricultural revolution
  • Development of farming tools like hoes and sickles enabled cultivation of crops
  • Domestication of plants and animals provided reliable food sources (wheat, barley, sheep, goats)
• Cooking and fire use
  • Increased nutrient absorption through cooking made more calories available from food
  • Detoxification of certain foods through heating expanded edible plant range
• Fishing technologies
  • Hooks, nets, and boats allowed for exploitation of marine resources
  • Exploitation of marine resources provided essential fatty acids for brain development

Complex technologies in human behavior

• Blade technology (50,000-40,000 years ago)
  • More efficient use of raw materials through standardized production techniques
  • Standardization of tool production allowed for easier replication and teaching
• Composite tools
  • Hafting of stone points to wooden shafts created more effective weapons (spears, arrows)
  • Use of adhesives and bindings demonstrated advanced planning and material knowledge
• Art and personal adornment
  • Cave paintings and figurines show symbolic thinking and cultural expression (Chauvet Cave, Venus figurines)
  • Beads and jewelry indicate social signaling and possibly trade (shell beads from Blombos Cave)
• Musical instruments
  • Bone flutes (40,000 years ago) suggest complex social and cultural behaviors (Hohle Fels Cave)
• Ceramic technology
  • Fired clay figurines (30,000 years ago) show mastery of new materials (Dolní Věstonice)
  • Pottery production (20,000-10,000 years ago) revolutionized food storage and cooking
• Weaving and textile production
  • Evidence of woven fibers (30,000 years ago) indicates advanced material processing (Dzudzuana Cave)
• Symbolic behavior
  • Use of ochre and pigments for body decoration and art shows abstract thinking
  • Burial practices and grave goods suggest belief systems and social structure
• Long-distance trade networks
  • Exchange of exotic materials and ideas fostered cultural interactions and knowledge sharing
• Role in modern human behavior
  • Development of cultural complexity through accumulation of technological innovations
  • Enhanced social organization and communication necessary for teaching and maintaining complex technologies
  • Accumulation and transmission of knowledge across generations through improved communication and memory aids
  • Adaptation to diverse environments enabled by flexible and innovative technological solutions