🍖World Prehistory Unit 3 – Early Stone Tools: Lower Paleolithic Era

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Oldowan tools earliest known stone tools, named after Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania where they were first discovered
• Acheulean tools more advanced stone tools that emerged after Oldowan, characterized by distinctive oval and pear-shaped hand axes
• Lithic technology refers to the production of stone tools, a defining feature of the Lower Paleolithic era
• Knapping process of shaping stone tools by striking them with another stone or tool to remove flakes and shape the desired form
• Cores stones from which flakes are removed to create tools
• Flakes sharp-edged pieces of stone removed from cores, used as tools or further shaped into more specialized tools
• Bifaces stone tools worked on both sides to create a sharp edge, such as hand axes and cleavers
• Percussion flaking technique of shaping stone tools by striking them with a hammerstone or other percussor

Timeline and Geographical Context

• Lower Paleolithic era began around 3.3 million years ago and lasted until about 300,000 years ago, marking the earliest period of stone tool use by hominids
• Oldowan tools first appeared in East Africa around 2.6 million years ago and spread to other parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia
• Acheulean tools emerged around 1.7 million years ago in Africa and spread to Europe and Asia, remaining in use until about 300,000 years ago
• Early stone tool use coincided with the evolution of early hominids, such as Australopithecus and early species of the genus Homo
• Stone tools from this era have been found in various archaeological sites across Africa, Europe, and Asia, indicating the widespread use and adaptation of these technologies
• Environmental factors, such as climate change and the availability of suitable stone resources, influenced the development and spread of stone tool technologies

Early Hominid Tool Makers

• Australopithecus garhi one of the earliest known hominids associated with stone tool use, lived in East Africa around 2.5 million years ago
• Homo habilis "handy man," an early human species that lived in Africa between 2.3 and 1.4 million years ago, credited with making Oldowan tools
• Homo erectus early human species that emerged in Africa around 1.9 million years ago and spread to Asia and Europe, associated with Acheulean tools
  • Homo erectus had a larger brain and more advanced cognitive abilities compared to earlier hominids, enabling them to create more sophisticated tools
• Homo heidelbergensis later human species that lived in Africa, Europe, and Asia between 700,000 and 200,000 years ago, also associated with Acheulean tools
• The ability to make and use stone tools is considered a major milestone in human evolution, reflecting increased cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills

Types of Lower Paleolithic Stone Tools

• Oldowan choppers simple stone tools made by removing flakes from a core to create a sharp edge, used for cutting, chopping, and scraping
• Oldowan flakes sharp-edged pieces of stone removed from cores, used as cutting tools or further shaped into scrapers and other tools
• Acheulean hand axes distinctive oval or pear-shaped stone tools worked on both sides, used for cutting, chopping, and digging
• Acheulean cleavers large, bifacially worked stone tools with a wide, sharp edge at one end, used for heavy-duty cutting and chopping tasks
• Scrapers stone tools with a sharp, retouched edge, used for scraping hides, wood, and other materials
• Awls pointed stone tools used for piercing and drilling
• Spheroids round stone objects, possibly used as bolas for hunting or as grinding tools

Manufacturing Techniques

• Hard hammer percussion using a hard stone hammer to strike a core and remove flakes, the primary technique used in Oldowan tool production
• Soft hammer percussion using a softer material, such as bone, antler, or wood, to strike a core and remove flakes, allowing for greater control and precision in tool shaping
• Pressure flaking using a pointed tool to apply pressure to the edge of a stone tool, removing small flakes to sharpen or shape the edge
• Bipolar percussion placing a core on an anvil stone and striking it with a hammerstone from above, used to work with smaller or more difficult-to-flake materials
• Shaping and retouching using percussion or pressure flaking techniques to further refine the shape and edge of a stone tool after the initial flake removal
  • Retouching involves the removal of small flakes along the edge of a tool to create a sharper, more regular edge
• The choice of manufacturing technique depended on factors such as the type of stone being worked, the desired tool form, and the skill of the toolmaker

Tool Functions and Uses

• Cutting tools (flakes, hand axes, cleavers) used for slicing meat, cutting plant material, and working wood and other materials
• Scraping tools (scrapers) used for cleaning hides, shaping wood, and processing plant foods
• Piercing and drilling tools (awls) used for making holes in hides, wood, and other materials
• Pounding and grinding tools (spheroids, hammerstones) used for processing plant foods, breaking bones for marrow, and grinding pigments
• Hunting weapons (bolas, hand axes) used for hunting and defense against predators
  • Hand axes may have also served as a source of sharp flakes for use in butchery and other cutting tasks
• The versatility of stone tools allowed early hominids to access a wider range of food sources and adapt to different environments
• Stone tools also played a role in social interactions, such as food sharing and the transmission of tool-making knowledge between individuals and groups

Archaeological Sites and Discoveries

• Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania site where Oldowan tools were first discovered by Louis and Mary Leakey in the 1930s, providing evidence of early human tool use
• Koobi Fora, Kenya important archaeological site that has yielded numerous Oldowan and Acheulean tools, as well as fossil remains of early hominids
• Olorgesailie, Kenya site known for its extensive deposits of Acheulean tools, including hand axes and cleavers, spanning a period of over 600,000 years
• Atapuerca, Spain archaeological site that has yielded Acheulean tools and fossil remains of Homo heidelbergensis, providing insights into the spread of stone tool technology to Europe
• Ubeidiya, Israel site that has yielded Oldowan and Acheulean tools, demonstrating the spread of these technologies to the Middle East
• Dmanisi, Georgia site that has yielded Oldowan tools and fossil remains of early Homo erectus, providing evidence of the earliest human presence outside Africa
• These archaeological sites and discoveries have helped researchers reconstruct the timeline and geographical spread of early stone tool technologies, as well as the evolution and behavior of early hominids

Significance and Impact on Human Evolution

• The development of stone tools marked a significant cognitive and behavioral shift in human evolution, enabling early hominids to adapt to new environments and access new food sources
• Stone tools allowed early hominids to process a wider range of plant and animal foods, including tough, fibrous plant material and large animal carcasses
  • This expanded diet likely contributed to the increase in brain size and complexity observed in early human species
• The manufacture and use of stone tools required planning, problem-solving, and social learning, indicating increased cognitive abilities in early hominids
• Stone tool technology also facilitated the spread of early human populations across different continents, as these tools allowed them to adapt to new environments and exploit new resources
• The social aspects of stone tool production and use, such as the sharing of knowledge and resources, may have played a role in the development of early human social structures and communication
• The Lower Paleolithic era laid the foundation for the continued development of stone tool technologies and the emergence of more advanced human cultures in the subsequent Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods
• Studying early stone tools and the archaeological sites where they are found provides valuable insights into the cognitive, behavioral, and social evolution of our early human ancestors