Tool Use and Manufacture [cognitive implications from Paleolithic to Neolithic] Flashcards
What is the significance of the title Man the Tool-maker (Oakley, 1949) in archaeological discourse?
It reflects a male-centric bias in early archaeology, assuming men were tool-makers despite no evidence of gender from stone tools.
Which non-human animals are known to use tools?
Chimpanzees, sea otters, crows, Galapagos finches—all observed using stones or sticks for tasks like nut-cracking or insect extraction.
What is the principle behind flintknapping and the creation of stone flakes?
The cone of percussion propagates force through stone; flakes are removed by directing that force along edges for sharp cutting tools.
What are the meanings of the names: Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens, and Homo sapiens sapiens?
“Handy man,” “Erect man,” “Wise man,” and “Doubly wise man” respectively.
What are Oldowan tools, and when were they used?
The earliest known stone tools (2.5–1.6 million years ago), consisting of minimally shaped flakes for cutting.
What characterizes Acheulean tools compared to Oldowan?
Acheulean tools (1.7 mya – 200 kya) include standardized, symmetrical hand axes and a more diverse toolkit; show intentional shaping and symmetry.
What is significant about cultural variation between Acheulean and Developed Oldowan tools?
Acheulean tools were widespread (Africa, Europe, S. Asia); Developed Oldowan tools without handaxes were dominant in SE Asia—early signs of regional tech diversity.
What site in the British Isles is known for Acheulean handaxes?
Boxgrove Quarry in West Sussex
What does the consistent length-to-width ratio of Acheulean handaxes suggest?
A mental template or ideal form was used in their manufacture, implying cognitive planning.
What is the Mousterian toolkit, and who used it?
A Middle Paleolithic tool industry (200–40 kya), used by Neanderthals and archaic Homo sapiens, emphasizing prepared core techniques like the Levallois method.
Why is the Levallois technique significant in stone tool evolution?
It allowed pre-shaped flakes to be struck in one blow, indicating advanced cognitive abilities and planning.
What defines Upper Paleolithic (40–10 kya) stone tool industries?
Thin blades removed from cores, increasing cutting efficiency; cultural diversity in tool types (e.g., Aurignacian, Solutrean).
What is the possible symbolic or social role of “laurel leaf” blades from the Upper Paleolithic?
They are so delicate they may have been symbolic, used for display or status rather than function.
What types of symbolic art and figurines appeared in Upper Paleolithic Europe?
Hand stencils, cave paintings (e.g., horses), ivory animal figurines, Venus figurines, and chimeric beings like lion-man sculptures.
What do Upper Paleolithic figurines suggest about human cognition?
They reflect abstract thought, imagination, and representational symbolism—traits associated with modern cognition.
What is the significance of the archaeological finds from Blombos Cave and Klasies River Mouth in South Africa (~70 kya)?
They show early symbolic behavior, including ochre carvings, beads, and bone tools—predating European finds and supporting an African origin for symbolism.
How do the African symbolic artefacts challenge earlier Eurocentric views?
They suggest symbolic thought began in Africa, not Europe, aligning with the theory that Homo sapiens evolved and innovated first in Africa.
Why are human thumbs significant in tool use compared to other primates?
: Humans have large, strong, and opposable thumbs, likely an adaptation for precision grip and tool-making.
