Trends in Hominin Tool Culture
Lucy Talbot
Human Biology ATAR Unit 4
July 28, 2022
, ATAR Human Biology Unit 4
Initial reduction flaking
With fossil evidence dating back as far as 2.3-1.5 million years ago, Homo habilis was the most ancient
representative of the human genus Homo. They were the first to see a major increase in brain
capacity and hence are the first of the early humans to be associated with stone tool use. The first
evidence of tool use was found in Olduvai, Tanzania, dating back to 1.8 million years ago. Oldowan
tools were manufactured by the striking of a hard, spherical cobble known as a hammerstone against
the edge of a suitable stone known as the core to remove one or more rock fragments called flakes.
This process known as lithic reduction or initial reduction flaking produced a sharp-edged fracture
which was then used for skinning animals, chopping up meat, breaking open bones, crushing plants,
and digging up edible roots.
Advanced reduction flaking
Homo erectus lived between 1.6 million to 100,000 years ago and, unlike Homo habilis, their tool
culture showed more evidence of a planned manufacturing process. Named after the site of Saint-
Acheul, France, Acheulian tools date back around a million years and are characterised not by a core
but a biface. The Acheulian tool industry is most notable for their hand axes made by accurately
removing small flakes along the edge or faces of a flake via advanced reduction flaking. By 1.5 million
years ago, large hand axes, pointed picks and straight-edged cleavers were being produced using
bifacial shaping in which flakes were removed from both the upper and lower surfaces of a flattened
core. This process produced tools that retained their sharp edges longer than earlier types of tools.
They were also suitable for heavy duty work including processing bones for marrow, butchering large
mammals, and woodworking, with evidence showing their tools were mainly used on meat, bone,
animal hides and wood.
Levallois technique
Homo neanderthalensis are humans’ closest relatives, living between 400,000 – 40,000 years ago.
Neanderthals controlled fire, lived in shelters, made clothing, were skilled hunters, made symbolic or
ornamental objects, and deliberately buried their dead. Consequently, their tool culture was also more
diverse and sophisticated than previous cultures. Named after the site of Le Moustier, France,
Mousterian tools involved the production of stone flakes that could then be trimmed to form various
cutting, scraping, piercing, and gouging tools. The Levallois technique was the name given to the
process of producing a flake from a stone core; flakes normally had a flat side and sharp cutting edges.
The flake tools could also be joined on to a handle, spear, or arrow in a process called hafting. Tools
included scrapers for tanning hides, awls for punching holes in hides to make loose-fitting clothes, and
burins for cutting into wood and bone.
Final reduction or pressure flaking
Homo sapiens emerged around 300,000 years ago. The Cro-Magnons were the first early modern
humans living 120,000 years ago, with the largest brain capacity of the Homo genus. Cro-Magnon
tools were known as Aurignacian tools and were made by removing long, flat rectangles from the core
handle. Solutrean culture was characterised by willow leaf and laurel leaf points, made by carefully
retouching blades produced from the original stone core by pressure flaking. The Magdalenian
cultural period was known for the dominance of bone and antler tools over those of flint and stone,
made using a burin, or chiselled like cutter. This was achieved by 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. These tools were used for grinding and pounding as well as for body decoration.
Conclusion
Evidence has shown that the larger the brain size, the more sophisticated the tools were. Throughout
most of the Homo erectus geographic range, there is evidence of progressive improvement in tool
making over time. Homo erectus was able to use patterns from their predecessors guiding them in the
Lucy Talbot
Human Biology ATAR Unit 4
July 28, 2022
, ATAR Human Biology Unit 4
Initial reduction flaking
With fossil evidence dating back as far as 2.3-1.5 million years ago, Homo habilis was the most ancient
representative of the human genus Homo. They were the first to see a major increase in brain
capacity and hence are the first of the early humans to be associated with stone tool use. The first
evidence of tool use was found in Olduvai, Tanzania, dating back to 1.8 million years ago. Oldowan
tools were manufactured by the striking of a hard, spherical cobble known as a hammerstone against
the edge of a suitable stone known as the core to remove one or more rock fragments called flakes.
This process known as lithic reduction or initial reduction flaking produced a sharp-edged fracture
which was then used for skinning animals, chopping up meat, breaking open bones, crushing plants,
and digging up edible roots.
Advanced reduction flaking
Homo erectus lived between 1.6 million to 100,000 years ago and, unlike Homo habilis, their tool
culture showed more evidence of a planned manufacturing process. Named after the site of Saint-
Acheul, France, Acheulian tools date back around a million years and are characterised not by a core
but a biface. The Acheulian tool industry is most notable for their hand axes made by accurately
removing small flakes along the edge or faces of a flake via advanced reduction flaking. By 1.5 million
years ago, large hand axes, pointed picks and straight-edged cleavers were being produced using
bifacial shaping in which flakes were removed from both the upper and lower surfaces of a flattened
core. This process produced tools that retained their sharp edges longer than earlier types of tools.
They were also suitable for heavy duty work including processing bones for marrow, butchering large
mammals, and woodworking, with evidence showing their tools were mainly used on meat, bone,
animal hides and wood.
Levallois technique
Homo neanderthalensis are humans’ closest relatives, living between 400,000 – 40,000 years ago.
Neanderthals controlled fire, lived in shelters, made clothing, were skilled hunters, made symbolic or
ornamental objects, and deliberately buried their dead. Consequently, their tool culture was also more
diverse and sophisticated than previous cultures. Named after the site of Le Moustier, France,
Mousterian tools involved the production of stone flakes that could then be trimmed to form various
cutting, scraping, piercing, and gouging tools. The Levallois technique was the name given to the
process of producing a flake from a stone core; flakes normally had a flat side and sharp cutting edges.
The flake tools could also be joined on to a handle, spear, or arrow in a process called hafting. Tools
included scrapers for tanning hides, awls for punching holes in hides to make loose-fitting clothes, and
burins for cutting into wood and bone.
Final reduction or pressure flaking
Homo sapiens emerged around 300,000 years ago. The Cro-Magnons were the first early modern
humans living 120,000 years ago, with the largest brain capacity of the Homo genus. Cro-Magnon
tools were known as Aurignacian tools and were made by removing long, flat rectangles from the core
handle. Solutrean culture was characterised by willow leaf and laurel leaf points, made by carefully
retouching blades produced from the original stone core by pressure flaking. The Magdalenian
cultural period was known for the dominance of bone and antler tools over those of flint and stone,
made using a burin, or chiselled like cutter. This was achieved by 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. These tools were used for grinding and pounding as well as for body decoration.
Conclusion
Evidence has shown that the larger the brain size, the more sophisticated the tools were. Throughout
most of the Homo erectus geographic range, there is evidence of progressive improvement in tool
making over time. Homo erectus was able to use patterns from their predecessors guiding them in the
