The Acheulean complex:
A were attached to shafts of wood.
B is used to describe simple stone tools.
C is represented by the hand ax, a butchering tool.
D is characteristic of Homo habilis.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C: is represented by the hand ax, a butchering tool.
The Acheulean complex refers to a significant cultural phase in human prehistory, primarily associated with Homo erectus and some later hominins. It is most famous for its advanced stone tool technology, particularly the hand ax, which was used for various purposes, including butchering animals. The tools from the Acheulean complex were much more sophisticated than earlier stone tools, such as those from the Oldowan tradition. These hand axes were bifacially flaked, meaning they were worked on both sides to create a sharp edge. The tools were not only used for cutting and processing meat but also for tasks such as woodworking and plant processing.
The Acheulean complex spans a large portion of the Lower Paleolithic period, roughly from 1.76 million years ago to about 130,000 years ago. One of the key features of this toolkit was the emphasis on the hand ax, which varied in shape but generally had a teardrop or oval shape with a pointed tip. The presence of these tools across many regions suggests that the hominins who made them had a wide geographical range and were capable of adapting their tool use to different environments.
Answer A is incorrect because Acheulean tools were not typically attached to wooden shafts, unlike tools like spears, which might have been.
Answer B is incorrect because the Acheulean complex is known for its relatively complex stone tools, not simple ones.
Answer D is incorrect because Homo habilis is more commonly associated with the Oldowan tools rather than the Acheulean ones. Homo erectus is the species most closely associated with the Acheulean tool tradition.