Which phrase best describes Acheulean tools?
a. stone spearheads attached to wooden shafts
b. hand-axes made by careful chipping of stones
c. stone blades attached to handles
d. stone cores with a sharp edge for cutting
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is b. hand-axes made by careful chipping of stones.
Acheulean tools are associated with early human species, such as Homo erectus and Homo habilis, and represent one of the earliest and most advanced stages of stone tool technology. The hallmark of Acheulean tools is the hand-axe, a bifacial tool (worked on both sides) that is created through a process known as flintknapping or stone chipping. The process involves striking a large piece of stone (usually flint or quartzite) with a hammerstone to shape the tool. The tool is typically characterized by a teardrop or oval shape, with a sharp edge all around.
These hand-axes were versatile tools, likely used for a variety of tasks, including cutting meat, processing plant materials, and chopping wood. The design of Acheulean tools indicates a significant leap in cognitive ability, as the production of these tools required careful planning and skill. Unlike earlier tools, which were often crude and unmodified, Acheulean tools showed a degree of symmetry and a standardized form, suggesting a higher level of thinking and technique.
This tool type also marks a major advancement over the Oldowan tools that came before it, which were simpler and consisted mainly of stone cores with sharp edges for cutting. The precision and effort involved in crafting Acheulean hand-axes made them an important innovation in early human tool-making history.
Thus, the bifacial hand-axe was the defining feature of Acheulean toolkits, distinguishing them from other forms of stone tools. These tools were an essential part of early human life and represent the development of more sophisticated techniques in the Paleolithic era.