QUIZ - lithic tools

[Harry Pristis]

Three of the four stone tools in the image below were made in Florida less than say 12,000 ybp. The fourth tool was made in another part of the world roughly 500,000 ybp. All four are bifaces.

Which one of these four is the old one? What can you tell us about it?

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[Buckhunter]

2nd one from left, hand Axe from west Africa or middle east.

 

[naturegirl]

Agree, 2nd from left. The best made one-the oldest.

 

[Neogeo]

I am gonna say the third one.

 

[Ohio_Doug]

The 3rd one

 

[joshuaream]

I'm going with the second one being foreign. Can we get a side shot?

 

[shorelinesearcher]

By process of elimination I say the 2nd from left, because the other three seem to have a porous texture that's maybe associated with coral type material. (you did say Florida)

mike

 

[Harry Pristis]

Re: QUIZ - lithic tools - A Golden Kudo

A Golden Kudo to those who guessed second from the left, with special recognition to 'Buckhunter' who thought it was from Africa or the Middle East!

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The tool second from left is an Acheulean hand-axe recovered in Lebanon in 1982 by a UN peacekeeper. Here's the lowdown on Acheulean hand-axes from the U. of Mo. Museum of Anthro. web-site:

Acheulean ~1.6 million to 200,000 years ago
The Acheulean tradition constituted a veritable revolution in stone-age technology. Acheulean stone tools - named after the site of St. Acheul on the Somme River in France where artifacts from this tradition were first discovered in 1847 - have been found over an immense area of the Old World. Reports of handaxe discoveries span an area extending from southern Africa to northern Europe and from western Europe to the Indian sub-continent.

Acheulean stone tools are the products of homo erectus, a closer ancestor to modern humans. Not only are the Acheulean tools found over the largest area, but it is also the longest-running industry, lasting for over a million years. The earliest known Acheulean artifacts from Africa have been dated to 1.6 million years ago. The oldest Acheulean sites in India are only slightly younger than those in Africa. In Europe, the earliest Acheulean tools appear just after 800,000 years ago, as H. erectus moved north into Africa.

Acheulean technology is best characterized by its distinctive stone handaxes. These handaxes are pear shaped, teardrop shaped, or rounded in outline, usually 12–20 cm long and flaked over at least part of the surface of each side (bifacial). There is considerable variation in size and quality of workmanship.

Acheulean handaxes were multi-purpose tools used in a variety of tasks. Studies of surface-wear patterns reveal the uses of the handaxe included the butchering and skinning of game, digging in soil, and cutting wood or other plant materials. Additionally, Acheulean tools are sometimes found with animal bones that show signs of having been butchered.

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[Tnmountains]

Now this is just way cool. 500,000 bp. Ok now that is old. I forget sometimes Harry and get stuck in our recent America's time frame. Nice wake up post !

 

[Buckhunter]

Wooo Hooo I knew reading all those college textbooks would pay off one day!!!!!

 

[rock]

Come back Harry!

 

[newnan man]

This is I assume a hand axe. It is from Denmark and is still very sharp on both bits. A friend of mine from Denmark (nicknamed Vicking John) found it while he was planting bulbs in his moms flower garden when he was a kid. When he found out I collected artifacts he gave it to me. I prize it very much. I don't know much else about it.

 

[bsit1361]

Very cool post

 

[rock]

thats a nice one New M

 

[GatorBoy]

Nice artifact. I'm thinking that is a Hafted blade. JMO

 

[tomclark]

Southern Libya. Quartzite.

 

[newnan man]

Nice artifact. I'm thinking that is a Hafted blade. JMO

It could very well have been hafted, it would make it easier to use. I don't know how they would do it but like I said it's from Europe and I have little info on it. It is a flinty material, very hard and sharp. As a weapon it would be deadly, as a tool it would chop/scrape easily.
Tom, that Libyan axe looks really old.