Middle Stone Age Tools
Between about 400,000 and 200,000 years ago, the pace of innovation in stone technology began to accelerate very slightly. By the beginning of this time, handaxes were made with exquisite craftsmanship, and eventually gave way to smaller, more diverse toolkits, with an emphasis on flake tools rather than larger core tools. These toolkits were established by at least 285,000 years in some parts of Africa, and by 250,000-200,000 years in Europe and parts of western Asia.
One of the main innovations was the application of ‘prepared core technique,’ in which a core was carefully flaked on one side so that for a flake of predetermined size and shape could be produced in a single blow. This technique probably raised the level of standardization and predictability in stone technology.
Middle Stone Age toolkits included points, which could be hafted on to shafts to make spears. When smaller points were made, eventually, they could be attached to smaller, sleeker shafts to make darts, arrows, and other projectile weapons. Stone awls, which could have been used to perforate hides, and scrapers that were useful in preparing hide, wood, and other materials, were also typical tools of the Middle Stone Age.
Here, the term ‘Middle Stone Age’ includes a variety of toolkits from Africa and also the toolkits usually referred to as the Middle Paleolithic in Europe. These toolkits last until at least 50,000 to 28,000 years ago. In Africa, the Middle Stone Age toolkits sometimes include blades and other types of archeological evidence (beads and artifacts that indicate the use of color and symbols) that are typical of the Upper Paleolithic in Europe.
Bronze Age
Entering the Bronze Age, people began to add lead and tin into copper to make the alloy Bronze and slowly, stone weapons declined. As early as the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), there are records on the casting of wares: different proportions of those three metals could make weapons of varying rigidity and temper. The different alloys making techniques are over 2,000 years old.
Bronze Spears
Between about 400,000 and 200,000 years ago, the pace of innovation in stone technology began to accelerate very slightly. By the beginning of this time, handaxes were made with exquisite craftsmanship, and eventually gave way to smaller, more diverse toolkits, with an emphasis on flake tools rather than larger core tools. These toolkits were established by at least 285,000 years in some parts of Africa, and by 250,000-200,000 years in Europe and parts of western Asia.
One of the main innovations was the application of ‘prepared core technique,’ in which a core was carefully flaked on one side so that for a flake of predetermined size and shape could be produced in a single blow. This technique probably raised the level of standardization and predictability in stone technology.
Middle Stone Age toolkits included points, which could be hafted on to shafts to make spears. When smaller points were made, eventually, they could be attached to smaller, sleeker shafts to make darts, arrows, and other projectile weapons. Stone awls, which could have been used to perforate hides, and scrapers that were useful in preparing hide, wood, and other materials, were also typical tools of the Middle Stone Age.
Here, the term ‘Middle Stone Age’ includes a variety of toolkits from Africa and also the toolkits usually referred to as the Middle Paleolithic in Europe. These toolkits last until at least 50,000 to 28,000 years ago. In Africa, the Middle Stone Age toolkits sometimes include blades and other types of archeological evidence (beads and artifacts that indicate the use of color and symbols) that are typical of the Upper Paleolithic in Europe.
Entering the Bronze Age, people began to add lead and tin into copper to make the alloy Bronze and slowly, stone weapons declined. As early as the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), there are records on the casting of wares: different proportions of those three metals could make weapons of varying rigidity and temper. The different alloys making techniques are over 2,000 years old.
Bronze Spears
 |
| Bronze Crossbow |
 |
| Bronze Swords |
 |
| Helmet |
0 comments:
Post a Comment