500,000 year old stone tool vs. weapon mystery

josh stout · 13th March 2012, 02:51 PM

The most important artifact in human history is a complete mystery. We can't even agree what to call it. The handaxe (biface) was used from 1.7 mya to 100 kya by Homo erectus from Africa, to Europe, to the Middle East, but no one knows what they were for. The term "handaxe" is not considered appropriate and many archeologists simply use the term "lithics" ("rockies"). Some think they are accidental products of creating scraping chips, others think they were for attracting mates. Most think they are tools, but the stones are sharp all the way around, making them hard to grip.

Personally I think they are throwing weapons. There are some who agree with this, but it is a minority view. I have posted these because as a group I think we have more experience identifying weapons and tools than the archeologists. I would appreciate any speculative ideas on the subject.

I have included two objects from Southern Oman from roughly 250,000-800,000 years ago. Both might be called handaxes, but one, I see as a tool, and one as a weapon. The tool, like many ethnographic tools, has a single bevel and a narrow edge, while the weapon, like most, has a roughly bullet shaped edge to place significant mass behind the cut. The tool also shows chipped areas of differing color that are impossible to explain. To me, they look like repeated heat treatment and chipping, but this was not done till modern humans, at least 150,000 years later.
Feel free to speculate wildly. There is no one who knows any better.
Thanks,
Josh

Stan S. · 13th March 2012, 09:12 PM

You asked for a speculation, so here we go: I say they are land mines!

In all seriousness, I admire these objects but they are completely out of my area of expertise

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 15th March 2012, 09:10 AM

Salaams ~ Ha HA ha !!!

Well yes there are lots of landmines still down there in places !

Flint tools are well documented by various archealogical groups in Oman including the French who have many specialists on the subject~ Trouble is with axeheads like these they want to know precise details with digrams of the site they came off .. You may have been on a flint weapon making site and dint know it... I am always finding arrowheads lying about in the desert ... ah well...Nice to have in your collection... easy maintenance.

Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

fearn · 15th March 2012, 02:34 PM

I think that's like asking what a stick was used for. They were used for all sorts of things. If you believe McDougall's Born to Run, our ancestors hunted by exhausting their prey through marathon runs, so they probably carried as little as they could get away with. A heavy toolkit of specialized stones is less than useful if you've got a ten mile run before dinner. A generalized cutting edge that you can use to cut down sapling spears, digging sticks, or use as a weapon, that's something that's more useful.

As for heat treatment, given the age of the stones, it's highly likely they went through at least one forest fire, which would provide a heat treatment.

spiral · 16th March 2012, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearn

I think that's like asking what a stick was used for. They were used for all sorts of things. If you believe McDougall's Born to Run, our ancestors hunted by exhausting their prey through marathon runs, so they probably carried as little as they could get away with. A heavy toolkit of specialized stones is less than useful if you've got a ten mile run before dinner. A generalized cutting edge that you can use to cut down sapling spears, digging sticks, or use as a weapon, that's something that's more useful.

As for heat treatment, given the age of the stones, it's highly likely they went through at least one forest fire, which would provide a heat treatment.

Very true statements I think.

Research in the south west Uk on "fired flints" suggesets "heat treated flints" was higher than average UK wild fire tempretures. But also not done pre. working. More discareded in deliberate fire pit enviroments.

I realise fireing was used pre, working in some non Uk cultures though. {north Africa etc.}

Spiral

katana · 16th March 2012, 01:13 AM

Hi Josh

,
IMHO not a throwing weapon, as you said all edges are sharp, not conducive to be held and thrown by hand, a large sling shot would be cut to pieces in a very short time too. Ovoid, round and spherical missiles tended to be the norm, more aerodymanic etc.

I have a suggestion perhaps these were grave or votive offerings. Stone age man had sophisticated beliefs in the after-life. Perhaps, the sharp edge all away round insures that 'mortal' man would not be able to use it ....but the spirit ancestor could. If this type of axe head was bound to a shaft , the edge would cut the bindings and if used as a hand axe, the palm and fingers would be lacerated. Perhaps suggesting it's use could only be by an 'unworldly' being.

All the best
David

13th March 2012, 02:51 PM	#1
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	500,000 year old stone tool vs. weapon mystery The most important artifact in human history is a complete mystery. We can't even agree what to call it. The handaxe (biface) was used from 1.7 mya to 100 kya by Homo erectus from Africa, to Europe, to the Middle East, but no one knows what they were for. The term "handaxe" is not considered appropriate and many archeologists simply use the term "lithics" ("rockies"). Some think they are accidental products of creating scraping chips, others think they were for attracting mates. Most think they are tools, but the stones are sharp all the way around, making them hard to grip. Personally I think they are throwing weapons. There are some who agree with this, but it is a minority view. I have posted these because as a group I think we have more experience identifying weapons and tools than the archeologists. I would appreciate any speculative ideas on the subject. I have included two objects from Southern Oman from roughly 250,000-800,000 years ago. Both might be called handaxes, but one, I see as a tool, and one as a weapon. The tool, like many ethnographic tools, has a single bevel and a narrow edge, while the weapon, like most, has a roughly bullet shaped edge to place significant mass behind the cut. The tool also shows chipped areas of differing color that are impossible to explain. To me, they look like repeated heat treatment and chipping, but this was not done till modern humans, at least 150,000 years later. Feel free to speculate wildly. There is no one who knows any better. Thanks, Josh Attached Images

13th March 2012, 09:12 PM	#2
Stan S. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 227	You asked for a speculation, so here we go: I say they are land mines! In all seriousness, I admire these objects but they are completely out of my area of expertise

15th March 2012, 09:10 AM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams ~ Ha HA ha !!! Well yes there are lots of landmines still down there in places ! Flint tools are well documented by various archealogical groups in Oman including the French who have many specialists on the subject~ Trouble is with axeheads like these they want to know precise details with digrams of the site they came off .. You may have been on a flint weapon making site and dint know it... I am always finding arrowheads lying about in the desert ... ah well...Nice to have in your collection... easy maintenance. Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

15th March 2012, 02:34 PM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I think that's like asking what a stick was used for. They were used for all sorts of things. If you believe McDougall's Born to Run, our ancestors hunted by exhausting their prey through marathon runs, so they probably carried as little as they could get away with. A heavy toolkit of specialized stones is less than useful if you've got a ten mile run before dinner. A generalized cutting edge that you can use to cut down sapling spears, digging sticks, or use as a weapon, that's something that's more useful. As for heat treatment, given the age of the stones, it's highly likely they went through at least one forest fire, which would provide a heat treatment.

16th March 2012, 01:13 AM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Josh , IMHO not a throwing weapon, as you said all edges are sharp, not conducive to be held and thrown by hand, a large sling shot would be cut to pieces in a very short time too. Ovoid, round and spherical missiles tended to be the norm, more aerodymanic etc. I have a suggestion perhaps these were grave or votive offerings. Stone age man had sophisticated beliefs in the after-life. Perhaps, the sharp edge all away round insures that 'mortal' man would not be able to use it ....but the spirit ancestor could. If this type of axe head was bound to a shaft , the edge would cut the bindings and if used as a hand axe, the palm and fingers would be lacerated. Perhaps suggesting it's use could only be by an 'unworldly' being. All the best David