archaicwonder: Large Prehistoric Acheulian Handaxe with Fossil…
Large Prehistoric Acheulian Handaxe with Fossil Seashells, Made By One of Man’s Early Ancestors, Homo Erectus
Found in Pont-Arcy, northern France and dating to the Lower Paleolithic, 500,000-200,000 years ago. 17.8cm long
This pear shaped hand axe has been skillfully knapped from a large block of caramel colored flint. What is quite remarkable about this example is the area of the stone which has been left untouched. The maker of this tool clearly had an eye for aesthetic, having left the beautiful fossilized seashells embedded within the cortex.
Acheulian handaxes are thought to demonstrate an important step in the evolution of the hominid brain. To craft a tool of this complexity requires planning and purpose in the mind of the maker. A significant leap from the preceding tools, which were simple pebbles with a few random flakes chipped off.
Reposted from http://ift.tt/2epGKcV.
