Are there many stones in the area that exhibit the characteristics that we look for when trying to identify a stone tool? Is the stone tool made of an exotic material, or is it like the rest of ...

When Japanese scientists wanted to learn more about how ground stone tools dating back to the Early Upper Paleolithic might have been used, they decided to build their own replicas of adzes, axes ...

Their criteria help separate tools used for wood-felling from other activities. Dated stone edges may be used to identify when timber use began for early humans.

When done properly, flintknapping creates the recognizable features that archaeologists use to identify stone tools. Why do stone tools matter?

Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference By John K. Murray, Arizona State UniversityUpdatedMay 7, 2025 1:04 p.m.

With a little guidance and a lot of practice, even you can make stone tools the way our oldest ancestors did – and learn to recognize the signs of a deliberately made tool.

Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference By John K. Murray, Arizona State UniversityUpdatedMay 7, 2025 12:04 p.m.