Levallois technique
Prehistoric knapping method
The Levallois technique is a method of stone tool production used by early humans, named for a suburb of Paris where examples were first identified.
A stone core is carefully shaped so that a single strike removes a flake of predetermined size and form—a sophisticated approach requiring planning and skill.
The technique appears in the archaeological record beginning around 300,000 years ago and is associated with Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens.
- handaxeKnapped stone implement
- scraperTool for removing buildup
- flintSpark-producing sedimentary rock
- chertFine-grained siliceous stone
- Homo heidelbergensisPrehistoric human species, mid-Pleistocene
retouching · Neanderthals · point · quartzite · blade · obsidian · foresight · burin · recurrent · preferential · social learning · centripetal · jasper · basalt · stone · striking · toolmaking · flake
- prehistorystone tools, Neolithic, Stone Age, caveman, cavemen
- Stone Agecave painting, paleolithic, hand ax, handaxes, hand axe
- flintknappingknapping, flintknapping, pressure flaking, flaking, chipping