hand axes
Prehistoric cutting implements
Hand axes are prehistoric stone tools shaped by chipping flakes from both sides to create a teardrop or oval form with cutting edges.
Among the earliest tools made by human ancestors, they appeared nearly two million years ago and remained in use for over a million years.
The term also applies to modern single-handed chopping tools with short handles.
Fracturing stone for tools
- flintSpark-producing sedimentary rock
- coreCentral essential portion
- chopperRotorcraft or cleaver
- flakeThin detached fragment
percussion · pressure · chert · obsidian · quartzite · reduction · cortex · edge
Earliest archaeological era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- excavationAct of unearthing
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
Neanderthal · Homo erectus · anthropology · dig · relic · site · dating · sediment
Dividing via sharp edge
- butcheringProcessing animals into cuts
- scrapingRubbing away material
- choppingCutting into pieces
- diggingRemoving earth below
woodworking · hunting · carcass · cleaver · multipurpose · grip · throwing
knapping
Fracturing stone for tools
flake · percussion · pressure · chert · obsidian · quartzite · reduction · cortex · edge · shaping
Paleolithic
Earliest archaeological era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- excavationAct of unearthing
stratigraphy · Neanderthal · Homo erectus · anthropology · dig · relic · site · dating · sediment · fossil
cutting
Dividing via sharp edge
- butcheringProcessing animals into cuts
- scrapingRubbing away material
- choppingCutting into pieces
digging · woodworking · hunting · carcass · cleaver · multipurpose · grip · throwing
- Paleoanthropologyearly humans, Homo erectus, Australopithecus, skull fragments, bone fragments
- artifactspottery shards, knives, masks, pottery, antiquity
- prehistorystone tools, Neolithic, Stone Age, caveman, cavemen
- ancient artifactsjade mask, Viking sword, bronze sculptures, antiquities, Roman coin
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
- Stone Agecave painting, paleolithic, hand ax, handaxe, stone tools