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Butchering with small tools: the implications of the Evron Quarry assemblage for the behaviour of Homo erectus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Michael Chazan
Michael Chazan*
Affiliation:
*Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, 19 Russell Street, Toronto, ONT M5S 2S2, Canada
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Abstract

Stratified stone tools found with elephant and hippopotamus teeth at Evron Quarry can be dated to before 780 000 years ago. The assemblage includes handaxes, but less expectedly, small stone tools in the form of flakes with notches and points. Not thought to be points for spears or arrows, these small tools are suggested to be usable for butchery. They represent an adaption of local materials that make poor handaxes—so showing an ingenious improvisation on the part of Homo erectus.

Keywords

LevantLower PalaeolithicAcheuleanhandaxesmall tool

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Type
Research Article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 87 , Issue 336 , 1 June 2013 , pp. 350 - 367
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2013

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