Prehistoric Stone Tools Reveal How Ancient Humans Prepared Their Kills

Researchers have uncovered prehistoric stone tools at a site in Israel. The new findings may tell them a bit more about the hunting habits and food preparation of our ancient ancestors.

"There are three parts to this puzzle: the expansion of the human brain, the shift to meat consumption, and the ability to develop sophisticated technology to meet the new biological demands," said Ran Barkai, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The invention of stone technology was a major breakthrough in human evolution. Fracturing rocks in order to butcher and cut animal meat represents a key biological and cultural milestone."

At the new site, the researchers discovered butchered animal remains, including an elephant rib bone that had been cut by a stone tool. They also found handaxes and scrapers still retaining animal fat.

The researchers used use-wear analysis and examined the surfaces and edges of the tools to determine their function. They also used the Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) residue analysis which harnesses infrared to identify signatures of prehistoric organic compounds. This revealed direct proof of animal exploitation by flint tools.

"Archaeologists have until now only been able to suggest scenarios about the use and function of such tools," said Barkai. "We don't have a time machine. It makes sense that these tools would be used to break down carcasses, but until evidence was uncovered to prove this, it remained just a theory."

The researchers replicated the flint tools for a modern butchering experiment and then compared the replicas with their prehistoric counterparts. This revealed that the handaxe was prehistoric mans' "Swiss Army knife," capable of cutting and breaking down bone, tough sinew and hide. The scraper was used to separate fur and animal fat from muscle tissue.

"Prehistoric peoples made us of all parts of the animal," said Barkai. "In the case of the massive elephant, for example, they would have needed to use both tools to manage such a challenging task. The knowledge of how to make these tools was precious, and must have been passed along from generation to generation, because these tools were reproduced the same way across great territorial expanses and over hundreds of thousands of years."

The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.

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