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Lithics were, broadly speaking, more akin to how we treat plastics than metal tools. Lithic production results in enough waste that archaeologists give the wast
by AlotOfReading 2y ago
Lithics were, broadly speaking, more akin to how we treat plastics than metal tools. Lithic production results in enough waste that archaeologists give the waste a special name ("debitage") and even use it for destructive testing that would be unthinkable for more significant / less voluminous artifacts.
- ChrisMarshallNY 2y agoThanks. Was not aware. The other possibility, is that most of their tools were composed of biodegradable stuff, like wood, bones, and shells. In Africa, they used wood and raw iron for their stuff (I have spears, shields, and arrows, from there). That doesn't tend to age well.
- AlotOfReading 2y agoThat leaves other evidence that's been looked for. Additionally, the Eurasian cultures that peopled the Americas are all known to have been heavy lithic users.
- ChrisMarshallNY 2y agoSomewhere, I have an old stone hand axe. It's really well-made. Not sure where it's from, but I believe it came from a European Stone Age dig, about fifty years ago (probably stolen. People weren't so circumspect, in those days).