Stone Tools

Stone tools are the oldest technology

first used in Africa 2.5 million years ago.
Until metal was discovered, stone was
the primary resource for making tools.

In southern Britain flint has been used

since the Palaeolithic (500,000-10,000 BC).
Some was found in river gravels, some
was mined from deep underground
using antler picks and shovels
made from cattle shoulder-blades. Late Palaeolithic
12,000-10,000 BC
Long Blades

Palaeolithic
Flakes

Palaeolithic Palaeolithic
Hand Axe Core

In places where there was no flint,

other stones could be used instead.

Stone axes from Cumbria and Cornwall

are found in Southern England.
By analysing these it is possible to
tell where they came from. Flint and
stone tools were being traded from
Bronze Age Flints
2400-700 BC as early as 4000 BC.
Design by K.Nichols Wessex Archaeology

Wessex Archaeology
 'Lithic' means 'Stone'
The style of stone tools changed over time.
Mesolithic Early Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Bronze Age Late Bronze Age
8500-4000 BC 4000-3000 BC 3000-2400 BC 2400-1800 BC 1200-700 BC

Scraping Tools

Arrowhead Arrowhead Arrowhead Arrowhead

Leafshaped Oblique Chisel Barbed and Tanged

Microliths

Knife Knife Knife

Blade Discoidal Plano Convex

Axe

Axe Axe

Fabricator Piercer

In the Mesolithic flint workers made a During the Bronze Age flint was
wide range of tools and weapons using still used. The shape of arrowheads
lots of small flints called microliths some changed from leaf-shaped to a
only 2-4cm long. barbed-and-tanged design.

In the Neolithic similar types of tools By the Iron Age stone tools had
were made from single flints. largely become obsolete.

Palaeolithic
500,000BC-10,000 BC
Design by K.Nichols Wessex Archaeology

Wessex Archaeology
 Knapping Flint
Two examples of how flint tools are made

Knapping flint produces piles of

waste flakes. Archaeologists examine
them to see what sort of tools were being made.

Stone hammers were

made from very strong stone,
and antlers were used to shape the flint.
Design by K.Nichols Wessex Archaeology

Wessex Archaeology
Design by K.Nichols photos E.Wakefield Wessex Archaeology

www.wessexarch.co.uk
 Neolithic 4000-2400 BC Mesolithic 8500-4000 BC
Polished Axe Tranchet Axe

Palaeolithic 500,000-10,000 BC
Hand Axes
Design by K.Nichols photos E.Wakefield Wessex Archaeology

www.wessexarch.co.uk
Design by K.Nichols photos E.Wakefield Wessex Archaeology

www.wessexarch.co.uk