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| © Trustees of the British Museum |
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This handaxe was produced by our ancestor that we would recognize as a human being, not a neanderthal/humanoid type. It starts to show that man-made objects were becoming important parts of our evolution. It is even suggested that creating this handaxe, started to create our language.
This handaxe is made from green volcanic lava and is approximately 1.2-1.4 million years old. Just like the stone chopping tool, this object was found in the Olduvai gorge in Tanzania, Africa.
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| © Trustees of the British Museum |
Below see the axe in use.
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| © Trustees of the British Museum |
The makers of handaxes are the first humans to spread across Africa into Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Handaxes reflect the first great spread of humankind and the establishment of a way of life in which we recognize the beginnings of our human characteristics. No other humanly made object has ever been manufactured over such a long period and before the 20th century no other object has spread over such a wide geographical area.
Some of the handaxes appear to not just be for function but as a status symbol. Because of their size and perfection, they would not have been easily used. Perhaps this could have even been for mating purposes
