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SUPER RARE OLDOWAN PEBBLE TOOL TRADITION PROTO-HANDAXE SHOWING EMERGENCE OF EARLIEST HUMAN HANDAXE DESIGN Exposed Site - South Central Sahara Desert, Niger LOWER PALEOLITHIC PERIOD: 1.8 - 1 million years ago Pebble Oldowan tools from primitive humans of Africa are seldom seen in private collections or public exhibits. Oldowan sites exist in numerous regions of the continent but it takes a very knowledgeable collector to be able to weed out all the naturally-occurring rocks that litter the ground from an actual pebble tool specimen. As the origin of humanity and as the earliest of tool technologies, this African Oldowan specimen poses a very important potential addition to any advanced collection of Paleolithic artifacts. African pebble tools are not common on the market compared to their much later Acheulian relatives. This specimen is part of a very limited collection we acquired. Despite the fact that there are probably more Oldowan tools in Africa compared to the European specimens we offer, very few African pebble tools are collected or available for public acquisition. This offering poses a rare opportunity to own an AUTHENTIC example of the first known tool type made by humans - a window into the mind and design thought process of our earliest ancestors. This is a SUPER RARE transition tool called a PROTO-HANDAXE of the OLDOWAN TRADITION. It shows features of what's to come - the later emergence of a pointed, bifacial amygdaloid handaxe which will usher in the later ACHEULEAN TRADITION. A pebble cobblestone was used but instead of a crude blunt chopping tool, its primitive human maker of high intelligence and innovation decided to form a point on its distal end. There is even flaking on BOTH sides on this end. Brilliant design is quite evident in this PRIZE specimen that possesses immense value for education or exhibit to demonstrate the evolution of human thought in Man's earliest days of existence. The tip is still sharp and COMPLETELY INTACT AS IT WAS FIRST MADE. It has an original curved pebble outer surface on the proximal end. The distal end has been flaked in several locations to obtain the reduced hammer end. Expectedly, with this kind of extreme age and desert exposure, there must be surface evidence of the blowing wind and sand as well as the overall wear. The entire surface has a very heavy, thick patina with an extreme version of 'desert varnish", the rich, lustrous surface an exposed Saharan tool develops due to the extended time of environmental exposure. Workmanship and form is BETTER THAN MUSEUM QUALITY. This tool was made from quartzite which has developed a dark brown surface patina. NO REPAIR and NO RESTORATION. As found and with our highest recommendation. No one can doubt the importance that pebble tools hold in the history of human development. Their very emergence in Africa nearly two million years ago allowed the earliest humans to butcher animals for their meat - the needed nourishment that allowed humans to survive and flourish to one day populate and rule the earth. A RARE INNOVATIVE PROTO-HANDAXE FROM THE OLDOWAN TRADITION SHOWING THE EMERGENCE OF WHAT'S TO COME - THE POINTED ACHEULIAN HANDAXE - A RARE "BRIDGE" SPECIMEN BETWEEN CRUDE PEBBLE CHOPPERS AND THE SUCCESSION OF A BIFACIAL AMYGDALOID HANDAXE - A PRIZE EXHIBITION AND REFERENCE EXAMPLE OF IMMENSE EDUCATIONAL VALUE! 5" X 3.5" SOLD PB052 Actual Item - One Only |
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