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PHOTO ABOVE AND BELOW SHOWS INTELLIGENT PRIMITIVE HUMAN THOUGHT IN ERGONOMIC DESIGN. THIS FLATTENED END WAS PURPOSELY BROKEN OFF AND IS THE PROXIMAL END THAT FITS AGAINST THE PALM. AS OPPOSED TO AN ORDINARY COBBLE, THIS PEBBLE TOOL WAS MODIFIED FOR BETTER COMFORT TO THE USER. THE END FACET SPREADS THE SHOCK OF IMPACT ACROSS THE PALM WHEN THIS CHOPPING TOOL WAS USED. MOST PEBBLE CHOPPERS DO NOT HAVE THIS FEATURE.
PHOTO BELOW SHOWS ENCRUSTATION DEPOSITS ON THE EDGE FROM LONG TERM EXPOSURE IN AN UNDISTURBED STATE AS IT LAY ON ONE SIDE AND SOME OF THE GROUND SILICIFIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE TOOL
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ROBUST LOWER PALEOLITHIC OLDOWAN PEBBLE TOOL WITH INTELLIGENT ERGONOMIC DESIGN FROM HOMO ERGASTER Exposed Site - North Central Sahara Desert, Morocco 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 RARE PEBBLE CHOPPER not only for its impeccable design and zero damage but most importantly, for its unique and intelligent design. The proximal end (the end that fit into the palm when held) has a purposely made broken off end that served as a shock-absorber when the axe was used. This blunt end spread the pounding force across the hand rather than focus the impact on a single point which would have made using this tool more painful. The blunt made end was shaped to a slight rounded edge with several obvious secondary blows to the stone to make this deliberate design. This Oldowan chopper was used for hammering and smashing large bones. Such a bone-smashing hammer tool was used for crushing bones to get to the marrow of large fauna that once occupied the region and were hunted by early humans. Tool design this advanced and well-thought out makes one wonder just how primitive early humans were. This is a rare specimen and in perfect condition as it was made. 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. Bi-color patina is also present, evident in long-term exposure undisturbed on one side. This is also seen in the silicified deposits on the edge where the ground touched this specimen near the ground surface. Workmanship and form is BETTER THAN MUSEUM QUALITY. This tool was made from quartzite which has developed a dark brown surface patina. NO MODERN DAMAGE, 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 HIGHLY INTELLIGENT DESIGN PEBBLE CHOPPER FROM THE CONTINENT WHERE HUMANITY BEGAN AFRICAN OLDOWAN SPECIMENS ARE SCARCE IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS!!! 4.65" X 4.25" SOLD PB063 Actual Item - One Only |
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