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EVIDENCE OF EXTREME AGE IN THE SMOOTHLY WIND-POLISHED FLAKED SURFACE CAUSED BY LONG-TERM DESERT EXPOSURE
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RARE NORTH AFRICAN OLDOWAN PEBBLE CHOPPING TOOL MADE ON AN UNCOMMONLY USED MILKY QUARTZ COBBLE Exposed Saharan Site - Algeria, North Africa 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. Fakes and ordinary stones are routinely sold as genuine pebble tools on the marketplace so dealing with a highly knowledgeable and reputable seller of this kind of artifact is of utmost importance. This specimen was decommissioned from a private museum collection and is the FIRST TIME we have seen a Saharan specimen in PURE QUARTZ rather than the common quartzite. Pure milky quartz is found in much less abundance in the Sahara and occasionally, tools were made of it in the Neolithic Period. A quartz cobble would have been extremely difficult to fashion and flake into a tool of desired shape but it is much more durable than quartzite. The prehistoric human that chose this lithic must have also known that and desired to make a chopping tool that would outlast its quartzite counterparts. One could speculate that such thinking process and lithic choice demonstrates a much more advanced human mind than we may give credit to. The durability and toughness of this type of stone made it difficult to shape in much of any refined manner so we find a main angled chisel end with several secondary blows to form a cutting and bone-breaking end on the distal edge. Natural depressions in the cobble were utilized as finger holds on either side, further display of intelligent thought. (see photos above) Specimen is in pure, undamaged and complete condition and represents one of the rarest and THE FIRST type of tools early humans made and utilized. 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 heavy, shiny surface an exposed Saharan tool develops due to the extended time of environmental exposure. Workmanship is excellent affording a well-thought out design and functional grip when held. Chopping end has numerous rough indentations that indicate intact evidence of use wear from prehistory. 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. AN ULTRA-RARE PEBBLE TOOL FROM THE CONTINENT WHERE HUMANITY BEGAN AFRICAN OLDOWAN SPECIMENS ARE SCARCE IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS!!! 3.75" x 3.5" $375 PB080 Actual Item - One Only |
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