Japanese Scientists Replicate Stone Age Tools.

Recreating Stone Age Tools to Uncover Ancient Woodworking Techniques

Exploring the functionality of ground stone tools from the Early Upper Paleolithic era, Japanese researchers embarked on a fascinating endeavor. By meticulously crafting replicas of adzes, axes, and chisels and engaging in tasks typical of that period, they gained invaluable insights into the ancient art of woodworking. The resultant fractures and wear patterns provided them with a novel set of criteria for deciphering the potential applications of tools from bygone eras, as documented in a recent publication in the Journal of Archaeological Science. Unearthing such traces on authentic Stone Age tools could potentially signify that humans were actively engaged in wood-related activities and refining techniques far earlier than previously estimated.

Evolution of Woodworking Tools

The progression of tools and techniques for woodworking traces back to humble beginnings, with early Stone Age individuals fashioning rudimentary implements such as spears and throwing sticks. As civilizations evolved through the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, the sophistication of tools escalated, enabling the crafting of canoes, bows, structures, and various utilities using polished stone implements. While conventional wisdom dates the advent of these stone tools back to roughly 10,000 years ago, archaeological findings have unearthed a plethora of stone artifacts with ground edges dating as far back as 60,000 to 30,000 years ago, yet their specific applications remain shrouded in mystery.

Undertaking this intriguing quest, Akira Iwase from Tokyo Metropolitan University and associates meticulously replicated adzes and axes using three prevalent raw materials of the region circa 38,000 to 30,000 years ago: semi-nephrite rocks, hornfels rocks, and tuff rocks. Employing stone hammers and anvils, they meticulously shaped various elongated ovals and honed the edges using coarse-grained sandstone or medium-grained tuff. The replicated tools encompassed three distinct types: adze-types with perpendicular working edges, axe-types with parallel working edges, and chisel-types affixed to straight handles.

The subsequent phase involved subjecting the replica tools to ten diverse usage experiments. Axe-type tools were employed in felling Japanese cedar and maple trees in north central Honshu and a nearby forest, while adze-type and axe-type tools contributed to crafting a dugout canoe and wooden spears. Adze-type and chisel-type tools were utilized to strip bark off fig and pine trees, with additional tasks involving flesh and grease removal from deer and boar hides using adze-type and chisel-type tools. Furthermore, adze-type tools were instrumental in disarticulating the femur and tibia joints of deer hindlimbs.

The team meticulously conducted experiments to differentiate accidental fractures unrelated to tool-use functions, delving into scenarios like flint knapping, potential edge modifications during tool transportation, and edge alterations caused by incidental trampling. All tools underwent rigorous examination to identify macroscopic and microscopic traces of fractures or wear resulting from usage or non-usage scenarios.

The outcome was profound, unveiling nine distinct macroscopic fracture patterns, particularly prominent during percussive actions like tree felling. Microscopic traces resulting from the friction between wood and stone edges provided additional diagnostic insights. Noteworthy observations included extensive damage to adze-like tool edges while cutting antlers and bones, marked by extensive bending fractures. Tools used for limb disarticulation exhibited sizable bending fractures and minor flaking scars, while only a subset of scraping tools displayed noticeable wear despite numerous iterations.

The study’s conclusions underscored the inadequacy of relying solely on macroscopic fracture patterns or micropolish indications to conclusively ascertain the percussive utilization of stone tools. Scrutinizing both facets, however, offered a more robust foundation for deciphering which tools were predominantly employed for percussive tasks like tree felling, distinguishing them from other applications such as bone disarticulation.

DOI: Journal of Archaeological Science, 2024. 10.1016/j.jas.2023.105891 (About DOIs).