31 – Flake-based projectile points and blade technology
300,000 years ago
The “Levallois” technique for stone tool making involved a sequenced pattern of removing stone flakes from a prepared core, called a bifacial reduction sequence. This allowed for smaller, sharp blades and projectile points. This technique was employed by both Neandertal in Europe and early modern humans in Africa and other regions. Evidence of stone tool technology around the same time from Quesem Cave in Israel shows that hominins were also controlling fire to heat treat stones to enhance the production of tools.
Image credit Benjamin Schoville.
Epoch
Pleistocene2.58 million to 11,700 years ago
Environmental and Climate Changes
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Earth’s climate remains relatively stable with alternating glacial and interglacial periods
Changing Species
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Homo erectus 1.8 Ma to 112,000 Ya
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Homo heidelbergensis 800,000 to 125,000 Ya
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Homo neanderthalensis arrives 400,000 to 30,000 Ya
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Homo naledi 335,000 to 236,000 Ya
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Homo sapiens 300,000 Ya to Present
