Grades K–2 · History & Evidence
How could a broken stone become a useful tool?
Long ago, people made useful tools from stone. Some kinds of stone can break into pieces called flakes. A flake can have a much thinner edge than the rounded rock it came from.
In the diagramA thin edge changes how a stone can presslarger stoneseparated flakethin cutting edgeEnlarged shapes explain a principle, not a toolmaking procedure.
A thin edge presses against a small area. That can help it cut or scrape material. Making a useful shape took knowledge and skill. Not every broken stone makes a useful tool.
Stone tools can last long after wooden things have rotted away. The flakes, the larger stone and the place they were found give clues about past work. They are pieces of evidence, not a complete story by themselves.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Distinguish a thick rounded surface from a thin edge and recognize an object made by people.
Sources
- Smithsonian Human Origins Program — Stone Tools