When learning about the stone age, the most important topic to learn is about the stone age tools and weapons. Kids might wonder what tools and weapons the stone age people used in their daily life. We have gathered a complete list of Stone Age Tools And Weapons and have provided brief information about each of them. You are going to learn the names of Stone Age Tools And Weapons, their purpose, what they were made of and how they were made. You are also going to learn about the Stone Age Tools And Weapons that were used in the early, middle, and news stone age periods.
Stone Age Tools And Weapons Information
1. What Tools Did Stone Age People Use
Different tools were used in the Stone Age. Those tools were simple but they made lives easy. They advanced over time.
Tools Used In Stone Age – Name Of The Tools
Following are most of the tools that were used during the Stone Age:
- Sharpened sticks
- Hammer stones
- Choppers
- Cleavers
- Spears
- Nets
- Scrapers rounded and pointed
- Harpoons
- Hand Axes
- Animals skin
- Bows and arrows
- Shaft straighteners
- Arrow shaft smoothers
- Spear straightener
2. Information About Old Stone Age Tools – Tools And Implements Of Old Stone Age
Hammerstone
- Hammerstone was one of the simplest and ancient tools of the Stone Age.
- It was a hard stone used for many purposes like striking animal bones, crushing, and hitting other stones.
- Hammerstone is usually a hard stone that doesn’t break easily. It was made of sandstone, quartzite, or limestone.
- It was also regarded as a universal tool throughout the world including Asia, Europe, and Africa.
- It was used for making fractures and breaking other stones which were converted into other stones with sharp edges. These sharp stones are then used as tools for different purposes.
- The flakes get from the broken stones can be used as hand axes, scrapers, cleavers, etc.
Sharpened Sticks
- The Sharpened stick is considered one of the most ancient tools.
- These sticks were used almost in every part of the world.
- They were made of different types of wood.
- They were used by the people to defend themselves from the wild animals.
- They were used for hunting purposes as well.
Harpoons
- A Harpoon is a large spear-like tool used to kill large animals, especially aquatic animals like whales, tuna, and swordfish.
- It is evident from the remains in Congo that harpoons were in use 90,000 years ago.
- A rope was attached to the harpoon to bring the hunted animal to the hunter.
- Harpoon is still used in today’s world with harpoon guns for killing big whales.
Spears
Spear has been in the use of humans for almost 400,000 years.- It has a long shaft generally made of wood. The head is pointed, sharpened, and generally made of some durable material like steel, or iron.
- The shaft end is either hardened with fire or is also made of some durable material like iron, steel, or bronze.
- The spearhead shape is usually triangular, and leaf.
- It was used as a weapon in wars and hunting.
- It was used both by riders and by bare-foot men.
- The enemies/animals were attacked by either throwing the spear at them or by pushing it into their bodies in close combat.
Net
- The Net was used for catching different animals and fish.
- It was often used to trap animals because it didn’t require human encounters with them.
- It is made of ropes/threads or tree branches having small spaces between the rope/threads. Different ropes or tree branches were combined in a pattern that allows the passage of water and air across the net.
- So when it is thrown in the water or on some animal, the floating fish or the animals are caught in the net.
- Once the animals or fish are caught, the opening of the net is closed tightened so they don’t escape.
- The gaps between the ropes or tree branches vary depending upon the size and type of animal that will be caught in the net.
- Such as, a wolf will need stronger branches than a rabbit but a rabbit will need smaller holes in the net, so it doesn’t escape.
Bows And Arrows
- Bows and arrows were used as weapons for both hunting and war purposes more than 61,000 years ago.
- The bow is made of wood or some other elastic material. It has a string that is bound to the ends of the wooden frame in tension. The bow is used to throw an arrow on the target.
- The arrow is made of wood or some other hard material with a pointed head. The tail of the arrow is made of feathers.
- Different arrow ends were used for different purposes like flat-end or pointed-end. Some explosive material could be attached to the arrow end.
- The string of the bow was pulled using the arrow and then it was aimed at the target.
- The string is let go to launch the arrow at the target. Due to its heavy and pointed end, it goes straight toward the target and hits it with a high speed.
Cleaver
- The Cleaver was a tool similar to hand axes.
- It was made of a stone or a bone with a big U or oblong shape.
- It was like a large knife that was used for crushing food, meat, and soft bones.
- Its heavier weight made the crushing and cutting easier.
- Humans started using the cleavers almost 1 million years ago.
- They were used for butchering purposes, breaking bones, and digging up the soil.
Chopper
- The Chopper was a sharp-edged stone.
- It was made by breaking down a stone into flakes using a hammerstone. The flakes with sharp ends were hence used as choppers.
- It was used by early humans in Africa for extracting meat and breaking bones of the hunted animals.
- It was used to cut the meat, bones, skin, and fur of the hunted animals. It was also used to cut plants and roots of the plants.
Axe
- The Axe was a tool used for hunting, cutting, planting, and protection purposes.
- It was used for cutting plants, trees, and branches.
- Axe was a tool used for hunting purposes as well due to its sharpness and strength, and easier use it was for attacking animals as well.
3. Stone Age Tools And Their Uses – Tools Used In Stone Age And Their Uses
Given below are the tools and their usage in the Stone Age:
| Tools | Uses |
| Harpoon | Harpoon was used for hunting purposes. Big aquatic animals like whales were killed using harpoons. A rope could be attached to the harpoon to pull the hunted animals toward the hunter. |
| Hammerstone | Hammerstone was used for making flakes and hand axes by breaking down other stones. |
| Spear | Spears were used for hunting and attacking animals or enemies. It was used in combats to attack the opponents. For an attacking animal, the spear was used for defense as well. |
| Net | The net was used for catching animals. It was used both in water and on land. It was used to catch fish and other land animals. |
| Bow and arrow | Bow and arrows were used for hunting purposes. Arrows were launched on the target using a bow. Certain small animals were also hunted using bows and arrows. Those animals couldn’t be hunted easily using other tools like spears and axes. |
| Cleaver | It was used for many purposes like digging up the soil and cutting meat and skin. |
| Axe | An axe could be used for many purposes. It was used for cutting trees and branches. It was also used for defense against wild animals. |
4. Types Of Stone Age Tools
Stone Age tools can be divided into various categories based on the period during which they were used or the material they were made of. Here we’ll do the categorization based on the period they were used in.
The Stone Age is composed of the following stages.
a. The Paleolithic Or The Old Stone Age Tool
The Paleolithic period covered the maximum technological tools of human history. This is the longest Stone Age period. It started 2.5 million ago and ended in 9600 BCE. The traces of certain arts like personal caves, paintings, and ornaments can be found from the end of the Paleolithic era.
The Oldowan
Oldowan is the earliest of the Stone Age industries. The Oldowan industry contains very basic and simple choppers and flakes. The Oldowan series of tools originated almost 2.5 million years ago.
The Acheulean
The Acheulean series of tools come after the Oldowan industry. They are almost 1.7 million years old. The Acheulean industry contained more complex and more symmetric shapes. These tools were harder to break and had sharper edges which did the job more conveniently.
b. The Mesolithic Or The Middle Stone Age
The Mesolithic period started towards the end of the ice age i.e 9600 BCE and the Mesolithic period ended at the start of agriculture. As agriculture started at different times in different parts of the world, therefore the exact date of the end of the Mesolithic age can’t be specified. Agriculture first started in Southeast Europe in 7000 BCE, so the end of the Mesolithic period began after 7000 BCE. Some new tools along with the Paleolithic tools were used in the Mesolithic tools. The new tools used in the Mesolithic period contained the following tools:
Tranchet Adze
It was a carpentry tool used for making certain objects like boats, fishing platforms, and houses. It was made by re-sharpening a crosswise flake using teeth. This tool was in use almost 8000 years ago.
Scrapers
A variety of scrapers like end scrapers, side scrapers, and combined scrapers were used during the Mesolithic era. These scrapers turned raw hides into tents, clothing, and other utilities. They varied in size and weight. They were small and delicate scrapers for small and delicate work and large and heavy scrapers for big and rough work.
Multipurpose Flake Tools
During the Mesolithic age, people started using multipurpose tools. For example, a flake could be a tool whose one side could be used as a knife, the second side could be used as a hammerstone, and the third side could be used as a scraper.
Mesolithic Blades
These tools were made very fine. They were made by breaking down stones into flat, straight, and parallel-sided flakes from stones.
Microliths
Microliths were used to make arrowheads, spears, and other weapons and tools. Handheld microliths were made by attaching them to wooden or metallic handles.
Burins
Burins were stone tools of the Mesolithic age made from flint flakes or blades. They had sharp edges and were used to score bones and antlers to create thin pieces like needles and fish points.
Backed Knives
The backed knife was used for cutting purposes. It was a double-sided sharp blade, like a sword made of stone or bone. One end of the knife was flattened to be held in hand and the blade was used for cutting things.
c. The Neolithic Or The New Stone Age
The Neolithic age is also known as the new Stone Age i.e. the end of the Stone Age. This period started about 10,000 years ago when farming started in the world and ended about 3000 years ago when the copper age started.
People started getting to know of agriculture and domestic animals like sheep, meat, pigs, and goats – for food and clothing.
People needed multipurpose tools that could be used both for farming and defense against wild animals. Some of the tools and weapons are given as under:
Leaf Shaped Flint
They were used as arrows and knives. They were made of flintstone.
Blades And Diggers
They were used for cutting animals’ meat and skin. They were also used in farming for digging the soil. They needed to be very sharp to dig and cut easily.
Axes
Axe was an important tool and weapon during the Neolithic era as it was used for planting, cutting trees, and defense against wild animals. The edges of the axe were sharpened by rubbing them against a rough surface.
Hammers And Chisels
The hammer was made by drilling a hole through a round rock. While attaching a sharp stone to a stick makes a chisel. Hammers and Chisels were used together in woodwork.
Adzes
An adze was a flat blade attached to a handle just like axe. An adze was used in woodwork. It was used for chopping wood and larger adzes were used for digging soil and cutting roots of trees.
Arrows And Spearheads
More sophisticated and fine arrows and spearheads were made in the Neolithic age. The heads of arrows and spearheads were tied to the shaft so that they don’t slip.
Flint Arrowhead
Arrowheads were made of flint which was less fragile and sharper as compared to wood and bones. But sharpening and tapering these arrowheads made them more fragile.
5. Stone Age Hunting Tools
Sharpened Sticks
During the Stone Age, people used sharpened sticks for hunting and protection purposes. They were a very basic tool used for hunting and protection. They were used to hunt certain animals like wolves, foxes, bears, deer, hyenas, and much more.
Spears
A spear is an advanced form of a sharpened stick. A long and strong stick is chosen with a pointed end. Some metal or other material may be attached at the pointed end. Big wild animals could be hunted and killed using spears. They were used in combat and wars as well.
Bow And Arrows
The bow is used to launch arrows on a target. As the arrow is pointed and sharp so when it hits the target i.e an animal, it pierces its body. Bows and arrows were very useful for hunting purposes. Small and running animals like squirrels could also be hunted using bows and arrows.
Harpoons
Harpoon was a tool used during the Stone Age for hunting purposes. It was similar to a spear but much longer. This was used for hunting big aquatic animals like whales. A rope could also be attached to the harpoon so that the hunted animal can be dragged back to the hunter.
Net
The net was used as a tool for hunting purposes. It was spread open for fish and other animals. When the fish/animals were over or inside the area where the net was spread, the net was closed to trap the fish/animals, and hence they were caught alive.
Axe
Axe was used for both hunting and farming purposes. It was very sharp and harder to break. That is why it was preferred over many other tools. It could be held from one end which was like a handle, while the other side was sharp and flat, and used for hitting.
6. Stone Age Farming Tools
In ancient times certain grains and cereals like wheat and barley were grown. People used grinding stones to make flour which was used for making bread. Certain tools were used for farming. The tools were very basic in the beginning but were improved over time.
Cleavers
Cleaver was used in farming for digging the soil for placing seeds/plants.
Adzes
In farming, adze was used to dig out tree roots and other wood from the soil to make it appropriate for farming.
Blades
Blades were used in settled life to cut fruits and vegetables. Blades helped in agriculture by extracting seeds from the fruits and vegetables, and by planting the seeds in the soil.
Axe
Axe was used in agriculture for cutting roots and branches of trees and getting the required wood and seeds for farming purposes.
7. Early Stone Age Tools – Stone Tools Of Paleolithic Age – Old Stone Age Tools – Tools Used In Old Stone Age
The early or Old Stone Age tools are the tools that were used in the beginning time of the Stone Age. The Old Stone Age is also known as the Paleolithic period. Below are some of the tools that were used in the Paleolithic period.
- Sharpened sticks
- Acheulean Handaxe
- Net
- Hammerstone
- Cleavers
- Choppers
8. Middle Stone Age Tools Weapons – Stone Tools Used In Mesolithic Age
Middle Stone Age tools are the tools that were used during the Mesolithic age. This stage comes after the Paleolithic stage and before the Neolithic stage. The Mesolithic period started at the end of the ice age i.e 9600 BCE and it ended with the start of agriculture. Given below are the tools that were used during the Mesolithic period:
- Tranchet adze
- Scrapers
- Multipurpose flake tools
- Mesolithic Blades
- Microliths
- Burins
- Backed knives
9. New Stone Age Tools
The New Stone Age was the final stage of the Stone Age. It is also known as the Neolithic stage.
- Leaf-shaped flint
- Blades and diggers
- Axes
- Hammers and Chisels
- Adzes
- Arrows and spearheads
- Flint Arrowhead
10. Stone Age Stone Tools
At the beginning of human life, people used very basic tools made of basic materials for doing their works. They used stuff like stones, bones, and wood to make the tools and used them for performing their works. Here we’ll discuss the tools that were made of stone and used in the Stone Age.
- Hammerstones
- Cleavers
- Scrappers
- Handaxe
- Burins
- Backed knives
- Microlithic blades
- Flint arrowhead
- Multipurpose flakes
11. How Did They Make Tools In The Stone Age – How Were Stone Age Tools Made
Tools are made to assist humans in doing their jobs. Different tools were made during different periods of the Stone Age. The Stone Age is considered a very ancient human stage. The tools used in the Stone Age were very simple. They did very basic jobs like cutting, grinding, crushing, catching, hitting, etc. Given below are some tools and their uses:
Cleaver
Cleavers were made of very basic materials like stone or bone. They were from flakes that were formed after breaking down a stone.
Hammerstone
Hammerstone can be any stone that doesn’t break easily. It was made from sandstone, quartzite, or limestone.
Sharpened Sticks
Sharpened sticks were made by sharpening sticks using knives.
Hand Axe
Handaxe was made from stone flakes. An axe was a stone whose one side was flat and sharpened while the other side was rounded and suited for holding in hand. The sharper side was used for striking roots, stems of trees, and hitting the animals that attacked the people.
Net
In the Stone Age, people used elastic branches to make nets. They fastened these elastic branches together like ropes and made them into web-like structures so that the captured animals couldn’t escape the net while water and air could flow across the net easily.
Spear
Spear was an advanced version of the sharpened stick. An arrowhead was attached to the stick/rod. The arrowhead is pointed and hardened with fire or could be made of any other hard material. This helped in easy penetration into the body of the target.
Bow And Arrows
The Bow was made from wood planks and an elastic string was tied to its ends which were held in tension. The string was pulled by pushing the back of the arrow against it. The arrow was directed towards the target and the string was released to launch the arrow. The Arrows were made of wood sticks. The head of the arrow could vary in terms of shape and material. It could be flat, sharp, pointed, and the material could be wood, stone, or bone depending upon the purpose and type of the target. If the purpose was to hit a bird without damaging the skin then a flat arrow was to be used. It could be sharp and pointed if the purpose was to penetrate the body of the target.
Harpoons
Harpoon was made by getting a long rod made of wood and sharpening one end of the rod. A sharp metallic head is attached to the head of the rod for better results. A rope could be attached to the back of the harpoon so that the prey could be pulled back.
Scrapers
The scraper was made from flakes that were produced when a stone was broken down.
12. Stone Age Tools For Kids – How To Make Stone Age Tools For Kids
Arrows And Bow
A bow can be made by taking an elastically curved wood plank, and a string. The string should be tied to the end of the wood plank. Arrow can be made by getting a sharpened wooden stick. Another material can be used in place of wood as well that doesn’t hurt kids. Kids can have small bows and small arrows made of plastic or other material that doesn’t hurt if a living being is hit. A target can be set, and the kids may hit the target using a bow and arrows.
Hammerstone
Hammerstone is very easy to find. Any stone that has a tough end and can be held in hand can be a hammerstone. For kids, the stone can be made of plastic or other material that doesn’t hurt if it hits the fingers or hands of the kid by mistake.
Spears
A spear is a stick that has a pointed head. The head can be made of another material. So designing spears can be easy for kids. It can be made of any material. Plastic or paper can be used for the design. Take a stick and attach an arrowhead made of other wood or plastic material to the head of the stick. For kids, it is suggested to use soft plastic instead of wood so that they don’t hurt themselves and others. Kids can throw the spears on trees, soil, and other targets.
Net
Kids can make nets by getting ropes or wires. These ropes/wires should be tied together in such a way that air/water can flow through them. Kids can use the net in some water pond, river, or a pot to capture objects placed in the water. They can capture certain other objects like chocolates, toffees so that they get a feel of how hunting felt in the Stone Age.
Harpoon
A harpoon is similar to a spear but it has more length than a spear. It has a rod with an arrowhead at the end. It is used for hunting big aquatic life like whales. For kids, some objects or toys can be placed in water. Kids can use spears to hit the objects placed in the water. The water can be river water or it can be water in some pot. For kids, a harpoon can be made either by using wood, or other materials that don’t hurt kids if hit mistakenly. A plastic harpoon can be made by taking a plastic rod or straw and making an arrowhead from paper or plastic and attaching it to the rod/straw. A rope can be attached to the rod so the harpoon can be dragged back after hitting the target.
Sharpened Sticks
Sharpened sticks were used by the Stone Age people for defense, and attacking purposes. It can be made very easily just by sharpening a stick. Kids can use the sticks to hit the soil. The sticks should be made of plastic or other soft material if kids have to use the sticks indoors. Take a stick and sharpen its one end with a knife or blade. You’ve made a simple sharpened stick. Some other material can also be used instead of wood so that it doesn’t hurt the kids.
13. Stone Age Tools Trivia
Challenge yourself with this Stone Age Tools trivia and test what you have learned now.
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