This was achieved partly by more intensive edge flaking; the ∼1.4 to 1.25 Mya Konso handaxes bear a greater number of flake scars . The advanced lithic technology enabled the production of comparatively straight edges, though nonetheless retaining appreciable sinuosity compared with later handaxes . The better-formed and straighter edges provided functional enhancements for butchering and chopping actions, suggesting an increased demand for animal carcass processing at ∼1.4 to 1.25 Mya at Konso. In addition, a striking characteristic of the Konso ∼1.four to 1.25 Mya assemblages is the occurrence of the Kombewa methodology nearly half 1,000,000 y earlier than beforehand recognized .
Our systematic use-put on analysis furthermore indicates that the Konso bone handaxe was most likely used, presumably for butchering. The scarcity of bone handaxes might signify the problem in procuring massive bone blanks and the issue of flaking bone in contrast with stone .
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A appreciable number of Konso cleavers show dorsal flake scars that point out centripetal core preparation. With these cleavers, trimming was performed only on the lateral sides to produce a trapezoidal planform (Fig. 5, higher row). In addition to the centripetal core preparation technology, Kombewa flakes, defined as flakes detached from the ventral face of a large flake core , are additionally seen at the same Konso sites (Fig. 5, lower row). While a lot of the giant flakes at Konso with two ventral faces exhibit just one putting platform, this can be attributed to the removal of the hanging platform by secondary flaking.
The Kombewa technique creates a standardized ovate planform comprising a long edge and a biconvex section and predetermines blank morphology . Whereas the Kombewa method has lengthy been thought of a late Early Pleistocene to Middle Pleistocene technology , its occurrence at ∼1.four Mya attests to a a lot earlier attainment. The stone handaxes of this time period generally exhibit planform symmetry and a thinner tip that required fantastic flaking (Fig. 6).
The rarity of modified bone tools in general, and handaxe types in particular, precludes a definitive assessment of the importance of the ∼ 1.four My-old nicely-modified bone handaxe. However, at Konso, this is the time period when vital technological developments in lithic technology had been occurring. The Konso bone handaxe can be interpreted inside this context as an extra indicator of the high stage and varied repertoire of hominin talent attained by that point. In generating large flake blanks, quite a lot of ready core techniques have been reported from a number of East African websites between ∼1.5 and 1.zero Mya (15, 30⇓–32). At Konso, we see a range of prepared core strategies as early as ∼1.four to 1.25 Mya, .