Home > Hand axe

1 Distribution

Handaxes are only found in Europe and Northern Asia, while South-Asia retained flake-industries ( Hoabhinian ).

2 Production

The older handaxes were produced by direct percussion with a stone hammer and can be distinguished by their thickness and a sinous border. Later (Mousterian) handaxes were produced with a soft billet of antler or wood an are much thinner, more symmetrical and have a straight border.

An experienced knapper needs less than 15 minutes to produce a handaxe.

3 Raw materials

Handaxes are mainly made of flint, but rhyolites, phonolites, quarzites and other rather coarse rocks were used as well. Soft materials like obsidian were rarely used.

4 Shapes

Several basic shapes, like cordate, oval, triangular etc. have been distinguished, but their chronological significance is not agreed upon.

5 Function

As most handaxes have a sharp border all around, there is no agreement about their use. Interpretations range from cutting and chopping tools to digging implements, flake cores, the use in traps and a purely ritual significance, maybe in courting behaviour. There are no indications of hafting, and indeed some artifacts are far too large for that.

6 Sources

• A. S. Barnes/H. H. Kidder, Differentes techniques de débitage à La Ferrassie. Bull. Soc. Préhist. Franç. 33, 1936, 272-288.
• C. A Bergmann/M. B. Roberts, Flaking technology at the Acheulean site of Boxgrove, West Sussex, England. Rev. Arch. Picardie, Numero Special, 1-2, 1988, 105-113.
• F. Bordes, Le couche Moustérienne du gisement du Moustier (Dordogne): typologie et techniques de taille. Soc. Préhist. Française 45, 1948, 113-125.
• F. Bordes, Observations typologiques et techniques sur le Perigordien supérieur du Corbiac (Dordogne). Soc. Préhist. Française 67, 1970, 105-113.
• F. Bordes, Le débitage levallois et ses variantes. Bull. Soc. Préhist. Française 77/2, 1980, 45-49.
• P. Callow, The Olduvai bifaces: technology and raw materials. In: M. D. Leakey/D. A. Roe, Olduvai Gorge Vol. 5. (Cambridge 1994) 235-253.
• H. L. Dibble, Reduction sequences in the manufacture of Mousterian implements in France. In: O. Soffer (Hrsg.), The Pleistocene of the Old world, regional perspectives (New York 1987).
• P. R. Fish, Beyond tools: middle palaeolithic debitage: analysis and cultural inference. J. Anthr. Res. 1979, 374-386.
• F. Knowles, Stone-Worker’s Progress (Oxford 1953).
• Marek Kohn/Steven Mithen Axes, products of sexual selection?, Antiquity 73, 1999, 518-26.
• K. Kuman, The Oldowan Industry from Sterkfontein: raw materials and core forms. In: R. Soper/G. Pwiti (Hrsg.), Aspects of African Archaeology. Papers from the 10th Congress of the Pan-African Association for Prehistory and Related Studies. Univ. of Zimbabwe Pubilcations (Harare 1996) 139-146.
• J. Merino, Tipologia Lithica. Munibe Supl. 9 (San Sebastián 19943).
• H. Müller-Beck, Zur Morphologie altpaläolithischer Steingeräte. Ethnogr.-Archäol.-Zeitschr. 24, 1983, 401-433.
• M. Newcomer, Some quantitative experiments in handaxe manufacture. World Arch. 3, 1971, 85-94.
• Th. Weber, Die Steinartefakte des homo erectus von Bilzingsleben. In: D. Mania/Th. Weber (Hrsg.), Bilzingsleben III. Veröff. Landesmus. Vorgesch. Hall 39, 1986, 65-220.