Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreClubsResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeClubsExplore
March 25, 2026Journal of Archaeological ScienceOpen Access

The influence of cognitive evolution on handaxe making skill in the Acheulean

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Authors

AMAntoine MullerCSCeri ShiptonGSGonen Sharon

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Analysis of handaxe-making skill in early hominins reveals cognitive evolution impacts early techniques, suggesting a shift in influences later on.

Key Points

  • To investigate how cognitive evolution influenced handaxe-making skills during the Acheulean period.
  • Analyzed 1108 3D scans of handaxes from 12 archaeological sites.
  • Utilized computational 3D methods to quantify handaxe craftsmanship in terms of thinning, shaping, and sharpening.
  • Examined changes in tool-making skill across the duration of the Acheulean period.
  • Improvements in handaxe-making skill were linked to cognitive evolution in the first half of the Acheulean.
  • Handaxes made around one million years ago were among the most skilled.
  • Later increases in cranial capacity and cognitive complexity did not enhance handaxe-making skill.
  • The primary goal was minimizing bifacial asymmetry, achieved consistently by at least 1.0 million years ago.

Cite This Study

Muller et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69c37be2b34aaaeb1a67eb75https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2026.106539
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1When is a handaxe a planned-axe? exploring morphological variability in the Acheulean2024 · 6 citations
  2. 2Random walks in handaxe knapping before 1.2 million years ago in East Africa at Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia)2026
  3. 3“How Handy was early hominin ‘know‐how’?” An experimental approach exploring efficient early stone tool use2024 · 3 citations
  4. 4"Two tribes": Handaxe shape variation shows distinct regional cultural groups in southeastern Britain between 424 000 and 374 000 BP2026 · 3 citations
  5. 5The Acheulean niche: climate and ecology predict handaxe production in Europe2024 · 3 citations