Stepping stone of Werkzeugs

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution suggests that human beings evolved from monkeys and chimpanzees. If that is the case then the question arises, why did humans need werkzeugs? And also we need to know why werkzeugs were discovered. However, before answering these questions, one thing needs to be clear- werkzeugs are not only used by humans but also by birds, animals and fish. Thus the usage of werkzeugs has long been into practise and it is possible that early humans while living close to nature observed the use of werkzeugs by other species in the world and slowly started using them.

Early humans lead a nomadic life. In the early stage of human civilization, these nomads usually roamed on their own. Slowly they started roaming in clusters as this was safer. And finally as years passed by, they started settling down in bigger groups. Whether they were alone or in groups, they started feeling the need of werkzeugs for certain reasons. Primarily they needed to werkzeugs to protect themselves. Secondly they needed werkzeugs to search for food. And then arose the need for werkzeugs related to agriculture, farming and cooking. Thus as society developed, there also developed different the need of werkzeugs to solve different purposes.

Early humans initially started using stones to make werkzeugs. They made werkzeugs like the pebble chopper. It was made from a quartzite river cobble. It usually had an extensive sharp cutting age except for a place to hold it firmly. Crude chopping werkzeugs were also made so that it became easier for them to cut meat from their pray. Apart from these choppers, blades were also made out of flaked stones. They also discovered something called the ‘spalls’ which were chopping knives used mainly for fish. Out of flaked stone another werkzeug was made which was quite handy to the early humans- scrapers. They used this werkzeug not only to scrap or shave the outer barks of trees but also in making baskets or hide working. Apart from these hand maul pestles were also invented during this age. They were used either for making food or for pigment production. Also bowls, net weights and stone wedges were also made by these early humans.

Thus we see early humans during the Stone Age contributed immensely for the development of the present civilization. Their artistic values are looked upon still this day.