Sometimes you see a display of ancient history and all you see is rocks. But they are labeled as ancient stone tools. Have you ever wondered how anthropologists can tell they've been deliberately shaped, as opposed to just breaking that way? To tell the difference, you need to be somewhat familiar with the art of flintknapping, or shaping rocks by breaking off pieces.
Flintknapping requires a basic understanding of physics and geology, plus skills that only come with practice. Those who have tried it know that it's not easy, and our ancient ancestors most likely took years to perfect the skill, and then passed it down to the next generation. Picking just the right stone and finding the right place to apply force to knock off flakes left behind telltale clues to those who know how it's done. Read up on those clues and how the deliberate shaping of rocks differs from random breaking at the Conversation. You might even pick up a new hobby.
(Image credit: Gary Todd)
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