The earliest tools of cavemen, dating back millions of years, were made of bone, stone and wood. The handaxe was the first major tool developed by early humans, consisting simply of a sharpened stone held in the hand and used to chop and pierce.
Paleolithic humans developed their tools by striking stones with other stones, looking to flake away the surface of the rock to create edges and points. In addition to the hand axe, which was suited to chopping, early humans developed sharp, pointed stones to use as weapons. Flat stones also were used as hammers and grinders, and these were involved in the creation of other tools.
Early humans used bone and wood tools, although few examples of these have survived. Fossilized bones worked with stone tools are the earliest examples of tool use ever discovered, dating back to 3.4 million years ago. As the Stone Age progressed, humans discovered how to hone finer points, creating bone awls and needles. Obsidian also came into use and was valued for its ability to form razor-sharp edges for weapon points and blades.
Toward the end of the Stone Age, humans began to experiment with pottery and crafted vessels from clay. The Stone Age ended between 6,000 and 2,000 B.C. with the development of bronzeworking.
