This shows Neanderthal handaxes of varying designs -- examined by Dr. Karen Ruebens for her study. Credit: University of Southampton
This shows Neanderthal handaxes of varying designs -- examined by Dr. Karen Ruebens for her study. Credit: University of Southampton
I think the Neanderthals were the superior race, but they didn’t control the media. That’s why they get such a bum rap.
My immediate thought here in the western hemisphere is that the further south you are with more hardwood species the acuter the angle of the axe or adze needs to be.
In the pinewood north, both in europe and here, conifers dominate and a heavy, blunter axe ( say 20-25 degrees ) handles the pines and poplars and whatnot.
It’s pretty far from clear that those things are axe blades of any sort at all, least of all “hand axe” blades. If you tried to hold one of those in a hand and chip anything with it, you’d either hold the pointed end in your hand and do more damage to your hand than anything else, or hold the large end and be striking whatever you meant to chop with a point rather than a blade. The things could just as easily be wide spear points.
