Paleolithic Handaxes From The North Sea (Neanderthals)

Wesssex Archaeology ^ | 3-10-2008

[DUMBGRUNT]

"Massive ice sheets have spread down from the North Pole to cover parts of Britain, and retreated when the climate improved."

So the Neanderthals called it 'climate improved' and to day it's the terror of global warming?

After this winter my vote is with the Neanderthals.

[TXnMA]

Nice try.

I keep a sling (leather, David-type) in the side pocket of my backpack -- in case I feel the need to work off a little tension by humming a few nice golf-ball-sized ROUND stones across the field or lake. I've never developed the accuracy to hit a rabbit with any consistency, but at a couple of hundred yards, I can make an armadillo's life interesting... .-)

FYI, the only thing that flat, ovoid stones like a hand-axe (which is also too large for the sling pocket) do is make a nice humming noise and curve off in any-which direction. And nice, sharp. knapped flint bifaces like those pictured would slice that leather pocket to ribbons...

Give it up; you don't know WTH you are writing about!

[TXnMA]

BTW & FYI, given a good piece of flint and a selection of hammerstones, I can replicate one of those handaxes in five minutes or so. From looking at their work, the Neanderthals could do the same.

Replicating a Clovis point takes a bit longer -- and a more sophisticated toolkit...

[JasonC]

Single underarm motion like a softball pitcher. You don't know what you are talking about, and your idea of slinging is just limited and ignorant, that's all.

[JasonC]

Next you will tell me that 303 bullets are obviously awls because you tried shooting them out of your 9mm and they didn't work...

[TXnMA]

Yep, you're right. No use trying to teach a pig to sing -- especially one who insists on being a dumb@$$...

Must be a case of YEC retardation or something...

[JasonC]

Leave your david model inside, take your favorite "hand axe", preferably one with a "polished handle" aka smooth cupped backside, seat in wide doubled leather 12 inches long. Face target, stone in leather below waist and to one side. No twirling, step directly toward the target, multiple careful steps (think cricket pitch), then a single underarm softball pitch motion. You will throw the projectile at wood splitting speed and man (or animal) sized target accuracy, and the sharper end will rotate into the target regardless of initial impact angle.

Then come back and talk about teachability some more.

[From many - one.]

If I’m pcturing it correctly, Jason’s sounds more like an atlatl type throw where the leather is just extending the arm length.

[TXnMA]

"If I’m pcturing it correctly, Jason’s sounds more like an atlatl type throw where the leather is just extending the arm length."

With considerably less than fast-pitch softball velocity (no backswing), and with far less than atlatl (longer, with spring compression) or 360 degree underhanded "David" sling velocity. And with an aerodynamically unstable projectile that won't go ten yards without flapping uncontrollably.

No sale, JasonC...

[Renfield]

I stayed with a farmer in Denmark for a few days back in 1981. On his windowsill sat a bunch of hand-axes and other artificacts he had found in his fields. The workmanship on the pieces was very nice, and I found it odd that he’d just let them sit on his windowsill.

[JasonC]

Of course.

[JasonC]

You haven't tried it. So you are just a stubborn fool, that's all.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

• Neanderthal may not be the oldest Dutchman [ 370,000 years B.P. ] [2010]
• Sea gives up Neanderthal fossil [ dredged up from the North Sea ] [2009]