Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
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Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#2Title made me think "isn't 'try them out' usually one of the first steps?"
Actual content: They tested damage patterns on the tools to find what the tools were used on.
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#3Title made me think "isn't 'try them out' usually one of the first steps?" Actual content: They tested damage patterns on the tools to find what the tools were used on.
Isn't this pretty much the definition of the scientific method
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#4Experimental archaeology is at least 50 year old, but they're presenting that like it's brand new.
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#5Title made me think "isn't 'try them out' usually one of the first steps?" Actual content: They tested damage patterns on the tools to find what the tools were used on.
I live near an experimental archaeological centre with roots going back to the 60's. I read a book by one of the founders, where he relates making his first flint axe at approximately age 16 and being so excited he went straight to the garden and cut down a tree - without asking for permission first... thankfully he had very supportive parents.
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#6Title made me think "isn't 'try them out' usually one of the first steps?" Actual content: They tested damage patterns on the tools to find what the tools were used on.
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Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#7Experimental archaeology is at least 50 year old, but they're presenting that like it's brand new. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_archaeology
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Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#8Obligatory link to Primitive Technology on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@primitivetechnology9550
Although, he doesn't recreate past technology - I think he researches what technology could have existed, given the knowledge of our time. Things like his blowers, and his iron smelting processes.
Of course, there's only so much you can do with rocks & sticks, so most of what he makes ends up being pretty similar to historical tools & buildings.
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#9Who first decided to melt the rocks and get the iron?
Re: Scientists built their own Stone Age tools to figure out how they were used
#10Would have been better had they gotten machinists or rural people that otherwise work with their hands to do this. A bunch of scientists playing make believe chopping wood and scraping bone doesn’t convince me much. We would have been just as specialized back then as we are now. And don’t we have 30,000 year old jewelry with intricate carvings? Why the amazement at “wow, this pointy stone chops wood, man?”