Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H.

heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Dating fossils & stone tools

(1)
Fossils and stone tools
are often dated on the basis
of which geological layer
they are in. Some layers
can be dated scientifically,
especially igneous ones
(volcanic rock).
Scientists use the
changes that occur in rocks
at a known rate (known as
isotopic decay) to date the
rocks: this is known as
radiometric dating.
 Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Dating human fossils

(2)

Comparing new fossil

finds with existing
fossils can help you
work out the likely age
and species of the new
fossil.
1. Gorilla
2. Australopithecus afarensis
3. Homo erectus
4. Neanderthal
5. Homo heidelbergensis
6. Homo sapiens
Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Dating tools
Try to date the stone tools on the next page by
deciding which would have taken more or less skill to
make. In general, more skilfully made stone tools were
made more recently.
There are also some clues about which hominin
species made them to help you.
 Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

(3) Lower Palaeolithic chopper core, made by H.

habilis (4) Lower Palaeolithic handaxe, made by H.
erectus & H. heidelbergensis

(6) Upper Palaeolithic projectile point, made (5) Middle Palaeolithic projectile point, made by
by H. sapiens Neanderthals
 Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Main changes in tools over time

(7)
 Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Sort these axes into order

(8) (9)
(10)

Acheulean handaxe Acheulean oval Oldowan chopper

from Egypt made by handaxe from Boxgrove from Ethiopia made
Homo erectus. in Sussex made by by Homo habilis.
Homo heidelbergensis.
Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

(11)

Neanderthal handaxe from Britain, made by Homo neanderthalensis.

 Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Sort these tools into order

(12)
(14)

(13)

Aurignacian knives Levallois knife from Magdalenian blade from

from France made by France made by a France made by Homo
Homo sapiens. Neanderthal. sapiens.
Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Image sources (I)

1. By Jillcurie - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30992695

2. By PersianEvolution based on image by User:Vladlen666 - Own work based on File:Craniums of Homo.svg, CC

BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19952136

3. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Oldowan#/media/File:Canto_tallado_2-Guelmim-Es_Semara.jpg

4. Image © Reading University Teaching Collection

5. Image © Reading University Teaching Collection

6. Image © Reading University Teaching Collection

7. Image © Reading University Teaching Collection

8. By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55261925

9. By Midnightblueowl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16466144

10. By José-Manuel Benito Álvarez (España) —> Locutus Borg - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1707288

11. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?
search=neanderthal+handaxe&title=Special:Search&go=Go&uselang=en-
gb&searchToken=c1isesrfh8dv7ls8tn3vhj549#/media/File:Middle_Palaeolithic_boute-coup
%C3%A9_handaxe_(FindID_438220).jpg
Resources produced by AHRC-funded project “Coping with climate: the legacy of H. heidelbergensis” (University of Reading & University of Brighton), with Schools Prehistory &
Archaeology (http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/)

Image sources (II)

12. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=830502

13. By Vassil - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51801927

14. By Didier Descouens, 9 October 2010. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike 4.0 International license. CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11738805