ABSTRACT

In this chapter, the author look in detail at aspects of the manufacture of stone tools in the Clactonian and Acheulean. Although the author briefly introduces the subject of knapping, they do not intend the chapter to be a detailed introduction to stone tool manufacture. Second, by applying a new framework of analysis, the author highlight just what similarities and differences there really are between the Clactonian and the Acheulean. British Lower and Earlier Middle Palaeolithic knapping was exclusively a product of direct percussion. However, for the purposes of examining core shape it will suffice. It is evident that all of the core shapes could be produced by almost all of the knapping techniques. The approaches to core flaking described are simple and effective ways of knapping stone and it would be hard to make any retouched tools other than those described.