Olduvai Hand-axe

This hand-axe is a masterpiece of the toolmaker’s art. Made of quartz, a difficult material from which to make tools, it was thinned and refined to create a symmetrical, teardrop shape which added little to its usefulness. This suggests that the skill invested in producing beautiful hand-axes may have had other purposes – they may have been status symbols or used in rituals. By surpassing functional demands, hand-axes may be said to represent the earliest indication of artistic endeavour.