Final answer:
Archaeologists have discovered fossils of tools such as stone hand axes, hammerstones, scrapers, and blades, predominantly from industries like Oldowan and Gravettian. These tools provide insights into the technological use and social behaviors of early humans and hominins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fossils of tools discovered by archaeologists provide significant insights into the early human and hominin use of technology. Some of these tools include stone implements like hand axes, hammerstones, scrapers, and blades created by smashing rocks to achieve sharpened edges. The Oldowan tool industry, dating back around 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago, is known for its fairly crude stone tools. The Gravettian tool industry, active from approximately 33,000 to 22,000 years ago, saw a versatile use of materials, with animal bones and teeth being used for creating tools and decorations. Later, during the Upper Paleolithic, humans developed more sophisticated blade tool technologies, marking a significant advancement over the earlier flake tools.
At some archaeological sites like Gran Dolina, stone tools linked to the Oldowan style have been found alongside animal bones with cut marks, signifying their use for processing and consuming meat, which implies social cooperation in early hominin societies. At these sites, archaeologists have found evidence like fossilized pollen grains that provide additional context about the environment in which these ancient peoples lived.