Final answer:
The first stone tools, known as Oldowan tools, appeared around 2.6 million years ago, likely created by Homo habilis. Later developments included the more sophisticated Acheulean tools, followed by the smaller and sharper Mousterian tools, which highlight the progression of human tool-making abilities during prehistory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Origin of the First Stone Tool
The first human-made stone tools are dated to around 2.6 million years ago and are likely the work of Homo habilis. These tools, known as Oldowan tools, represent an important step in human prehistory. These crude stone implements were used for a multitude of functions, such as hunting and butchering animals. The tool-making tradition was further advanced around 1.7 million years ago with the creation of Acheulean tools, a more sophisticated tool that followed Oldowan tools and preceded Mousterian tools, both of which showcased increasing complexity and efficiency in tool design. The Acheulean hand-axes indicated a remarkable leap in crafting tools, allowing more precise and varied uses. This development continued, with Mousterian tools emerging around 250,000 years ago, which utilized flakes from stone cores to make smaller, sharper implements.
These advances in tool-making skills align with the broader timeline of human prehistory, which is divided into the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), and Neolithic (New Stone Age) periods, marking the progression from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settlement.