Final answer:
Oldowan stone tools are associated with cut marked animal bones and evidence of carcasses being transported for processing at habitation sites, indicating their use in meat acquisition. These tools were created using hard hammer percussion to chip away at a stone core, a technique that allowed early humans to effectively hunt, butcher, and consume animals for food.
Step-by-step explanation:
The evidence that Oldowan stone tools were used to acquire meat is multifaceted. At Gran Dolina, another location at the Adiputera site, a large assembly of animal bones bearing cutmarks and Oldowan tools made from local raw materials suggest these tools were used in processing and consuming meat. These tools included cutting flakes and hand-held cores. Notably, the large carcasses found, such as those of deer, appear to have been transported to the site, rather than consumed where they were killed, hinting at complex behaviors like social cooperation and division of labor in food sharing.
The very fact that the Oldowan stone tools, dating from about 2.6 million to 1.7 million years ago, were made using hard hammer percussion to chip away flakes from a core stone, implies that early hominids had the necessary engineering skills for hunting and butchering. Oldowan tools facilitated an assortment of tasks from cutting, scraping, to chopping, which were efficient for killing animals, butchering meat, and breaking bones to access marrow. Mary Leakey's classification system based on the utility of Oldowan tools further supports their use in various aspects of food procurement and preparation.
Furthermore, archaeological evidence shows that stone tools, like the Oldowan, were often associated with fossil remains that exhibit butchery marks. This is a direct indication of these tools being used in meat processing. The presence of Oldowan tools alongside animal remains with such markings provides strong evidence of their use in the acquisition of meat by early human ancestors.