Final answer:
Early humans utilized various types of stones including quartzite, basalt, and flint to create different stone tools such as Oldowan choppers, Acheulean hand-axes, Mousterian flakes and blades, and Magdalenian tools, reflecting significant technological advancements from the Lower to the Upper Paleolithic periods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The development of stone tools is a major milestone in human evolutionary history. The four prominent types of stone utilized in the creation of early stone tools include:
- Quartzite: Employed in the creation of Oldowan tools such as rudimentary choppers during the Lower Paleolithic period.
- Basalt: A rugged igneous rock, known for resistance to wear and ideal for heavy-duty grinding tools, came into prominent use during the Upper Paleolithic and beyond.
- Flint and Chert: These were preferentially used for their conchoidal fracture allowing for the production of sharp-edged flakes and blades which were crafted into advanced Acheulean hand-axes, Mousterian flakes and tools, and eventually intricate Magdalenian tools.
- Various other stones suitable for flaking and shaping into desired tool formats, including some that were transported over long distances in order to take advantage of their superior qualities.