Final answer:
Archaeological discoveries provide evidence that Australopiths like Australopithecus garhi may have used stone tools, indicated by cut marks on animal bones found with their fossils. The Oldowan tool industry, the oldest known stone tool industry, further supports the possibility of Australopiths as toolmakers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suggestion that Australopiths may have made stone tools is supported by several archaeological findings. For instance, the discovery of Australopithecus garhi in Ethiopia, which dates back to about 2.5 million years ago, is significant. Fossils of A. garhi were found alongside bones of ruminants such as antelopes that bore numerous cut marks. These marks are consistent with the removal of meat using stone tools, suggesting that A. garhi used stone tools for butchering.
The archaeological record shows that stone items are the most enduring and provide insight into early human technology. The Oldowan tool industry, which began around 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago is the oldest identified stone tool industry. Although it is not concretely determined which hominin species precisely made these tools, their crude nature and widespread occurrence alongside hominin fossils suggest that Australopiths like A. garhi may have been among the toolmakers.
The evidence for the use of stone tools is critical in understanding the technological advancements of early hominins. The association of cut marks on animal bones, the presence of stone tools, and the spatial relation to hominin fossils paints a picture of behavioral patterns that includes meat processing and possibly social cooperation.