The Flint Knapper

When hominids didn’t have access to flint, they adapted by using other local raw materials:

• Chert and jasper → similar to flint, also fine-grained silica rocks that fracture conchoidally.
• Obsidian (volcanic glass) → extremely sharp but more brittle; often prized when available.
• Quartz and quartzite → tougher to shape but widely available; many early stone industries relied heavily on quartzite.
• Basalt, sandstone, granite, and other hard rocks → used especially for pounding, grinding, and hammering tools rather than sharp cutting edges.
• Bone, antler, and wood → also important; sometimes used alone or as handles/hafts for stone tools.

In regions without flint, entire tool traditions developed around these alternatives. For example:

• In much of Africa, quartzite and basalt dominated Acheulean handaxe production.
• In East Asia, the so-called “Movius Line” suggests fewer handaxes partly because of different raw materials (coarser stone availability).
• In volcanic regions, obsidian became highly valued and even traded.