The Role of Stone Tools in the Search for Prehistoric Humans

In rural areas, a fascinating legend still circulates today: “When lightning strikes the sky, stone axes fall to the earth.” In some places, these stone axes, known as ‘lightning stones,’ are carefully preserved. As a child, such stories seemed mysterious. Each year, lightning claims the lives of tens of thousands of people worldwide. In Nepal, Makwanpur district is considered the most affected, with Jhapa, Udayapur, Ilam, Morang, and several other districts also significantly impacted. Lightning often damages tall trees, splitting branches, causing them to fall or suddenly wither. If stone tools fell alongside lightning, such objects would be found abundantly in those areas. However, these tools are mostly discovered in remote or ancient settlements and are often kept at home across many generations. In reality, these stone axes are prehistoric stone tools made by early humans. Viewed in this light, while folklore adds mystery, these objects reveal a crucial chapter in human history.

Against this background, this article discusses prehistoric stone tools and, based on them, the early history of human activity in Nepal. The Stone Age is also referred to as the ‘Paleolithic Age,’ marking an early phase of human civilization. During this period, humans primarily used stone tools to meet their daily needs. This use of tools distinguished humans from other living beings. Stone axes, spears, arrows, and similar implements were commonly used for hunting. Determining when stone tool production began globally was difficult without knowing their age.

In the mid-20th century, scientists developed the ‘Radiocarbon Dating’ method. During the 1950s and 1960s, advanced techniques like ‘Potassium-Argon Dating’ were introduced, enabling accurate dating of stone tools that are millions of years old. Subsequently, researchers discovered that human-made stone tools date back up to 2.5 million years. The majority of these weapons and tools have been found primarily in African countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Similar findings have been made in Asian countries like China and India, and stone tools have also been uncovered in Nepal.