Stone Tools: Levallois-Mousterian
By Gary Todd - CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78735177
Created from about 300,000-40,000 years ago by Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans, the Levallois-Mousterian, or Mode 3, tool culture was the primary tool making style of the Middle Paleolithic. It provides even more control over the shape and size of the resultant flakes and made use of the greater dexterity and hand strength of these more recent hominins, with the Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans producing nearly indistinguishable types of points
Another name for this particular tool making technique is prepared-core technique as it requires that the core be shaped into the desired end shape before flakes are then knapped off the core. This allowed for smaller points to be produced, which would have required greater hand strength to use. These smaller points also allowed for them to be used for projectile points. It also allowed for more of the core to be used for points.
By Gary Todd - CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78728779
Whether the technique developed in one area, such as Africa, and spread through Eurasia, or whether it developed independently in multiple locations is uncertain at this point in time. A comparison of points from various places shows a 'complex pre-planning and recognition of an "ideal form"' and that the efficiency of the technique indicates 'that the mobility of prehistoric people was higher', allowing people to travel more per core due to it 'generat[ing] the longest cutting edge per weight of raw material'.
There has been some disagreement among archaeologists about defining Levallois-Mousterian technology, so five specific criteria were developed for identifying points. These are: the volume of the core is exploited along two intersecting planes; there is a specific surface for striking and one where the flakes are removed by that striking; the surface that the flakes come from is pre-shaped and a 'function of the lateral and distal convexities on the surface'; the fracture plane where the points are removed are 'sub-parallel to the plane of intersection of the two surfaces'; the striking platform is retouched or faceted as needed to continue removing points.
Because this technique isn't obvious, it requires the producer to to be able to think several steps ahead and evaluate the material for the best possible usage. It is also 'counterintuitive', possibly an indication that verbal instructions were needed to pass it on, though a study found 'modern h umans could be taught the Levallois technique non-verbally at a similar level of effectiveness to verbal teaching'.
