sian Technique, which came about approximately 200,000 years ago. In this tool making technique, the core was shaped by removal of small waste flakes over its surface. Following which, a striking platform was set up for a crosswise blow at one end of the core of stone. This method produced a longer edge with the same amount of flint than the previous ones. These edges were also sharper and could be produced in less time. "Also around 200,000 years ago in Africa, another technological breakthrough took place. This was the invention of hafting - the affixing of small stone bifaces and flakes in handles of wood - to make improved spears and knives(Haviland 228)."The Middle Paleolithic, which lasted from about 166,000 years ago till about 30,000 years ago is characterized by the Neanderthal people. The tools of this period were of the Mousterian Tradition, named after the Neanderthal site of Le Moustier, France. These Mousterian tools are lighter and smaller than those of the Levalloisian Tradition. "The Levalloisian tool makers obtained only two or three flakes from one core, the Mousterian tool makers obtained many more smaller flakes, which were then skillfully retouched and sharpened for special purposes(Haviland 232)." Because Mousterian tools were conceived as refinements on a few distinct core shapes, the whole process of making tools had standardized into explicit stages (basic core stone, rough blank, refined final tool), with variations in tools created by variations in the procedures at each stage. A consistent manufacturing goal was to increase as much as possible the cutting area on each blade. Though this made the tool making process more labor intensive, it also meant the edges of the tools could be reshaped or sharpened as used so that tools lasted longer. This tool kit contained many more tools than any of the previous traditions, they even experimented with bitumen as a glue. With these improvements in tool mak...
