Modern production, household activities are impossible without tools, as they help to carry out work on the processing of materials and the manufacture of products.

The tools of labor include: tools, machines, electrical appliances, engines, etc., with the help of which objects of labor are processed, products are made (Fig. 112).

Primitive man used simple tools of labor - yes - stone, wooden sticks. People gradually came to the conclusion that it was possible to adapt stones and break sticks by working them. Thus, the first tools of labor began to be improved. (Fig. 113).
Rice. 113. The first tools of labor

The main occupation of people was agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, etc. The development of agriculture, cattle breeding, crafts and exchange led to significant changes in ancient society. Then new ways of making tools were invented and spread. Traditional forms of stone processing - beating, chipping, beating - eventually gave way to grinding, sawing, drilling. There was a production of ceramic dishes, spinning, and eventually weaving. Ceramic products made it possible not only to store water and bulk products for a long time, but also to cook boiled food. Spinning led to the invention of the spinning wheel. In addition, weaving arose on the basis of spinning, which gave another artificial product - fabric. In the Bronze Age there were metal tools. Instead of stone knives, they made copper ones, which made it possible to increase labor productivity. (Fig. 114).

Rice. 114. Metal tools

Back in the 19th and 20th centuries people used simple tools (Fig. 115).

Later, man moved from the manufacture of simple tools to the production of complex tools. This led to the mechanization of productive forces, which freed a person from hard physical work and increased labor productivity. material from the site

Rice. 115. Simple tools of labor 19-20 centuries. (spindle, sickle)

Until today, technology is developing rapidly. Very soon after creation first engine humanity has entered a phase of intensive development automatic production, the development of near-Earth space, the creation of artificial intelligence. The result of this development is the modern equipment that surrounds us. If earlier clothes were sewn exclusively by hand with a needle, now they help us with this. multifunctional sewing machines. If earlier it was necessary to screw in a screw with a screwdriver, now it can be done quickly screwdriver. Replaced hand wash washing machines.

There are many such examples. Thanks to the advent of modern equipment, life is greatly facilitated. If you used to mix the dough with a beater, and twist the minced meat in a manual meat grinder, etc., now they use electrical appliances (Fig. 116).

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Questions about this item:

  • What is the role of tools in the labor process?
  • Name the simplest tools.

Tools- these are all material elements, “mechanical means of labor” (according to K. Marx) with the help of which a person influences nature. Tools of labor are designed to provide people with food, clothing and housing, as well as significantly facilitate manual labor. The tools of labor include all the tools and devices with which a person processes objects of labor and manufactures final products. The development of man and society as a whole is directly related to the development of tools, since the production of tools is a reflection of the level of human development.

primitive tools- at first glance it seems that tools (paleolithic, mesolithic, neolithic, etc.) were made exclusively of stone. However, it is not. The first ancient tools and objects of labor were made not only from stone. A tree (a stick, a log, bark, flexible branches) was also an indispensable tool in the difficult life of primitive man. Gradually, bones, horns and tusks of dead animals were added to them, and later clay, from which a person began to create ceramic products and, finally, metals. From the numerous variety of metals (copper, bronze, iron, silver, gold, etc.), man made tools and means of labor, gradually improving them and finding applications for them in various spheres of life: agriculture, hunting, and everyday life.

When did people first start making stone tools? What was the tool of labor in antiquity? What tools did ancient people use? Was there a difference between the tools of labor of primitive farmers and primitive hunters? The questions are really interesting. This article gives quite complete and detailed answers to all these questions and describes the evolution of tools: from the appearance of the first tools made of stone (axe, chopper, etc.) to modern ones made of steel.

The first tools of labor of a man of the Stone Age

The Stone Age (2-2.5 million years ago) is the very first, longest (97% of the entire history of mankind) and the most interesting period in human development. The Stone Age is called “Stone Age” because man began to make the first stone tools at this time.

The Stone Age is divided into three periods. This division was made by historians for a reason - each period differs from the other in how a person used stone and how much stone processing changed. Drawings of tools ancient man made of stone are preserved on rock carvings. So, the Stone Age is divided into:

Ancient Stone Age (from 2.5 million to 12 thousand years BC) - Paleolithic (early, middle and late);

Middle Stone Age (from 12 thousand to 5 thousand years BC) - Mesolithic;

New Stone Age (from 5 thousand to 3 thousand years BC) - Neolithic (pre-ceramic and ceramic in the Middle East, early and late in Europe and Asia).

From period to period, the stone tools of ancient people became more and more complex. The stone was studied, Neanderthals began to notice that the stones differ from each other in their structure and hardness, and what can be made from one type of stone is inefficiently made from another. That is why tools in the Stone Age were made from various types of stones. For example, ordinary chipped flint (an axe) was used as a cutting tool, limestone slate as an ancient hunter's tool, and basalt and sandstone as hand mills.

Stone tools, the photo of which is presented, clearly proves that they were primitive, but very effective.

The historical countdown originates from the Stone Age. This happens when the manufacture of tools in the Stone Age begins by man to help himself. It took from 500 thousand to 1 million years for this process to become conscious and volitional, during this time not only the brain underwent qualitative changes, but also the tools of labor improved. The process of human formation ended approximately 800-600 thousand years ago and received the scientific name "anthropogenesis".

If you are a fan of solving crossword puzzles, then to the question: “The tool of labor of a primitive man 6 letters”, you answered without hesitation: “Stone”. However, this is not true. Stone is a natural material from which man made tools. So the most ancient tool of labor made of stone is a hand axe.

Gradually, following the stone, materials such as wood, bone, shell, animal horns and clay began to enter the everyday life of primitive man. And primitive tools were made from all these materials.

Tools of labor in the Paleolithic period

Paleolithic (from 2.5 million to 12 thousand years BC) - the history of human development begins from this period. Stone and stick were primitive, like the life of primitive people. Historians called them Homo habilis - a skilled man - Australopithecus. The main occupations were fruit gathering and hunting. The manufacture of tools did not differ much from their use. At first, they were quite primitive, for example, they knocked fruits from trees with a heavy stone, cut the bones of animals with a sharp stone, split or chopped downed fruits.

The names of the tools of labor of primitive man (paleolithic)

In the excavations, archaeologists found primitive tools, the names of which were invented based on how the Neanderthals made them. Before you is a photo of the tools of labor of a primitive man during the Paleolithic period. As you can see, primitive pebble tools were made very skillfully by representatives of Australopithecus.

So, the Paleolithic period, the Stone Age, the first tools of labor, the list:

  • hand ax - the very first tool of labor of an ancient person - a hand ax was a heavy (more than 1 kg) solid (more than 20 cm in length) stone tool;
  • chopper - a tool, which is a stone chipped from one side (one blade), was used to butcher the carcass of a dead animal;
  • chopping - a tool of labor of the ancient inhabitants - a stone processed on both sides (two blades);
  • scrapers - tools made of bones, the most numerous and diverse in form, were intended for processing and cutting animal skins and wood;
  • scrapers - ancient tools of labor of primitive man in the form of a convex blade, retouched;
  • cleaver-cleaver - a tool of primitive people, a rather large tool with symmetrically processed edges, but not retouched;
  • monoface - a tool in antiquity, in which the stone, with the help of upholstery, was processed on one side;
  • biface - a tool of labor, the stone was upholstered on both sides;
  • spear - oddly enough, but during the Paleolithic period, the spear performed a striking function;
  • awl and drill - bone tools;
  • pointed - an almond-shaped massive stone product, with convex shapes, processed by retouching. Used for complex composite tools;
  • incisors - chips converging at an acute angle, cutting tools made of stone. They cut wood, bones or horns, sawed deep grooves, made cuts, removed chips;
  • points, needles and harpoons are bone tools.

The process of making ancient tools was quite simple. Pebbles were beaten against each other so that chips formed along the edges. The broken off parts of the stones also became ancient tools - flakes. In order to obtain the simplest flake (a thin chip with sharp edges), a number of preliminary expedient actions are required. On a piece of stone, you need to prepare a place for striking and hit it at a certain angle and with a certain force.

The development of the tools of labor of primitive man did not stop for a minute. Homo habilis began to set himself more and more difficult tasks. He wanted to make a tool of a strictly specified, sometimes quite complex shape. In ancient times, a system of upholstering with small chips, called “retouching” in archeology, was used for this. These techniques have been developed and improved over a very long time - from one era to another. And the stone tools of the Paleolithic, as well as the primitive life of primitive people, gradually changed.

By the end of the Paleolithic, stone tools, and by this time there were already about 150 varieties of them, were replaced by bone ones. Bone has become a material of wide application, however, like stone and wood before. In everyday life, ancient people no longer only used bone tools. Ornaments are made from the bones and teeth of animals, massive bones are used in the construction of dwellings.

People depend on animals to survive. There is a migration of communities following the herds of animals to the south. For hunting, they begin to use a spear and a bow, and for the construction of primitive dwellings - not only bones, but also animal skins.

Another great discovery that man made in this period is fire. He managed not only to keep the fire, but also to produce it.

Tools of labor during the Mesolithic period

The Mesolithic (12-5 thousand years BC) began with the last ice age and ended with an increase in the level of the ocean, when people had to adapt to new conditions environment. The tools of labor of the Stone Age Mesolithic did not differ much from those made during the late Paleolithic period, but they changed in a qualitative way.

In addition to Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons, the ancestors of modern people, appeared during this period. For 30 thousand years, both of these peoples were cruelly at enmity with each other. During the excavations, gnawed bones were found, at the sites of Neanderthals gnawed bones of Cro-Magnons and vice versa. This enmity played a significant role in the improvement of tools. For example, the Cro-Magnons used two flat stones as a tool as a mill, they made jewelry from bones and horns, and strengthened their dwellings with stone slabs.

Mesolithic tool name

During the Mesolithic, the first small stone tool appeared - microlith - miniature stone tools. Obtaining thin plates of the correct shape allows the stone to be used as a tool for small work. Mesolithic tools were as follows:

The tools of labor of an ancient man of the Mesolithic era are depicted in the photo. As you can see, ancient people began to make tools that were already intended for various specific purposes, for example, for hunting, for cooking or for building housing. There is a division of primitive tools according to their functional abilities: some catch and kill animals, others butcher their carcasses, others dig the ground, hew and process wooden sticks, and so on.

In the Mesolithic, tools for working wood were widely used. Woodworking has reached a wide scale. Ancient people living in forest and forest-steppe zones learned how to make boats, skis and even sledges from wood, processing them with stone tools. Wood tools began to be used everywhere, which were connected to stone attachments (axes, chisels, etc.).

Horns, bones, animal skin, skins and birch bark were processed with stone tools. They made fishing hooks, needles, jewelry, hoes and pickles. They began to make shoes from fur and leather. Subsequently, all these tools were replaced with metal tools. In the meantime, everything was made of bones and stone.

It is impossible to trace exactly how the “transformation” of people into people of the modern type took place. Therefore, in Latin, he is also called homo sapiens sapiens, or "twice wise" man. A man of this species already had practically nothing in common with a monkey - his arms became shorter, his forehead became higher, a chin appeared. Its evolution is confirmed by cave paintings of primitive tools.

The first pet in the history of man appeared - a dog.

Tools of labor in the Neolithic period

The Neolithic (5-3 thousand years BC) is the era in the history of human development, ending the Stone Age. The Neolithic revolution of the tools of labor is coming, which is caused by the following:


Complex flint tools appeared. For example, a flint knife, which was produced in three stages. At the first stage, the flint workpiece was processed with a stone striker, it was quite rough. Then the pluck was carefully trimmed with a soft striker from the animal's bone. And the third final stage was bringing the blade of the flint knife to the final sharp state. At this stage, the ancient flint tool already resembles a modern knife or machete. You can verify this by looking at the knives and ancient tools, the photos of which you see.

Flint has become the most common stone. It was followed in importance by quartzite, obsidian, slate, jasper and jade. Mining began to develop, the first mines appeared.

Neolithic tools:

  • curved hooks, harpoons, weights for nets and nets - stone and bone tools for fishing;
  • flint knife, horn lining for bows, bone and leaf-shaped stone arrowheads, flint hunting weapons - ancient tools of labor and hunting;
  • horn picks, kayla, lamps - mining tools;
  • reaping knives, sickles and scrapers - agricultural tools;
  • complex mills, spindle whorls - weaving tools.
  • whorls are small round stones that were specially processed and mounted on a spindle. Later spindle whorls were made of clay. Nettle, flax and hemp were taken as threads.

Ceramics is the most important invention of the Neolithic period. In completely different places, but not far from water, on different continents, ancient people invented ceramic dough: asbestos, river sand and crushed shells were added to talc. Vessels were made in two ways. The first method was gouging, and the second - they successively stuck the rings to each other in a circle, thus increasing the desired height of the product.

The key sign of the Neolithic for archaeologists was the ornamentation of ceramics. Products made of ceramic dough were burned on fire in primitive forges (kilns) and painted with mineral paints.

Results of the Stone Age

The knowledge that man gained by experience during this long period helped the ancient man not only in the daily struggle for life, but also contributed to the fact that ancient people were able to survive the Ice Age and move from the African continent to Java, Northern China and Europe. Begins new era of a “straightened” person, his life becomes large-scale, large-scale in everything. People begin to hunt large animals - elephants and deer. They learn to use fire, which warms and protects primitive people.

The brain continues to develop, thereby developing and introducing complications into human activity. And 250 thousand years ago, homo sapiens appeared - “reasonable man” or, as he is also called, Neanderthal. Homo sapiens first settles in high caves, in which bears wintered before him, meat becomes the main source of food. The tools of labor of homo sapiens are significantly different from the primitive Homo habilis. During this period, primitive tools of labor and hunting became more diverse and functional.

During this period, from an ordinary chipped stone used as a knife, tools develop to long, light and sharp knives. Spearheads and darts appeared, and with them simple but ingenious devices for throwing them at a target. At the same time, people invented new tools for removing and dressing the skins of dead animals. Awls and needles made of bone appeared, the thinnest of which hardly differ in size from our modern ones. This was the most important achievement of mankind: after all, the presence of such needles meant the appearance of sewn clothes among our ancestors.

They began to make tools from tusk and horn, specially designed for digging dugouts and storage pits. There were probably many other specialized objects made of stone, bone and wood during this period. But the purpose of many of them, found in ancient sites, is still a mystery to archaeologists. The change in the tools of labor led to the division of primitive people into hunters, fishermen, peasants, the so-called tillers. A person who is engaged in the manufacture of tools also stands out and in the future this type will develop into an artisan who will already create clay vessels, ceramic household items, weave linen or woolen cloth, sew clothes and so on.

When a person learned what metal is, then the Stone Age ended and the next one began - the "copper age" (Neolithic age).

Eneolithic or Copper Age. Tools of labor in the copper age.

The Copper Age or Eneolithic (5-3 thousand years BC) is a small transitional era that changed the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. In many territories of the ancient world, this age is simply absent and the Stone Age immediately passes into the Bronze Age. Therefore, some historians attribute the Eneolithic to the Bronze Age, and some to the Stone Age. But the archaeologist F. Pulsky in the 19th century singled out the Neolithic as a separate transitional age.

The tools of labor of the Eneolithic (Copper Age) undergo a number of significant changes - copper appears. For the first time, people found copper in the form of nuggets that looked like stones. They tried to hit them with other stones to make chips. Although the pieces did not break off from the nuggets, the nuggets themselves were deformed and took on various forms. This is how the first cold forging appeared.

Copper is the first metal from which the tools of the Eneolithic were made. The first primitive copper tools (the photo shows this well) did not differ in a special variety. Yes, they were not really needed, because they were fragile and therefore remained unclaimed.

Tools made of copper during the Eneolithic period did not find much distribution, the main reason being that nuggets were rare. People who lived in regions where there was a lot of copper (for example, the territory of modern Kazakhstan, the Donetsk region or Transbaikalia) immediately realized the advantage of this metal. Copper was soft, and therefore the tools could be repaired in case of breakage, and not make a new one, as is necessary if the tool was made of stone or bone.

After some time, bronze appears. During the Eneolithic, the main tools of labor of the Eastern Slavs were made of bronze and copper. In the Middle East, copper and bronze tools have been replacing stone ones since the 4th millennium BC. At the same time, copper tools appeared in China, during the Hongshan and Majiayao cultures. And tools made of bronze are the main attraction of the subsequent Qijia culture.

Thus begins the Bronze Age.

Bronze Age. Tools.

Bronze Age (from 3 thousand years to 1.2 thousand years BC) - people learned how to make bronze - an alloy of tin and copper. This age is characterized by the rapid development of the manufacture of tools from bronze, the improvement of the processing of this metal and the improvement of tools from copper.

The Bronze Age is divided into:

  • early (RBV) - from 3 thousand years to 2 thousand years BC
  • middle (SBV) - from 2 thousand years to 1.6 thousand years BC
  • late (PBV) - from 1.6 thousand years to 1.2 thousand years BC

In the Copper Age, as described above, people found copper nuggets, but copper is a soft metal, and therefore people did not stop at this find and began to look for stronger metals. But unfortunately, metals are quite rare, compared to at least the same stone and animal bones. People also found tin, but it was also soft and not at all suitable for making tools.

A huge step in the evolution of tools was an alloy of tin and copper, which was called bronze. Bronze is a strong and durable metal from which it was possible to make tools of any shape and size, and most importantly, bronze blades were sharpened to an amazing sharpness. The first metal tools made of bronze became a real breakthrough in their manufacture. They were strong, durable and served a person for a long time.

Tools of the Bronze Age

On the territory of modern Kazakhstan, in Donetsk, the Baikal region, Transbaikalia, the Caucasus and the Urals, the technology of manufacturing tools from bronze is spreading, since it was there that large deposits of rocks, copper and tin ore were discovered.

Bronze tools were really strong, they did not break so often and served much longer than stone, bone and wood ones. That is why people began to think about how to get the necessary ingredients from underground. They began to improve mines and tools for working in them.

At that time, ore rich in tin and copper was being developed to make bronze from them. The development went along ore-bearing veins, loose ores were mined with chippers and axes using the “chilling” method. And dense rocks of ores were set on fire when they were heated and poured with cold water, while the ore became loose and was chipped off with stone picks, poured into leather bags with shovels and taken out. If the ore crumbled in the form of fine dust, then it was raked into bags with a shovel of cattle or an animal.

A photo of Bronze Age tools clearly demonstrates how diverse and perfect they were. So, the tools of labor of people of the Bronze Age:

Tools of labor of ancient miners:

  • from stone - massive pickles, hammers, mortars for grinding ore and wedges;
  • improved picks - a metal tool mounted on a handle;
  • from quartz - chippers and axes;
  • from bronze - picks with four faces;
  • from the horns - hammers and wedges;
  • from the shoulder blade of a large animal - shovels and scrapers;
  • melting furnaces.

Bronze tools for hunting:

  • daggers and knives;
  • arrowheads and spears.

Craftsmen's tools:

  • hanging axes;
  • from bronze - daggers, knives, needles;
  • from stone - grain graters (a tool of labor from two flat stones), mortars, weights, pestles;
  • from clay - karchagi (clay vessels), jugs, bowls, plates;
  • from bone - various tools for craftsmen.

invented new method bone processing: the bone was placed in boiling water in a karchag and boiled until it became soft, fat-free and pliable. She was given the desired shape and allowed to cool. During cooling, the bone acquired its original properties - elasticity and hardness.

On the territory of the countries of the modern West, Bronze Age tools were easily recognized by archaeologists by their traditional sets:

  • socketed axes;
  • grooved and flat chisels and adzes;
  • two-bladed daggers and cutting knives;
  • forged tips for arrows and spears;
  • a farmer's tool of labor - a sickle billhook and lamellar sickle-shaped tools of labor for cultivating the land;
  • for fishing - bronze hooks and harpoons.
  • Celtic axes and spatulas are cast from bronze.

Ceramic dishes became more perfect, flat-bottomed pots, jars and bowls appeared, all this was decorated with shells, which were added to the ceramic dough. A very large variety of metal tools.

Ancient Greece. Tools

Starting from the 4th century BC. handicraft developed rapidly, and, accordingly, tools Ancient Greece also undergone major and qualitative changes. During this period of time in Greece there were masters and slaves. One owner had from 2 to 20 slaves. The tools of labor in ancient Greece belonged to the owners, and they were naturally used by slaves. Therefore, in order to benefit more from a smaller number of subordinates, the masters were interested in the development of tools.

One craftsman-slave could make completely different products, i.e. At that time there was no division into crafts. Therefore, the tools of labor were multifunctional, simple and uncomplicated. During the Bronze Age, the tools of labor among the ancient Greeks became perfect:

  • a blacksmith's tool of labor - a forge, tongs, an anvil, an ax, a hammer, metal chisels, iron saws, stone-cutting tools made of steel;
  • a plowman's tool of labor - plowshares, hoes, shovels, sickles;
  • gardeners' tools - knives for cutting grapes, axes, simple secateurs;

Foundry in Ancient Greece was especially widespread and differed from other regions in its sophistication and high quality of workmanship: casting from bronze, silver, copper and gold, chasing, forging and embossing "toreutics".

Tools of labor of Ancient Greece foundry business:

  • special hammer for chasing;
  • chasing - a tool with a working end having different geometric shapes;
  • a special tool with a strongly pointed end for engraving;
  • stone matrix;
  • clay molds;
  • cutters and rasps - for grinding and removing defects from the finished cast form.

Tools of the mining industry in ancient Greece:

  • iron pick, wooden wedges, chisels and sledgehammers - for separating rocks;
  • iron saws, axes and scrapers - for excavating limestone;
  • adze, catfish, chisel and hammer - for cutting stones;
  • a primitive compass, a water level, a plumb line - for sawing geometrically regular stone blocks.

Special workers took care of the tools - they sharpened them, repaired them in case of breakage.

Results of the Bronze Age

The Bronze Age is the appearance of metal tools, really strong and durable. The use of metal tools (mainly bronze) became so convenient and widespread that it covered literally all areas of human activity of that era.

Along with tools, people learned to make very exquisite and beautiful bronze jewelry, copper and silver bracelets, wire pendants, and plaques. Plaque sockets on women's suit became an ethnographic sign of the Bronze Age. All decorations were made using chasing, forging and embossing.

In addition to bronze, people began to use silver, billon, learned to make wire, to make original intricate stone and bone products (buckles for shoes, plaques for clothes and hats, fasteners, etc.).

In the Bronze Age, people achieved high skill in mining mining, in the manufacture of weapons, jewelry and, of course, tools. Various and aesthetically beautiful household items and kitchen utensils appeared. People began to master the technique of chasing, polishing, grinding and embossing metals. They learned how to apply drawings to bronze items (i.e., hard metals), and the ornament itself became more complex.

During this period, the decomposition of the primitive communal system began - inequality appeared, both property and position in society (division into rich and poor). People began to impose prohibitions - taboos - on certain tools of production that only tribal leaders or wealthy families could have. Some tools of the Bronze Age were purely aesthetic in nature, such as daggers with a particularly beautiful ornament, knives or vessels. They were not used in action, but kept and paraded as proof of their privileged position in the tribe.

The beginnings of a religious worldview are being laid.

Iron age. Tools.

Iron Age (from 1.2 thousand years BC to the 5th century AD) - the beginning of the spread of iron metallurgy. Although iron tools appeared gradually in all countries of the world, the Iron Age first came in Ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, India and China. It was there that primitive tribes began to make iron products for the first time. Gradually, iron tools became more and more, and they began to displace bronze ones, by the way, this trend continues to this day.

What were the advantages of iron tools over bronze ones? This question has long troubled historians.

At first glance, all the advantages and disadvantages are on the side of tools made of bronze. Firstly, bronze products are more durable than iron ones and they are not afraid of corrosion. Secondly, the wear time of bronze is much longer than iron. And thirdly, the production (smelting) of iron requires a much higher temperature, which in turn requires more effort.

The answer turned out to be not so obvious: it turned out that in nature there is much more iron than tin, which is necessary for the manufacture of bronze. And so the transition from bronze to iron tools was in no way connected with the advantages of one metal over another.

Iron tools

We will not list all the tools made of iron, since these are practically all the already known tools that were made in wood, stone and bronze. Here is a list of iron tools that only appeared with iron and steel. So, the list of iron tools that appeared during the discovery of iron:

  • iron scythes and sickles - used in hay harvesting;
  • plow, shovels - cut and turned over the sod layer of the earth;
  • saws and axes - for cutting down forests and especially thick trees;
  • lathe - for woodworking;
  • potter's wheel - made it possible to make even, thinner and more elegant dishes;
  • traps and traps;
  • blacksmith tongs;
  • plow knife.

After some time, people began to explore the qualitative characteristics of iron. Experiments began on possible compounds and alloys. As a result, one of the hardest and most durable alloys arose, which is also valued in our modern time - steel. Steel is an alloy of iron with carbohydrate, which, after hardening, i.e. after treatment with high temperatures, it became superhard.

In China, the development of iron goes its own way. Back in the III century BC. (the end of the copper beginning of the Bronze Age) in China, tools were made from iron. The iron tools of labor in China greatly facilitated agricultural work, increased productivity and marked the beginning of the cultivation of those lands that had previously been impossible to cultivate. Also in China, they began to produce world-famous iron swords (Kingdom of Chu and Han), shovels (Kingdom of Zhao) and spears with spears (Kingdom of Qin).

It was even impossible to foresee how the use of iron tools affected people's lives. Due to more food, preparations and an improved quality of life, an intensive population growth began, which gave impetus to the development of social life.

Results of the Iron Age

From 1.2 thousand years BC. until the 1st century AD iron tools are considered a luxury, and iron production is very small. Iron metallurgy is developing in India, Southern Europe and Asia Minor. From the 1st century AD to the 3rd century, everyday tools are already being made from iron, and iron mining has expanded significantly. Steel appears. However, they still use bronze and stone tools.

By the 4th century, iron tools were already being made in Northern Europe and Egypt. Iron came to the Far East by the 5th century. At the very end of the Iron Age, most stone and bronze tools had already been completely replaced by steel and iron ones.

One fact is noteworthy: in South Africa, where copper deposits significantly exceed those of iron, copper was used exclusively as decoration, and iron was used only for tools. There, iron mining began in the 4th century BC. Very early began to receive steel. In Nubia, Sudan and Libya, the Iron Age came immediately after the Iron Age, bypassing the Copper and Bronze Ages.

Middle Ages. Tools

The Middle Ages is the era of the "great migration of peoples", the historical period between antiquity and modern times. Germanic tribes began to settle in the vast territories of Eurasia. The historical period of time when relations between people began to form in the form of a master and a servant. However, this article considers only the evolution of tools and therefore we will not dwell on the formation of certain systems, but we will consider only medieval tools.

Let us dwell only on how the peasants appeared, because it was they who needed the tools of labor. Initially, the whole tribe went to war, then people realized that some were good at fighting, while others were growing vegetables. Therefore, only wars began to go to war, while the rest remained and supplied food to all members of the tribe who were left without breadwinners. So, to put it briefly, the peasantry appeared.

Tool of labor of medieval peasants of the 5th-7th centuries

Mostly among the peasants, tools for agricultural work were distributed. The tools of labor of the Middle Ages did not undergo any special changes and over time the tools of labor of the Middle Ages remained practically unchanged. This is due to the following: the rich did not want to spend on improving and facilitating the work of their serfs, and the poor simply did not have money for this. So, the tools of labor of the Middle Ages:

  • plow and plow - for light soils of the forest belt;
  • a plow with an iron share - for heavy soils;
  • harrow, sickle for harvesting, chain for threshing grain.

Labor tools of the Slavs

In the vastness of Europe (near the Oka, Volga, Don, Dnieper and Western Dvina) lived Slavs - the ancestors of modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. Then they were called Polyans, Dregovichi, Slovenes, Drevlyans, Northerners, Rodimichs, Vyatichi, Ulichi, Krivichi and others. The main occupations were hunting, fishing, cattle breeding, pottery, construction and honey collection. Already at that time there were doctors.

Tools of labor of the Eastern Slavs

The sedentary population of Eastern Europe, which included the middle regions of Rus', was engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, horse breeding, beekeeping, hunting and developing the lands of impenetrable forests. So what was the tool of labor among the Eastern Slavs? At first, it was rather primitive: an ax, a hoe, a knotted harrow - for reclaiming plots of land from the forest. On the cleared plots of land, crops were harvested for 2-3 years, then the next ones were cleared, such a farming system was called "slash-and-burn".

The tools used by the Eastern Slavs living in the steppes were practically the same. The exception is the ax, it was not widely used among them. Here the land was cultivated and harvested until the land was completely depleted. Then they moved to another piece of land. This system of farming was called "fallow land".

There were quite different occupations of the Eastern Slavs, whose tools differed greatly depending on their functions: blacksmiths, tillers, potters, goldsmiths, hunters, fishermen, etc. There were about 150 types of tools. The tools and weapons of the Eastern Slavs were made of iron, bronze, steel and wood. The main tools of labor of the Slavs were made of iron and were of high quality, strength and durability.

Tools Ancient Rus'

The Old Russian state (XII century AD) was created in the Middle Ages. By the time of its creation, metallurgy was already quite developed and separated from metalworking, a separate craft was formed - blacksmithing.

The tools of labor in Ancient Rus' were very diverse and there were more than 150 types of tools made of iron and steel. All this played an important role in the development of trade relations between cities and the countryside. Yes, and the difficult hard life of the peasants was greatly facilitated by the tools of labor. Tools of labor in Rus' made of iron:

  • sickles, scythes, shovels, plows - the tools of labor of Russian peasants;
  • swords, spears, arrows, battle axes - for warriors;
  • knives, locks, keys, needles, awls, chisels and staples - for the household;
  • fishing hooks, sinkers, traps - for hunting and fishing.

The Old Russian tool of labor differed from the tools of other countries in its decoration. The ornaments of labor tools were exquisite and magnificent, since ancient Russian artisans and jewelers could skillfully mint on non-ferrous metals.

The most common material in ancient Rus' was wood. From wood they built dwellings, fortifications for cities, and outbuildings. The tools of labor of the Russian people were also made from wood. Dishes, furniture, toys, utensils, ships, pavements, machine tools, sledges and even plumbing were made.

A wide demand not only in Rus', but also in neighboring countries was for non-ferrous metal products made by Russian craftsmen. Here is an incomplete description of non-ferrous metal tools in Rus': women's jewelry, clothing jewelry, church utensils, decorative utensils, horse harness, weapon jewelry, etc.

Muscovite Rus was famous for its chasing, forging, rolling, engraving, embossing, stamping, drawing, blackening, enameling, gold plating and metal inlay. All these operations required special tools:

  • anvil for chasing;
  • bone hammers, shaped and simple iron hammers;
  • coinage, flares, wire cutters and tweezers;
  • chisels, drills, clamps, scissors and barbs.

All these tools for processing non-ferrous metals were quite developed and very functional.

The Mongol-Tatar invasion halted the development of ancient Russian crafts for more than a hundred years. The tool of labor in Rus' was at the peak of its development, and this saved Russian blacksmiths, weavers, potters, gunsmiths and other artisans from complete stagnation. In the cities not captured by the Tatar-Mongols, the production of tools and their development continued, but was weighed down by the tribute that the Russian people had to pay to the Tatars.

You can talk about tools for an infinitely long time. It is impossible in one article to cover all the peoples and all the crafts they were engaged in. We have tried to describe the most interesting facts tool development. Answer questions such as: “What was the most ancient human tool?”, “Why did primitive people make tools?”, “What tools were in the Paleolithic?”, “What tools were used in agriculture?” and so on.

Now you know that the first tool of labor of an ancient man made of stone was an axe. Many people are really interested in this question. This concludes the story about the tools of labor.

The beginning of the history of the formation of human society is marked by that distant time when the first tools of labor of primitive man began to appear. Our ancestors (Australopithecines), being engaged in gathering, did not use any objects whatsoever - neither raw nor processed.

Tools of labor Prerequisites for the emergence

According to a number of scientists, (human ancestors), who moved to the earth from trees, in the process of survival used sticks and stones, “processed” by nature, to protect themselves from predatory animals. Subsequently, the found objects began to be used for food production. At the same time, at first they were used only as needed, and after use they were thrown away. But in the course of biological development and a long accumulation of experience, anthropoid apes became more and more convinced that tools that are not always necessary can be easily found. This, in turn, led to the idea that the items needed by the ancestors should somehow be preserved. In addition, there was a need to use more convenient items. As a result, the tools of labor of primitive people became permanent instead of temporary ones. Along with this, gradually the ancestors began to accumulate and preserve the objects found.

Processed tools of labor of primitive man

In this or that situation, it was not always possible to find objects with which it would be convenient to break a nut, for example, or deliver an effective blow to the enemy, or dig up a root or tuber in the ground. Gradually, humanoid apes begin to understand the need to give tools the necessary shape. So the processed objects began to appear. It should be said that the processed tools of labor of primitive people had little difference from the unprocessed ones found in nature.

Over time, experience began to accumulate, the ancient ancestors began to make hand-held small axes. This item was a universal tool of labor for primitive people for a long time and was used in a wide variety of activities. Among wooden objects, the digging stick, which had a pointed end, was widely used. With its help, larvae, roots, tubers were dug out of the ground. A little later, a club and club appeared. For a long time, the first was used as a shock, and the second - as a throwing weapon.

These items were used both for gathering, and during hunting, and for protection against attacks by predators. A little later, a primitive man makes a spear. Gradually, it replaced the club and club. Together with the ax, various tools made of stone appear and become quite common. So, there are scrapers, chippers, knives, discs, pointed points, spearheads, cutters, and so on.

How were the tools of labor of primitive people made?

Simple things were whole. They were made from a single piece of stone or wood. Subsequently, composite products began to appear. So, a flint and then a bone tip were attached to the end of the spear, using a leather belt as a fixative. Wooden handles were attached to the axes. Such tools became the prototype of the hoe, hammer, axe.

Modern schoolchildren, having got into the walls of the historical museum, usually go through the exposition with laughter, where the tools of labor of the Stone Age are exhibited. They seem so primitive and simple that they do not even deserve special attention from the visitors of the exhibition. However, in reality, these Stone Age humans are clear evidence of how they evolved from apes to Homo sapiens. It is extremely interesting to trace this process, but historians and archaeologists can only direct the mind of the inquisitive in the right direction. Indeed, at the moment, almost everything that they know about the Stone Age is based on the study of these very simple tools. But the development of primitive people was actively influenced by society, religious beliefs and climate. Unfortunately, archaeologists of past centuries did not take into account these factors at all, giving a description of one or another period of the Stone Age. Labor tools of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic, scientists began to carefully study much later. And they were literally delighted with how skillfully primitive people managed with stone, sticks and bone - the most accessible and common materials at that time. Today we will tell you about the main tools of the Stone Age and their purpose. We will also try to recreate the production technology of some items. And be sure to give a photo with the names of the tools of the Stone Age, which are most often found in the historical museums of our country.

Brief description of the Stone Age

At the moment, scientists believe that the Stone Age can be safely attributed to the most important cultural and historical layer, which is still rather poorly understood. Some experts argue that this period has no clear time limits, because official science has established them based on the study of finds made in Europe. But she did not take into account that many peoples of Africa were in the Stone Age until they became acquainted with more developed cultures. It is known that some tribes still process the skins and carcasses of animals with objects made of stone. Therefore, talk about the fact that the tools of labor of people of the Stone Age are the distant past of mankind is premature.

Based on official data, we can say that the Stone Age began about three million years ago from the moment when the first hominid living in Africa thought of using stone for its own purposes.

Studying the tools of the Stone Age, archaeologists often cannot determine their purpose. This can be done by observing tribes that have a similar level of development with primitive people. Thanks to this, many objects become more understandable, as well as the technology of their manufacture.

Historians divided the Stone Age into several rather large time periods: the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic. In each, the tools of labor were gradually improved and became more and more skillful. At the same time, their purpose also changed over time. It is noteworthy that archaeologists distinguish between Stone Age tools and the place where they were found. In the northern regions, people needed some items, and in the southern latitudes, completely different ones. Therefore, to create a complete picture, scientists need both those and other findings. Only by the totality of all the found tools of labor can one get the most accurate idea of ​​the life of primitive people in ancient times.

Materials for the manufacture of tools

Naturally, in the Stone Age, the main material for the manufacture of certain items was stone. Of its varieties, primitive people chose mainly flint and limestone slate. They made excellent cutting tools and weapons for hunting.

In a later period, people began to actively use basalt. He went to work tools intended for domestic needs. However, this happened already when people became interested in agriculture and cattle breeding.

At the same time, primitive man mastered the manufacture of tools from bone, the horns of animals killed by him and wood. In various life situations, they turned out to be very useful and successfully replaced the stone.

If we focus on the sequence of the emergence of tools of the Stone Age, we can conclude that, nevertheless, the first and main material of ancient people was stone. It was he who turned out to be the most durable and was of great value in the eyes of primitive man.

The appearance of the first tools

The first tools of the Stone Age, the sequence of which is so important for the world scientific community, were the result of accumulated knowledge and experience. This process lasted for more than one century, because it was quite difficult for a primitive man of the early Paleolithic era to understand that randomly collected objects could be useful to him.

Historians believe that hominids in the process of evolution were able to understand the wide possibilities of stones and sticks, found by chance, to protect themselves and their communities. So it was easier to drive away wild animals and get roots. Therefore, primitive people began to pick up stones and throw them away after use.

However, after some time, they realized that it was not so easy to find the right object in nature. Sometimes it was necessary to bypass quite extensive territories so that a stone convenient and suitable for gathering was in the hands. Such items began to be stored, and gradually the collection was replenished with convenient bones and branched sticks of the required length. All of them became a kind of prerequisite for the first tools of the ancient Stone Age.

Tools of the Stone Age: the sequence of their occurrence

Among some groups of scientists, the division of tools into the historical eras to which they belong is accepted. However, it is possible to imagine the sequence of the emergence of tools in another way. Stone Age people gradually developed, so historians have given them different names. Over the long millennia, they have gone from Australopithecus to Cro-Magnon. Naturally, during these periods, the tools of labor also changed. If we carefully trace the development of the human individual, then in parallel we can understand how much the tools of labor were improved. Therefore, further we will talk about objects made during the Paleolithic period by hands:

  • australopithecines;
  • Pithecanthropus;
  • Neanderthals;
  • Cro-Magnons.

If you still want to know what tools were in the Stone Age, then the following sections of the article will reveal this secret for you.

The invention of tools

The appearance of the first objects designed to make life easier for primitive people dates back to the time of Australopithecus. These are considered the most ancient ancestors modern man. It was they who learned how to collect the necessary stones and sticks, and then decided to try with their own hands to give the desired shape to the found object.

Australopithecus was mainly engaged in gathering. They constantly looked for edible roots in the forests and picked berries, and therefore were often attacked by wild animals. Randomly found stones, as it turned out, helped to do the usual thing more productively and even allowed them to defend themselves from animals. Therefore, ancient man made attempts to turn an unsuitable stone into something useful with a few blows. After a series of titanic efforts, the first tool of labor appeared - a hand axe.

This item was an oblong stone. On the one hand, it was thickened to fit more comfortably in the hand, and the other was sharpened by the ancient man with the help of blows with another stone. It is worth noting that the creation of an ax was a very laborious process. The stones were rather difficult to process, and the movements of Australopithecus were not very accurate. Scientists believe that it took at least a hundred blows to create one handaxe, and the weight of the tool often reached fifty kilograms.

With the help of an ax it was much more convenient to dig up roots from under the ground and even kill wild animals with it. We can say that it was with the invention of the first tool of labor that a new milestone in the development of mankind as a species began.

Despite the fact that the ax was the most popular tool of labor, Australopithecus learned how to create scrapers and points. However, the scope of their applications was the same - gathering.

Pithecanthropus tools

This species is already bipedal and can claim to be called a man. Unfortunately, the tools of labor of the Stone Age people of this period are not numerous. Finds dating back to the era of Pithecanthropes are very valuable for science, because each item found carries extensive information about a little-studied historical time interval.

Scientists believe that Pithecanthropus used basically the same tools as Australopithecus, but learned to work them more skillfully. Stone axes were still very common. Also in the course went and flakes. They were made from bone by splitting into several parts, as a result, a primitive man received a product with sharp and cutting edges. Some finds allow us to get an idea that the Pithecanthropes tried to make tools from wood as well. Actively used by people and eoliths. This term was used for stones found near water bodies, which naturally have sharp edges.

Neanderthals: new inventions

The tools of labor of the Stone Age (we have given a photo with a caption in this section), made by Neanderthals, are distinguished by their lightness and new forms. Gradually, people began to approach the choice of the most convenient shapes and sizes, which greatly facilitated the hard daily work.

Most of the finds of that period were found in one of the caves in France, so scientists call all Neanderthal tools Mousterian. This name was given in honor of the cave, where large-scale excavations were carried out.

A distinctive feature of these items is their focus on the manufacture of clothing. The Ice Age, in which the Neanderthals lived, dictated their conditions to them. To survive, they had to learn how to process animal skins and sew various clothes from them. Prickers, needles and awls appeared among the tools of labor. With their help, the skins could be connected to each other with animal tendons. Such instruments were made of bone and most often by splitting the source material into several plates.

In general, scientists divide the finds of that period into three large groups:

  • scar;
  • scrapers;
  • points.

The hacksaw resembled the first tools of labor of an ancient man, but they were much smaller. They were quite common and were used in different situations, for example, for striking.

Scrapers were excellent for butchering the carcasses of dead animals. Neanderthals skillfully separated the skin from the meat, which was then divided into small pieces. With the help of the same scraper, the skins were further processed; this tool was also suitable for creating various wood products.

Pointers were often used as weapons. Neanderthals had sharp darts, spears and knives for various purposes. For all this, spikes were needed.

The Cro-Magnon era

This type of person is characterized by high stature, a strong figure and a wide range of skills. The Cro-Magnons successfully put into practice all the inventions of their ancestors and invented completely new tools.

During this period, stone tools were still extremely common, but gradually people began to appreciate other materials. They learned how to make various devices from animal tusks and their horns. The main activities were gathering and hunting. Therefore, all the tools of labor contributed to the facilitation of these types of labor. It is noteworthy that the Cro-Magnons learned to fish, so archaeologists were able to find, in addition to the already known knives, blades, arrowheads and spears, harpoons and fish hooks made from animal tusks and bones.

Interestingly, the Cro-Magnon people came up with the idea of ​​making dishes from clay and burning it in a fire. It is believed that the end of the Ice Age and the Paleolithic era, which was the heyday of the Cro-Magnon culture, was marked by significant changes in the life of primitive people.

Mesolithic

Scientists date this period from the tenth to the sixth millennium BC. In the Mesolithic, the world's oceans gradually rose, so people had to constantly adapt to unfamiliar conditions. They explored new territories and sources of food. Naturally, all this affected the tools of labor, which became more perfect and convenient.

During the Mesolithic era, archaeologists found microliths everywhere. By this term it is necessary to understand tools made of small stone. They greatly facilitated the work of ancient people and allowed them to create skillful products.

It is believed that it was during this period that people first began to tame wild animals. For example, dogs have become faithful companions of hunters and guards in large settlements.

Neolithic

This The final stage Stone Age, in which people mastered agriculture, cattle breeding and continued to develop pottery. Such a sharp leap in human development significantly modified stone tools. They acquired a clear focus and began to be produced only for a particular industry. For example, stone plows were used to till the land before planting, and harvesting was done with special reaping tools with cutting edges. Other tools made it possible to finely grind plants and cook food from them.

It is noteworthy that in the Neolithic era, entire settlements were built of stone. Sometimes houses and all the objects inside them were completely and completely carved from stone. Such settlements were very common in what is now Scotland.

In general, by the end of the Paleolithic era, man had successfully mastered the technique of making tools from stone and other materials. This period became a solid foundation for the further development of human civilization. However, until now, ancient stones keep many secrets that attract modern adventurers from all over the world.

The objects of labor are objects of the material world. These things in the course of consumption transfer their own material substance to another thing or change into the material substance of another thing. In connection with these circumstances, the object of labor is subjected to full expenditure in the process of economic use.

Tools, on the contrary, do not exchange and do not transfer their material substance to another thing. This is their main difference from the objects of labor.

For example, the machine on which manufacturing is carried out does not transfer its material substance to the part. Thus, the machine is a tool. At the same time, the material substance of the material used for manufacturing is transferred to the product in the process of consumption (use). Thus, the material is the subject of labor. As a result, the machine is disposed of after complete wear. And the material, transferring its material substance to the product, transfers the value to the product.

Experts, meanwhile, pay attention to the fact that the division of things into tools or objects of labor depends on the nature of their application. So, the same part (thing) can be used in different ways. Thus, one and the same material object can be classified as an object of labor or as its tool.

The same machine is considered a typical tool. However, under certain circumstances (for example, at the time of sale to third parties), it will become an item.

It should be noted that the distribution of objects may not always be straightforward. An example would be a ballpoint pen. Finding out what this thing is, you should take into account some facts. So, the body of the pen, of course, acts as a tool. Ink is consumed in the process of writing, transferring its material substance to a sheet of paper. Thus, ink is the subject of labor. As a result, an object that is used uniformly in a property complex can be related to a tool. However, at the same time, the object under consideration also has an expenditure part related to the category of objects of labor.

Objects in storage are not subject to classification. Although during this period it is possible to build certain assumptions. Conclusions about the features of the forthcoming use of things can be made taking into account the intentions of the owners or based on established practice. However, in this case, existing knowledge can be refuted, and intentions can undergo changes.

It is possible to determine the nature of the future use of an object on the basis of ideas about the object in the material world. Thus, certain categories of things are practically unsuitable as objects or tools of labor. However, only the practice of their application allows us to establish the truth.

The objects of labor are called constituent part production facilities. This category includes everything that is subjected to any processing. Human labor is directed to these objects.

Some of these objects are found in nature and are natural. These include timber, coal, oil, and so on. Others are the results of labor - "raw material". These include cotton, metal, wood.

In the production process, the final, intermediate and initial form of the state of objects of labor is distinguished.

When determining the duration of the production cycle, different objects of labor can be used.

With a sequential order, the start of each new operation is carried out only after the processing of all products from the previous operation is completed. In parallel movement, after the first operation, each product is transferred to another operation, without waiting for the initial processing of the entire batch. Thus, the period of passage of the object of labor for all operations is reduced.

Parallel-sequential order implies the beginning of the subsequent operation before the completion of the processing of the batch of products of the previous one. This reduces time and ensures uninterrupted loading of all jobs.