Stone age tools : prehistoric stoneworking techniques.

UK : Wellcome Foundation Film Unit, 1947.

4 film reels (11 min. each) : silent, black and white

00:11:00

Segment 1 This gives a short background to stone age tools, then shows M. Coutier making them. There is a close-up shot of a small stone age arrowhead and a hand axe. Recently found stone age tools are shown, the uses of which are uncertain. Charts are shown outlining what tools were found in what stone age periods from hand axes to arrowheads and polished axes. There are shots of M. Leon Coutier who has acquired the skill of making these tools in the manner they were made in stone age times. He uses a stone anvil, boxwood bars, boxwood hammers and punches. We see him making a hand axe on the anvil then a finer axe using the wood bar. Time start: 10:00:00:00 Time end: 10:05:42:00 Length:00:05:42:00

Segment 2 Here we see M. Coutier making more refined stone age tools. Flakes which came from the making of the axe are also shown used as tools. We see how the introduction of parallel sided blades lead to a leap forward in the development of tools. Coutier makes a graver, an implement used for carving bones and drawing. And he makes a flint arrowhead developed in the new stone age, requiring more precise manufacture. Time start:10:05:43:00 Time end:10:11:00:00 Length:00:05:17:00

Picture master is shrunk and acetic. This element was not used for the digitisation of this title.

Wellcome Foundation Film Unit with M. Leon Coutier.

Wellcome Trust.