Paleolithic and Lower Paleolithic hand axes
and tools are not themselves uncommon. There are some examples, however, which transcend
recognized utilitarian purpose, have high aesthetic value, and are of rare form or size.
From the time of the discovery of the Caves of Lascaux, it was frequently stated this time period marked the beginning of art.
Here a massive, heavy handaxe from the Western Sahara, larger than almost any of the African and European continent. There is a silent language implicit in this huge piece, large beyond any known use as a cutting, scraping or butchering tool.
Examination of certain early man tools demonstrate that a refined aesthetic, and the ability
to symbolize, occurred hundreds of thousands of years before, preceding even the mastery
of fire or speech.
Other axes from the same tradition, some previously in our collection, were exhibited
in 2018 in “First Sculpture: Handaxe to Figure Stone” at the Nasher Sculpture Museum in
Dallas, the first museum to present ancient hand axes and figure stones as works of art,
accompanied by a now rare catalogue with contributions by Jared Diamond (Guns, Germs
& Steel), Tony Berlant, and others.
Desert wind patina from lying on the Sahara surface for hundreds of thousands of years. Hard stone showing the multiple surface strikes of its creation.
Circa: 1,000,000 BC.
Ex. Patrice Bachelier, France.
13 in long x 6 in wide // 33.02 cm x 15.24 cm
On a custom museum stand.
Price on request
Paleolithic and Lower Paleolithic hand axes
and tools are not themselves uncommon. There are some examples, however, which transcend
recognized utilitarian purpose, have high aesthetic value, and are of rare form or size.
From the time of the discovery of the Caves of Lascaux, it was frequently stated this time period marked the beginning of art.
Here a massive, heavy handaxe from the Western Sahara, larger than almost any of the African and European continent. There is a silent language implicit in this huge piece, large beyond any known use as a cutting, scraping or butchering tool.
Examination of certain early man tools demonstrate that a refined aesthetic, and the ability
to symbolize, occurred hundreds of thousands of years before, preceding even the mastery
of fire or speech.
Other axes from the same tradition, some previously in our collection, were exhibited
in 2018 in “First Sculpture: Handaxe to Figure Stone” at the Nasher Sculpture Museum in
Dallas, the first museum to present ancient hand axes and figure stones as works of art,
accompanied by a now rare catalogue with contributions by Jared Diamond (Guns, Germs
& Steel), Tony Berlant, and others.
Desert wind patina from lying on the Sahara surface for hundreds of thousands of years. Hard stone showing the multiple surface strikes of its creation.
Circa: 1,000,000 BC.
Ex. Patrice Bachelier, France.
13 in long x 6 in wide // 33.02 cm x 15.24 cm
On a custom museum stand.
Price on request
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5