Common types of heavy tools (A) and light primary tools (B). Shaped stone ball (Obaidiya), 2. Cutting tool (Layered), 3. Hand stone (Layered), 4. Trihedral tool (Obaidiya), 5. Cleft (Gesher Bnot Yaakov), 6. Massive scraper (Jaljulia), 7. Amodean blades (Kesem Cave), 8. Quina scraper (Kesem Cave), 9. Mousterian point (unknown source), 10. Levole splash (Tavon Cave), 11. Edge scrapers (unknown source), 12. Upper Paleolithic blades (unknown source). Note the differences in mass between selected items from the two categories. Items 1, 4–5, and 9–12 are from the research collection of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. Credit: Quaternary Science Reviews (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.109872

Common types of heavy tools (A) and light main tools (B).

Shaped stone ball (Obaidiyah), 2. Cutting tool (Layered), 3. Hand stone (Layered), 4. Trihedral tool (Obaidiyah), 5. Cleft (Gesher Bnot Yaakov), 6. Massive scraper (Jaljulia), 7. Amodean blades (Kesem Cave), 8. Quina scraper (Kesem Cave), 9. Mousterian point (unknown source), 10. Splash of Valua (Tavon Cave), 11. Edge scrapers (unknown source), 12. Upper Palaeolithic blades (unknown source). Note the differences in mass between selected items from the two categories. Items 1, 4–5, and 9–12 are from the research collection of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University.
Credit: Quaternary Science Reviews (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.109872