Early Stone Age Tools

Some of the oldest archaeological relics in Namibia are Early Stone Age (ESA) tools—handaxes, cleavers and large cutting tools dating back over 1.4 million years. These artefacts represent the earliest technological traditions used by human ancestors in southern Africa.

ESA tools are widely found across Namibia, particularly in areas where ancient river gravels, eroded terraces, or exposed quartzite outcrops occur. Typical locations include:

• Old riverbeds and terraces of the Fish River, Swakop River and Kuiseb River
• Quartzite-rich regions such as the Erongo, Damaraland, and parts of the ǁKaras and Kunene regions
• Isolated desert pavements where wind erosion has deflated the surface, leaving tools exposed

These tools are often discovered on the ground surface rather than in deep layers, due to millions of years of landscape change.

Early Stone Age tools in Namibia were typically made from quartzite, a hard and durable material widely available in the region. The most common tool types include:

• Handaxes - tear-drop or oval-shaped tools, often symmetrical
• Cleavers - tools with a wide, straight cutting edge used for heavy-duty butchery
• Large cutting tools (LCTs) - multipurpose implements used for chopping, cutting and processing carcasses

The skill and symmetry seen in many quartzite handaxes show the surprising sophistication of early human toolmaking and cognitive development.

These artefacts belong to the Acheulean tradition, associated with early humans such as Homo erectus, and help trace early human movement across southern Africa. Namibia’s ESA sites form part of the continent-wide evidence showing that early humans had:

• Advanced motor coordination
• Planned manufacturing techniques
• Knowledge of stone properties
• The ability to produce standardised tool forms

Some Namibian handaxes display refined shaping and thinning, indicating repeated reworking over long periods of use.

Notable concentrations of ESA tools have been recorded near:

• Ameib / Erongo Mountains
• The lower Kuiseb
• Rooikop near Walvis Bay
• River gravels near the Brandberg and Ugab River

These sites indicate that Namibia’s landscape has been inhabited or traversed by early humans for over a million years.

Most Early Stone Age tool localities are not formal tourist sites. Tools are often found in open desert landscapes or dry riverbeds, and many lie on private or protected land.

Visitors must not collect or disturb artefacts, as removing stone tools is illegal under Namibian heritage law. If you encounter a site with multiple tools, photographing and recording the GPS point (without moving anything) is encouraged for heritage reporting.