Tools That Are Made of Stone

End Scraper

• In the Stone Age period, American and European humans developed a tool from stone called the end scraper. This tool was rounded at one end and tapered off to a point. Its edges were serrated and sharp. This tool was an all-purpose scraping tool. One of its uses was removing hair and fat from the hide of an animal. This tool could be hand-held or attached to a wood shaft for leverage.

Burin

• Another American and European Stone Age hand-held tool, the burin, was a carving tool. It had a rounded bulky base that could be held in the palm, and a sharp pointed edge for carving. This edge could carve bone and wood. It could also be fastened to a wooden stick if needed.

Arrowheads

• Native American Indians used arrowheads made of stone as hunting tools. The stone would be shaped through a process called "flaking," gradually chipping away at the arrowhead until it was the desired shape. These heads would then be attached to wooden shafts and used as arrows.

Mortar and Pestle

• This tool may look like it it belongs in a cave, but it is a common item in the modern kitchen. Made of stone, the mortar and pestle consist of two parts. The pestle is a hand-held piece of stone that looks like a small club. It is used for pounding and crushing herbs and other foods. The mortar is a stone bowl that the herbs and foods are put into for the crushing. This tool can also be made of plastic or wood.

Marble Rolling Pin

• Rolling pins come in many shapes and forms. They can be made of wood, plastic, metal, and even stone (marble). Cooks like marble rolling pins because they are heavy. A heavy rolling pin means that the cook doesn't have to apply as much pressure when rolling. A marble rolling pin has a hole drilled through its center with a metal rod going through it, and wooden handles on each side. The rolling pin can also be made purely of marble with no handles.