A thorough history of the weapons and tools our prehistoric ancestors used to survive, this book reveals a world that will fascinate anyone interested in outdoor skills, ancient weapons, or anthropology. Thomas Wilson explains the many types of arrowheads, spears, and knives used by the peoples of the Paleolithic period across Western Europe and the early days of America. He details the materials from which these tools were made, how and where they were manufactured, and the purposes for which they were crafted—from hunting and cutting to scraping and grinding. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of drawings of these tools, including microscopic details of the flint and other stones from which they were crafted, this is a rare look into what seems like mankind’s not-so-distant past.