Kenya Capsian tool complex

archaeology

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June 30, 2026

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The Kenya Capsian tool complex is an archaeological assemblage found in East Africa, specifically in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. This complex is characterized by the introduction of a true blade technique and the art of pottery making. It is considered contemporary with the earliest pottery found in East Africa. The Kenya Capsian is part of a broader Stone Age in East Africa, which saw the development of various stone-tool industries. These industries evolved over time, with early tools dating back to the Middle Pliocene Epoch in Kenya, predating the emergence of the oldest confirmed specimens of Homo. The development of toolmaking is a key characteristic of the Homo genus, with species like Homo habilis being associated with early stone tools.12

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Stone Age
East Africa
…true blade technique, called the Kenya Capsian, together with the art of pottery making. More or less contemporary with the localities where the earliest pottery is found in East Africa, a series of sites has been discovered yielding typical microlithic assemblages and referable to the Kenya Wilton, also found in…
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…true blade technique, called the Kenya Capsian, together with the art of pottery making. More or less contemporary with the localities where the earliest pottery is found in East Africa, a series of sites has been discovered yielding typical microlithic assemblages and referable to the Kenya Wilton, also found in…
Read More