this kind of axe is typical of the acheulean and the mousterian cultures, and is the longest-used tool of human history. hand axes were certainly used for at least a million and a half years. they were made by earlier species of man, such as "homo erectus" and "homo neanderthalensis" (neanderthal man); it was one of their most important tools. the hand axe cultures were preceded by an even older oldowan culture of primitive stone tools (2.6 to 1.7 million years ago) in africa. now it is known that the first stone tools were probably made by australopithecines. they are found in the great rift valley of africa from about 3.3 million years ago.