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Abstract

Early stone tool production, or knapping, techniques are claimed to be the earliest evidence for cultural transmis-
sion in the human lineage. Previous experimental studies have trained human participants to knap in conditions
involving opportunities for cultural transmission. Subsequent knapping was then interpreted as evidence for a
necessity of the provided cultural transmission opportunities for these techniques. However, a valid necessity claim
requires showing that individual learning alone cannot lead to early knapping techniques. Here, we tested human
participants (N = 28) in cultural isolation for the individual learning of early knapping techniques by providing
them with relevant raw materials and a puzzle task as motivation. Twenty-five participants were technique naïve
according to posttest questionnaires, yet they individually learned early knapping techniques, therewith producing
and using core and flake tools. Early knapping techniques thus do not necessitate cultural transmission of know-
how and could likewise have been individually derived among premodern hominins.