Category
page 1Geofacts
Klerksdorp sphere
small mineral objects, often spherical to disc-shaped, found in pyrophyllite deposits near Ottosdal, South Africa
Makapansgat pebble
pebble found by early humans, resembles a face
manuport
A manuport is a natural object that has been deliberately taken from its original environment and relocated without further modification. Typically moved by human hand, some manuports are the result of other hominins. Common manuports include stones, seashells and fossils, which has led archaeologists and anthropologists to conclude they must have been chosen for their beauty. This recognition of an object’s aesthetic character suggests that certain manuports represent some of the earliest examples of art.
geofact
thumb|Eolith from France. Once believed to be an early [[hammerstone, in 1905 Marcellin Boule debunked its man-made status]]
A geofact (a portmanteau of geology and artifact) is a natural stone formation that is difficult to distinguish from a man-made artifact. Geofacts could be fluvially reworked and be misinterpreted as an artifact, especially when compared to Paleolithic artifacts.