Stone tools

　　Stone tools—Tools made of stone are called stone tools. They were the main production tools used by humans in the early days and held a dominant position for a long time.

　　The stone adzes, stone hoes, and earth-breaking tools exhibited here are all agricultural production tools. Stone adzes are generally rectangular with a single-sided blade. When fitted with a wooden handle, they can be used for felling and digging. Stone hoes are mainly used for land reclamation and weeding. Earth-breaking tools are used for turning over and plowing the soil. Stone knives are used for cutting. Grinding stones are mainly used for grinding and processing grains, often used with a grinding stick.

　　Weight stone—A type of "perforated stone tool." In the Stone Age, wooden tools were also one of the important agricultural production tools, often used for turning over soil and digging holes. Because wooden sticks are lighter and have limited digging depth, people would attach such a stone tool to the stick to increase its weight, hence the name weight stone or "weight-adding" stone.

　　Stone Yue—The Yue, initially an agricultural tool, later evolved into a weapon, but due to its heaviness and inflexibility, it eventually became a ceremonial object, symbolizing royal power.

　　Net sinker—Used in fishing, it is attached to the bottom of the fishing net to make it sink quickly. A batch of such net sinkers was unearthed at the Helu City Guan Dun site. The Guan Dun site is close to Taihu Lake, which confirms that the early inhabitants there may have lived primarily by fishing and hunting.

　　Cauldron—With a round bottom and a rim at the waist, it was used for steaming and boiling food. It is the precursor to the "pot" used today. When used, it was placed on a stove or supported by other objects.

　　Huang—Generally an ornament worn around the neck and chest, it symbolized status and position. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, it became an important ritual object, hence the "Zhou Li" states: "With the black Huang, worship the North."

　　Cong—A cylindrical jade object that is round inside and square outside. In ancient times, there was a ritual of "offering jade bi to heaven and jade Cong to earth."