What can be accomplished by beings who seem to have had 80% of our brain power? We have real life examples in our communities and families. There are people who are intellectually restricted, mentally challenged, apparent IQ of less than 80 -- the cutoff for military service in America because training is too difficult. Yet those limited individuals do have insights, do create, can learn -- most can communicate their desires. Most can provide valuable services to others, such as helping with food prep. In a primitive environment, feedback for what works would be instant, no protection from wrong choices our technological society gives all of us. That would surely make training easier.
Assuming our ancestors had the same IQ ranges (bottom 1% to top 1%), you only need a few clever problem solvers to lead the way for the rest.
Since grasses and thin branches are much easier to work with than logs, log modifications would be the culmination of working with natural items, not a beginning. If over 400,000 years ago we were notching wood, then many years before that we must have been putting bower birds to shame with out more elaborate woven shelters. I'm sure most of those working at our local shelter industries would be able to learn to notch wood and build a functioning shelter.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram