Although the Neanderthals are remembered more for their physiques than for their manufacturing abilities, their tool kits were sophisticated. Their technology, a Middle Paleolithic tradition, is called __________.

Neanderthals' tool technology during the Middle Paleolithic period was sophisticated, known as the Mousterian tool industry, which utilized flake tools and was a significant progression from earlier Acheulean tools.

Explanation:

The tool technology associated with the Neanderthals during the Middle Paleolithic period is known as the Mousterian tool industry. Although often remembered for their robust physiques, Neandertals developed sophisticated tools that represented a significant advance over those made by earlier hominin species. The core technique popular during this era involved striking flakes from cores and then using the flakes themselves as tools, leading to the creation of smaller, sharper, and more diverse tools. This technique marked a refinement over the earlier Acheulean tool industry used by H. erectus. Comparatively, the Upper Paleolithic era saw a dramatic change in hominin tool-making practices, with Homo sapiens constructing tools from various materials, including stone, bone, and antler. The focus shifted from flake tools to the manufacture of blade tools, which were more efficient due to their longer cutting edges. The prepared-core technique pioneered by the Neanderthals during the Mousterian era was refined to create pre-shaped blades, demonstrating a continuous evolution in tool-making abilities among early human ancestors.