zlacker

>>breve+(OP)
> a hand axe that may be more than 40,000 years old

As opposed to a foot axe I assume

> and 19th Century gold dentures

Ah, them classy 19th Centurians!

>>crossr+Fo
In modern times a hand axe is opposed to full axes, hatchets, felling axes, wood splitting axes etc. Depending on where you are in the world you will have different axe categories, but a 'hand axe' is typically present as an axe wielded in a single hand.

However, some significant distinction should be made for what is actually meant here. For such historic finds "hand axe" often means a stone tool with two faces and shaped like a tear drop / round-bottomed triangle. With the 'bottom' face shaped to a crude blade, and the 'top' 'sides' made into a grip. Note there is no shaft, and the way it is used is speculative and likely very varied, as few other tools existed.

The proto-axe if you will.