Acheulean

The Acheulean is a major archaeological industry of the Lower Paleolithic characterized by large bifacial stone tools, especially hand axes and cleavers. It is named after Saint-Acheul, a district in Amiens, France, where early finds were studied in the 19th century. The industry dates from about 1.76 million years ago in Africa and persisted for well over a million years, occurring in various regions and cultures. It is commonly associated with Homo erectus and later hominins such as Homo heidelbergensis.

The Acheulean is distinguished by bifacial flaking to produce large, symmetric tools created from large cores by removing flakes from both faces. The typical tool is the hand axe, but cleavers, picks, and scrapers are also found. Shapes vary—teardrop, oval, or more elongate forms—but the emphasis is on a durable, bifacially worked implement with a sharp edge. While production shows regional variation, there is evidence of planning and standardized techniques, though not every example is perfectly symmetrical.

Geographically, Acheulean artifacts have been found across Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia. The earliest examples appear in Africa, with European and Asian sites receiving Acheulean assemblages later, over several hundred thousand years. The technology persists in many regions for long periods, overlapping with later Middle Paleolithic traditions in places and gradually giving way to more specialized toolkits.

Significance: The Acheulean marks a major advance over earlier Oldowan technology, indicating increased cognitive ability, planning depth, and motor skill in early humans and related species. The hand axe became a enduring symbol of this industry and a widespread tool form across continents.