From 800 to 500 ka in Western Europe. The Oldest Evidence of Acheuleans in Their Technological, Chronological, and Geographical Framework

Abstract

This paper focuses on the early evidence of assemblages with bifacial toolsBifacial tools , in particular their technology within the context of chronology and geography, focusing on the sites of La NoiraLa Noira , AragoArago levels P and Q and Cagny-la-GarenneCagny-la-Garenne I–II in France, Brandon FieldsBrandon Fields , Maidscross HillMaidscross Hill , High LodgeHigh Lodge and BoxgroveBoxgrove in the UK, and NotarchiricoNotarchirico in Italy. Assemblages with bifacial tools, including Large Cutting Tools (LCTs), demonstrate a high diversity of technological and morphological features as early as 700 ka and are contemporary with non-handaxe assemblages. They also show specific features that contrast between northern and southern Europe, such as the use of large flakes for bifacial manufacture, or the presence of cleaversCleavers on flakes. Lack of data regarding a local origin and more elaborate bifaces in these sites indicate an early arrival of new traditions in western and southern Europe on a pre-existing hominin presence. The assemblages are compared to those without LCTs such as HappisburghHappisburgh Site 3 and PakefieldPakefield in UK, Isernia La PinetaIsernia La Pineta in Italy, AtapuercaAtapuerca Gran Dolina TD6 and VallparadisVallparadis in Spain, PradayrolPradayrol and SoleihacSoleihac in France. Hypotheses on factors behind the variationVariation , such as function, type of site, raw material constraint, and traditions of manufacture, are discussed. The period 800–500 ka is a key episode for examining behavioral changes which occurred in Europe. The discovery of hominin fossils such as the Mauer mandible in Germany led to the definition of Homo heidelbergensis. The emergence of new behaviors such as the ability to produce large flakes and/or large bifacial toolsBifacial tools (handaxes, cleaversCleavers and others) leads to discussion about new skills, new social organizations, and the arrival or in situ evolution of hominins.