Pilot study comparing the effects of thinning processes on the cross‐sectional morphologies of Early and Late Acheulian handaxes

Abstract

The refinement of handaxes, defined as increasing planview symmetry and profile thinness, has been used to distinguish Early and Late Acheulian assemblages. However, recent studies have found that this is not a ubiquitous trend throughout the Acheulian industry. Yet, research suggests that Late Acheulian handaxes differ from earlier forms in the complexity and extent of thinning procedures. To test the discriminatory power of thinning in distinguishing Early and Late Acheulian handaxes, cross‐sectional shapes are compared through geometric morphometric techniques. Results suggest that analysing cross‐sectional outlines can identify variance relating to reduction processes, which differentiate handaxes from Early and Late Acheulian assemblages.