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What Is the Acheulean?

Authors: Moncel, Marie‐helene; Cucart-Mora, Carolina; Arzarello, Marta; Ashton, Nick; Baena, Javier; Barsky, Deborah; de la Torre, Ignacio; +14 Authors

What Is the Acheulean?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Acheulean represents the longest cultural period known to human history, lasting globally for more than 1.75 million years. It may have emerged as early as 1.95 Ma in Africa, spreading throughout much of the continent and then into Eurasia and lasting up to 350–200 ka in western Europe and South Asia, and even later in eastern Asia. Originally defined in the 1870s, the term Acheulean is one of the earliest and most contested classifications in prehistoric archaeology. Almost 150 years after its first appearance, it remains a source of continuous debate. This paper summarizes roundtable discussions that took place at the Musée de l'Homme (Paris) in November 2025 that focused on the meaning of the Acheulean and the diversity of its manifestations across Eurasia. Some 20 researchers, from various institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Pacific participated in this event, during which it became clear that the Acheulean had different meanings to the participants. Among the major points raised during the meeting was the question of how different specialists differentiate the Acheulean from the older Oldowan techno‐complex, with specificities emerging from each of their respective regions of study. The geographic origins and hominin species' attribution of the Acheulean toolmakers were also brought to the fore since important questions have been raised in the last decades by the growing record of hominin taxa that existed during this timeframe across Eurasia and the relatively late arrival of this techno‐complex in Europe. These issues become even more important when we consider the recent evidence emanating out of Asia, which indicates that hominins were present well before their earliest appearance in Europe. The purpose of this paper is not only to make a statement regarding how to define the Acheulean, but also to illustrate its diversity across Eurasia.

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Italy, Spain
Keywords

Eurasia Early Pleistocene Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) Palaeolithic Acheulean, [SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian), Prehistory, Early pleistocene, Eurasia, [SHS] Humanities and Social Sciences, Acheulean | early pleistocene | Eurasia | Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) | palaeolithic, Early Pleistocene, Acheulean, Palaeolithic

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
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