Acheulean

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/acheulean

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the archaeological industry designation?Acheulean (Mode II)
2. What is the characteristic lithic assemblage?Bifacial hand axes, cleavers, and choppers
3. How were Acheulean tools made differently from Oldowan tools?Acheulean tools were carefully shaped on both surfaces to create symmetrical, teardrop or oval shapes, requiring more planning and fine motor control than the simpler Oldowan flakes.
4. When did the Acheulean start and how long did it last?It began about 2 million years ago and lasted over a million years, possibly until around 130,000 years ago.

Bifacial Technology: Stone tool manufacturing involving the systematic shaping of a core on two or more surfaces to create a desired form.
Lithic Assemblage: A collection of stone tools and debris found at an archaeological site, representing a specific technological tradition.
Hominin Dispersal: The movement and spread of early human species, like Homo erectus, across different geographical regions.
Cognitive Archaeology: The study of past human thought processes and mental abilities as revealed through material culture, such as stone tools.