Early Paleolithic sites, tools, hominids

"Early Paleolithic" (also called "Lower Paleolithic") is a simplifying term OriginsNet uses for the era between the Oldowan and the Middle Paleolithic. (In strict archaeological terms, the Early Paleolithic includes the Oldowan.) The Early Paleolithic (EP) period saw the emergence of Homo ergaster and Homo erectus and the invention of Mode II Acheulian technology. In Africa, it is called the "Early Stone Age" and some sites have prepared core technologies, which do not appear in Europe until the subsequent Middle Paleolithic.

Early and key sites:
Koobi Fora, East Turkana, Kenya
.....KBS, 1.88 MYA - Homo ergaster
.....Okote, 1.53 - Homo ergaster
Mojokerto, Java, (Ar/Ar)1.81 MYA ) or (mag.) 1.1 MYA - Homo erectus
Dmanisi, Georgia, >1.77 MYA - Homo ergaster, core-flake industry
Swartkrans, South Africa, Member 1, 1.7-1.8 MYA - Homo ergaster
Sangiran, Java, (Ar/Ar)1.66 MYA ) or (mag.) 1.1 MYA - - Homo erectus
Lower Natoo, West Turkana, Kenya, 1.5 MYA - Homo ergaster
Peninj, West Natron, Tanzania, 1.4-1.7 MYA - Acheulian tools,
.....handaxes show plant residues suggesting woodworking for
.....digging sticks or spears plus plant fiber for hafting or protection,
.... plus long distance transport (Dominguez-Rodrigo et al 2001)
Konso-Gardula, Ethiopia, 1.4 MYA - Homo ergaster, Acheulian tools
Gadeb, Ethiopia, 1.4 MYA - controlled use of fire
Isampur, Hunsgi Valley, Karnataka, India, (ESR) >1.27±0.17 MYA, Acheulian
Lantien, China, 1.15 MYA - Homo erectus
Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
.....Upper Middle and Upper Bed II 1.15-1.5 MYA - OH 9 Homo 'erectus',
..........Developed Oldowan B (MNK Main, SHK, BK, TK Upper)
..........Early Acheulian (EF-HR, MLK, TK Lower)
.....Bed III, 0.8-1.15 MYA, OH34, OH51, Early Acheulian (PDK IV)
.....Bed IV, 600,000-800,000 BP, OH28, OH22, OH12,
..........Middle Acheulian (HEB, WK)
.....Bed Masek, 400,000-600,000 BP, OH23, Later Acheulian
.....Bed Ndutu, c. 370,000-400,000 BP, OH11, H. 'erectus'
Ubeidiya, Israel, upper layers 1.1-1.4 MYA - biface (Acheulian), Homo ergaster
Donggutuo and Xiaochangliang, Nihewan Basin, China, (mag. + sediment rates)
..... 1.09 to 1.21 MYA - core-flake tools, including scrapers, notches, burins
Olorgesailie, Kenya, Members 1-5, 950,000 BP-1.0 MYA, Acheulian tools
.....Members 9-14, 500,000-750,000 BP - Acheulian tools
Le Vallonet, France, 0.99-1.07 MYA - core-flake tools
Soleihac, France, Jaramillo 900-970,000 BP - core-flake tools
Bose, China, 803,000±3000 BP - bifaces ('Acheulian-like')
Joub Jannine II, Israel, 800-900,000 BP - Acheulian
Bizat Ruhama, no. Negev, Israel, 800,000 or 1 MYA - microlithic Acheulian
Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel, 780,000 BP - Homo erectus; Acheulian tools
Atapuerca, Spain
.....Gran Dolina (TD 6), 780,000-990,000 BP - 'Homo antecessor',
..........core-flake tools
.....Gran Dolina (TD 4), 750,000 B.P - 1.6 MYA - core-flake tools
Isernia la Pineta, Italy
.....780,000-990,000 BP - core-flake tools
.....500,000-800,000 BP - core-flake tools
Dorn-Dürkheim, Germany, DD31, >800,000 BP - core-flake tools
Attirampakkam, Kortallayar, Tamil Nadu, India, (mag.) 730,000 BP, Acheulian
Yuanmou Basin, China, 700,000 BP - Homo erectus
Ceprano, Italy, 700,000 BP, possibly 800-900,000 BP - Homo erectus
Pakefield, Suffolk, England, 700,000 BP - scrapers, cutters, other flake tools in
..... association with sabre-tooth cat, giant deer, rhino, and small mammals
Nanjing, Tangshan Cave, China, 580,000 or 620,000 BP - Homo erectus
Fordwich, Kent, England, Cromerian, c. 600,000 BP - Acheulian tools,
..... bifaces of Abbevillian style, dating by fauna
Abbeville, Somme River, France, Level III, (OIS 15), 568-621,000 BP -
.....Acheulian bifaces, type site for bifaces of Abbevillian style, dating by fauna
Kent's Cavern, Devonshire, England, (OIS 15/16), c. 568,000-659,000 BP -
Bori, Kukdi River, Mahrashtra, India, between (Th/U) 537±47K and (Ar/Ar)
......670±30K - Acheulian with trihedrals
Latamne, Syria, 500-700,000 BP - Acheulian
Dina & Jalalpur, Pakistan, 500-700,000 BP - Acheulian
Bodo, Ethiopia, 550-640,000 BP - Homo 'rhodesiensis' or Homo
.....heidelbergensis; Late Acheulian tools; earliest evidence for
.....nonutilitarian skull defleshing, possibly mortuary or cannibalism
Ndutu, Tanzania, 500-600,000 or 370-990,000 BP - Homo rhodesiensis
.....or Homo heidelbergensis; Acheulian tools
Mauer, Germany, (OIS 13 or 15) = 474-528,000 or 568-621,000 BP,
.....Homo heidelbergensis
Boxgrove, England, (OIS 13 Cromerian), 474-528,000 BP, Homo heidelbergensis;
.....Acheulian tools, indirect percussion
Fontana Ranuccio, Italy, Layer 10 K-Ar 458,000±5700 BP - bifaces
Zhoukoudian, China, layer 2-4, TIMS U-Series 400-500,000 BP
..........................- Homo erectus
......................... layers 5-10, c.500-800,000 BP - Homo erectus
16R Dune, Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India, Th/U 390,000±50,000 BP - flake tools
Singi Talav, Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India, >390,000 BP - handaxes, cleavers,
.....polyhedrons, spheoids, cores, flakes; exotic quartz crystals
Tabun Cave, Israel, Layer Ed, (ESR-Useries) 387±49K or (TL) 340±33K BP -
..... 'Acheleo-Yabrudian' tools
Terra Amata, Nice, France, C1a beach (ESR) 380,000±80,000 BP, C1b dune site,
.....hut structure, hearth, Acheulian tools, 73 pieces of hematite
Sima de los Huesos, Atapuerca, Spain, 350-500,000 BP - Homo
.....heidelbergensis; 27 skeletons with deposited aesthetic handaxe
Nevasa, and Yedurwadi, Maharastra, India, (Th/U) >350K BP - Late
..... Acheulian
Swanscombe, Kent, England, Middle Gravels, (AAR amino acid ratio date OIS 11,
.....Holsteinian), c. 362,000-423,000 - Acheulian tools
.....Upper Loam, OIS 11 - fine ovate handaxes, some twisted edge and tranchet
Evron-Quarry, Israel, (ESR) 330-690,000 BP or 1 MYA - Acheulian
Caune de l'Arago, Tautavel, France, 320-470,000 BP, Homo heidelbergensis
.....and microlithic and large pebble tools
Bilzingsleben, Germany, 320-412,000 BP, Homo heidelbergensis,
.....engravings, microlithic and large pebble tools
Hoxne, England, lower level, (AAR date OIS 9, Hoxnian), c.303 -339,000 BP -
.....pointed handaxes with ovates; horse, red deer, extinct beaver, otter
Furze Platt, Stoke Newington, Cuxton, Baker's Farm sites, England, OIS 9,
.....c.303 -339,000 BP - large pointed handaxes with cleavers
Wolvercote Channel, England, OIS 9, Hoxnian, c. 303-339,000 BP -
.....pointed plano-convex handaxes
Tan Tan, Morocco, c. 300-500,000 BP - Middle Acheulian tools, female figurine
Ambrona Upper Level and Torralba, Spain, c. 300-400,000 BP
.....Acheulian tools, dating fauna
Sadab, Hungsi, Karnataka, India, (Th/U) 290.4+21.0/-18.2 - Later Acheulian
.....tools, red ochre
Isimila, Tanzania, 260,000 BP, final Acheulian in Africa
Berekhat Ram, 233,000-470,000 BP - Late Acheulian tools, female figurine
Yabrud I, Oumm Qatafa, Levant OIS7, c. 215±30,000 BP - Final Acheulian
.....= 'Acheleo-Yabrudian' tools
Qesem Cave, Israel, Useries 200,000-382,000 BP - Acheulo-Yabrudian tools
Bori, Nevasa, and Yedurwadi, Maharastra, India, (Th/U) ca. 200K BP - Final
..... Acheulian
Holon, Israel, OSL ESR 198,000-201,000 BP - Late Acheulian tools
.....using trifacial reduction method, flakes not derived from handaxes
.....but rather from core reductions
Hamburg-Wittenbergen, Germany, Treene Interglacial OIS7, c.186-245,000 BP
.....- palaeoart
Kalambo Falls, Zambia, c. 180,000 BP (U-series) - Final Acheulian
Cys-la-Comune, Aisne, France, Eemian Interglacial OIS 5, c. 71,000-126,000 BP
.....- typical of final Acheulian in Europe
Adi Chadi Wao, Gugarat, India, (Th/U) 69+3.9/-3.6K BP - Final Acheulian
Ngandong, Indonesia, 27,000 - 53,000 BP - 'late erectus'

Paleontology: This period saw the evolution of Homo erectus and Homo ergaster, an African variant of Homo erectus, who were associated with Mode II technology. Apparently, Homo heidelbergensis evolved from Homo ergaster/erectus in Africa and Europe, and, in turn, appears to have evolved into Homo sapiens archaicus and neanderthalis.

Tool Characteristics: Mode II Acheulian industry. Characterized by bifaces (also called 'handaxes'). Assemblages are known from 1.4 MYA at Peninj and Konso-Gardula and appear to have spread out of Africa into the Middle East, China and eventually Europe. Based originally on numerous bifaces found at the site of St. Acheul, France, the term is applied to stone assemblages with large bifacially flaked tools, including bifacial 'handaxes', cleavers and picks. The evolution appears to move from Oldowan core choppers to Early Acheulian 2-dimensional bifaces to elegantly 3-D symmetrical handaxes in later Acheulian periods.

So-called 'Chopper-Chopping Tool' (CCC) industries are also known from the same time period throughout Africa, Asia and Europe. Examples include the Clactonian of northern Europe; the Buda industry at Vertesszöllös, Hungary; and the Zhoukoudian in China. These may reflect a culture different from the Acheulian or simply tool sets having a different function. Infrequent and or crudely flaked bifaces also appear at some non-Acheulian sites such as the African Developed Oldowan and Clactonian.

Seafaring implied, Boa Lesa, Flores, 840±80,000 BP.
Use of soft hammer (bone, antler) for flaking, Boxgrove, 500,000 BP.
Earliest evidence of spears, Schöningen, Germany; Clacton, England,
.....400,000 BP; Lehringen, 120,000 BP; possibly Bilzingsleben 300,000 BP.

Economic Subsistence Mode: Large, medium and small game hunting and continued scavenging and gathering.

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