Groß Pampau, GR, c. 500,000 BP, Site, Characteristic Tools, Bifaces / q)olorgcomp

Comment: For comparison purposes, photographs of two cleavers and a biface from Olorgesailie, Kenya, which date from about 750,000 to 1 million years ago. These cleaver and bifaces appear somewhat similar in 'Abbevillian' style to the thicker bifaces from Pampau. It is interesting that at Olorgesaillie there appear to be two frequent length categories, one about 17-22 cm., the other about 11-17 cm., with the smaller one's 'nosed' or 'pointed.' The Pampau handaxes are all about 14 cm. in length, as are the comparable Cognac and Olduvai bifaces. From Pampau--not pictured--there are also small bifaces in black flint that run generally a 7 cm. length (or 'palm-size'). The reasons for this are not known.

Photo © Glynn Isaac. Isaac, G. (1977). Olorgesailie: Archaeological studies of a Middle Pleistocene lake basin in Kenya. Chicago: University of Chicago.
pl. 26 and 27, site I3 (Member 1, 992,000 BP); cleaver 17.4 cm L; biface 11.4 cm
pl. 34 and 35, site DE/89 B (Member 7, 747,000-974,000 BP); cleaver 18.1 cm; biface 16.4 cm.