Abstract:

The Acheulean, characterized by the emergence of Large Cutting Tools (LCTs), represents a critical stage in the technological evolution of human history. The diffusion of this technology across the Old World, particularly its eastward expansion and interactions in eastern Eurasia, has long been a hot topic in Paleolithic archaeology. In recent years, the diversified research on the Acheulean technocomplex provide new approaches for understanding the dispersal of Acheulean population, technological innovation, cognitive ability and behavioral complexity. Since the new century, a series of research has been conducted on Chinese sites bearing large cutting tools (LCTs), while debates over the character and origins of these assemblages continue. This paper reviews the technological attributes and evolutionary trajectory of the Acheulean, we argue that while LCTs are characteristic, they represent a sufficient but not necessary component of the broader Acheulean technocomplex concept. This technocomplex encompasses diverse technical behaviors driven by advanced cognitive abilities, including sophisticated techniques found in small debitage assemblages like structured flaking and prepared core technology, which distinguish it from earlier Oldowan industries in Africa. The modern understanding shifts from a focus purely on tool morphology and frequency to one emphasizing the production technologies, operational sequences, and the underlying cognitive abilities required for their manufacture, often examined through methods such as the chaîne opératoire.

The presence of Acheulean technology in East Asia, particularly China, has been a subject of debate. LCTs from China tend to be fewer, less frequent, and morphologically rougher than their Western counterparts, raising questions about cultural diffusion versus independent development. We propose that the concept of the Acheulean technocomplex offers a more inclusive framework for understanding these assemblages. This perspective allows for regional variability in tool forms as adaptations to local environments and resources, while recognizing shared technical and cognitive capabilities. Importantly, we highlight the significance of small debitage within the East Asian context. Using the Cenjiawan site (~1.1 Ma) as an example, we show evidence of prepared core technology in producing small tools, indicating sophisticated technological and cognitive abilities similar to those associated with the Western Acheulean, even in the absence of LCTs. This suggests that hominins with comparable technological capacities were present in East Asia before the Middle Pleistocene.

We recommend that future research in China prioritize the systematic study of lithic operational sequences and the knapping skills they reflect, rather than being overly reliant on morphological typologies of final products. By examining both LCT-bearing sites and those with advanced small debitage technologies within the framework of the Acheulean technocomplex, we can have broader insights into the nature and origins of the stone tool tradition in East Asia and its role in global patterns of human dispersal and behavioral evolution.

Key words: Large cutting tools, Acheulean, regional adaption, Cenjiawan site, China