Acheulean large tools discovered in Anhui

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2025.0097

Abstract

Abstract:

Large cutting tools (LCTs) are the most typical tools assemblages of Acheulean Industry. The toolkits include handaxes, picks, cleavers and knives etc. Besides of tools mentioned above, the Acheulean large tools assemblage also includes massive scrapers and massive denticulates, which comprise a small numer of tool types based on large flakes other than LCTs. Although quantities of Acheulean large tools were discovered in Dingcun site, Luonan Basin, Danjiangkou Reservoir Region, Baise (Bose) Basin and Piluo site etc. recently, there were still rarely reports mentioned about them in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. Some scholars believed that a Pebble Tool Industry, Oldowan technology, Core and Flake techno-complex dominated the lithic technology dating from Early to Late Pleistocene in this area. Actually, the Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics, Anhui Province had discovered numerous Acheulean large tools in the open-air sites which located at the Shuiyangjiang River Basin, Chaohu Lake Region, Wanjiang River Basin and Xin’anjiang River Basin since the 1980’s, with unifacial handaxes, picks, massive scrapers and massive denticulates were the most common tool types during Middle Pleistocene. River cobbles, natural split cobbles and chunks were the most common tools blanks, with unifacial dominated tools shaping directions. Bifacial handaxes, cleavers and knives made on large flakes, which detached from large cores through cobble opening or sliced-slab methods, also existed in the Chaohu Lake Region from Middle to Late Pleistocene. In this paper, we will discuss much more details about 246 Acheulean large tools found in Anhui, especially on the chronology, raw material, type, blank, refinement index and shaping strategy. The combined characters of Acheulean large tools discovered in Anhui showed high variation compared with those found in other areas. The research bears great significance for studying the appearance, diffusion and variation of Acheulean technology in the lower reach of the Yangtze River and even China.

Key words: Anhui, Acheulean large tools, large flakes, handaxe, Middle Pleistocene

CLC Number:

K871

DONG Zhe, ZHAN Shijia. Acheulean large tools discovered in Anhui[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2025, 44(06): 998-1008.

Figures/Tables 5

References 57

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遗址（区域）Sites(Regions)	数量Quantity/n	厚度Thickness(cm)			质量Mass(g)			加工精细程度Refinement Index (Thickness / Width)
遗址（区域）Sites(Regions)	数量Quantity/n	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median
水阳江Shuiyangjiang	27	8.74	1.89	8.30	1688.52	108.72	1445.00	0.73	0.16	0.75
巢湖Chaohu	7	4.59	1.50	4.40	605.00	257.63	560.00	0.48	0.16	0.54
皖江Wanjiang	3	7.93	1.92	7.60	1545.67	750.10	1217.00	0.64	0.08	0.68
丁村Dingcun	10	4.41	2.01	4.00	/	/	/	0.65	0.17	0.68
丹江口库区T3阶地/DRR(T3)	45	4.55	1.05	4.50	929.00	394.81	844.00	0.46	0.10	0.45
丹江口库区T2阶地/DRR(T2)	21	5.15	2.52	4.70	848.19	284.45	830.00	0.50	0.23	0.44
洛南Luonan	236	5.84	1.35	5.89	979.00	470.61	946.50	0.61	0.14	0.60
百色Baise	64	7.31	1.23	7.40	/	/	/	0.62	0.13	0.62
枫树岛采集Fengshudao/S	99	6.74	1.40	6.74	1132.33	485.64	1062.00	0.58	0.13	0.57
枫树岛发掘Fengshudao/E	5	7.67	1.53	7.65	1105.20	453.97	1054.00	0.71	0.10	0.73

遗址（区域）Sites(Regions)	数量Quantity/n	厚度Thickness(cm)			质量Mass(g)			加工精细程度Refinement Index (Thickness / Width)
遗址（区域）Sites(Regions)	数量Quantity/n	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median
水阳江Shuiyangjiang	27	8.74	1.89	8.30	1688.52	108.72	1445.00	0.73	0.16	0.75
巢湖Chaohu	7	4.59	1.50	4.40	605.00	257.63	560.00	0.48	0.16	0.54
皖江Wanjiang	3	7.93	1.92	7.60	1545.67	750.10	1217.00	0.64	0.08	0.68
丁村Dingcun	10	4.41	2.01	4.00	/	/	/	0.65	0.17	0.68
丹江口库区T3阶地/DRR(T3)	45	4.55	1.05	4.50	929.00	394.81	844.00	0.46	0.10	0.45
丹江口库区T2阶地/DRR(T2)	21	5.15	2.52	4.70	848.19	284.45	830.00	0.50	0.23	0.44
洛南Luonan	236	5.84	1.35	5.89	979.00	470.61	946.50	0.61	0.14	0.60
百色Baise	64	7.31	1.23	7.40	/	/	/	0.62	0.13	0.62
枫树岛采集Fengshudao/S	99	6.74	1.40	6.74	1132.33	485.64	1062.00	0.58	0.13	0.57
枫树岛发掘Fengshudao/E	5	7.67	1.53	7.65	1105.20	453.97	1054.00	0.71	0.10	0.73