Biface Distributions And The Movius Line: A Southeast Asian Perspective

Abstract

The 'Movius Line' is the putative technological demarcation line mapping the easternmost geographical distribution of Acheulean bifacial tools. It is traditionally argued by proponents of the Movius Line that 'true' Acheulean bifaces, especially handaxes, are only found in abundance in Africa and western Eurasia, whereas in eastern Asia, in front of the 'line', these implements are rare or absent altogether. Here we argue, however, that the Movius Line relies on classifying undated surface bifaces as Acheulean on typological grounds alone, a long-standing and widely accepted practice in Africa and western Eurasia, but one that is not seen as legitimate in eastern Asian contexts. A review of the literature shows that bifaces are relatively common as surface finds in Southeast Asia and on this basis we argue that the Movius Line is in need of reassessment.

Aspects of human physical and behavioural evolution during the last 1 million years

“…There are now several studies that clearly demonstrate that Acheulean bifaces are present on the far side of the Movius Line (e.g. Brumm and Moore, 2012;Li et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2014). In addition, the lack of suitable lithic raw materials for handaxe manufacture to the east of the Movius Line has often been suggested to explain why there are fewer handaxe sites (Corvinus, 2004;Lycett and Norton, 2010;Brumm and Moore, 2012).…”

“…Brumm and Moore, 2012;Li et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2014). In addition, the lack of suitable lithic raw materials for handaxe manufacture to the east of the Movius Line has often been suggested to explain why there are fewer handaxe sites (Corvinus, 2004;Lycett and Norton, 2010;Brumm and Moore, 2012). A recent discovery of a bone handaxe from Gele Mountain in Chongqing dated tõ 170 ka (Wei et al, 2017) and a bone pick from Renzidong Cave, Anhui (Zhang et al, 2000), offer an intriguing possibility as to how eastern hominins may have adapted and maintained their knapping abilities across different raw materials.…”

Less of a bird's song than a hard rock ensemble

“…Corbey et al draw attention to the perceived geographic problem of Acheulean handaxes being present c. 1,500 km beyond the Movius Line . They suggest that the presence of handaxes in the Bose Basin and at other sites is accounted for by their genetic transmission hypothesis. In short, they maintain that a genetic ability to produce a handaxe lay dormant within Chinese hominin populations until proper raw materials became available, at which point those abilities were expressed.…”

Leaf-Points From Petrota (Greek Thrace) and the Palaeolithic Chronology of the Vrahos Chert Quarry

“…52 in their online Supporting Information). The hand-cum-brain aptitudes essential for bifacial flaking (Gibbons 2013) have not yet been entirely lost (Brumm and Moore 2012, figs 3 and 5). In evolutionary terms, the Petrota leaf-points descend from those same aptitudes, emergent in Homo ergaster/erectus already 1.75 Ma BP, even though traditions of bifacial flaking have been anything but continuous, global or invariant.…”