Oldowan/Acheulean Succession at Olduvai Gorge

Abstract

The Acheulean techno‐complex was first identified in 1859 at St Acheul (France) and ever since then, understanding its development has been a prominent area of research within Palaeolithic archaeology. Although the oldest Oldowan and Acheulean are now found in Ethiopia and Kenya; Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, did, for a long time, provide the earliest examples of both industries, and it still preserves a detailed stratigraphic sequence of Oldowan and Acheulean assemblages. In this sense, Olduvai Gorge has played a central role in exploring the transition from the Oldowan to the Acheulean. Key Concepts The Acheulean appears in Kenya at 1.75 Mya. The Acheulean appears in East Africa chronologically after the Oldowan; however, there is a degree of overlap. The Oldowan is typically associated with Homo habilis . The Acheulean is typically associated with Homo ergatser/erectus . Historically, it was suggested that the Oldowan developed into the Acheulean, mirroring hominin evolution. More recently, it is suggested that the Oldowan/Acheulean transition at Olduvai Gorge was a punctuated event associated with the emergence of a new hominin species.