River Terraces of Haute-Garonne, SW France, Lower Paleolithic, 800,000 to 400,000 Years Ago. This magnificent PEBBLE CHOPPER comes from a famous Lower Paleolithic site in Southern France and was fashioned by Homo erectus in the Oldowan Tradition of pebble tool technology of the Lower Paleolithic Period. This chopping tool was made from a quartzite river cobble and was found where early humans once lived on the terraces of the Haute-Garonne river in Southwest France. Recent studies report extensive continual prehistoric habitation from the Early Lower Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic. The different ages are found in the different terraces and layers (see references below). This superb and intact, complete specimen comes from this site and exhibits technology dating from approximately 800,000 to over 300,000 years ago and was manufactured by some of the first humans to migrate into Europe from Africa. Size: 3-3/4" x 3-1/4" (9.5 cm x 8.3 cm).

This is an exceptional specimen from this southern French Lower Paleolithic site of world study and importance. Like all pebble choppers, it is simple made on a river cobble where a chopping end was struck at an angle to create a cutting edge. Asymmetrical natural proximal end was oriented to allow the index finger to rest on one edge for a better grip. Chopping end is intact and complete as made with a multi-struck edge to shape a slightly curved cleaver end. Microscopic examination (and above close-up image) shows evidence ONLY found in authentic Paleolithic specimens - embedded mineral and substrate deposits deep into the surface with no modern flaking or crushing of the stone surface where flaked. Feel, form and function of this tool is superb.

The Oldowan pebble tool tradition, named after the Oldowan Gorge in Kenya, East Africa where tools were first described, represent stone tools from the earliest primitive humans. By the time early humans made their way into Europe, PEBBLE TOOL technology had already been superseded by the proliferation of Acheulian bifacial handaxes roughly three quarters of a million years later in Africa! These stone tool manufacturing traditions were brought into Europe by Homo erectus moving north up from Africa. Both Pebble and Acheulian traditions existed for a limited time together at the beginning of human existence in Europe with pebble tool technology eventually giving way to more advanced traditions of core and flake tools.

Provenance: Ex-Paleo Direct Collection, Florida, USA

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#111061

Intact and complete - no repair or restoration - 100% genuine.