The Acheulean Assemblages of Asia: A Review

Acheulean assemblages—defined by the presence of handaxes and cleavers—are found across much of Asia. The best known are from the Levant and India and date from the Early Pleistocene. Although bifaces have been found in other parts of Asia, they are poorly dated but probably mostly Middle Pleistocene in age. In East Asia, the Movius Line as originally formulated is invalid because Acheulean, bifacial assemblages are present in China as well as the Korean Peninsula. Nevertheless, there are significant differences between some of these assemblages and those from west and south Asia. Problems of dating and differing definitions of “the Acheulean” are current impediments to establishing the spatial and temporal patterning of Acheulean assemblages in Asia. Additional major shortcomings are the lack of information on the climatic context of most Asian Acheulean assemblages, and the almost total absence of information on the identity and subsistence of their makers.