Acheulean
or A·cheu·li·an
[ uh-shoo-lee-uh n ]
/ əˈʃu li ən /
adjective
of, relating to, or typical of a Lower Paleolithic culture of the middle Pleistocene Epoch, characterized by large hand axes and cleavers made by the soft hammer technique.
Origin of Acheulean
1890–95; < French
acheuléen, named after
St. Acheul, N France (Somme) (where remains were found) +
-éen, variant of
-ien (< Latin
-iānus
-ian), orig. with nouns ending in
-é
Example sentences from the Web for acheulian
Acheulian, a term applied by archologists to the late stage of Chellean civilization in the Pleistocene Age.
British Dictionary definitions for acheulian
Acheulian
Acheulean
archaeol
noun
(in Europe) the period in the Lower Palaeolithic following the Abbevillian, represented by the use of soft hammerstones in hand axe production made of chipped stone, bone, antler, or wood. The Acheulian dates from the Riss glaciation
(in Africa) the period represented by every stage of hand axe development
adjective
of or relating to this period
Word Origin for Acheulian
C20: after
St Acheul, town in northern France
Scientific definitions for acheulian
Acheulian
Relating to a stage of tool culture of the Lower Paleolithic Period, dating from around 1.5 million to 150,000 years ago, characterized especially by flaked bifacial hand axes, cleavers, and other core tools. The earliest Acheulian tools have been found at African sites associated with Homo erectus fossils. Later examples have been found at numerous sites in the Middle East, Europe, and western and southern Asia.