Acheulian Hand-axes

The emergence of Homo erectus in the fossil record coincides with the appearance of a new stone technology: the hand axe.

Consider the co-ordination of hand and eye that must have been needed both to construct and use these implements; see [Boyd & Silk 1997] , pp 435-437.

This style of tool making occurs 1.5 to 0.3 million years ago, and is named after the French village of St Acheul, where it was first discovered. The axes are large bifacial cutting tools.

• How were they made and used?
• What does their appearance in the fossil record mean?