What does "abbevillian" mean?

1. (archaeological period/style) relating to the earliest part of the Stone Age and the simple stone tools made during that time. 2. (the epoch or culture) the name for the earliest period of the Stone Age in Europe.

How do you use "abbevillian"?

Usually placed before the noun it modifies; now largely replaced by 'Acheulean' in modern academic contexts. Used as a proper noun to refer to a specific time period or cultural stage.

abbevillian

abbevil·lian

1 archaeological period/style (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Archaic Science

relating to the earliest part of the Stone Age and the simple stone tools made during that time.

Pertaining to the earliest stage of the Lower Palaeolithic culture in Europe, specifically the stone-tool industry preceding the Acheulean.

Example

The museum displayed several Abbevillian hand axes found in the river valley.

Example

Archaeologists debated whether the Abbevillian industry represented a distinct cultural stage or merely an early, less refined phase of the Acheulean tradition.

Usage

Usually placed before the noun it modifies; now largely replaced by 'Acheulean' in modern academic contexts.
- chellean
2 the epoch or culture (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Archaic Science

the name for the earliest period of the Stone Age in Europe.

The earliest epoch of the Lower Palaeolithic tradition, characterized by the production of bifacial stone implements.

Example

During the Abbevillian, early humans began to shape large stones into basic tools.

Example

The transition from the Abbevillian to the Acheulean is marked by a significant improvement in the symmetry and thinning of bifacial tools.

Usage

Used as a proper noun to refer to a specific time period or cultural stage.

Teacher's tip

This term is considered dated in modern archaeology; students will more frequently encounter 'Acheulean' in contemporary literature.
- chellean

Origin

Name derived from Abbeville, France (location of the archaeological sites).