Definition:
Abbevillian tools, named for those found in the Somme Valley near Abbeville in France, are typically massive core tools or double-faced hand axes (known as bifacial-tools). They are produced by knapping away flakes from opposing sides of the tool to give a jagged or curvilinear cutting edge. The tool was made from flint, chert (chalcedony), jasper, obsidian, and even coarser-grained quartzite.
Abbevillian tools are closely related to but typically less complex than Acheulean tools. It is considered by some archaeologists to be an early variant of Acheulean industry.
Also Known As: Abbevillian tradition or Abbevillian industry
Alternate Spellings: Abbevillean
