Material Life in the Paleolithic: Tools, Fire, and Nomadism

Paleolithic stone-tool technology is classified into different "technical modes" reflecting progressive sophistication. The oldest, known as Oldowan or Mode 1, is characterized by simply worked flakes and cobbles and is associated with the earliest members of the genus Homo. With Homo erectus, Mode 2, or Acheulean, developed, defined by hand axes worked on both faces with greater symmetry and technical control. Later, with Neanderthals and the earliest Homo sapiens, Mode 3, or Mousterian, is documented, employing the Levallois technique to produce flakes of a predetermined shape.