Several new results were come from the third excavation of the Isimila site in Tanzania which is well known for typical Acheulean industry from the late Middle Pleistocene deposits. The research was carried out in 2003 by the Institute of Cultural Pro...
Several new results were come from the third excavation of the Isimila site in Tanzania which is well known for typical Acheulean industry from the late Middle Pleistocene deposits. The research was carried out in 2003 by the Institute of Cultural Properties, Hanyang University, Korea. As reported earlier, the stratigraphy of the site is divided into two parts: laterite formation in the upper and alluvium deposits in the lower. No artifacts were observed in laterite formation, while most of artifacts were collected from alluvial deposits, called sand layers by Hansen and Keller. The alluvial deposits were quite likely deposited under wetter climate than today, which is also indicated by the presence of bones of Hippotamus and crockdale from the present excavation.
Clear difference of compositions of stone industries are observed in two separate localities. Primitive and crude stone artifacts were found at the lower part of the stratigraphy exposed at the Cantus locality in the lower stream of Isimila stream, while well shaped Acheuleans were retrieved from test‐pit excavation in much upper stream of the Isimila Korongo where only upper layers of the Isimila deposits were exposed. It may not be conclusive from the small‐scaled excavation at this time, but might indicate that evolutionary process of typical Acheulean took place at the site. Analysis of Acheulean handaxes collected from surface at the site suggest that refinement of Acheulean handaxes could be conditioned by raw materials. Handaxes mae on volcanic tuff are much more well shaped and patterned, however those on quartzite or vein quartz represent more primitive forms. This observation is being expected to provide a theoretical ground for developing a new hypothetical explanation for the dichotomous patterns of Acheuleans in the West and Acheulean‐typed industries in East Asia.