Extrapolating Later Acheulian Handaxe Reduction Sequences in South Africa: A Case Study from the Cave of Hearths and Amanzi Springs

Abstract

ABSTRACT Studies investigating the production of later Acheulian handaxes in South Africa remain rare. Acheulian assemblages in this region are typically fragmented, which hinders our ability to investigate a full range of manufacturing stages at any one given site. Insights can therefore only be gained through comparative research involving multiple assemblages. To explore this issue, handaxes from Amanzi Springs and Cave of Hearths are contrasted to identify their position within a common reduction continuum. Results suggest that the Amanzi Springs handaxes represent early shaping phases focused on defining bifacial edges, while the Cave of Hearths reflects the later stages of thinning. Multivariate statistical analyses are used to extrapolate reduction trends that provide perspective on how later Acheulian handaxes in South Africa were shaped.