ACHEULEAN STONE CHOPPER
MOROCCO, LOWER PALEOLITHIC, C. ONE MILLION YEARS B.P.
Estimate: £300 - £500
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
knapped stone, protobiface form, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
13.2cm tall
Provenance
Private collection, Belgium, formed late 1960s – present
Footnote
A small proto-biface axe dating to c. 1 million years before the present day; it blurs the line between functionality and artistry, created by an entirely different species of human to ourselves, Homo erectus. While primarily used as a chopping tool, it may also have served as an early core when flake tools were required. It is fashioned from blue-grey stone, displaying subtle variations in tone that highlight its carefully worked form.