An Khe Paleolithic Site
An Khe Quaternary Site · Gia Lai Paleolithic An Khe
Lower Paleolithic 800 ka → Hoabinhian late Pleistocene·Vietnamese Paleolithic — Ba River Acheulean-like (An Khe facies) predating Hoabinhian·🇻🇳 Vietnam, Central Highlands, Gia Lai Province, An Khe town, Ba River basin at foothills of Truong Son (Annamite cordillera) 50 km east of Pleiku, Central Vietnam highland pass, Vietnam
About
About An Khe Paleolithic Site
An Khe Paleolithic Site — Lower Paleolithic chopper–chopping tool site (c.800 ka Acheulean-like bifaces) on Ba River terrace at An Khe 50 km E Pleiku, Gia Lai highland pass, discovered 2014 Vietnam–Russia expedition. An Khe revealed Hoabinhian → Paleolithic earlier than thought: Acheulean handaxes on basalt, choppers, and spheroids in Ba River gravel proving 800 ka hominin presence in Central Vietnam Truong Son corridor linking Zhoukoudian to Java. Hoabinhian bifacial continuum challenges Movius line: An Khe flakes prove mainland SE Asian Acheulean before Hoabinhian. Basalt quarry 1000+ lithics.
Why it matters800 ka Acheulean-like in Vietnam — revises Movius line and proves Truong Son Pleistocene corridor
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Acheulean‑like vs real Acheulean — independent or diffused?
Theories
- 01Truong Son as Homo erectus southern corridor disproving Movius
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.800 ka Lower Paleolithic chopper-biface phase
- Period
- Lower Paleolithic 800 ka → Hoabinhian late Pleistocene
- Culture
- Vietnamese Paleolithic — Ba River Acheulean-like (An Khe facies) predating Hoabinhian
- Builders
- Lower Paleolithic hominins (Homo erectus on Truong Son corridor?)
- Purpose
- Truong Son pass lithic quarry documenting Acheulean-like before Hoabinhian and Movius line revision
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.800 ka
Acheulean-like bifaces knapped on Ba River gravels
c.15 ka
Hoabinhian flakes overlay bifaces
2014
Vietnam–Russia discovery pushes Vietnam Paleolithic to 800 ka
On the ground
Structures & features
13.9500° N · 108.6500° E · 420 m · 2 mapped features