Relating to an early prehistoric stone tool industry (Chellean or Chelles-Achelean) characterized by hand axes and crude cutting implements.
Named after Chelles, a site in France where these stone tools were first identified and excavated in the 19th century. The '-ean' suffix indicates an archaeological culture or period.
The Chellean period represents a crucial turning point in human evolution—these hand axes, made roughly 1.7 million years ago, were the first multi-purpose tools that required planning and skill, showing our ancestors were thinking several steps ahead!
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