The Acheulean is the longest cultural tradition ever practised by humans, lasting for over 1.5 million years. Yet, its end has never been accurately dated; only broad 300–150 thousand years ago (Kya) estimates exist. Here we use optimal linear estimation modelling to infer the extinction dates of the Acheulean at global and continental levels. In Africa and the Near East the Acheulean is demonstrated to end between 175 and 166 Kya. In Europe it is inferred to end between 141 and 130 Kya. The Acheulean’s extinction in Asia occurs later (57–53 Kya), while global models vary depending on how archaeological sites are selected (107–29 Kya). These models demonstrate the Acheulean to have remained a distinct cultural tradition long after the inception of Middle Palaeolithic technologies in multiple continental regions. The complexity of this scenario mirrors the increasingly dynamic nature of the Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil record, suggesting contemporaneous hominin populations to have practised distinct stone-tool traditions.

Acheulean是人类有史以来最长的文化传统，已有超过150万年的历史。然而，它的结局从来没有准确地过时。仅存在300到15万年前（Kya）的广泛估计。在这里，我们使用最佳线性估计模型来推断全球和大陆水平上的阿奇莱亚人的灭绝日期。在非洲和近东，Acheulean被证明在175至166 Kya之间终结。在欧洲，推断结果为141至130 Kya。亚洲的亚其兰人灭绝发生的时间较晚（57-53 Kya），而全球模式则取决于考古地点的选择方式（107-29 Kya）。这些模型表明，Acheulean在多个大陆地区采用中古旧石器时代很久以来仍然是一种独特的文化传统。