Châtelperronian was the earliest industry of the Upper Palaeolithic in central and south western France.
It appears to have been derived from the earlier, Neandertal, Mousterian industry as it made use of Levallois cores and represents the period when Neanderthals and modern humans occupied Europe together. It lasted from between c. 35,000 and c. 29,000 BP. The industry produced denticulate , or toothed, stone tools and also a distinctive flint knife with a single cutting edge and a blunt, curved back. It may also have produced jewellery which has been used to support theories regarding the sophistication of the Neanderthals.
It was superseded by the human Aurignacian industry indicating that the Neanderthals disappeared around 29,000 BP.
