Europe also has been the home to choppers, with assemblages of stone tools having been found in Europe. Many countries have had Oldowan tools found within them, including Sweden, Portugal, Georgia, Bulgaria, Russia, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom. Stone tools, including choppers, dating back to 1.66 million years ago, have been found in Asia. These countries include China, Pakistan, Israel, and Iran. A large assemblage of stone lithics were found in Northern Thailand, the Sao Din excavation. Out of the 139 artifacts recovered, many of them fell into the chopper category. These findings helped set Southeast Asian stone technology apart from the classic European Acheulean assemblages. Although many choppers have been found in each region, this does not mean that the tools found are similarly made. Differences include the shape, length, material used, and other factors. This shows the variation among ancient cultures of the time and how each suited specific needs for each community. Usage The ancient peoples that inhabited the earth had many different stone tools to perform various activities. Choppers were used in equal amounts for woodworking, presumably for sharpening spears, and meat processing. However, choppers were used for many different purposes. Used for hacking, cutting, and chopping, choppers allowed early peoples to sever soft materials, especially meat and wood. One of the main uses of choppers was to cut through the meat and skins of hunted animals to obtain food, hide, and fur. The sharpness of the tool improved the overall process. Ridges and cut marks on bones can prove their use for the task. Also, these tools were used on plants, such as digging up roots and shaving and chopping wood. Advancement over time Later in history, it seems that choppers were being rendered obsolete by newer technology. The handheld tools for scraping and cutting were no longer sought after, for tools with shapes that fit the hand seemed to be the upcoming trend. Starting about 1.6 million years ago, this new technology evolution emerged, known as the Acheulean tradition. Tools classified under this category are known as the earliest indicators of hand axe usage. The biggest difference from the early Oldowan tools, or choppers, is the fact that two sides have had flakes chipped off, versus the single side of the chopper. Early ideas Initial theories proposed by G. Isaac (1970s) that choppers were used for hunting