Mesvinianadj.n.

1905 G. G. MacCurdy in Amer. Anthropologist 7 457 The flinty layer..yielded..at its summit both Mesvinian and Chellean implements.

1911 W. J. Sollas Anc. Hunters 111 The Mesvinian implements are ruder than the Chellean, and the characteristic boucher is lacking.

1922 S. H. Warren in Proc. Prehistoric Soc. E. Anglia 1921–2 3 iv. 602 The Mesvinian Industry..might well be the precursor of the Mousterian Industry.

1948 A. L. Kroeber Anthropol. (rev. ed.) xvi. 631 Rutot's Mesvinian stage of the Eolithic is recognized as probably a Belgian facies of the oldest Levalloisian or Pre-Mousterian. But his still earlier Eolithic stages..find little acceptance by the prehistorians as containing real artifacts.

1986 D. Collins Palaeolithic Europe 30 This material is very poor numerically and typologically. I think it is possibly a mixture of Clactonian and non-artefactual ‘eolithic’ pieces. Furthermore, dating is difficult in the absence of distinctive fauna or other indications... Truth to tell the term Mesvinian was unsuitable for any industry at that time.

1909 A. C. Breton tr. A. L. Rutot in Man 9 157 In Belgium, at Spiennes near Mons, we can see precisely where intentional shaping began..in a very clear level between the Mesvinian (the last pre-palæolithic eolithic industry) and the Chellean.

1911 W. J. Sollas Anc. Hunters 109 The Mesvinian, now accepted as the oldest of the Palaeolithic horizons.

1964 K. P. Oakley Frameworks for dating Fossil Man 257 At first the industry was provisionally identified by S. H. Warren with the Mesvinian of Belgium, but he later named it Clactonian.