A new technique of making stone tools was developed in the Middle Palaeolithic, about 250,000 years ago, called Levallois after a site in Paris, France. Before this, flakes had been made in a simple fashion. Blocks of stone were flaked (or knapped) with little overall plan of where the next flakes would be removed.

With Levallois technology there was a plan from the start with three clear stages. Initially the stone would be prepared by flaking around the outside edge of the block to create a near-vertical edge. In the second stage flakes were removed from across the top of the block, to create a slightly domed surface. Finally, a flake was removed from across this surface. The shape of this flake was pre-determined by the preparation, so that through planning, round-edged flakes or pointed flakes could be produced. Often a series of Levallois flakes or points could be removed from a single block.

This method of producing tools was more economical, using fewer raw materials for more tools. Large Levallois flakes could have been used for many of the tasks previously undertaken by handaxes, while Levallois points were probably hafted on to the end of spears. The technique survived in Europe until 40,000 years ago.