<p>Large flake technology emerged with the onset of the Acheulean possibly by 1.95 million years ago, and its production continued consistently for hundreds of thousands of years later. Significant innovations within this process include the development of large cutting tools (LCTs), such as handaxes, cleavers-on-flake, and other massive artefacts typically knapped from large flakes. Despite its importance within this techno-complex, large flake technology has not been comprehensively discussed in relation to older sites. The Simbiro gully sites at Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia) contribute valuable insights to this discussion, featuring a high prevalence of cleavers-on-flakes and a single exceptionally large core from geological layers predating 1.2 million years ago. Here, we present and discuss the utilisation of large flakes associated with the emergence of the Acheulean. We link to the concept of predetermined large flake production as a requisite technology for the production of Acheulean large cutting tool blanks.</p>