The driving force behind tool-stone selection in the African Middle Stone Age
Abstract
Stone tool making requires knowledge and skill. Ancient stone tools allow studying evolutionary processes and settlement patterns, such as complex cognition, migration, or land use. However, the choice of raw materials for making tools has largely relied on interpretation. Here, we introduce a physical model allowing to understand and quantify the quality of different stones for tool making and use. Based on the rocks available to Stone Age foragers living at the South African site Diepkloof Rock Shelter, we demonstrate that the selection of specific rocks for making specific tools was driven by precise criteria. Our findings pinpoint a deep understanding of the physical properties of materials in the African Middle Stone Age.
- Publication:
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- February 2024
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.2318560121
- Bibcode:
- 2024PNAS..12118560S