Border Cave and the beginning of the Later Stone Age in South Africa
Paola Villa
(1)
,
Sylvain Soriano
(2, 3, 4)
,
T. Tsanova
,
I. Degano
,
T. Higham
,
F. d'Errico
(5)
,
L. Backwell
,
J. Lucejko
,
M. Colombini
,
P. Beaumont
1
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
2 ArScAn - Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité
3 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
4 AnTET - Anthropologie des techniques, des espaces et des territoires au Pliocène et au Pléistocène
5 PACEA - De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie
2 ArScAn - Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité
3 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
4 AnTET - Anthropologie des techniques, des espaces et des territoires au Pliocène et au Pléistocène
5 PACEA - De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie
T. Tsanova
- Fonction : Auteur
I. Degano
- Fonction : Auteur
T. Higham
- Fonction : Auteur
F. d'Errico
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 738812
- IdHAL : francesco-derrico
- ORCID : 0000-0002-2422-3079
- IdRef : 033791899
L. Backwell
- Fonction : Auteur
J. Lucejko
- Fonction : Auteur
M. Colombini
- Fonction : Auteur
P. Beaumont
- Fonction : Auteur
Résumé
The transition from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) to the Later Stone Age (LSA) in South Africa was not associated with the appearance of anatomically modern humans and the extinction of Neandertals, as in the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition in Western Europe. It has therefore attracted less attention, yet it provides insights into patterns of technological evolution not associated with a new hominin. Data from Border Cave (KwaZulu-Natal) show a strong pattern of technological change at approximately 44–42 ka cal BP, marked by adoption of techniques and materials that were present but scarcely used in the previous MSA, and some novelties. The agent of change was neither a revolution nor the advent of a new species of human. Although most evident in personal ornaments and symbolic markings, the change from one way of living to another was not restricted to aesthetics. Our analysis shows that: (i) at Border Cave two assemblages, dated to 45–49 and >49 ka, show a gradual abandonment of the technology and tool types of the post-Howiesons Poort period and can be considered transitional industries; (ii) the 44–42 ka cal BP assemblages are based on an expedient technology dominated by bipolar knapping, with microliths hafted with pitch from Podocarpus bark, worked suid tusks, ostrich eggshell beads, bone arrowheads, engraved bones, bored stones, and digging sticks; (iii) these assemblages mark the beginning of the LSA in South Africa; (iv) the LSA emerged by internal evolution; and (v) the process of change began sometime after 56 ka.
Format du dépôt | Notice |
---|---|
Type de dépôt | Article dans une revue |
Titre |
en
Border Cave and the beginning of the Later Stone Age in South Africa
|
Résumé |
en
The transition from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) to the Later Stone Age (LSA) in South Africa was not associated with the appearance of anatomically modern humans and the extinction of Neandertals, as in the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition in Western Europe. It has therefore attracted less attention, yet it provides insights into patterns of technological evolution not associated with a new hominin. Data from Border Cave (KwaZulu-Natal) show a strong pattern of technological change at approximately 44–42 ka cal BP, marked by adoption of techniques and materials that were present but scarcely used in the previous MSA, and some novelties. The agent of change was neither a revolution nor the advent of a new species of human. Although most evident in personal ornaments and symbolic markings, the change from one way of living to another was not restricted to aesthetics. Our analysis shows that: (i) at Border Cave two assemblages, dated to 45–49 and >49 ka, show a gradual abandonment of the technology and tool types of the post-Howiesons Poort period and can be considered transitional industries; (ii) the 44–42 ka cal BP assemblages are based on an expedient technology dominated by bipolar knapping, with microliths hafted with pitch from Podocarpus bark, worked suid tusks, ostrich eggshell beads, bone arrowheads, engraved bones, bored stones, and digging sticks; (iii) these assemblages mark the beginning of the LSA in South Africa; (iv) the LSA emerged by internal evolution; and (v) the process of change began sometime after 56 ka.
|
Auteur(s) |
Paola Villa
1
, Sylvain Soriano
2, 3, 4
, T. Tsanova
, I. Degano
, T. Higham
, F. d'Errico
5
, L. Backwell
, J. Lucejko
, M. Colombini
, P. Beaumont
1
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
( 570024 )
- 15th and Broadway, Boulder, CO 80309
- États-Unis
2
ArScAn -
Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité
( 1003 )
- MSH Mondes (bâtiment René-Ginouvès). 21, allée de l’Université 92023 NANTERRE Cedex
- France
3
CNRS -
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
( 441569 )
- France
4
AnTET -
Anthropologie des techniques, des espaces et des territoires au Pliocène et au Pléistocène
( 461550 )
- Maison René Ginouvès UMR 7041 21 allée de l'université F 92023 NANTERRE cedex
- France
5
PACEA -
De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie
( 205557 )
- Université de Bordeaux - Bâtiment B8 - CS50023 - Allée Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire - 33615 Pessac Cedex
- France
|
Langue du document |
Anglais
|
Nom de la revue |
|
Vulgarisation |
Non
|
Comité de lecture |
Oui
|
Audience |
Internationale
|
Date de publication |
2012-08-14
|
Volume |
109
|
Numéro |
33
|
Page/Identifiant |
13208-13213
|
URL éditeur |
https://www.pnas.org/content/109/33/13208
|
Domaine(s) |
|
Financement |
|
Mots-clés |
en
human behavior, hafting pitch, hunting weapons, gathering equipment
|
DOI | 10.1073/pnas.1202629109 |
PubMed Central | PMC3421194 |
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