Experimental stone tool replication at the Early Stone Age site of Sterkfontein, Gauteng, South Africa
Experimental stone tool replication at the Early Stone Age site of Sterkfontein, Gauteng, South Africa
Between 1999 and 2000 a large experimental knapping programme was carried out at the early hominin site of Sterkfontein, South Africa. Its purpose was to assess aspects of the technology of lithic production found in the Oldowan and Acheulean deposits at the site. The data was used to inform technological analysis of the Sterkfontein stone tool assemblages. In the light of more recent research on raw material selection and transport at East African Oldowan sites, we report on the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the experimental cores to assess their contribution to understanding the influence of raw materials on knapping in the Oldowan and Acheulean at Sterkfontein. Hominins practised raw material selectivity and adapted their knapping strategies to fit clast shape and lithology. The experimental programme offered the opportunity to analyse some of the variables commonly involved in reconstructing lithic behaviour from artefacts and found, as with other studies reported elsewhere, that linear relationships based on one, or a few supposedly diagnostic variables do not stand up to scrutiny
knapping, stone tools, oldowan, acheulean, sterkfontein, experimental, early stone age, cores
44-53
McNabb, John
59e818b1-3196-4991-93eb-75ed9c898e71
Kuman, Kathy
e6ea9e3a-3a15-4ce4-ae71-46b43b239f63
December 2015
McNabb, John
59e818b1-3196-4991-93eb-75ed9c898e71
Kuman, Kathy
e6ea9e3a-3a15-4ce4-ae71-46b43b239f63
McNabb, John and Kuman, Kathy
(2015)
Experimental stone tool replication at the Early Stone Age site of Sterkfontein, Gauteng, South Africa.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 4, .
(doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.08.043).
Abstract
Between 1999 and 2000 a large experimental knapping programme was carried out at the early hominin site of Sterkfontein, South Africa. Its purpose was to assess aspects of the technology of lithic production found in the Oldowan and Acheulean deposits at the site. The data was used to inform technological analysis of the Sterkfontein stone tool assemblages. In the light of more recent research on raw material selection and transport at East African Oldowan sites, we report on the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the experimental cores to assess their contribution to understanding the influence of raw materials on knapping in the Oldowan and Acheulean at Sterkfontein. Hominins practised raw material selectivity and adapted their knapping strategies to fit clast shape and lithology. The experimental programme offered the opportunity to analyse some of the variables commonly involved in reconstructing lithic behaviour from artefacts and found, as with other studies reported elsewhere, that linear relationships based on one, or a few supposedly diagnostic variables do not stand up to scrutiny
Text
Corrected & Accepted Ms for McNabb and Kuman JASR 2015.pdf
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 31 August 2015
Published date: December 2015
Keywords:
knapping, stone tools, oldowan, acheulean, sterkfontein, experimental, early stone age, cores
Organisations:
Faculty of Humanities
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 383277
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/383277
ISSN: 2352-409X
PURE UUID: 692d2d9e-2f10-4ccd-844f-719fe3c6de36
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Date deposited: 09 Nov 2015 14:37
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:07
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Author:
Kathy Kuman
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