Evolution of the human capacity: The symbolic evidence

Abstract

Rare instances of symboling and problem-solving in the archaeological record of the European Acheulian and Mousterian suggest highly evolved potentially variable hominid capacities. These are aspects of capacity not evidenced in the lithic industries and habitation site complexes, and they cannot be determined from studies of comparative morphology or genetic distance. This sparse artifactual evidence cannot be quantified and is, in fact, statistically insignificant. Nevertheless, the internal cognitive contents and complexity evident in these unique materials reveal the presence of highly evolved skills and conceptual capacities involving the evaluation and use of diverse materials and processes. They also reveal a capacity for planning and mapping or modeling the territory and culture in time and space. Significantly, the evidence for these behaviors is richer in Europe during these early periods than in other areas of late hominid presence, including the Middle East and Africa where forms of anatomically modern humans were developing. It is possible that these early European efforts represent incipient and preparatory innovations that in some measure led to the regional "creative explosion" of the following European Upper Paleolithic. It is suggested that hominization selected for certain types and classes of problem-solving and symboling capacity and that the Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans each represent progressive advances over the evolved erectus capacity and its cultural manifests. It is also suggested that these late hominid capacities ultimately and evolutionarily derive from still earlier potential and variable problemsolving and conceptual capacities comparable to those found among the great apes.

The Emergence of Ornaments and Art: An Archaeological Perspective on the Origins of “Behavioral Modernity”

“…The other is an ivory plaque carefully separated from a mammoth molar, shaped, beveled, and rubbed with red ochre. The edge-wear polish indicates long-term use, and the overall shape evokes the sacred "churinga" (stones or wooden boards associated with the wanderings of mythological ancestors) of Australian Aborigines (Marshack, 1976(Marshack, , 1989. It is not obvious, however, that the engraving on the nummulite is "decorative," and a utilitarian explanation for the "churinga" (bone tool used in the framework of ochre-processing tasks?)…”

Social information transfer in monkeys, apes, and hominids

“…One position (Halverson, 1987) is that art has no particular meaning, reference, or social usage, including information transfer. Another takes the view that the sudden appearance of art in human evolution (but see Marshack, 1989) relates not to increasing intelligence or brain evolution directly, but rather is a response to handling more and different types of information (Gamble, 1983: 522). As Conkey (1987) notes, the term "Paleolithic art" lacks meaning because it collapses all diversity, and invites single-cause theories of what the art signifies.…”

Metrical reconsideration of the Skhul IV and IX and Border Cave 1 crania in the context of modern human origins

“…And why does the Epipaleolithic dwarf point to social support (Gould, 1988a,b) more than do the elderly of Shanidar and La Chapelle? Marshack (1989) In some ways the new competing "out-ofAfrica" versus multiregional continuity hypotheses are geographic generalizations and recirculations of the old presapiens versus Neandertal theories of human origins, respectively (e.g., Spencer, 1984). What are the prospects of geographically generalizing and retreading the old compromise "Preneandertal" theory (Howell, 1951(Howell, , 1957 as a preferable alternative to the two newer models above, that are increasingly being mentioned as the two sole alternatives?…”