From the Oldowan to the Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania – An introduction to the special issue

Torre, Ignacio de la; McHenry, Lindsay J.; Njau, Jackson K.

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.03.012

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Advances have been made in defining what is meant by the term 'Oldowan' [18], and new analyses of assemblages attributed to this techno-complex [31, 139,140] have contributed to reopening the debates on the associated cultural phase defined by Mary Leakey [13] as 'Developed Oldowan' [8]. These debates concern the validity of maintaining internal subdivisions within the Oldowan techno-complex, and whether or not the DO could be considered a transitional phase towards the Acheulian (as recognized by Leakey in DOB).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While some sites, HWK EE and EF-HR, initially considered DOB by Leakey [13], have been reinterpreted in accordance to these criterion (mainly variability in pounding tools and large flake production) as Oldowan and Acheulian, respectively [139,140]. Currently, in sites with a low frequency of proto-bifacial tools, the absence of large flakes, handaxes and cleavers, the idea that the DOB represents a transitional phase to the Acheulian is no longer accepted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Subspheroids in the lithic assemblage of Barranco León (Spain): Recognizing the late Oldowan in Europe

et al. 2020

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The lithic assemblage of Barranco León (BL), attributed to the Oldowan techno-complex, contributes valuable information to reconstruct behavioral patterning of the first hominins to disperse into Western Europe. This archaic stone tool assemblage comprises two, very different groups of tools, made from distinct raw materials. On the one hand, a small-sized toolkit knapped from Jurassic flint, comprising intensively exploited cores and small-sized flakes and fragments and, on the other hand, a large-sized limestone toolkit that is mainly linked to percussive activities. In recent years, the limestone macro-tools have been the center of particular attention, leading to a re-evaluation of their role in the assemblage. Main results bring to light strict hominin selective processes, mainly concerning the quality of the limestone and the morphology of the cobbles, in relation to their use-patterning. In addition to the variety of traces of percussion identified on the limestone tools, recurrences have recently been documented in their positioning and in the morphology of the active surfaces. Coupled with experimental work, this data has contributed to formulating hypothesis about the range of uses for these tools, beyond stone knapping and butchery, for activities such as: wood-working or tendon and meat tenderizing. The abundance of hammerstones, as well as the presence of heavy-duty scrapers, are special features recognized for the limestone component of the Barranco León assemblage. This paper presents, for the first time, another characteristic of the assemblage: the presence of polyhedral and, especially, subspheroid morphologies, virtually unknown in the European context for this timeframe. We present an analysis of these tools, combining qualitative evaluation of the raw materials, diacritical study, 3D geometric morphometric analysis of facet angles and an evaluation of the type and position of percussive traces; opening up the discussion of the late Oldowan beyond the African context.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subspheroids in the lithic assemblage of Barranco León (Spain): Recognizing the late Oldowan in Europe

et al. 2020

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“…This behavior is not observed in Mode 1 series older than 700 ka. Raw material is mostly local but with little evidence of fragmentation of the reduction processes as in Acheulean sites in East Africa 10 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Homo heidelbergensis (defined from the Mauer mandible) 4 is considered to be at the origin of significant behavioral changes, such as the onset of biface production (technological Mode 2, Acheulean culture) 5 – 7 . The emergence of the Acheulean in Western Europe is very late compared to initial occurrences in Africa (1.75 Ma) 8 – 10 and the Levant (1.4–1.2 Ma). Rare manifestations indicate the emergence of such technologies earlier than 700 ka ago in the Mediterranean Basin (e.g., Barranc de la Boella, Spain) 11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

Moncel

Santagata

Pereira

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40 Ar/ 39 Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670 ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route. Recent data in prehistory tend to break down the previously supposed clear boundary between anatomically "modern" humans (Homo sapiens), associated with modern cognitive abilities, and earlier hominin species, such as Neanderthals and their ancestors, Homo heidelbergensis. The earliest Acheulean Homo heidelbergensis groups arrived in Europe ca. 1.0-0.7 Ma ago, and were exposed to challenging environmental conditions, which may have stimulated new cultural responses. These included behavioral innovations that could have potentially derived from African or Levantine origins during these early time ranges. During this period, named the Mid-Pleistocene revolution, Northern Europe was characterized by constraining climatic conditions, especially during glacial stages (1.25-0.7 Ma). Major topographic and sea-crossing barriers constituted considerable challenges

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“…The great relevance of the MNK Skull site and the fact that no excavations had been undertaken there since Mary Leakey's original work, led the Olduvai Geochronology Archaeology Project (OGAP) to initiate a new round of research at the locality in 2010. With the overarching aim to achieve a better understanding of the transition from the Oldowan to the Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge (de la Torre et al, 2012Torre et al, , 2018a, our renewed excavations at MNK Skull have sought to refine the stratigraphic control of Middle Bed II, understand the site formation processes involved in the deposition of OH 13, OH 14, and OH 15, and characterise the taphonomic and technological features of the assemblage. This paper summarizes the results of such efforts, and represents a multidisciplinary approach to the tephrochronology, sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, taphonomy and archaeology of the new excavations in the context of Leakey's previous work at MNK Skull, an Early Stone Age site of the utmost importance at Olduvai Gorge and elsewhere in Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New excavations in the MNK Skull site, and the last appearance of the Oldowan and Homo habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Torre

Benito‐Calvo

Martín-Ramos

et al. 2021

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

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MNK Skull is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Olduvai Gorge, particularly due to the previous discovery of human fossils referred to in the paper where the Homo habilis taxon was originally defined. An important archaeological assemblage is contained in the same horizon as the hominin fossils, constituting the last evidence of both Homo habilis remains and handaxe-free tool kits in the Olduvai Gorge sequence. Our excavations at the site are the first to be conducted since the original work in the 1960s, and sought to refine the archaeological context wherein the Homo habilis remains were discovered. Chronostratigraphic results place the MNK Skull sequence in Middle Bed II prior to deposition of Tuff IIB. The assemblage was deposited near the shoreline, as Palaeolake Olduvai withdrew into the basinal depocentre, and fossils and stone tools were subjected to significant postdepositional processes. The assemblage was affected by mudflow deposits that buried and preserved the assemblage but also entrained surficial bone and lithic elements into the flow. Rather than an occupation site as originally interpreted, the assemblage is better understood as a background deposit, possibly accumulated on an unconformity surface over a long period of time. The stone tool assemblage is typical of the Oldowan, with no technological elements announcing the appearance of the Acheulean, which is well attested to across the Olduvai sequence in post-Tuff IIB times. Our results highlight that, with an approximate age of circa 1.67 Ma, MNK Skull stands as a key site to understand the late Oldowan and the disappearance of Homo habilis in East Africa.

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From the Oldowan to the Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania – An introduction to the special issue

Abstract: n/a

Cited by 11 publications

References 32 publications

Subspheroids in the lithic assemblage of Barranco León (Spain): Recognizing the late Oldowan in Europe

Subspheroids in the lithic assemblage of Barranco León (Spain): Recognizing the late Oldowan in Europe

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

New excavations in the MNK Skull site, and the last appearance of the Oldowan and Homo habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

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