Older than the Oldowan? Rethinking the emergence of hominin tool use

Abstract

Using information from primatology, functional morphology, phylogeny, archeology, and paleoanthropology, we argue that before 2.5 mya hominins may have used tools, including unmodified and possibly modified stone tools (Fig. 1). We consider several scenarios to explain why stone tool manufacture and use might not have left archeological traces prior to 2.5 mya and conclude by suggesting means to test our hypotheses.

4,300-Year-old chimpanzee sites and the origins of percussive stone technology

“…The full implica- tions of this line of work require a reevaluation of the terms under which we can make meaningful comparisons of Oldowan and Chimpanzee cultures. The behavioral variables documented at Noulo indicate that chimpanzees and hominins share cultural attributes (39)(40)(41), including the transport of stones across the landscape for a projected use elsewhere; the optimal combination of raw material, size, and weight criteria to perform a predicted activity; the re-occupation of focal points (the accumulation and concentration of both stone and botanical debris is artificially created by behavior); creation of activity areas; the use of locally available resources; and the curation and selection of specific types of stones that are most optimal for specific technological activities.…”

The Primitive Wrist of Homo floresiensis and Its Implications for Hominin Evolution

“…Although skeletal dysplasias may include carpal pituitary giant (USNM 227508) (tables SI and S2). Both show nonnal modem human carpal shapes and articular configurations despite their abnormal sizes, demonstrating that LBl's wrist morphology is not the result of allometric scaling, errors in metabolism, or a skeletal growth disorder Our analyses support hypotheses that LBl is descended from a hominin ancestor that migrated out of Africa before the evolution of the shared, derived wrist morphology that is characteristic of modem humans, Neandertals, and their last common ancestor The association of LBl with direct evidence of stone flaking technology comparable to that found at Oldowan or other Lower Paleolithic sites throughout the Old World (29) provides additional support for the hypothesis that the earliest hominins to use and make stone tools retained primitive hominin wrist morphology {13, 21,30,31). The stmcturally modified wrist of modern humans and Neandertals probably evolved sometime between 1.8 and 0.8 Ma (13).…”

Comment on “Human-like hand use in Australopithecus africanus ”

“…It is well known that, like humans, all living great apes make and use tools, and some chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys even engage in regular stone tool use (2). Humans, however, display especially advanced manual dexterity facilitated by a unique (among modern hominoids) type of interaction between the proximal pulps of our thumb and fingers (3).…”