On meat eating and human evolution: A taphonomic analysis of BK4b (Upper Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania), and its bearing on hominin megafaunal consumption

Domı́nguez-Rodrigo, Manuel; Bunn, Henry T.; Mabulla, Audax; Baquedano, Enrique; Uribelarrea, David; Pérez‐González, Alfredo; Gidna, Agness; Yravedra, José; Martín, Fernando Diéz; Egeland, Charles P.; Barba, Rebeca; Arriaza, Mari Carmen; Organista, Elia; Ansón, Marco

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2013.08.015

Cited by 124 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…MNK Main may correspond to primary human accumulations subsequently accessed by carnivores [93]. New evidence from BK is proposed as confirmation of large-sized mammal hunting by hominins [83], an interpretation that does not differ significantly from the original behavioural reconstructions for the site [31,34,42,93].…”

Section: (C) Fossil and Artefact Associationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The origins of the Acheulean: past and present perspectives on a major transition in human evolution

Torre¹

2016

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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The emergence of the Acheulean from the earlier Oldowan constitutes a major transition in human evolution, the theme of this special issue. This paper discusses the evidence for the origins of the Acheulean, a cornerstone in the history of human technology, from two perspectives; firstly, a review of the history of investigations on Acheulean research is presented. This approach introduces the evolution of theories throughout the development of the discipline, and reviews the way in which cumulative knowledge led to the prevalent explanatory framework for the emergence of the Acheulean. The second part presents the current state of the art in Acheulean origins research, and reviews the hard evidence for the appearance of this technology in Africa around 1.7 Ma, and its significance for the evolutionary history of Homo erectus.This article is part of the themed issue 'Major transitions in human evolution'.

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Section: (C) Fossil and Artefact Associationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The origins of the Acheulean: past and present perspectives on a major transition in human evolution

Torre¹

2016

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…Faunal remains from the Acheulean identify the habitual exploitation of meat from a wide range of medium to large animals (Domínguez-Rodrigo et al, 2002;Pobiner et al, 2008). This includes evidence to suggest that hominins secured early access to carcasses, including those of mega-fauna, and were at times disarticulating elements for processing elsewhere (Pobiner et al, 2008;Pickering and Bunn, 2012;Domínguez-Rodrigo et al, 2014). Indeed, the association between handaxe technology and its suitability for substantial butchery behaviours/large carcass processing is pervasive in the literature (Jones, 1980(Jones, , 1981(Jones, , 1994Toth, 1985;Schick and Clark, 2003;de Juana et al, 2010;Galán and Domínguez-Rodrigo, 2014;Key and Lycett, in press).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating interrelationships between Lower Palaeolithic stone tool effectiveness and tool user biometric variation: implications for technological and evolutionary changes

Key

Lycett

2016

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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with cutting efficiency using both flakes and handaxes over extended periods of use and in multiple types of cutting task. Results indicate that (1) both handaxe and flake cutting efficiency is significantly related with biometric variation of individual tool-users, (2) relationships between biometric parameters and efficiency are consistent across extended durations but vary dependent upon task-type conditions, (3) manipulative strength is the most significant biometric trait in terms of predicting flake efficiency, while (4) hand size is the strongest predictor of handaxe cutting efficiency. These results demonstrate the long-term impact that stone tool use likely had on the evolution of hominin biometric variation during the Lower Palaeolithic, while also highlighting the variable influence of different tool use contexts.Most notably, results indicate that the onset of the Acheulean may have been dependent, a priori, upon hand dimensions that are close to the modern human range, and that prior to the appearance of this anatomy, handaxe use would have been an impractical (i.e. inefficient) tool use behaviour compared to the use of flakes.

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“…Such abilities have already been suggested regarding the occupants of the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya'akov, 780,000 years ago [30,164], who are known to have procured and eaten elephants [165]. Furthermore, the large quantities of fat and meat associated with elephants may imply the existence of some form of food sharing between group members and possibly between different groups, and/or preservation, as well as the existence of cooperative acquisition strategies [7]. Preservation of meat of medium and large game indeed was documented among recent hunter-gatherer groups, allowing it to be preserved for several days and even longer periods of time [15,166].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Proboscidean remains are found at many Paleolithic sites throughout Asia, Europe, Africa and the Levant [7,41,48]. Such remains are also common in prehistoric sites in late Pleistocene North America [83][84][85] (but see [86,87]).…”

Section: Evidence Of Elephant Hunting In the Archaeological Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elephant and Mammoth Hunting during the Paleolithic: A Review of the Relevant Archaeological, Ethnographic and Ethno-Historical Records

Agam

Barkai

2018

Quaternary

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Proboscideans and humans have shared habitats across the Old and New Worlds for hundreds of thousands of years. Proboscideans were included in the human diet starting from the Lower Paleolithic period and until the final stages of the Pleistocene. However, the question of how prehistoric people acquired proboscideans remains unresolved. Moreover, the effect of proboscidean hunting on the eventual extinction of these mega-herbivores was never seriously evaluated, probably because of the lack of acquaintance with the plethora of information available regarding proboscidean hunting by humans. The aim of this paper is to bridge this gap and bring to light the data available in order to estimate the extent and procedures of elephant and mammoth hunting by humans during the Quaternary. This study examines the archaeological evidence of proboscidean hunting during Paleolithic times, and provides a review of ethnographic and ethno-historical accounts, demonstrating a wide range of traditional elephant-hunting strategies. We also discuss the rituals accompanying elephant hunting among contemporary hunter-gatherers, further stressing the importance of elephants among hunter-gatherers. Based on the gathered data, we suggest that early humans possessed the necessary abilities to actively and regularly hunt proboscideans; and performed this unique and challenging task at will.

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On meat eating and human evolution: A taphonomic analysis of BK4b (Upper Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania), and its bearing on hominin megafaunal consumption

Cited by 124 publications

References 54 publications

The origins of the Acheulean: past and present perspectives on a major transition in human evolution

The origins of the Acheulean: past and present perspectives on a major transition in human evolution

Investigating interrelationships between Lower Palaeolithic stone tool effectiveness and tool user biometric variation: implications for technological and evolutionary changes

Elephant and Mammoth Hunting during the Paleolithic: A Review of the Relevant Archaeological, Ethnographic and Ethno-Historical Records

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