Technological variation in the earliest Oldowan from Gona, Afar, Ethiopia

Stout, Dietrich; Semaw, Sileshi; Rogers, Michael J.; Cauche, Dominique

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.02.005

Cited by 180 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Although there is some evidence of structured reduction strategies in the Oldowan (e.g. preference for unifacial vs. bifacial flaking 57 ) it is possible to produce most or all Oldowan forms through unstructured (cf. "mindless" 58 or "least effort" 55 ) flaking.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grammars of action in human behavior and evolution

Stout

Chaminade

Thomik

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Distinctive human behaviors from tool-making to language are thought to rely on a uniquely evolved capacity for hierarchical action sequencing. Unfortunately, testing of this idea has been hampered by a lack of objective, generalizable methods for measuring the structural complexity of real-world behaviors. Here we present a data-driven approach for quantifying hierarchical structure by extracting action grammars from basic ethograms. We apply this method to the evolutionarily-relevant behavior of stone tool-making by comparing sequences from the experimental replication of ~2.5 Mya Oldowan vs. more recent ~0.5 Mya Achuelean tools. Results show that, while using the same "alphabet" of elementary actions, Acheulean sequences are structurally more complex. Beyond its specific evolutionary implications, this finding illustrates the broader applicability of our method to investigate the structure of naturalistic human behaviors and cognition. We demonstrate one application by using our complexity measures to re-analyze data from an fMRI study of tool-making action observation.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grammars of action in human behavior and evolution

Stout

Chaminade

Thomik

et al. 2018

Preprint

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“…It encompasses an evolutionary continuum from early Paleolithic skills at or just beyond the limits of modern apes (32) to the virtuoso craftsmanship of later prehistory (33). The study of knapping skill acquisition and transmission is thus a promising avenue for evolutionarily grounded investigation into the foundations of human cumulative culture, including the copying fidelity needed to explain empirical patterns in the archaeological record (34,35). To be clear, knapping is but one of many evolutionarily relevant skills that might be studied, but it is one of which we have a good archaeological record and which may reasonably be hoped to be representative of broader trends.…”

Section: High-fidelity Social Reproductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2) predate evidence of brain expansion by hundreds of thousands of years (32,94) during which their occurrence was extremely patchy, discontinuous, and lacking in evidence of progressive change. By 2.6 Mya, early Oldowan knapping provides some evidence for high-fidelity cultural transmission of particular methods (35), as well as increasing demands on visual, motor and attentional systems (82), but the overall impression in this early period remains one of a tenuous and expendable technology at the edge of contemporary hominin capacities. It is only after about 2.0 Mya that stone toolmaking appears to become more commonplace (as indicated by site frequency and geographic distribution), at which time it is accompanied by evidence of brain-and body-size increase (20).…”

Section: Conclusion: An Evolving Technological Nichementioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary neuroscience of cumulative culture

Stout

Hecht

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Culture suffuses all aspects of human life. It shapes our minds and bodies and has provided a cumulative inheritance of knowledge, skills, institutions, and artifacts that allows us to truly stand on the shoulders of giants. No other species approaches the extent, diversity, and complexity of human culture, but we remain unsure how this came to be. The very uniqueness of human culture is both a puzzle and a problem. It is puzzling as to why more species have not adopted this manifestly beneficial strategy and problematic because the comparative methods of evolutionary biology are ill suited to explain unique events. Here, we develop a more particularistic and mechanistic evolutionary neuroscience approach to cumulative culture, taking into account experimental, developmental, comparative, and archaeological evidence. This approach reconciles currently competing accounts of the origins of human culture and develops the concept of a uniquely human technological niche rooted in a shared primate heritage of visuomotor coordination and dexterous manipulation.brain evolution | cultural evolution | archaeology | imitation

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“…In line with general consensus regarding the primary objectives of Oldowan stone tool production sequences (e.g. Stout et al, 2010;Toth, 1985), participants were asked to produce stone flakes that may conceivably be used as cutting tools. The Acheulean flake production sequence was similarly undertaken with respect to general consensus regarding the objectives of 'typical' Acheulean stone tool production sequences.…”

Section: Participants and Experimental Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%