The age of the Lower Paleolithic occupation at Schöningen

Richter, Daniel; Krbetschek, Matthias

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.003

Cited by 65 publications

(27 citation statements)

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“…derive from the Middle Pleistocene site of Schöningen 13II-4. These samples are associated with unique wooden spears (Thieme, 1997), and must be younger than the age of Schöningen 13I-1 (321 ± 6 ka; Richter & Krbetschek, 2015). The age of Schöningen 13II-4 might be very close to the age of 13I-1, however, and has been suggested to fall within the 337–300 ka/MIS9 time range.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Middle Pleistocene protein sequences from the rhinoceros genusStephanorhinusand the phylogeny of extant and extinct Middle/Late Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae

Welker

Smith

Hutson

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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BackgroundAncient protein sequences are increasingly used to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships between extinct and extant mammalian taxa. Here, we apply these recent developments to Middle Pleistocene bone specimens of the rhinoceros genus Stephanorhinus. No biomolecular sequence data is currently available for this genus, leaving phylogenetic hypotheses on its evolutionary relationships to extant and extinct rhinoceroses untested. Furthermore, recent phylogenies based on Rhinocerotidae (partial or complete) mitochondrial DNA sequences differ in the placement of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Therefore, studies utilising ancient protein sequences from Middle Pleistocene contexts have the potential to provide further insights into the phylogenetic relationships between extant and extinct species, including Stephanorhinus and Dicerorhinus.MethodsZooMS screening (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) was performed on several Late and Middle Pleistocene specimens from the genus Stephanorhinus, subsequently followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to obtain ancient protein sequences from a Middle Pleistocene Stephanorhinus specimen. We performed parallel analysis on a Late Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros specimen and extant species of rhinoceroses, resulting in the availability of protein sequence data for five extant species and two extinct genera. Phylogenetic analysis additionally included all extant Perissodactyla genera (Equus, Tapirus), and was conducted using Bayesian (MrBayes) and maximum-likelihood (RAxML) methods.ResultsVarious ancient proteins were identified in both the Middle and Late Pleistocene rhinoceros samples. Protein degradation and proteome complexity are consistent with an endogenous origin of the identified proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of informative proteins resolved the Perissodactyla phylogeny in agreement with previous studies in regards to the placement of the families Equidae, Tapiridae, and Rhinocerotidae. Stephanorhinus is shown to be most closely related to the genera Coelodonta and Dicerorhinus. The protein sequence data further places the Sumatran rhino in a clade together with the genus Rhinoceros, opposed to forming a clade with the black and white rhinoceros species.DiscussionThe first biomolecular dataset available for Stephanorhinus places this genus together with the extinct genus Coelodonta and the extant genus Dicerorhinus. This is in agreement with morphological studies, although we are unable to resolve the order of divergence between these genera based on the protein sequences available. Our data supports the placement of the genus Dicerorhinus in a clade together with extant Rhinoceros species. Finally, the availability of protein sequence data for both extinct European rhinoceros genera allows future investigations into their geographic distribution and extinction chronologies.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Middle Pleistocene protein sequences from the rhinoceros genusStephanorhinusand the phylogeny of extant and extinct Middle/Late Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae

Welker

Smith

Hutson

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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“…It is not the biface per se that facilitated the sustained presence in north‐west Europe, but the full behavioural package that accompanied biface manufacture (e.g. hide processing [Moncel et al , ], bone and wooden tools [Warren, ; Richter and Krbetschek, ; Van Kolfschoten et al , ], and controlled use of fire [Molines et al , ; Gowlett, ; Preece et al , ]) at a species level. However, it is not clear whether this is due to the presence of a new species, such as H. heidelbergensis , representing an in situ development or a dispersal into Europe from elsewhere (Hosfield and Cole, ).…”

Section: Behavioural Complexity In Non‐homo Sapiens Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is not the biface per se that facilitated the sustained presence in north-west Europe, but the full behavioural package that accompanied biface manufacture (e.g. hide processing [Moncel et al, 2015], bone and wooden tools [Warren, 1911;Richter and Krbetschek, 2015;Van Kolfschoten et al, 2015], and controlled use of fire [ (Hosfield and Cole, 2018).…”

Section: Archaeological Perspectives On Hominin Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspects of human physical and behavioural evolution during the last 1 million years

Galway‐Witham

Cole

Stringer

2019

J Quaternary Science

105

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This paper reviews some of the main advances in our understanding of human evolution over the last 1 million years, presenting a holistic overview of a field defined by interdisciplinary approaches to studying the origins of our species. We begin by briefly summarizing the climatic context across the Old World for the last 1 million years before directly addressing the fossil and archaeological records. The main themes in this work explore (i) recent discoveries in the fossil record over the last 15 years, such as Homo naledi and Homo floresiensis; (ii) the implications of palaeogenetics for understanding the evolutionary history of, and relationships between, Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens; (iii) the interplay between physiology and metabolic demand, landscape use, and behavioural adaptations in the evolution of morphological and behavioural innovation; and (iv) recent advances in archaeological understanding for the behavioural record, in particular that of the Neanderthals. This paper seeks to provide a broad‐scale, holistic perspective of our current understanding of human evolution for the last 1 Ma, providing a reference point for researchers that can be built upon as new discoveries continue to develop the landscapes of human evolution. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…Preservation conditions in continental Europe have yielded the earliest examples, with Middle Pleistocene spears from Schöningen, Germany (Figure ). These date to ∼300–337 ka and have forms similar to modern hand‐cast javelins . Their age and lack of hafted elements suggests that the earliest technology that served to distance the predator and prey were manufactured from perishable materials, making them largely invisible in the archeological record.…”

Section: Earliest Evidence Of Projectile Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The origins and early elaboration of projectile technology

O’Driscoll

Thompson

2018

Evolutionary Anthropology

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The ability of Homo sapiens to kill prey at a distance is arguably one of the catalysts for our current ecological dominance. Many researchers have suggested its origins lie in the African Middle Stone Age or the European Middle Palaeolithic (∼300-30 thousand years ago), but the perishable components of armatures rarely preserve. Most research on this subject therefore emphasises analysis of armature tip size, shape, and diagnostic impacts or residues. Other lines of evidence have included human skeletal anatomy or analyses of the species composition of faunal assemblages. Projectile Impact Marks (PIMs) on archaeofaunal remains offer an ideal complement to this work, but their potential has been restricted mainly to the later Eurasian zooarchaeological record. A review of current evidence and approaches shows that systematic PIM research could add much to our understanding of early projectile technology, especially in Africa.

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The age of the Lower Paleolithic occupation at Schöningen

Cited by 65 publications

References 38 publications

Middle Pleistocene protein sequences from the rhinoceros genusStephanorhinusand the phylogeny of extant and extinct Middle/Late Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae

Middle Pleistocene protein sequences from the rhinoceros genusStephanorhinusand the phylogeny of extant and extinct Middle/Late Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae

Aspects of human physical and behavioural evolution during the last 1 million years

The origins and early elaboration of projectile technology

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