The South Asian Microlithic: Homo sapiens Dispersal or Adaptive Response?

Clarkson, Chris; Petraglia, Michael D.; Harris, Clair; Shipton, Ceri; Norman, Kasih

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-64407-3_3

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…This decline in foraging efficiency tracks our data on increased reduction intensity across the same interval. The pattern of increased technological efficiency coupled with degraded subsistence base matches with expectations of optimal foraging theory (e.g., Broughton 1994) and with theoretical work linking ecological changes and hunter-gatherer technological organization (Harpending and Davis 1977;Kelly 1983;Mishra et al 2013;Clarkson et al 2018b).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Lithic miniaturization as adaptive strategy: a case study from Boomplaas Cave, South Africa

Pargeter

Faith

2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Lithic miniaturization is a multivariate and evolutionarily significant technological phenomenon involving backed tools, bladelets, small retouched tools, flakes, and small cores. This paper investigates the proximate causes for variability in lithic miniaturization processes during Marine Isotope Stage 2 (c. 29-12 ka) in southern Africa. We test the hypothesis that lithic miniaturization represents a form of adaptive behavior by examining its relationship to site occupation intensity and rainfall seasonality at Boomplaas Cave in South Africa. These are two widely cited explanations for shifts in the organization of huntergatherer technologies and the data required for testing them are also readily available. We combine several lithic variables, macrofauna and microfauna indicators, and other archeological data to test the hypotheses. We find evidence that demographic processes impacted choices of technology within contexts of shifting rainfall seasonality, aridity, and rapidly rising Late Glacial sea-levels. In this context, Late Glacial humans converged on a small number of high payoff strategies including technological efficiency through bipolar bladelet production, greater production of ostrich eggshell ornaments and water containers, and a reorganized subsistence strategy targeting lower yield small mammals. The results demonstrate that lithic miniaturization was a strategic choice rather than an inevitable technological outcome. The outcomes have implications for understanding global instances of lithic miniaturization and their relationship to rapidly shifting paleoenvironments.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Lithic miniaturization as adaptive strategy: a case study from Boomplaas Cave, South Africa

Pargeter

Faith

2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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“…In northern India, dedicated microblade technologies appear from ~55–47 ka at the site of Dhaba 3 in the Middle Son Valley, suggesting an early emergence of Late Palaeolithic industries in the region [52]. Here, Late Palaeolithic industries from open air contexts combine blade and flake reduction trajectories, while backing first appears as a retouching strategy from 42 ka and becomes more prominent by 39–26 ka.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Buddha Pushkar ~28 ka [51]), North India (e.g. Middle Son Valley 55–47 ka [52]) and East India (e.g. Kana ~42 ka [53]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They argue that microliths offered a range of functional advantages, including transportability, efficiency of raw material use, ease of manufacture and maintainability, and advantages specific to backed pieces, including standardisation, haftability and reliability, that would promote their adoption by numerous, unrelated populations. In several regions in India, the innovation of microlithic tool kits appears to be rooted in previous Middle Palaeolithic technologies [44,52]. In both these Indian examples, the appearance of microliths is linked to the combination of increasing demographic pressures and worsening climatic conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microliths in the South Asian rainforest ~45-4 ka: New insights from Fa-Hien Lena Cave, Sri Lanka

et al. 2019

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Microliths–small, retouched, often-backed stone tools–are often interpreted to be the product of composite tools, including projectile weapons, and efficient hunting strategies by modern humans. In Europe and Africa these lithic toolkits are linked to hunting of medium- and large-sized game found in grassland or woodland settings, or as adaptations to risky environments during periods of climatic change. Here, we report on a recently excavated lithic assemblage from the Late Pleistocene cave site of Fa-Hien Lena in the tropical evergreen rainforest of Sri Lanka. Our analyses demonstrate that Fa-Hien Lena represents the earliest microlith assemblage in South Asia (c. 48,000–45,000 cal. years BP) in firm association with evidence for the procurement of small to medium size arboreal prey and rainforest plants. Moreover, our data highlight that the lithic technology of Fa-Hien Lena changed little over the long span of human occupation (c. 48,000–45,000 cal. years BP to c. 4,000 cal. years BP) indicating a successful, stable technological adaptation to the tropics. We argue that microlith assemblages were an important part of the environmental plasticity that enabled Homo sapiens to colonise and specialise in a diversity of ecological settings during its expansion within and beyond Africa. The proliferation of diverse microlithic technologies across Eurasia c. 48–45 ka was part of a flexible human ‘toolkit’ that assisted our species’ spread into all of the world’s environments, and the development of specialised technological and cultural approaches to novel ecological situations.

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“…There are increasing reports of scratched artefacts being documented throughout the "Old World" regions and the existence of such artefacts have become a topic of global debate (Henshilwood et al 2002(Henshilwood et al , 2009(Henshilwood et al , 2018Yaroshevich et al 2016;Dutkiewicz et al 2020). Such markings, often found in association with other complex artefacts such as microliths and jewellery, demonstrates that symbolic behaviour was a part of the behavioural package of early modern humans that left Africa after the Toba eruption, although this topic remains heavily debated (see Petraglia et al 2009;Hiscock et al 2011;Mellars et al 2013;Clarkson et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incised stone artefact in the context of Middle Holocene burials at Cappalombo 1, South Sulawesi, Indonesia | Artefak batu bergores dalam konteks penguburan Holosen Tengah di Situs Cappalombo 1, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia

SURYATMAN

Fakhri²,

Hakim³

et al. 2021

SPJ

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Since the recent discovery of Late Pleistocene rock art in Island Southeast Asia was announced, evidence for symbolic behaviour in the region has become a focus of international archaeological interest. South Sulawesi is one region that hold much evidence for this important human activity. In addition to the cave paintings, several engraved stone artefacts have also been recovered in the same area, nearly all of which date back to the Late Pleistocene. However, while cave use by ‘hunter-gatherer’ societies continued into the Holocene period, archaeological evidence for symbolic expression during this Toalean period is extremely rare. Here, we report for the first time on engraved stone artefacts from the Middle Holocene period, associated with six human burials. Of ten incised artefacts recovered, eight are stone flakes and two are stone plaquettes, all made of hematite material. Our study suggests that unlike comparative Pleistocene engraved stones, the incisions on the Cappalombo artefacts are more likely the result of use-wear that occurs from producing red pigment powder than portable artworks. As no Toalean-age cave art has yet been identified, it is suspected that pigment powder was applied to the corpses as part of a burial practice or perhaps smeared on the body of the person/s performing the ceremony itself as part of a symbolic ritualistic activity. Sejak penemuan gambar cadas Pleistosen Akhir terbaru diumumkan di Pulau Asia Tenggara, bukti perilaku simbolis di wilayah tersebut telah menjadi fokus kajian arkeologis internasional. Sulawesi Selatan adalah salah satu wilayah yang menyimpan banyak bukti aktivitas manusia yang penting ini. Selain lukisan gua, beberapa artefak batu berukir juga telah ditemukan di daerah yang sama, hampir semuanya berasal dari Pleistosen Akhir. Namun, ketika penggunaan gua oleh masyarakat 'pemburu-pengumpul' berlanjut hingga periode Holosen, bukti arkeologis untuk ekspresi simbolis selama periode Toalean ini sangat langka. Di sini, kami melaporkan untuk pertama kalinya tentang artefak batu berukir dari periode Holosen Tengah, yang terkait dengan enam penguburan manusia. Dari sepuluh artefak gores yang ditemukan, delapan berupa serpihan batu dan dua berupa plakat batu, semuanya terbuat dari bahan hematit. Studi kami menunjukkan bahwa tidak seperti batu terukir Pleistosen, sayatan pada artefak Cappalombo lebih mungkin hasil dari penggunaan yang terjadi dari memproduksi bubuk pigmen merah daripada karya seni portabel. Karena seni gua periode Toalean belum dapat diidentifikasi, diduga bubuk pigmen dioleskan pada mayat sebagai bagian dari praktik penguburan atau mungkin dioleskan pada tubuh orang yang melakukan upacara itu sendiri sebagai bagian dari aktifitas ritual simbolis.

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The South Asian Microlithic: Homo sapiens Dispersal or Adaptive Response?

Cited by 15 publications

References 43 publications

Lithic miniaturization as adaptive strategy: a case study from Boomplaas Cave, South Africa

Lithic miniaturization as adaptive strategy: a case study from Boomplaas Cave, South Africa

Microliths in the South Asian rainforest ~45-4 ka: New insights from Fa-Hien Lena Cave, Sri Lanka

Incised stone artefact in the context of Middle Holocene burials at Cappalombo 1, South Sulawesi, Indonesia | Artefak batu bergores dalam konteks penguburan Holosen Tengah di Situs Cappalombo 1, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia

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