Throwing Behaviour and the Mass Distribution of Geological Hand Samples, Hand Grenades and Olduvian Manuports

Cannell, Alan

doi:10.1006/jasc.2002.0710

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…However, our second hypothesis, that patterns of stone selection would be similar to those observed in humans, was not supported. Human males selectively choose throwing stones of greater mass than do females [Cannell, 2002]. This is expected among sexually dimorphic species in which the males have greater body mass than the females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In a related model, Cannell [2002] argued that sexually dimorphic patterns in modern humans regarding the mass of chosen throwing stones could be used to infer body mass and patterns of sexual dimorphism in early hominids from Olduvai Gorge and Koobi Fora by examining the mass distributions of unaltered stones, transported some distance for use as tools, at those sites. Specifically, Cannell argued that in studies comparing body mass to the mass of selected throwing stones, human males and females consistently select stones near ideal mass for their body weight (i.e., those that will deliver maximum impact energy relative to energy expended).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rather, we are interested in examining the hypothesis that in primates (specifically sexually dimorphic primate species), the larger males will choose heavier throwing stones than will the lighter females. Also implicit in Cannell's [2002] model is the prediction that when this pattern is followed, both males and females will be more accurate with stones of preferred mass than with stones of nonpreferred mass. These are the hypotheses that we tested in this study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The purpose of this study was to examine Cannell's [2002] hypothesis with a comparative approach, by observing tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) engaged in an aimed-throwing task. Specifically, we examined relationships among mass of throwing stones, sex, body mass, throwing accuracy, and handedness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Throwing behavior and mass distribution of stone selection in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)

Cleveland¹,

Ar²,

El³

et al. 2003

American J Primatol

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Cannell [Journal of Archaeological Science 29:335-339, 2002] argued that sex-based differences among humans in terms of the mass of chosen throwing stones could be used to infer body mass and patterns of sexual dimorphism in early hominids from Olduvai and Koobi Fora by examining the mass distributions of unaltered stone tools at those sites. We examined this hypothesis in tufted capuchin monkeys using a comparative approach, by investigating the relationships among body mass, sex, stone weight preference, and accuracy in a throwing task. The subject sample consisted of nine monkeys trained to perform an aimed-throwing task in which a food reward could be obtained by throwing a stone into a bucket. We found that 1) the subjects showed a strong mean stone mass preference; 2) the females chose heavier stones than the males, in terms of absolute mean selected stone mass and selected stone mass relative to body mass; 3) subjects threw more accurately when they used stones of preferred mass vs. stones of nonpreferred mass; and 4) overall, the males were more accurate in the throwing task than the females. We conclude that capuchins are highly selective when choosing throwing stones, and that this confers an advantage for throwing accuracy. Our results indicate that the sexually dimorphic pattern in stone mass preference observed among humans does not generalize to Cebus apella. We suggest that researchers examining this pattern in humans in an attempt to explain early hominid patterns of dimorphism and behavior should take into account not only stone weight preference, but also its adaptive advantage.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Throwing behavior and mass distribution of stone selection in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)

Cleveland¹,

Ar²,

El³

et al. 2003

American J Primatol

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show abstract

“…“Manuports” from Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic sites from Africa and Asia have been interpreted in a number of different ways. Exogenous pieces of stone raw material from Olduvai [71,72], considered as missiles by Isaac [73], Cannell [74], Calvin [75] and Bingham [76] have been recently re-interpreted as ecofacts by de la Torre and Mora [77]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Ochered Fossil Marine Shell From the Mousterian of Fumane Cave, Italy

et al. 2013

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A scanty but varied ensemble of finds challenges the idea that Neandertal material culture was essentially static and did not include symbolic items. In this study we report on a fragmentary Miocene-Pliocene fossil marine shell, Aspa marginata , discovered in a Discoid Mousterian layer of the Fumane Cave, northern Italy, dated to at least 47.6-45.0 Cal ky BP. The shell was collected by Neandertals at a fossil exposure probably located more than 100 kms from the site. Microscopic analysis of the shell surface identifies clusters of striations on the inner lip. A dark red substance, trapped inside micropits produced by bioeroders, is interpreted as pigment that was homogeneously smeared on the outer shell surface. Dispersive X-ray and Raman analysis identify the pigment as pure hematite. Of the four hypotheses we considered to explain the presence of this object at the site, two (tool, pigment container) are discarded because in contradiction with observations. Although the other two (“manuport”, personal ornament) are both possible, we favor the hypothesis that the object was modified and suspended by a ‘thread’ for visual display as a pendant. Together with contextual and chronometric data, our results support the hypothesis that deliberate transport and coloring of an exotic object, and perhaps its use as pendant, was a component of Neandertal symbolic culture, well before the earliest appearance of the anatomically modern humans in Europe.

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What function(s) for Palaeolithic polyhedrons, spheroids and bolas? Cases from France and North Africa

Cabanès,

Borel,

Preysler

et al. 2024

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Throwing Behaviour and the Mass Distribution of Geological Hand Samples, Hand Grenades and Olduvian Manuports

Cited by 14 publications

References 2 publications

Throwing behavior and mass distribution of stone selection in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)

Throwing behavior and mass distribution of stone selection in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)

An Ochered Fossil Marine Shell From the Mousterian of Fumane Cave, Italy

What function(s) for Palaeolithic polyhedrons, spheroids and bolas? Cases from France and North Africa

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