Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)

Technological strategies for biface manufacture adopted during the Acheulean represent a significant shift in the Lower Palaeolithic.The appearance of intentional bifacial shaping indicates the imposition of form on stone tools not seen previously. Despite this importance, there is considerable scop...

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Autores: Akhilesh, Kumar, Rubio Jara, Susana, Panera Gallego, Joaquín, Santonja, Manuel, Pérez González, Alfredo José, Domínguez Rodrigo, Manuel, Bello-Alonso, Patricia, Pappu, Shanti
Tipo de documento: artigo
Data de publicação:2025
País:España
Recursos:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositório:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglês
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/124445
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124445
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:902.7: Prehistoria
Acheulean
Olduvai Gorge
Thiongo Korongo site
Experimental knapping
Handaxes
Naibor Soit Quartzite
Humanidades
Prehistoria
5504.05 Prehistoria
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spelling Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)Akhilesh, KumarRubio Jara, SusanaPanera Gallego, JoaquínSantonja, ManuelPérez González, Alfredo JoséDomínguez Rodrigo, ManuelBello-Alonso, PatriciaPappu, Shanti902.7: PrehistoriaAcheuleanOlduvai GorgeThiongo Korongo siteExperimental knappingHandaxesNaibor Soit QuartziteHumanidadesPrehistoria5504.05 PrehistoriaTechnological strategies for biface manufacture adopted during the Acheulean represent a significant shift in the Lower Palaeolithic.The appearance of intentional bifacial shaping indicates the imposition of form on stone tools not seen previously. Despite this importance, there is considerable scope for research into hominin decision-making while factoring in the differential properties of varied raw materials. Here, we discuss the results of an experimental knapping program of Acheulean handaxes on Naibor Soitquartzites (NSQ), aiming at investigating technological strategies observed at the Lower Floor TK Site (TKLF), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. We examine the unique properties of the NSQ raw material and the challenges faced during knapping slabs at various stages of the handaxe reduction sequence. We explore how the selection and extraction of suitable slabs for handaxe manufacture and the impact of specific geological structures within this raw material determine the final artefact form. We note the effect this had on the need for careful choices in selecting suitable slabs at the raw material sources based on considerations of the properties of the slab, thickness, and width, amongst other factors. Functional requirements and the NSQ slabs’ properties influenced strategies adopted for handaxe façonnage and the final tool morphology. We discuss choices made by Acheulean toolmakers when they adopted freehand and bipolar knapping techniques. These decisions can be identified through the nature of the debitage generated and the organization of flake scars on handaxes. We suggest that Acheulean hominins displayed high skill levels and evolved knapping strategies. These strategies allowed them to adapt to the complex task of implementing specific shaping techniques on NSQ slabs. This provides one of the few experimental studies that directly explore the impact of the particular requirements of flaking quartzites during the Acheulean. This study contributes to understanding the diversity of strategies and behavioral flexibility exhibited by Acheulean hominins.SpringerUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20252025-01-0120252025-01-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124445reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)InglésengAgencia Estatal de Investigación http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016 HAR2017-82463-C4-2-P ECONOMIA DE MATERIAS PRIMAS, PATRONES DE CONDUCTA Y OCUPACION DEL TERRITORIO ASOCIADOS AL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO EN LA GARGANTA DE OLDUVAI (TANZANIA). 2Agencia Estatal de Investigación http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023 PID2023-146260NB-C22 EL COMPORTAMIENTO SOCIOESPACIAL DE GRUPOS HUMANOS CON TECNOLOGIA ACHELENSE EN LA GARGANTA DE OLDUVAIopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/1244452026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
title Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
spellingShingle Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
Akhilesh, Kumar
902.7: Prehistoria
Acheulean
Olduvai Gorge
Thiongo Korongo site
Experimental knapping
Handaxes
Naibor Soit Quartzite
Humanidades
Prehistoria
5504.05 Prehistoria
title_short Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
title_full Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
title_fullStr Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
title_full_unstemmed Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
title_sort Reconstructing Skills and Strategies of Hominins During the Early Acheulean: Behavioral Flexibility in Handaxe Production at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Akhilesh, Kumar
Rubio Jara, Susana
Panera Gallego, Joaquín
Santonja, Manuel
Pérez González, Alfredo José
Domínguez Rodrigo, Manuel
Bello-Alonso, Patricia
Pappu, Shanti
author Akhilesh, Kumar
author_facet Akhilesh, Kumar
Rubio Jara, Susana
Panera Gallego, Joaquín
Santonja, Manuel
Pérez González, Alfredo José
Domínguez Rodrigo, Manuel
Bello-Alonso, Patricia
Pappu, Shanti
author_role author
author2 Rubio Jara, Susana
Panera Gallego, Joaquín
Santonja, Manuel
Pérez González, Alfredo José
Domínguez Rodrigo, Manuel
Bello-Alonso, Patricia
Pappu, Shanti
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv 902.7: Prehistoria
Acheulean
Olduvai Gorge
Thiongo Korongo site
Experimental knapping
Handaxes
Naibor Soit Quartzite
Humanidades
Prehistoria
5504.05 Prehistoria
topic 902.7: Prehistoria
Acheulean
Olduvai Gorge
Thiongo Korongo site
Experimental knapping
Handaxes
Naibor Soit Quartzite
Humanidades
Prehistoria
5504.05 Prehistoria
description Technological strategies for biface manufacture adopted during the Acheulean represent a significant shift in the Lower Palaeolithic.The appearance of intentional bifacial shaping indicates the imposition of form on stone tools not seen previously. Despite this importance, there is considerable scope for research into hominin decision-making while factoring in the differential properties of varied raw materials. Here, we discuss the results of an experimental knapping program of Acheulean handaxes on Naibor Soitquartzites (NSQ), aiming at investigating technological strategies observed at the Lower Floor TK Site (TKLF), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. We examine the unique properties of the NSQ raw material and the challenges faced during knapping slabs at various stages of the handaxe reduction sequence. We explore how the selection and extraction of suitable slabs for handaxe manufacture and the impact of specific geological structures within this raw material determine the final artefact form. We note the effect this had on the need for careful choices in selecting suitable slabs at the raw material sources based on considerations of the properties of the slab, thickness, and width, amongst other factors. Functional requirements and the NSQ slabs’ properties influenced strategies adopted for handaxe façonnage and the final tool morphology. We discuss choices made by Acheulean toolmakers when they adopted freehand and bipolar knapping techniques. These decisions can be identified through the nature of the debitage generated and the organization of flake scars on handaxes. We suggest that Acheulean hominins displayed high skill levels and evolved knapping strategies. These strategies allowed them to adapt to the complex task of implementing specific shaping techniques on NSQ slabs. This provides one of the few experimental studies that directly explore the impact of the particular requirements of flaking quartzites during the Acheulean. This study contributes to understanding the diversity of strategies and behavioral flexibility exhibited by Acheulean hominins.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2025-01-01
2025
2025-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124445
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124445
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Agencia Estatal de Investigación http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016 HAR2017-82463-C4-2-P ECONOMIA DE MATERIAS PRIMAS, PATRONES DE CONDUCTA Y OCUPACION DEL TERRITORIO ASOCIADOS AL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO EN LA GARGANTA DE OLDUVAI (TANZANIA). 2
Agencia Estatal de Investigación http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023 PID2023-146260NB-C22 EL COMPORTAMIENTO SOCIOESPACIAL DE GRUPOS HUMANOS CON TECNOLOGIA ACHELENSE EN LA GARGANTA DE OLDUVAI
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,811543

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