TY - JOUR
T1 - Technology or taphonomy? A study of the 2.04–1.95 Ma bone tools from Drimolen Main Quarry, South Africa
AU - Stammers, Rhiannon C.
AU - Adams, Justin W.
AU - Baker, Stephanie E.
AU - Herries, Andy I.R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/8/20
Y1 - 2023/8/20
N2 - Analysis of 124 rounded fossils, potential bone tools, from the 2.04–1.95 Ma early hominin-bearing Drimolen Main Quarry palaeocave deposits in South Africa were subject to comparative analysis of fossil and bone collections with known taphonomic accumulator/s, actualistic experiments, and comparative analysis relative to published data in the taphonomic literature. From this sample, 51 specimens were identified as bone tools. The inclusion of these specimens raises the number of bone tools identified at Drimolen Main Quarry to 65. The bone tools have a rounded tip and an associated use-wear pattern that is restricted to, and radiates from, this rounded tip. Diaphyseal fragments were the most common raw material selected for tool use. We hypothesise that the raw material was collected from both carnivore kill and natural death sites. The striation patterns, identified though visual comparisons, present on the bone tools comprise parallel, subparallel and diagonal striations which suggests that the tools may have had a multi-use application. The place of bone technology within the South African Earlier Stone Age is also discussed.
AB - Analysis of 124 rounded fossils, potential bone tools, from the 2.04–1.95 Ma early hominin-bearing Drimolen Main Quarry palaeocave deposits in South Africa were subject to comparative analysis of fossil and bone collections with known taphonomic accumulator/s, actualistic experiments, and comparative analysis relative to published data in the taphonomic literature. From this sample, 51 specimens were identified as bone tools. The inclusion of these specimens raises the number of bone tools identified at Drimolen Main Quarry to 65. The bone tools have a rounded tip and an associated use-wear pattern that is restricted to, and radiates from, this rounded tip. Diaphyseal fragments were the most common raw material selected for tool use. We hypothesise that the raw material was collected from both carnivore kill and natural death sites. The striation patterns, identified though visual comparisons, present on the bone tools comprise parallel, subparallel and diagonal striations which suggests that the tools may have had a multi-use application. The place of bone technology within the South African Earlier Stone Age is also discussed.
KW - Bone tools
KW - Drimolen Main Quarry
KW - Earlier stone age
KW - Homo erectus
KW - Paranthropus robustus
KW - South african early homo
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151454432&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.005
DO - 10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85151454432
SN - 1040-6182
VL - 665-666
SP - 20
EP - 33
JO - Quaternary International
JF - Quaternary International
ER -