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Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period

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A special issue of Quaternary (ISSN 2571-550X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 42732

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Prof. Dr. Ran Barkai

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Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near East Cultures, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv 66978, Israel
Interests: lower palaeolithic; acheulean; handaxes; elephants; diet; cosmology and ontology; lithic technology; caves; cultural evolution
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Dear Colleagues,

The incredibly long Paleolithic period is still considered by some as a stagnant phase in human cultural and biological evolution prior to the appearance of our direct ancestors. However, extensive interdisciplinary research in recent years has clearly demonstrated that this is not the case. Starting from the earliest stages of human presence on the planet some three million years ago, an impressive series of transformations, innovations, modifications and adaptations characterise our lineage. These changes in behaviour and culture took place alongside biological adaptations in human physical properties; faunal turnovers and extinctions as well as climatic fluctuations. This makes the Old Stone Age a hectic, dynamic and lively epoch worthy of investigation both in the diachronic and synchronic levels, in order to decipher the nature of transformations that characterize the emergence, prosperity and legacy of our lineage.

This Special Issue, “Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period”, aims to present the state-of-the-art as well as outside of the box studies regarding changes in human adaptation; human physiology; faunal diversity; climatic fluctuations as well as the possible nexus between these lines of inquiry. We especially seek innovative and provocative thinking related to, but not limited to: the emergence and disappearance of lithic technologies; the emergence and disappearance of human species and physical characteristics; turnovers and extinctions of prey animals; transformations in human diet and trophic levels; changes in burial practices and symbolic expressions, and so on and so forth. No chronological nor geographical boundaries are set, as long as the Lower, Middle, Upper and Epi Paleolithic periods are concerned. Particular case studies as well as more comprehensive overviews are welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Ran Barkai
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2645 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Hand Dimensions on Finger Flexion during Lower Paleolithic Stone Tool Use in a Comfortable Grip

by Annapaola Fedato, María Silva-Gago, Marcos Terradillos-Bernal, Rodrigo Alonso-Alcalde and Emiliano Bruner

Quaternary 2024, 7(3), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat7030029 - 29 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1236

Abstract

Considering the biomechanical and cognitive aspects involved in tool manipulation, hand size emerges as a critical factor. Males, on average, exhibit greater grip strength attributed to larger hand dimensions. Beyond mere physical factors, cognitive components tied to visuospatial abilities also influence stone tool use. However, the intricate relationship between hand size, grip strength, and ergonomic patterns necessitates further exploration. Here, we study the ergonomic pattern of phalanx flexion during the manipulation of Lower Paleolithic stone tools (choppers and handaxes) to understand the nuanced interplay between hand dimensions and grasping behaviors in Lower Paleolithic stone tool use. The static hand posture during the comfortable grasping of each tool is measured using a motion capture hand glove. Flexions are measured at the metacarpophalangeal joint, the proximal interphalangeal joint and the distal interphalangeal joint of each finger. Our investigation into Lower Paleolithic stone tool manipulation reveals gender-based differences in phalanx flexion, with hand dimensions showing correlation only in pooled samples. However, these associations diminish when analyzing males and females separately. This study suggests a minimal link between hand size and grasping behavior within our sample, hinting at the influence of cognitive, behavioral, and motor factors. Exploring lifestyle and psychometric profiles could provide further insights. In the context of early human technology, our results prompt considerations on the evolution of the hand-tool interaction system, linking our tool-dependent culture to our phylogenetic history. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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19 pages, 34431 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Settlement of Northern Italy: Problems and Perspectives

by Paolo Biagi

Quaternary 2024, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat7010002 - 4 Jan 2024

Viewed by 3150

Abstract

This paper considers some problems of the Late Palaeolithic and the Mesolithic periods in Northern Italy. More precisely, it deals with chronology, settlement pattern, techno-typological characteristics of knapped stone assemblages, and climatic changes that have taken place in the region from the discovery of the first sites in the 1960s and the excavations that soon followed to the present state of research. The Italian Alps, the Piedmont, and the valleys that descend from the high massifs have yielded important traces of Late Palaeolithic (Final Epigravettian) and Mesolithic (Sauveterrian and Castelnovian) sites and findspots, some of which are rock shelters that were settled throughout several millennia. This paper describes and discusses the evidence available mainly from two regions of the western and eastern Alpine arc, which are characterised by very different landscapes and yielded a great variety of archaeological features. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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27 pages, 6903 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Ecological Constraints and Drivers for Human Dispersals and Adaptations in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene Environments of the East Siberian Arctic

by Vladimir V. Pitulko and Elena Y. Pavlova

Quaternary 2023, 6(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6040056 - 6 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2516

Abstract

Starting roughly 50,000 years ago, the Arctic region of East Siberia remained continuously populated by groups of anatomically modern humans including the most uncomfortable episodes in the development of the late Quaternary environment; for some of them, human presence in the area became ephemeral. At present, archaeological fossil records allow for distinguishing three main stages in human occupation of the area: Early (~50 to ~29 ka, MIS 3), middle (~29 to ~11.7 ka, MIS 2), and late (from 11.7 to ~8 ka). For most of the time, they the populated open landscapes of the Mammoth Steppe, which declined at the onset of the Holocene. Human settlement of the Arctic was driven by various abiotic and biotic factors and thus archaeologically visible cardinal cultural and technological changes correspond to the most important paleoclimatic and habitat changes in the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. Successful peopling of the Arctic was largely facilitated by the adoption of critically important innovations such as sewing technology based on the use of the eyed bone needle and the manufacture of long shafts and pointed implements made of mammoth tusks. Mammoth exploitation is seen in mass accumulations of mammoths formed by hunting. An obvious connection between archaeological materials and such accumulations is observed in the archaeological record. In the lithic technology, the early stage is presented by archaic-looking flake industries. Starting the LGM, the wedge-core based-microblade technology known as the Beringian microblade tradition spread widely following the shrinkage of the mammoth range. At the late stage, starting at the Holocene boundary, microprismatic blade technology occurs. In all stages, the complex social behavior of the ancient Arctic settlers is revealed. The long-distance transport of products, knowledge, and genes occurs due to the introduction of the land transportation system. Initial human settlement of this region is associated with carriers of the West Eurasian genome who became replaced by the population with East Asian ancestry constantly moving North under the pressure of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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14 pages, 5675 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stage or Sub-Stage: The Contribution of Small Mammals to the Characterization of Middle Pleistocene Local Climate Variation

by Loïc Lebreton and Juan Manuel López-García

Quaternary 2023, 6(4), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6040054 - 10 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2567

Abstract

In western Europe, the Middle Pleistocene is marked by Acheulean settlement and their diversification after the MIS 12. The Arago cave recovery of numerous human settlements correlate to MIS 14, 13 and MIS 12 making it an important site for the understanding of the Lower Palaeolithic in Southwestern Europe. It is also an important site for the understanding of palaeoenvironments and palaeobiodiversity as it has yielded rich faunal associations. The faunal associations allow us to observe three climatic stages within this study: two cold ones and a mild one. Small vertebrates, with their abundance and their diversity, are particularly useful for observing these periods, which historically have been correlated to glacial or interglacial stages. If the first cold phase, dated 438 ± 31 ka, is correlated to the Marine Isotopic Stage 12 (MIS 12), the correlation of the following phases to isotopic stages can be discussed. They may correspond to climatic variations of the MIS 12. Indeed, the latest studies about palaeoclimatic reconstitution which allow us to define the evolution of the palaeo-temperature show that these differences are relatively small. Therefore, instead of a correlation to MIS 12, 13 and 14, the medium complex of the Arago cave could belong solely to MIS 12. The correlation of these environmental changes to other global data, notably the isotopic curve, is challenging because there are various local factors influencing faunal association. We propose here both hypotheses and discuss the various factors which influence the distribution and the representation of the small vertebrate species present on the site. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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12 pages, 3158 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lower Paleolithic Shaped Stone Balls—What Is Next? Some Cultural–Cognitive Questions

by Ella Assaf, Javier Baena Preysler and Emiliano Bruner

Quaternary 2023, 6(4), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6040051 - 1 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2160

Abstract

Shaped stone balls (SSBs) were an integral part of human culture across the Old World for nearly 2 million years. They are one of the oldest implements made and used by humans. In this significant era, which was characterised by biological and cultural transformations, these round implements were a stable hallmark throughout the Lower Paleolithic period and beyond. However, while much research progress has been made in other stone tool categories, and despite the increased research efforts in recent years, attempts to define SSB function and typology have remained inconclusive, and broader cultural and cognitive aspects related to their production techniques, use and dispersal have yet to be explored in depth. What is the significance of their continuous presence and wide geographical distribution? What do these imply regarding the cognitive abilities of Oldowan and Acheulian humans? In this paper, we turn the spotlight on these enigmatic items. We address unresolved issues and explore the ergonomic and perceptual properties stimulated by the geometry of these items. We show that stone ball variability matches (modern) human hand palm variability. Moreover, when using SSBs in percussion activities, they are handled with the entire palm. Following, we discuss the role of SSBs in the context of socio-cultural processes. We suggest that SSBs reflect some of the earliest evidence in human history of a specific form that was conceptualised and recurrently acted upon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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36 pages, 13726 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Foxes in Retrospect—Unraveling Human-Fox Relationships through Fox Tooth Ornaments in the Swabian Jura

by Flavia Venditti, Madison J. McCartin, Melanie-Larisa Ostermann, Nicholas J. Conard and Sibylle Wolf

Quaternary 2023, 6(3), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030050 - 21 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3238

Abstract

Personal ornaments play an important role in our understanding of human cultural and behavioral change during the Upper Paleolithic, providing insights into intangible aspects of human cultural behavior. Some ornament forms are better studied than others, and fox tooth ornaments, despite their frequent occurrence and broad spatiotemporal span, are relatively under-addressed. Here we present the first comprehensive study of 40 perforated fox teeth recovered from four cave sites in southwestern Germany. This region’s rich record of symbolic representations, as well as evidence of long-standing human–fox relationships, make the Swabian Jura an ideal case study for investigations of fox tooth ornaments. By applying a holistic approach, including geometric morphometrics and traceology coupled with experimental archaeology, we show that fox teeth were mostly perforated by bifacial scraping and grooving and were worn as ornaments. We discuss the role of foxes within human socio-symbolic and paleoenvironmental systems during the Upper Paleolithic of the Swabian Jura, and we contextualize our results within the broader context of sites across Europe during the Upper Paleolithic. The data we provide are in line with general trends observed across the continent and offer insight into the role of foxes during the Upper Paleolithic, especially regarding human subsistence, cultural expression, and ornament production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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20 pages, 3413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of Paleolithic Hunting Weapons: A Response to Declining Prey Size

by Miki Ben-Dor and Ran Barkai

Quaternary 2023, 6(3), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030046 - 24 Aug 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 12834

Abstract

This paper examines the hypothesis that changes in hunting weapons during the Paleolithic were a direct response to a progressive decline in prey size. The study builds upon a unified hypothesis that explains Paleolithic human evolutionary and behavioral/cultural phenomena, including improved cognitive capabilities, as adaptations to mitigate declined energetic returns due to a decline in prey size. Five selected case studies in Africa and Europe were analyzed to test this hypothesis, focusing on the relative presence of megaherbivores (>1000 kg) in the transition between the Acheulean/Early Stone Age and the Middle Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age. The findings indicate a decline in megaherbivores’ presence and biomass contribution in the studied transition period associated with the introduction of Levallois technology. We review the evolution of hunting weapons, including wooden-tipped and stone-tipped spears and bows and arrows. Analysis of tip size and breakage patterns indicate a reduction in point size over time, aligning with the declining prey size. We propose that changes in hunting weapons and strategies were driven by the practical and ontological incentives presented by the availability and size of prey. Developing smaller, more precise weapons required increased cognitive capacities, leading to the parallel evolution of human cognitive abilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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25 pages, 915 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Large Mammals as Vitamin C Sources for MIS 3 Hominins

by José Luis Guil-Guerrero

Quaternary 2023, 6(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6010020 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5067

Abstract

The acquisition of large prey by hominins living during the Marine Isotope Stage 3, including Neanderthals and Anatomically Modern Humans, had nutritional and bioenergetic implications: these contain high fat amounts, provide a high energy return, and the strategies and skills required to acquire small prey were different from those required to acquire the former. Vitamin C availability at several MIS 3 periods could have had a strong seasonal variability and would have been decisive for hominin groups’ survival. During the cold periods of the MIS 3, Paleolithic hominins had variable available amounts of vitamin C-containing plants only in the short summers, and for the remainder of the year, viscera would have been their best source of vitamin C. Meanwhile, the dependence on small mammals could have caused an erratic distribution of viscera to be consumed by such hominins, thus leading to chronic scurvy, and compromising their survival. Then, the hunting of large mammals would have helped to meet the daily vitamin C needs, besides an efficient energy supply. Therefore, the decline of large prey during the MIS 3 could have been critical for hominins survival, and thus the efficient exploitation of alternative vitamin C-rich food resources such as birds and aquatic animals could have favored the evolutionary success of hominin populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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23 pages, 3294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neanderthal Hunting Weapons Re-Assessed: A Tip Cross-Sectional Area Analysis of Middle Palaeolithic Point Assemblages from South Eastern France

by Marlize Lombard and Marie-Hélène Moncel

Quaternary 2023, 6(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6010017 - 1 Mar 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7556

Abstract

There are many opinions and arguments about the types of weapons that Neanderthals may have used. We list five assumptions about Neanderthal weapon-assisted hunting and suggest that the tip cross-sectional area (TCSA) approach may be used to assess these, and to provide a hypothetical overview of stone-tipped weaponry used in south eastern France between MIS 7 and MIS 3. We analysed stone points from Abri du Maras, Saint-Marcel, Grotte du Figuier, and Payre, and discuss possible hunting strategies in tandem with faunal evidence. Our results suggest that early Neanderthals may have hunted with bimanual thrusting spears in combination with one-handed stabbing spears, but that later groups possibly introduced javelin hunting to the Neanderthal arsenal. Stone-tipped assegais or one-handed stabbing spears, however, stand out as the Neanderthal weapons of choice throughout the Middle Palaeolithic, and we discuss the adaptive advantages of hunting with these weapons. Comparative results that include assemblages from elsewhere in the Old World suggest similarities in hunting with stone-tipped weapons between Neanderthal and H. sapiens before MIS 5, marked differences during MIS 5–4, but similarities again during MIS 3. We suggest that caution is needed when attributing MIS 3 point assemblages to Neanderthals based on age and/or technology only. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period)

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