Technological Shifts in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa

在80至35ka之间，南非的中石器时代(MSA)记录揭示了发明和创新的插曲，其间被更传统技术的明显回归所打断。通常，从静湾到豪威逊港(HP)再到后豪威森波特工业的序列表明，宏观岩屑和准微观岩屑组合之间的技术转变在很大程度上仍未得到解释。在晚期石器时代(LSA)的组合中也可以观察到类似的重复技术转变。因此，MSA序列预示了在LSA中看到的技术行为的变化。早期出现在南非MSA的正式骨骼工具是开发新功能想法、技术或设备的趋势的明显例子，以及象征性的新奇物品，如贝珠、雕刻的赭石和切割的鸵鸟蛋壳。这种创造性被广泛认为是先进或现代行为的症状。LSA狩猎采集者对岩屑技术有非常灵活的方法，以应对环境变化。MSA狩猎采集者的行为也是类似的吗？为什么技术转变很重要？由于技术变革在史前的大部分时间里都相对缓慢，技术变革速度的突然增加被认为是新认知能力出现的信号。在人口密度增加的时候，这些技术通过改变技术行为来应对适应性问题，从而进一步帮助任何成功的技术创新的传播。这些是人类文化进化的重要步骤。在国家科学基金会的支持下，Paola Villa博士和一个石器专家小组将对南非五个中石器时代遗址(边界洞穴、玫瑰小屋、Sibuu、Klasies河口和中空岩石避难所)的组合进行技术研究。与克里斯·亨希尔伍德和玛丽·索雷西的合作确保了对布隆博斯洞穴静海湾阶段的数据的访问。之前NSF和Leakey基金会的拨款使该团队能够分析这些地点的一些组装。然而，在以下方面仍然有许多悬而未决的问题：变化的速度和主要MSA阶段之间的连续程度；每个主要阶段内存在的区域和时间差异；静水湾阶段高级行为的发生和意义；以及Howiesons Poort阶段男性之间狩猎装备的交换。需要对区域序列进行详细分析，以了解技术和古环境变化是否一致。该团队汇集了南非考古学家和法国技术专家。在实验复制的支持下，对碎石技术的研究是西欧研究的一个重要方面，但很少在南非的MSA上进行。该项目为不同国家和具有不同但互补技能的研究人员之间的密切交流和科学互动提供了机会。该项目还将扩大南非大学学生的参与范围。国际和平研究所将参加由南非法国研究所和南非国立大学举办的岩石学讲习班，并由国际和平研究所教授使用MSA材料的岩石学分析方法。来自南非其他大学的学生和研究人员将参加。国际和平研究所将向威特沃特斯兰德大学和非洲遗产研究所的两名博士生(均为女性)教授岩屑分析。威特沃特斯兰德。研讨会将结合熟练的打火机实验打结演示和传授使用MSA材料的碎石分析方法，P.I的学生和来自南非其他大学的研究人员将参加。国际和平研究所将向威特沃特斯兰德大学和非洲遗产研究所的两名博士生(均为女性)教授岩屑分析。

Between 80 to 35 ka the Middle Stone Age (MSA) record of South Africa reveals episodes of inventiveness and innovation, punctuated by apparent returns to more conventional technologies. Typically, the sequence of Still Bay to Howiesons Poort (HP) to post-Howiesons Poort industries shows evidence of technological shifts between macrolithic and quasi-microlithic assemblages that remain largely unexplained. Similar repeated technological shifts can be observed in Later Stone Age (LSA) assemblages. Thus the MSA sequence prefigures sensu lato the alternations in technological behavior seen in the LSA. Formal bone tools that appear early in the South African MSA are clear examples of a tendency to develop new functional ideas, techniques or devices, along with symbolic novelties like shell beads, engraved ochre and incised ostrich eggshells. Such inventiveness is widely viewed as symptomatic of advanced or modern behavior. LSA hunter-gatherers had a very flexible approach to lithic technology that responded to environmental changes. Were MSA hunter-gatherers behaving in similar ways? Why are technological shifts important? Since technological change is relatively slow through most of prehistory, sudden increases in rates of technological change are thought to signal the emergence of new cognitive abilities. These evolved to cope with adaptive problems, by modifying technological behavior, at times when demographic densities had increased, thus further aiding the spread of any successful technological innovations. These are major steps in human cultural evolution.With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Paola Villa and a small team of lithic specialists will carry out technological studies of assemblages in five Middle Stone Age sites in South Africa (Border Cave, Rose Cottage, Sibudu, Klasies River Mouth and Hollow Rock Shelter). Collaboration with Chris Henshilwood and Marie Soressi ensures access to data from the Still Bay phase of Blombos Cave. Previous NSF and Leakey Foundation grants have allowed the team to analyze some of the assemblages from those sites. However there are still many open questions concerning the pace of change and degree of continuity between the major MSA phases, the existence of regional and temporal variability within each major phase, the occurrence and significance of advanced behaviors such as craft specialization in the Still Bay phase and the inter-male exchange of hunting equipment in the Howiesons Poort phase. Detailed analyses of regional sequences are needed to understand if technological and paleoenvironmental changes coincide.The team brings together South African archaeologists and French technologists. Studies of lithic technologies, supported by experimental replication, are an important aspect of research in Western Europe but have rarely been carried out on the South African MSA. This project provides opportunity for close exchange and scientific interaction between researchers of different countries and with different but complementary skills. The project will also broaden the participation of students from South African Universities. The PI will participate in a lithic workshop, organized by the French Institute of South Africa and the University of with teaching lithic analysis methods, using MSA materials, by the P.I. Students and researchers from other South African universities will participate. The PI will teach lithic analysis to two doctoral students (both women) at the University of Witwatersrand and the African Heritage Research Institute. Witwatersrand. The workshop will combine demonstrations of experimental knapping by skilled flint knappers with teaching lithic analysis methods, using MSA materials, by the P.I Students and researchers from other South African universities will participate. The PI will teach lithic analysis to two doctoral students (both women) at the University of Witwatersrand and the African Heritage Research Institute.