Technological Shifts in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa

在80至35 ka之间，南非的中石器时代（MSA）记录揭示了发明和创新的情节，并被更传统的技术的明显回归所打断。通常情况下，序列的仍然湾Howiesons Poort（HP）后Howiesons Poort工业显示的证据之间的技术转变macrolithic和准microlithic组合，仍然在很大程度上无法解释。在晚石器时代（LSA）的组合中可以观察到类似的重复技术转变。因此，MSA序列从广义上预示了在LSA中看到的技术行为的变化。早期出现在南非MSA的正式骨工具是发展新功能理念、技术或设备的趋势的明显例子，沿着有象征性的新奇事物，如贝壳珠子、雕刻的赭石和雕刻的鸵鸟蛋壳。 这种创造性被广泛认为是先进或现代行为的症状。LSA的狩猎采集者有一个非常灵活的方法来应对环境变化的石器技术。MSA的狩猎采集者也有类似的行为吗？为什么技术变革很重要？由于在史前的大部分时间里，技术变革相对缓慢，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。当人口密度增加时，这些进化是为了科普适应性问题，通过修改技术行为，从而进一步帮助任何成功的技术创新的传播。在国家科学基金会的支持下，保拉·维拉博士和一小队石器专家将对南非五个中石器时代遗址（边境洞穴、玫瑰小屋、锡布杜、克拉西斯河口和空心岩避难所）的组合进行技术研究。与Chris Henshilwood和玛丽Soressi的合作确保了从布隆伯斯洞穴的静止湾阶段获得数据。之前的NSF和利基基金会的赠款使该团队能够分析来自这些网站的一些组合。然而，仍然有许多悬而未决的问题，关于变化的速度和主要MSA阶段之间的连续性程度，每个主要阶段内存在的区域和时间的变化，高级行为的发生和意义，如工艺专业化在斯蒂尔湾阶段和男性之间的交换狩猎设备在Howiesons Poort阶段。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。在实验性复制的支持下，石器技术的研究是西欧研究的一个重要方面，但在南非MSA上很少进行。该项目为来自不同国家、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。PI将参加一个由南非法国研究所和南非大学组织的石器学研讨会，教授石器学分析方法，使用MSA材料，由PI。来自南非其他大学的学生和研究人员将参加。该项目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）教授石器分析。威特沃特斯兰德该讲习班将结合联合收割机示范实验knapping由熟练的火石knapper与教学岩屑分析方法，使用MSA材料，由P.I学生和研究人员从其他南非大学将参加。 该项目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）教授石器分析。

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.