Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Analysis of Materials From the Elandsfontein Site

博士论文改进补助金：来自埃兰兹方丹遗址的材料分析

• 批准号: 1345747
• 负责人: Thomas Plummer
• 金额: $ 1.32万
• 依托单位: CUNY Graduate School University Center
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1345747&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Analysis

Acheulean technology was used for well over 1 million years of hominin evolutionary history, yet the behaviors of the hominin species that produced Acheulean tools remain poorly understood. Important events in human evolution occurred during this time span, including the extinction of Homo erectus in Africa, and the appearance of more derived form(s) of Middle Pleistocene hominins (frequently termed Homo rhodesiensis or Homo heidelbergensis). Acheulean sites with artifacts and associated fossils in primary context are rare, and as a result, our undertstanding of hominin subsistence remains incomplete. It has been hypothesized that Acheulean hominins demonstrated increased predatory behavior and consumed more animal tissue than their Oldowan producing predecessors. Carnivory in Oldowan hominins has been examined extensively and a large body of taphonomic and zooarchaeological research has been established. Despite the importance of the transition from the Oldowan to the Acheulean, the vast majority of studies that investigate Acheulean hominin behavior have focused on the better represented artifact sample. Ms. Forrest's research will help expand the investigations of Acheulean hominin behavioral ecology in South Africa in a way that is comparable to similar studies in East Africa, and will give us a more complete understanding of hominin lifeways during this important time in human evolution. The Acheulean stone tool industry represents an important shift from the small core and flake dominated Oldowan industry to the manufacture of large bifacial cutting tools. Despite the significance of this transition, relatively little is known about the hominins that manufactured Acheulean tools. The vast majority of studies that investigate Acheulean hominin behavior have focused on artifact technology, as most African Acheulean sites lack well preserved faunal remains in primary association with artifacts. Knowledge of Acheulean hominin foraging behavior is especially poor in South Africa, making it difficult to create a holistic picture of Acheulean lifeways across the continent. The proposed research will reconstruct the taphonomic history and paleoenvironmental context of recently excavated ca. 800 thousand year old (Ka) Acheulean faunal remains from Elandsfontein, Western Cape, South Africa to begin addressing under-investigated aspects of Acheulean hominin behavioral ecology. Though Acheulean deposits at Elandsfontein have been studied in the past, much of that material was collected unsystematically from deflation surfaces and does not reflect a true archeological assemblage. Observations based on newly excavated samples reveal a pattern of carcass accumulation and modification that differs significantly from interpretations based on previously collected material, including higher frequencies of hominin damage to bones than noted in the past. By providing new data on an in-situ Acheulean site from South Africa, this study will address a significant geographic bias in our understanding of Acheulean hominin behavior. This study will positively impact science by supporting a female student. Through international research, the Co-PI will be able to demonstrate techniques for collecting morphological data such as 3D geometric morphometrics, which will increase global scientific knowledge. Ms. Forrest will also be collaborating with individuals from international universities and museums thus promoting further relationships between American and South African researchers. The analyses will make use of materials that are generally not suitable for other types of study, such as fragmented mandibles and long bones, thus increasing the value of museum collections. Finally, a field course sponsored by the University of Cape Town will provide an opportunity to teach these skills to South African students from ethnic groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in the sciences.

在人类进化史上，阿舍利技术已经使用了超过100万年，但人们对生产阿舍利工具的人类物种的行为仍然知之甚少。人类进化中的重要事件发生在这段时间内，包括非洲直立人的灭绝，以及中更新世人类（经常被称为罗得西亚人或海德堡人）的衍生形式的出现。在原始环境中有人工制品和相关化石的阿舍利遗址是罕见的，因此，我们对人类生存的理解仍然是不完整的。 有人推测，阿舍利人表现出更强的捕食行为，并消耗更多的动物组织比他们的奥尔德沃生产的前辈。奥尔德沃古人类的食肉行为已被广泛研究，大量的埋藏学和动物考古学研究也已建立。尽管从奥尔德沃人到阿舍利人的过渡很重要，但绝大多数研究阿舍利人行为的研究都集中在更好地代表人工制品样本上。Forrest女士的研究将有助于扩大南非阿舍利古人类行为生态学的调查，其方式与东非的类似研究相当，并将使我们更全面地了解人类进化中这一重要时期的古人类生活方式。阿舍利石制工具工业代表了一个重要的转变，从小核心和薄片主导的奥尔德沃工业，以制造大型双面切割工具。尽管这一转变意义重大，但人们对制造阿舍利工具的古人类知之甚少。绝大多数研究阿舍利古人类行为的研究都集中在人工制品技术上，因为大多数非洲阿舍利遗址缺乏保存完好的动物遗骸，主要与人工制品有关。在南非，对阿舍利人觅食行为的了解尤其贫乏，这使得很难在整个非洲大陆上建立阿舍利人生活方式的整体图景。这项研究将重建最近出土的化石的埋藏历史和古环境背景。南非西开普省Elandsfontein的80万年（Ka）阿舍利动物群遗骸，开始解决阿舍利人类行为生态学研究不足的问题。虽然埃兰兹方丹的阿舍利沉积物在过去曾被研究过，但大部分材料都是从放气表面不系统地收集的，并不能反映真正的考古学组合。基于新挖掘的样本的观察揭示了尸体积累和修改的模式，与基于先前收集的材料的解释显着不同，包括比过去注意到的更高频率的人类对骨骼的损伤。通过提供新的数据在南非的一个现场阿舍利遗址，这项研究将解决一个显着的地理偏见，我们的阿舍利人的行为的理解。这项研究将通过支持一名女学生对科学产生积极影响。通过国际研究，Co-PI将能够展示收集形态数据的技术，如3D几何形态测量学，这将增加全球科学知识。Forrest女士还将与来自国际大学和博物馆的个人合作，从而促进美国和南非研究人员之间的进一步关系。这些分析将利用通常不适合其他类型研究的材料，例如下颌骨碎片和长骨，从而增加博物馆收藏品的价值。最后，由开普敦大学主办的一个实地课程将提供机会，向来自历来在科学方面人数不足的种族群体的南非学生教授这些技能。