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

在人类进化史上，阿舍利技术被使用了超过100万年，然而，人类物种产生阿舍利工具的行为仍然知之甚少。人类进化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（通常被称为罗得西亚人或海德堡人）的更多衍生形式的出现。在原始环境中发现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不完整。据推测，阿舍利古人类表现出了更多的掠食行为，并且比产生奥尔多瓦古人类的祖先消耗了更多的动物组织。奥尔多瓦古人类的食肉性已经得到了广泛的研究，并建立了大量的地语学和动物考古学研究。尽管从奥尔多安人到阿舍利人的过渡很重要，但绝大多数调查阿舍利人行为的研究都集中在更有代表性的人工制品样本上。福里斯特女士的研究将有助于扩大对南非阿舍利古人类行为生态学的调查，其方式可以与东非的类似研究相媲美，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，从小的核心和薄片主导的奥尔多瓦工业到大型双面切削工具的制造。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。绝大多数调查阿舍利人族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与人工制品主要相关的动物遗骸。在南非，人们对阿舍利人的觅食行为知之甚少，因此很难对整个非洲大陆的阿舍利人的生活方式做出全面的描述。该研究将重建最近在南非西开普省Elandsfontein出土的约80万年前（Ka）阿舍利动物遗骸的类人猿行为学历史和古环境背景，以开始解决阿舍利人族行为生态学研究不足的方面。虽然过去曾对埃兰方丹的阿舍勒沉积物进行过研究，但其中大部分材料都是在通货紧缩的表面上非系统地收集的，并不能反映出真正的考古组合。基于新挖掘样本的观察揭示了一种尸体堆积和修改的模式，这与基于先前收集的材料的解释有很大不同，包括比过去注意到的更高频率的古人类骨骼损伤。通过提供来自南非阿舍利人遗址的新数据，这项研究将解决我们对阿舍利人族行为理解中的一个重大地理偏见。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几何形态计量学，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，从而进一步促进美国和南非研究人员之间的关系。分析将使用通常不适合其他类型研究的材料，例如破碎的下颌骨和长骨，从而增加博物馆藏品的价值。最后，由开普敦大学赞助的一个实地课程将提供一个机会，向来自传统上在科学领域代表性不足的少数民族的南非学生教授这些技能。

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.