Qualitative and quantitative differences in innovative behaviour in the Palaeolithic - the example of Middle Stone Age techno-complexes of Southern Africa

该项目涉及旧石器时代工具使用背景下的创新。非洲南部中石器时代不同技术综合体的材料遗迹被选为时空范围。它的目的是以定性和定量的方式系统地分析考古人工制品（石器，有机人工制品，装饰品，其他人工制品）固有的创新行为。应制订一种可推广到任何其他时期或地理区域的普遍分析方法。考古组合中可理解的创新将从三个层面进行分析：关于类型学的创新，关于制造和使用技术方面的创新，以及关于认知方面的创新。使用在项目运行之前和运行中开发的方法（认知图编码、有效链），可以显示工具使用的认知背景。完全新奇、例外和变体的创新特征成为可能（G-E-V方法）。在下文中，将对定量和定性结果进行分析，并将其与来自早期石器时代（ESA）和后期石器时代（LSA）以及邻近地区早期出现的材料进行比较，以分析中石器时代的文化变化，并深入了解不同的创新速度和过程。

The project deals with innovations in the context of tool use in the Palaeolithic. The material remains of the different techno-complexes of the Middle Stone Age of Southern Africa have been chosen as spatio-chronological range. It is the aim to systematically analyse the innovative behaviour inherent in archaeological artefacts (stone tools, organic artefacts, ornaments, other artefacts) in a qualitative and quantitative way. A universal approach of analysis shall be developed that can be transmitted to any other period or geographical area. The innovations comprehensible in archaeological assemblages will be analysed on three levels: regarding typological innovations, regarding innovations concerning technological aspects in manufacture and use, and regarding cognitive aspects. Using methods which have been developed before and within the running project (coding in cognigrams, effective chains), the cognitive background of tool use can be shown. A characterisation of innovation in complete novelties, exaptions, and variants becomes possible (G-E-V approach). In the following the quantitative and qualitative results will be analysed and compared to material from antedecent ESA (Early Stone Age) and subsequent LSA (Late Stone Age) as well as to earlier appearances in adjacent regions in order to analyse the cultural change in the Middle Stone Age and to gain insight into different innovation rates and processes.