Hs littoral 164 ka
- From: Marc Verhaegen <m_verhaegen@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:00:32 +0200
Nature 449:905-8
Early human use of marine resources and pigment in South Africa during the
Middle Pleistocene
CW Marean cs.2007
Genetic and anatomical evidence suggests that Homo sapiens arose in Africa
between 200 and 100 ka, and recent evidence indicates symbolic behaviour may
have appeared c.13575 ka. From 195130 ka, the world was in a fluctuating
but predominantly glacial stage (marine isotope stage MIS6); much of Africa
was cooler and drier, and dated archaeological sites are rare. Here we show
that by c.164 +-12 ka at Pinnacle Point (on the south coast of South Africa)
humans expanded their diet to include marine resources, perhaps as a
response to these harsh environmental conditions. The earliest previous
evidence for human use of marine resources and coastal habitats was dated to
c.125 ka. Coincident with this diet and habitat expansion is an early use
and modification of pigment, probably for symbolic behaviour, as well as the
production of bladelet stone tool technology, previously dated to post-70
ka. Shellfish may have been crucial to the survival of these early humans as
they expanded their home ranges to include coastlines and followed the
shifting position of the coast when sea level fluctuated over the length of
MIS6.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Prev by Date: Clam bake: another proof for AAT
- Next by Date: Re: Clam bake: another disproof for AAT
- Previous by thread: Clam bake too late for AAT
- Next by thread: Re: Hs living in caves three miles from the sea (Re: Hs littoral 164 ka
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
