ant200 study notes
Middle Palaeolithic Stone Tools
Stone tools made by Neanderthals during the Middle Palaeolithic were manufactured using prepared core technology, a technique in which whoever made the tools carefully shaped the core to control the form of the flakes produced.
François Bordes
Divided the stratigraphic sequence into dozens of well defined layers
Created a typology of tools and counted how many of each were found at eac particular level, thus being able to quantify the totality of the tools found at each level
Identified a number of new industries which did not form a chronological sequence, rather in a single site were found at alternating levels
Interpreted his findings as the Middle Palaeolithic industries were the product of distinct ethnic groups within the Neanderthals
Lewis Binford
Disagreed with Bordes interpretation but liked his techniques
Argued it was more plausible that the tools reflected the activities that took place in that particular location
Harold Dibble
Disagreed with both Bordes and Binford
Believed the findings were not a series of alternating industries, but in fact were stone tools found over the tools lifetime.
Developed the Frison effect which recognizes that the shape of stone tools evolves as they are re-sharpened throughout their life use
Agreed with Binford, Neanderthal ethnicity was false
Disagreed with Binford’s interpretation. Believed that tool industries depended on access to raw materials and the groups mobility
If they moved around a lot then they were more likely to maintain their tools
Eric Boëda
Thought that stone tool industry did reflect Neanderthal ethnicity but not the way that Bordes believed
Believed Neanderthal ethnicity reflected the traditions that were used to make stone tools
These traditions require knowledge and skill to be transmitted between generations
Sites and Industries
Hetro:
The oldest known fossil of a Homo sapiens
Was discovered at the site Hetro in Ethopia
Stone tools made by Neanderthals during the Middle Palaeolithic were manufactured using prepared core technology, a technique in which whoever made the tools carefully shaped the core to control the form of the flakes produced.
François Bordes
Divided the stratigraphic sequence into dozens of well defined layers
Created a typology of tools and counted how many of each were found at eac particular level, thus being able to quantify the totality of the tools found at each level
Identified a number of new industries which did not form a chronological sequence, rather in a single site were found at alternating levels
Interpreted his findings as the Middle Palaeolithic industries were the product of distinct ethnic groups within the Neanderthals
Lewis Binford
Disagreed with Bordes interpretation but liked his techniques
Argued it was more plausible that the tools reflected the activities that took place in that particular location
Harold Dibble
Disagreed with both Bordes and Binford
Believed the findings were not a series of alternating industries, but in fact were stone tools found over the tools lifetime.
Developed the Frison effect which recognizes that the shape of stone tools evolves as they are re-sharpened throughout their life use
Agreed with Binford, Neanderthal ethnicity was false
Disagreed with Binford’s interpretation. Believed that tool industries depended on access to raw materials and the groups mobility
If they moved around a lot then they were more likely to maintain their tools
Eric Boëda
Thought that stone tool industry did reflect Neanderthal ethnicity but not the way that Bordes believed
Believed Neanderthal ethnicity reflected the traditions that were used to make stone tools
These traditions require knowledge and skill to be transmitted between generations
Sites and Industries
Hetro:
The oldest known fossil of a Homo sapiens
Was discovered at the site Hetro in Ethopia