Thesis (M.A. in anthropology)--Washington State University, August 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Sept. 22, 2009). "Department of Anthropology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-89).

This thesis describes the experimental work carried out as part of the Learning to be Human Project, investigating skill and learning in early flaked stone technologies. A group of 16 volunteers were studied as they learnt skills in Oldowan style flaking, Acheulean handaxe technology and Levallois preferential flake technologies. Aptitude, practice hours and hours spent in taught sessions were recorded and skill in each of these technologies was assessed at regular intervals. This information was used to answer questions concerning the acquisition of high level skill in these technologies, the role of practice, teaching and aptitude in determining skill in terms of connaissance and savoir-faire and the archaeological visibility of skill. At a more in depth level the significance of these findings for cognitive capacities of early hominins and the evolution of modern human brains and intelligence was assessed. The results of these experiments allowed the identification of the greater impact of teaching on Acheulean handaxe and Levallois technology compared to Oldowan style flaking. Technologically focussed teaching was shown to be essential for achieving high level skill in handaxe technology while all knapping contributed to the skill achieved in Oldowan style flaking and Levallois technology. In terms of aptitude, previous craft experience and contact with flaked stone assemblages most affected skill achieved in handaxe and Oldowan technologies while spatial ability best determined skill in Levallois. The findings of the connaissance and savoir-faire analysis have indicated that the differences seen between Oldowan and Acheulean technology are predominantly physical in nature, while the differences between Levallois and the earlier technologies are cognitive. This suggests a greater cognitive capacity for the Neanderthal Levallois manufacturers in contrast with the earlier hominin species. The results have, however, highlighted problems with a strict dichotomy between physical and cognitive skills. A number of material markers that could be related to skill were identified. Future work has been identified that could provide a fuller understanding of these findings.

No description available.

Human handedness is likely related to brain lateralization and major cognitive innovations in human evolution. Identifying handedness in the archaeological record is, therefore, an important step in understanding our cognitive evolution. This thesis reports on experiments in identifying knapper handedness in lithic debitage. I conducted a blind study on flakes (n=631) from Acheulean handaxes replicated by right- and left-handed flintknappers. Several flake characteristics significantly indicated handedness, with a binary logistic regression correctly predicting handedness for 71.7% of the flakes. However, other characteristics were not associated with handedness. This is a result of personal knapping styles, as additional analyses show that individual knappers associate with some attributes better than handedness does. Continued work on these methodologies will enable analysis of Paleolithic assemblages in the future, with the ultimate goal of tracking population-level hominid handedness rates through time and using them as a proxy for cognitive evolution and language acquisition. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

At pre-ceramic archaeological sites, projectile points are the primary diagnostic tool used by archaeologists. This reliance is even more pronounced along the eastern slopes of Alberta and boreal forest environments of Canada. The acidity of the soils, cryoturbation, and other transformative factors almost always destroy all but the most durable cultural material. In order to obtain the best understanding of precontact lifeways under these conditions we need to recognize and appreciate the diagnostic qualities of all lithic artifacts, not just projectile points. The main goal of my thesis will be to look at one such artifact type. In Alberta, predominantly along the eastern slopes, there have been a number of new and unique artifact types recovered from the cultural resource management studies that have been carried out for several forestry companies, oil and gas operations, and coal industries. The one of particular interest for this thesis will be the Embarras Bipoint (Meyer et al. 2002, Meyer 2003; Roe 2005a, 2005b). <p> I intend to look at the geographical and temporal distribution of Embarras Bipoints. At present, Embarras Bipoints have been assigned to the Early Middle Period (7,500 to 5,000 B.P.). I will compile a data set of other large stone tools to compare to Embarras Bipoints. The theoretical approach will be chaîne opératoire which will be supplemented by the experimental replication of Embarras Bipoints. Ultimately, this technological study of Embarras Bipoints will demonstrate that when found in isolation, in the absence of diagnostic projectile points, or in any un-dateable context have the diagnostic qualities to further our understanding of the Early Middle Period along the Eastern Slopes of Alberta.

At pre-ceramic archaeological sites, projectile points are the primary diagnostic tool used by archaeologists. This reliance is even more pronounced along the eastern slopes of Alberta and boreal forest environments of Canada. The acidity of the soils, cryoturbation, and other transformative factors almost always destroy all but the most durable cultural material. In order to obtain the best understanding of precontact lifeways under these conditions we need to recognize and appreciate the diagnostic qualities of all lithic artifacts, not just projectile points. The main goal of my thesis will be to look at one such artifact type. In Alberta, predominantly along the eastern slopes, there have been a number of new and unique artifact types recovered from the cultural resource management studies that have been carried out for several forestry companies, oil and gas operations, and coal industries. The one of particular interest for this thesis will be the Embarras Bipoint (Meyer et al. 2002, Meyer 2003; Roe 2005a, 2005b). <p> I intend to look at the geographical and temporal distribution of Embarras Bipoints. At present, Embarras Bipoints have been assigned to the Early Middle Period (7,500 to 5,000 B.P.). I will compile a data set of other large stone tools to compare to Embarras Bipoints. The theoretical approach will be chaîne opératoire which will be supplemented by the experimental replication of Embarras Bipoints. Ultimately, this technological study of Embarras Bipoints will demonstrate that when found in isolation, in the absence of diagnostic projectile points, or in any un-dateable context have the diagnostic qualities to further our understanding of the Early Middle Period along the Eastern Slopes of Alberta.

No description available.