Thesis (D Phil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Late Pleistocene, Middle Stone Age artefact sequence at the Klasies River main
site, was studied to establish what information this held for inferences on the
emergence of symbolic thought and communication. The approach adopted was to
complement traditional typological analysis by a technological study of artefact
production within the framework of the chafne opératoire. The results show that
technology was aimed at producing preformed blanks. In the choice of materials, the
technique and method of blank production and the retouch of blanks, arbitrary or
stylistic choices were made. Changes in stylistic conventions can be documented
through the sequence. Changing conventions in artefact production show that the lives
of the people who made the artefacts were structured in a symbolic web. These results
together with evidence from evolutionary biology, show that by at least 115 000 years
ago, people were able to think and speak symbolically. This African archaeological
evidence for the emergence of symbolism, a defining attribute of modem peoples, is
much older than previously considered.
KEYWORDS: Klasies River, Middle Stone Age, technology, symbolic
communication, human evolution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Latere Pleistoseen, Middel Steentydperk artefakte by Klasiesrivier vindplaas is
bestudeer om te bepaal watter kennis ingewin kan word aangaande die ontstaan van
simboliese denkwyse en kommunikasie. Die benadering wat gevolg is, was om
tradisionele tipologiese analise te komplementeer met 'n tegnologiese studie van
artefak produksie binne die raamwerk van die chafne opératoire. Die resultate
demonstreer dat tegnologie gemik was op die produksie van voorafgevormde skilfers.
Die keuse van roumateriaal, die tegniek en metode van produksie en die herafwerk
van skilfers is gelei deur arbitrêre stilistiese keuses. Veranderinge in hierdie
konvensies kan gedokumenteer word deur die hele sekwens. Hierdie verandering is
tipies van mense wie se lewens gestruktureer word deur 'n simboliese web. Dié
resultate, en dié van evolusionêre biologie, dui daarop dat mense reeds teen 115 000
jaar gelede simboliese denke en spraak magtig was. Hierdie bewyse vanuit Afrika vir
die ontstaan van simboliese gedrag is veel vroeër as vantevore gereken.
SLEUTEL WOORDE: Klasiesrivier, Middel Steentydperk, tegnologie, simboliese
kommunikasie, menslike evolusie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51998 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Wurz, Sarah (Sarah Jacoba Deborah) |
| Contributors | Deacon, H. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of History. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 224 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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