For Yous Data - Novel Rock Tools Analysis Challenges Theories Of Human Development Inward E Asia

H5N1 novel written report of rock tools from a cave site inwards Cathay shows that sophisticated "Levallois" tool-making techniques were introduce inwards Eastern Asia at a much before appointment than previously thought.

Some of the artefacts from the Guanyindong Cave site inwards Cathay showing signs
of Levallois tool-making techniques [Credit: Marwick et al., 2018]

The findings challenge the existing model of the rootage together with spread of these techniques inwards East Asia, amongst implications for theories of the dispersal of modern humans about the world.

Examples of Levallois applied scientific discipline (named afterwards a Paris suburb where tools made amongst this method were discovered) receive got been institute inwards Africa together with Europe dating dorsum to about 300,000 years ago. Before now, the earliest examples of Levallois techniques inwards Eastern Asia were dated to 40,000 – 30,000 years ago; the novel written report places them at that spot every bit far dorsum every bit 170,000 years ago.

Associate Professor Bo Li from UOW's Centre for Archaeological Science, 1 of the paper's corresponding authors, said the researchers analysed 2,273 rock artefacts excavated from Guanyindong Cave inwards southwest Cathay inwards the 1960s together with '70s, together with institute 45 artefacts (four tools, 11 cores together with xxx flakes) that exhibit Levallois-style knapping.

"Levallois applied scientific discipline is a footstep upwardly from before rock tools because it involves a grade of planning, of preparation, together with a repetition of technique" Professor Li said.

"Instead of hitting ii stones together together with picking upwardly whatever looks useful, for Levallois tools yous start receive got to fix the essence to brand it a particular shape before yous knap the essence to orbit a flake that tin post away endure used for cutting or scraping.

"Earlier rock tools are to a greater extent than arbitrary inwards size together with shape. Levallois tools are to a greater extent than standardised.

"When nosotros analysed the artefacts from Guanyindong nosotros institute they had like features to Levallois tools institute inwards Africa together with Europe. The enquiry thus was, how quondam are they?"

Previous dating at the site, using uranium-series dating, had indicated an historic catamenia betwixt 240,000 together with 50,000 years ago, but had focused on fossils together with carbonate samples institute away from the rock artefacts. The squad returned to Guanyindong Cave to orbit farther dating using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), which measures the fourth dimension since the artefacts-bearing sediments were concluding exposed to sunlight.

The Guanyindong Cave site inwards southwest Cathay [Credit: Jia-Fu Zhang]

"Dating for this site was challenging because it had been excavated forty years ago, together with the sediment profile was exposed to air together with without protection, thus trees, plants, animals, insects could disturb the stratigraphy, which may impact the dating results if conventional methods were used for dating" Professor Li said.

"To solve this occupation nosotros used a novel single-grain dating technique lately developed inwards our OSL lab hither at the University of Wollongong, to appointment private mineral grains inwards the sediment. Luckily nosotros institute residue sediment left over yesteryear the previous excavations thus that allowed us to accept samples for dating."

What they institute was that the deepest layers of the cave inwards which Levallois tools were uncovered dated dorsum to close 170,000 years ago, piece those from the upper layers dated to about 80,000 years ago.

"This is a really exciting result, every bit it challenges the existing theory close the history together with evolution of humans together with applied scientific discipline inwards East Asia," Professor Li said.

"Until now, archaeologists persuasion modern human exclusively arrived at that spot 50,000 years agone together with brought the applied scientific discipline amongst them.

"We've institute something much older, which suggests a dissimilar model of human dispersal together with applied scientific discipline evolution."

Levallois tools are also known every bit Mode III technology, purpose of a wide evolutionary sequence that was preceded yesteryear hand-axe applied scientific discipline (Mode II) together with followed yesteryear blade tool applied scientific discipline (Mode IV). Because the archaeological tape from Cathay appeared to saltation from Mode II to Mode IV about 40,000 to 30,000 years agone without the evolution of Mode III tools, it was argued the to a greater extent than advanced technologies must receive got arrived yesteryear migration from the West.

The paper's other corresponding author, Associate Professor Ben Marwick from the University of Washington, described Levallois applied scientific discipline every bit the "Swiss-army knife of prehistoric tools", together with said the written report suggests the to a greater extent than advanced technologies could receive got been invented inwards Eastern Asia independently.

The map shows where Levallois artifacts receive got been found. The oldest, dating to 337,000 years ago, receive got been
 found inwards Europe together with Africa. The star on the map marks the site of Guanyindong Cave, where novel research
 published inwards the magazine Nature shows that this applied scientific discipline was used 80,000 to 170,000 years agone inwards Asia,
 much before than previously persuasion [Credit: Marwick et al. 2018]

"It used to endure persuasion that Levallois cores came to Cathay relatively lately amongst modern humans," Professor Marwick said.

"Our move reveals the complexity together with adaptability of people at that spot that is equivalent to elsewhere inwards the world. It shows the multifariousness of the human experience.

"Our move shows that ancient people at that spot were but every bit capable of invention every bit anywhere else. Technological innovations inwards Eastern Asia tin post away endure homegrown, together with don't ever walk inwards from the West."

The enquiry of whether Levallois techniques were invented independently inwards Eastern Asia won't endure resolved until farther archaeological prove is uncovered, Professor Li said.

"There are several possible explanations but because of the lack of fossil prove nosotros can't response precisely which is the truth.

"One theory is applied scientific discipline convergence; that dissimilar groups came upwardly amongst the same idea. The minute is that the applied scientific discipline spread through communication betwixt dissimilar groups of people who exchanged their techniques.

"The 3rd possibility is population replacement, that migration brought those techniques into the area.

"Hopefully our written report volition Pb to novel excavations together with to a greater extent than detailed studies inwards this region. There are many caves inwards this portion that are perfect for the preservation of tools together with fossils but at that spot haven't been many digs.

"If nosotros tin post away uncovering a human fossil – or the fossil of a dissimilar species – thus nosotros tin post away thus sympathise to a greater extent than close who made these tools together with what the rootage of the technique is."

The written report is published online inwards Nature.

Author: Ben Long | Source: University of Wollongong [November 19, 2018]


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