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New insights into hominin lithic activities at FLK North Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

F. Diez-Martin ,
P. Sanchez Yustos ,
M. Domínguez-Rodrigo ,
A.Z.P. Mabulla ,
H.T. Bunn ,
G.M. Ashley ,
R. Barba  and
E. Baquedano
F. Diez-Martin*
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valladolid, Plaza del Campus s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
P. Sanchez Yustos
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valladolid, Plaza del Campus s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
M. Domínguez-Rodrigo
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory, Complutense University, Prof. Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain IDEA (Instituto de Evolución en África), Museo de los Orígenes, Plaza de San Andrés 2, 28005 Madrid, Spain
A.Z.P. Mabulla
Affiliation:
Archaeology Unit, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35050, Tanzania
H.T. Bunn
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
G.M. Ashley
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8066, USA
R. Barba
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory, Complutense University, Prof. Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
E. Baquedano
Affiliation:
Museo Arqueológico Regional, Plaza de las Bernardas s/n, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain IDEA (Instituto de Evolución en África), Museo de los Orígenes, Plaza de San Andrés 2, 28005 Madrid, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. Fax: +34 983 423 197. E-mail address:[email protected] (F. Diez-Martin).
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Abstract

Recent work at FLK North (FLK N) has unearthed a new archaeological assemblage recovered with precise control of its stratigraphic position. In the present work, the technological study of the new lithic sample is described. The results show the co-occurrence in the same site of different technological behaviors. At FLK N, hominins were involved in both percussion/battering activities and through freehand and bipolar knapping, in core reduction. However, the reconstruction of the operational sequences shows that core reduction was probably a marginal behavior, while percussion/battering activities occurred more regularly throughout the sequence. If hominins were not involved in regular carcass processing, as recent taphonomic studies suggest, then hominins' sporadic and low-impact visits to the site over a long period of time must have been driven by other activities probably linked to the exploitation of alternative resources. Plant processing could have been a plausible explanation for hominin presence at FLK N.

Keywords

TechnologyTypologyOperational sequencesBattering activitiesKnapping activitiesLandscape strategiesHominin impactPlant resources
Type
Special Issue Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 74 , Issue 3 , November 2010 , pp. 376 - 387
Copyright
University of Washington

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