- The George Washington University, Center for Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology, Graduate StudentHarvard University, Anthropology, Post-Docadd
- Paleolithic Archaeology, African Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Geometric Morphometrics, 3d Modeling, and 12 moreLithic Technology, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, 3D Modelling (Architecture), Photogrammetry, Tanzania, Levallois, Middle Paleolithic, Variability, Anthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, and Landscape Archaeologyedit
- I am an anthropologist and archaeologist interested in the relationship of human cultural transmission and technology... moreI am an anthropologist and archaeologist interested in the relationship of human cultural transmission and technology throughout the African later Quaternary. My primary research area is eastern Africa, particularly Tanzania and Kenya, where I have led research projects since 2008.
Currently I am leading a community archaeology project at Kisese II rockshelter in Kondoa, central Tanzania (a UNESCO World Heritage Centre).edit
Levallois technology is a hallmark of many Middle and Late Pleistocene stone artifact assemblages, but its definition has been much debated. Here we use three-dimensional photogrammetry to investigate the geometric variation among... more
Levallois technology is a hallmark of many Middle and Late Pleistocene stone artifact assemblages, but its definition has been much debated. Here we use three-dimensional photogrammetry to investigate the geometric variation among Levallois and discoidal core technologies. We created models of experimental and archaeological stone artifact assemblages to quantitatively investigate the morphologies of Levallois and discoidal core technologies. Our results demonstrate that technological characteristics of Levallois technology can be distinguished from discoidal variants by analyzing the relative volumes and angles of the two flaking surfaces. We apply these methods to a random subset of Middle Paleolithic cores from Skhūl (Israel) and show that, overall, the Skhūl archaeological sample falls in range with the experimental Levallois sample. This study advocates the investigation of core technology on a spectrum to elucidate particular reduction trajectories while maintaining visible outliers and dispersion within an assemblage. Our quantified approach to studying centripetal core technology broadly is particularly applicable in studies related to forager mobility strategy and raw material use. Ultimately, the methods developed here can be used across temporal and geographic boundaries and facilitate attribute-based inter-site comparisons.
Research Interests:
Late Pleistocene and Holocene evidence from multiple rockshelters in north-central Tanzania suggests a regional pattern of changing technological behaviors through time. We use independent chronological evidence to test if the proposed... more
Late Pleistocene and Holocene evidence from multiple rockshelters in north-central Tanzania suggests a regional pattern of changing technological behaviors through time. We use independent chronological evidence to test if the proposed technological patterns across space were also temporally equivalent. We applied AMS radiocarbon dating methods to the carbonate fraction of five ostrich eggshell fragments from Mehlman’s 1975-1976 excavations at Nasera rockshelter and compared our results to recent re-dating efforts of Mumba rockshelter. We document radiocarbon results >46 ka at Nasera in Level 5, indicating that associated and underlying technologies (including what Mehlman termed the ‘Nasera Industry’) are older than previously documented. Backed pieces first appear >46 ka at Nasera, which is in accordance with recent evidence from nearby rockshelters like Enkapune ya Muto, Panga ya Saidi, and potentially Kisese II. We also provide an age of 11,260-11,710 calBP for the ‘Silale Industry’ of Level 3B. Overall, the shifts in lithic technology previously considered to be shared between Mumba and Nasera rockshelters are not temporally aligned, emphasizing the possibility that intra-site variability was the norm throughout the Late Pleistocene in eastern Africa.
Research Interests:
The archaeology of East Africa during the last ~65,000 years plays a central role in debates about the origins and dispersal of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Despite the historical importance of the region to these discussions, reliable... more
The archaeology of East Africa during the last ~65,000 years plays a central role in debates about the origins and dispersal of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Despite the historical importance of the region to these discussions, reliable chronologies for the nature, tempo, and timing of human behavioral changes seen among Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological assemblages are sparse. The Kisese II rockshelter in the Kondoa region of Tanzania, originally excavated in 1956, preserves a ! 6-m-thick archaeological succession that spans the MSA/LSA transition, with lithic artifacts such as Levallois and bladelet cores and backed microliths, the recurrent use of red ochre, and >5,000 ostrich eggshell beads and bead fragments. Twenty-nine radiocarbon dates on ostrich eggshell carbonate make Kisese II one of the most robust chronological sequences for understanding archaeological change over the last ~47,000 years in East Africa. In particular, ostrich eggshell beads and backed microliths appear by 46–42 ka cal BP and occur throughout overlying Late Pleistocene and Holocene strata. Changes in lithic technology suggest an MSA/LSA transition that began 39–34.3 ka, with typical LSA technologies in place by the Last Glacial Maximum. The timing of these changes demonstrates the time-transgressive nature of behavioral innovations often linked to the origins of modern humans, even within a single region of Africa.
Research Interests:
There are multiple hypotheses for human responses to glacial cycling in the Late Pleisto-cene, including changes in population size, interconnectedness, and mobility. Lithic technological analysis informs us of human responses to... more
There are multiple hypotheses for human responses to glacial cycling in the Late Pleisto-cene, including changes in population size, interconnectedness, and mobility. Lithic technological analysis informs us of human responses to environmental change because lithic assemblage characteristics are a reflection of raw material transport, reduction, and discard behaviors that depend on hunter-gatherer social and economic decisions. Pinnacle Point Site 5–6 (PP5-6), Western Cape, South Africa is an ideal locality for examining the influence of glacial cycling on early modern human behaviors because it preserves a long sequence spanning marine isotope stages (MIS) 5, 4, and 3 and is associated with robust records of paleoenvironmental change. The analysis presented here addresses the question, what, if any, lithic assemblage traits at PP5-6 represent changing behavioral responses to the MIS 5-4-3 interglacial-glacial cycle? It statistically evaluates changes in 93 traits with no a priori assumptions about which traits may significantly associate with MIS. In contrast to other studies that claim that there is little relationship between broad-scale patterns of climate change and lithic technology, we identified the following characteristics that are associated with MIS 4: increased use of quartz, increased evidence for outcrop sources of quartzite and silcrete, increased evidence for earlier stages of reduction in silcrete, evidence for increased flaking efficiency in all raw material types, and changes in tool types and function for silcrete. Based on these results, we suggest that foragers responded to MIS 4 glacial environmental conditions at PP5-6 with increased population or group sizes, 'place provisioning', longer and/or more intense site occupations, and decreased residential mobility. Several other traits, including silcrete frequency, do not exhibit an association with MIS. Backed pieces, once they appear in the PP5-6 record during MIS 4, persist through MIS 3. Changing paleoenviron-ments explain some, but not all temporal technological variability at PP5-6.
Research Interests:
Decades of MSA research has focused on the timing of the appearance of archaeological signatures deemed “behaviorally modern”. However an often-overlooked aspect of the MSA is that it is marked by systematic long-term habitation of rock... more
Decades of MSA research has focused on the timing of the appearance of archaeological signatures deemed “behaviorally modern”. However an often-overlooked aspect of the MSA is that it is marked by systematic long-term habitation of rock shelters (e.g. Klasies River, Pinnacle Point, Mumba, Nasera, Lukenya Hill). The presence of these high-density artifact clusters within shelters suggests the differentiation of behaviors across a landscape in the MSA, and therefore questions regarding human behavior in this time period require a landscape scale approach (Isaac and Harris 1980). In this paper I first provide an overview of landscape approaches to the MSA, including the central questions that can be asked with these methods. Additionally, I highlight an example of landscape methods in this time period using the MSA occurrences at Koobi Fora, excavated by Harris and Kelly. I analysed core reduction strategies across three different areas of MSA occurrences at Koobi Fora: the Ileret localities near the modern lake shore (FwJi 2/3), the Karari escarpment near the basin margin (FxJj 61/66), and GaJj17, located on a lacustrine paleo-beach. Building on Kelly’s 1995 analysis, I analysed cores according to reduction intensity (Clarkson 2013) and core reduction strategy (Inizan et al 1999), taking into account raw material. Differential raw material abundances across these areas (Kelly 1995) enable us to investigate the extent to which core reduction strategies were conserved across environments (as demonstrated by Thompson et al 2014) and/or constrained by raw material. This study provides an important starting point for testing landscape scale hypotheses regarding human behavior in the Late Pleistocene.
Research Interests:
The potential to detect signatures of cultural transmission in stone tool technology is quickly gaining traction in Paleolithic archaeology (e.g. Tostevin 2012). These methods, rooted in middle range theory, remain to be tested through... more
The potential to detect signatures of cultural transmission in stone tool technology is quickly gaining traction in Paleolithic archaeology (e.g. Tostevin 2012). These methods, rooted in middle range theory, remain to be tested through controlled experiment. This project uses experimental flint knapping and a social learning framework to test the hypothesis that signatures of direct cultural transmission can be detected in core reduction strategies. The participant pool included experienced North American flint knappers. The experiment consisted of three isolated sessions simulating different degrees of information transfer ranging from Baseline (low fidelity) to Imitation (high fidelity). Preliminary results suggest that variation in core form is driven primarily by shape of the original cobble and skill level. Skill was determined by both post-experiment questionnaire and by pre-experiment observation. Variation in flake morphology was correlated to different stages of reduction intensity. This study attempted to empirically elucidate signatures of cultural transmission and demonstrates the importance of analyzing these markers across the reduction sequence. The lithic variables measured in this study can be applied to various spatial and temporal contexts.
Research Interests:
The Levallois reduction strategy is often considered a key component of Middle and Later Pleistocene industries. It has been linked to derived degrees of planning and forethought associated with “prepared core” techniques. However,... more
The Levallois reduction strategy is often considered a key component of Middle and Later Pleistocene industries. It has been linked to derived degrees of planning and forethought associated with “prepared core” techniques. However, unambiguous quantitative methods for identifying Levallois reduction in the archaeological record are problematic. The debitage products of Levallois reduction are often employed to identify Levallois technology but these flakes may be obtained by other knapping strategies. Levallois cores are likely to preserve a better understanding of the reduction strategy, especially if refitting is possible. Boëda defined diagnostic criteria of Levallois reduction, yet identifying these criteria remains subjective. Here we develop a quantitative technique for identifying Levallois reduction guided by principles in Boëda’s definition, namely the presence of two asymmetric, hierarchical faces with opposing convexities. To test the validity of these criteria we employ photogrammetric methods to capture three-dimensional form of cores from various archaeological sites across Southwest Asia, Europe, and Africa. Core forms were captured as high-resolution 3D models. This enabled the visualization and shape quantification of portions of cores (e.g. hemispheres) that would otherwise be unattainable with conventional measurements. This research lends new perspectives on the quantitative identification of Levallois technology in the archaeological record.
Research Interests:
Kathryn Ranhorn, The George Washington University Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam John Yellen, National Science Foundation/ Smithsonian Institution... more
Kathryn Ranhorn, The George Washington University
Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution
Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam
John Yellen, National Science Foundation/ Smithsonian Institution
The origin and routes by which modern humans spread within Africa remain ambiguous, particularly in the intermediate regions between the better-known sites of South Africa and those of Kenya and Ethiopia. Current archaeological evidence indicates Middle Stone Age occupations in northern and central Tanzania at Magubike, Mumba, Nasera and other rock shelters, and the Ndutu Beds at Olduvai Gorge, as well as at Karonga, Malawi and in the Lake Niassa region of northern Mozambique. Southeastern Tanzania, with woodland environments closer to those of central/southern Africa than to the Rift Valley and highland regions further north, remains relatively unexplored. Archaeological survey during the 2012 field season recorded 10 Middle Stone Age sites in the Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma Districts of Tanzania near the border of Mozambique, including 9 open air sites and one rock shelter. The predominantly flake-based assemblages include single- and multi-platform cores including classic Levallois cores, a micro-blade core, flake blades, and scrapers, mostly of quartzite and chert. MSA materials were commonly found in association with quartzite outcrops or near channel margins. Acheulian large cutting tools were absent and Later Stone Age artifacts were extremely rare, suggesting that the largest Pleistocene populations lived during the MSA.
Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution
Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam
John Yellen, National Science Foundation/ Smithsonian Institution
The origin and routes by which modern humans spread within Africa remain ambiguous, particularly in the intermediate regions between the better-known sites of South Africa and those of Kenya and Ethiopia. Current archaeological evidence indicates Middle Stone Age occupations in northern and central Tanzania at Magubike, Mumba, Nasera and other rock shelters, and the Ndutu Beds at Olduvai Gorge, as well as at Karonga, Malawi and in the Lake Niassa region of northern Mozambique. Southeastern Tanzania, with woodland environments closer to those of central/southern Africa than to the Rift Valley and highland regions further north, remains relatively unexplored. Archaeological survey during the 2012 field season recorded 10 Middle Stone Age sites in the Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma Districts of Tanzania near the border of Mozambique, including 9 open air sites and one rock shelter. The predominantly flake-based assemblages include single- and multi-platform cores including classic Levallois cores, a micro-blade core, flake blades, and scrapers, mostly of quartzite and chert. MSA materials were commonly found in association with quartzite outcrops or near channel margins. Acheulian large cutting tools were absent and Later Stone Age artifacts were extremely rare, suggesting that the largest Pleistocene populations lived during the MSA.
3D methods in archaeology are rapidly growing, and are mainly used to enhance analytical methods. Here we present on the role of 3D approaches in preserving both tangible and intangible heritage in Tanzania and Kenya. Photogrammetry was... more
3D methods in archaeology are rapidly growing, and are mainly used to enhance analytical methods. Here we present on the role of 3D approaches in preserving both tangible and intangible heritage in Tanzania and Kenya. Photogrammetry was used to model Kisese II, a painted shelter in the UNESCO World Heritage Center of Kondoa. Our 3D model of the site enables researchers to not only plot archaeological information from multiple excavations; importantly, these data can be exhibited at local community meetings as a tool for explaining to community members the basis of archaeological data collection and the importance of provenience. This paper also reviews the use of photogrammetry in museum curation. The author has trained non-specialists in Kenya and Tanzania to capture tangible heritage including stone artifacts, ceramic bowls, and gourds. This training program provides a means of employment for the trainees while engaging community members in the conservation process.
Research Interests:
"The Middle Stone Age of Southeastern Tanzania Kathryn Ranhorn, The George Washington University Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam John Yellen, National... more
"The Middle Stone Age of Southeastern Tanzania
Kathryn Ranhorn, The George Washington University
Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution
Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam
John Yellen, National Science Foundation/ Smithsonian Institution
The origin and spread of modern humans in Africa remains a central question in paleoanthropology today. The Middle Stone Age (MSA), during which modern human behavior emerged, is well documented in South Africa as well as in Kenya, Ethiopia, and parts of northern Tanzania. The intermediate region between southern and eastern Africa, however, remains largely unexplored. Current MSA sites are recorded at Magubike, Mumba, Nasera and other rock shelters in Tanzania, the Ndutu Beds at Olduvai Gorge, as well as Karonga, Malawi and in the Lake Niassa region of northern Mozambique. Southeastern Tanzania however, containing woodland environments paralleling those of central/southern Africa rather than the Rift Valley and highland regions further north, is lacking in published MSA sites. Archaeological survey conducted during the 2012 field season recorded 10 MSA sites in the Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma districts of Tanzania near the border with Mozambique, including nine open air sites and one rock shelter. The sites discussed here mainly cluster approximately 100km inland; however, a new area further west near Tunduru was also explored. The predominantly flake-based assemblages include single- and multi-platform cores including classic Levallois cores, a micro-blade core, flake blades, and scrapers, mostly of quartzite and chert. MSA materials were commonly found in association with quartzite outcrops or near channel margins. Acheulian large cutting tools were absent and Later Stone Age artifacts were extremely rare, suggesting that the largest Pleistocene populations lived during the MSA."
Kathryn Ranhorn, The George Washington University
Alison Brooks, The George Washington University/ Smithsonian Institution
Fidelis Masao, University of Dar es Salaam
John Yellen, National Science Foundation/ Smithsonian Institution
The origin and spread of modern humans in Africa remains a central question in paleoanthropology today. The Middle Stone Age (MSA), during which modern human behavior emerged, is well documented in South Africa as well as in Kenya, Ethiopia, and parts of northern Tanzania. The intermediate region between southern and eastern Africa, however, remains largely unexplored. Current MSA sites are recorded at Magubike, Mumba, Nasera and other rock shelters in Tanzania, the Ndutu Beds at Olduvai Gorge, as well as Karonga, Malawi and in the Lake Niassa region of northern Mozambique. Southeastern Tanzania however, containing woodland environments paralleling those of central/southern Africa rather than the Rift Valley and highland regions further north, is lacking in published MSA sites. Archaeological survey conducted during the 2012 field season recorded 10 MSA sites in the Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma districts of Tanzania near the border with Mozambique, including nine open air sites and one rock shelter. The sites discussed here mainly cluster approximately 100km inland; however, a new area further west near Tunduru was also explored. The predominantly flake-based assemblages include single- and multi-platform cores including classic Levallois cores, a micro-blade core, flake blades, and scrapers, mostly of quartzite and chert. MSA materials were commonly found in association with quartzite outcrops or near channel margins. Acheulian large cutting tools were absent and Later Stone Age artifacts were extremely rare, suggesting that the largest Pleistocene populations lived during the MSA."
Research Interests:
Formal stone tools in standardized stages is seen by some as a marker for the emergence of behavioral modernity (Mellars, 1989). One variable in particular, symmetry, is argued to play a role both in the formal variation of stone tools... more
Formal stone tools in standardized stages is seen by some as a marker for the emergence of behavioral modernity (Mellars, 1989). One variable in particular, symmetry, is argued to play a role both in the formal variation of stone tools and the aerodynamic quality of projectile points. Several studies using digital morphometric methods analyzed symmetry, particularly of Acheulean bifaces (Lycett, 2008) and paleoindian projectile points (Buchanan, 2005). Here we used digital imaging and statistical software to analyze the symmetry of Middle Stone Age (MSA) projectile points from ≠Gi, Northwest District, Botswana. Projectile points were digitized using a Nikon D70 and Adobe PhotoShop CS5. We analyzed points using FlipTest, a statistical program which examines the digital image and outputs an Index of Asymmetry (IA). The IA first calculates the pixel area of an artifact and then superimposes the left half of the image onto the right side. The area of overlap is divided by the overall area to produce the IA value. Thus, more symmetrical artifacts exhibit an IA value closer to zero. To test whether the hafted portion was contributing disproportionally to the IA, we analyzed both whole point and distal portions only. Finally, we compared IA values with metric measurements in which we determined the distance of each half perpendicular to the bisecting line. Preliminary results reveal that by the MSA symmetry played a significant role in projectile point manufacture, especially of unhafted portions. Future analyses of this pilot study include comparing projectile point symmetry of other MSA sites, such as those from Aduma, Ethiopia, and measuring weights of both halves to test the potential aerodynamic function of symmetry.
Research Interests:
This methodology is now published as Supporting Information in Wilkins et al., 2017, Lithic technological responses to Late Pleistocene glacial cycling at Pinnacle Point Site 5-6, South Africa. Plos One.... more
This methodology is now published as Supporting Information in Wilkins et al., 2017, Lithic technological responses to Late Pleistocene glacial cycling at Pinnacle Point Site 5-6, South Africa. Plos One. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0174051
The workshop “Comparative Analysis of Middle Stone Age Artefacts in Africa (CoMSAfrica)” aimed to reflect upon a common and replicable analytical framework, as well as proposing concrete solutions for its implementation. It builds on... more
The workshop “Comparative Analysis of Middle Stone Age Artefacts
in Africa (CoMSAfrica)” aimed to reflect upon a common and replicable analytical framework, as well as proposing concrete solutions for
its implementation. It builds on previous efforts to standardize panAfrican comparisons which focused on higher taxonomic entities specific categories of stone artifacts, or individual regions. Organized
by C. Tryon and M. Will, the workshop brought together 12 international
scholars (see author list) working in different periods and regions of
Africa, with varied methodological backgrounds. The workshop was held
between November 5th and 6th 2018 at Harvard University (USA),
and funded through the Accelerator Workshop Program of the
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study (https://projects.iq.harvard.
edu/comsafrica). The meeting included short introductory presentations
by all participants followed by a series of more focused roundtable discussions to define the main problems and issues confronting comparative lithic analyses of African MSA assemblages. The final goal was the development of a unified analytical approach. As a two-day workshop was obviously insufficient to solve problems of such magnitude, the final discussion focused on outlining a working model and roadmap for future meetings and collaborations through the CoMSAfrica network.
in Africa (CoMSAfrica)” aimed to reflect upon a common and replicable analytical framework, as well as proposing concrete solutions for
its implementation. It builds on previous efforts to standardize panAfrican comparisons which focused on higher taxonomic entities specific categories of stone artifacts, or individual regions. Organized
by C. Tryon and M. Will, the workshop brought together 12 international
scholars (see author list) working in different periods and regions of
Africa, with varied methodological backgrounds. The workshop was held
between November 5th and 6th 2018 at Harvard University (USA),
and funded through the Accelerator Workshop Program of the
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study (https://projects.iq.harvard.
edu/comsafrica). The meeting included short introductory presentations
by all participants followed by a series of more focused roundtable discussions to define the main problems and issues confronting comparative lithic analyses of African MSA assemblages. The final goal was the development of a unified analytical approach. As a two-day workshop was obviously insufficient to solve problems of such magnitude, the final discussion focused on outlining a working model and roadmap for future meetings and collaborations through the CoMSAfrica network.