Ancient artifacts suggest modern hunter-gatherer culture emerged much earlier than previously thought
In short: Researchers reanalyzing organic artifacts from Border Cave in South Africa found evidence of sophisticated tools and ornaments dating back to approximately 44,000 years ago. These findings, including bone points and shell beads, suggest that the cultural adaptations associated with San hunter-gatherers may have appeared much earlier than the traditional estimate of 20,000 years ago.
By reexamining organic remains like notched bones, digging sticks, and beads through Bayesian modeling, the study identifies a complex material culture in the Early Later Stone Age. This suggests that modern human behaviors once emerged and were potentially lost before becoming permanent. However, the study relies on the reanalysis of specific cave site artifacts, which may not represent all prehistoric populations.
Why it matters: The timeline for the development of complex hunter-gatherer culture in southern Africa may be much older than previously believed.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Derrico et al. (2012). Early evidence of San material culture represented by organic artifacts from Border Cave, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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