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Diachronic Change within the Still Bay at Blombos Cave, South Africa

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  • Will Archer
  • Philipp Gunz
  • Karen L van Niekerk
  • Christopher S Henshilwood
  • Shannon P McPherron

Abstract

Characteristically shaped bifacial points are stone artefacts with which the Middle Stone Age Still Bay techno-complex in Southern Africa is identified. Traditional approaches such as chaîne opératoire and two-dimensional metrics in combination with attribute analyses have been used to analyse variability within Still Bay point assemblages. Here we develop a protocol to extract and analyse high resolution 3-dimensional geometric morphometric information about Still Bay point morphology. We also investigate ways in which the independent variables of time, raw-material and tool size may be driving patterns of shape variation in the Blombos Cave point assemblage. We demonstrate that at a single, stratified Still Bay site points undergo significant modal changes in tool morphology and standardization. Our results caution against (1) treatment of the Still Bay as a static technological entity and (2) drawing demographic inferences stemming from grouping Still Bay point collections within the same cultural label.

Suggested Citation

  • Will Archer & Philipp Gunz & Karen L van Niekerk & Christopher S Henshilwood & Shannon P McPherron, 2015. "Diachronic Change within the Still Bay at Blombos Cave, South Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-25, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0132428
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132428
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rolando González-José & Judith Charlin, 2012. "Relative Importance of Modularity and Other Morphological Attributes on Different Types of Lithic Point Weapons: Assessing Functional Variations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(10), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Radu Iovita, 2011. "Shape Variation in Aterian Tanged Tools and the Origins of Projectile Technology: A Morphometric Perspective on Stone Tool Function," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(12), pages 1-14, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. M Gema Chacón & Florent Détroit & Aude Coudenneau & Marie-Hélène Moncel, 2016. "Morphometric Assessment of Convergent Tool Technology and Function during the Early Middle Palaeolithic: The Case of Payre, France," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Gadi Herzlinger & Leore Grosman, 2018. "AGMT3-D: A software for 3-D landmarks-based geometric morphometric shape analysis of archaeological artifacts," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, November.

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