The obsidian evidence for the scale of social life during the Palaeolithic
The social aspect of modern hominin behaviour is a neglected subject within recent Palaeolithic research. This thesis addresses this issue arguing that modern social behaviour is reflected in the hominin ability to create and maintain extended social networks where relatedness is successfully sustained in absentia. Archaeologically, modern social behaviour can be detected through the investigation of raw material movement. This thesis argues that by concentrating on materials that are rare, distinctive and their origins can be securely identified it is possible to reconstruct the dimensions of the exchange networks involved in their circulation. The proposition being tested is that the greater the distances of raw material movement the more advanced the behavioural abilities of the individuals involved in the transfers. Obsidian provides an opportunity to reconstruct the scale of its movement and to use these data to infer the changing scale of social life during the Palaeolithic. Using the distances of obsidian movement a network model is developed and used in the reconstruction of the Palaeolithic social landscape. This research brings together for the first time all the published instances of obsidian use
Moutsiou, Theodora
obsidian
The obsidian evidence for the scale of social life during the Palaeolithic. The social aspect of modern hominin behaviour is a neglected subject within recent Palaeolithic research. This thesis addresses this issue arguing that modern social behaviour is reflected in the hominin ability to create and maintain extended social networks where relatedness is successfully sustained in absentia. Archaeologically, modern social behaviour can be detected through the investigation of raw material movement. This thesis argues that by concentrating on materials that are rare, distinctive and their origins can be securely identified it is possible to reconstruct the dimensions of the exchange networks involved in their circulation. The proposition being tested is that the greater the distances of raw material movement the more advanced the behavioural abilities of the individuals involved in the transfers. Obsidian provides an opportunity to reconstruct the scale of its movement and to use these data to infer the changing scale of social life during the Palaeolithic. Using the distances of obsidian movement a network model is developed and used in the reconstruction of the Palaeolithic social landscape. This research brings together for the first time all the published instances of obsidian use
obsidian evidence scale social_life palaeolithic social_aspect modern hominin behaviour neglect_subject within recent palaeolithic research address_issue argue modern social_behaviour reflect hominin ability create_maintain extend social_network relatedness successfully sustain archaeologically modern social_behaviour detect investigation raw_material movement argues concentrate material rare distinctive origin securely identify_possible reconstruct dimension exchange_network involve circulation proposition test great distance raw_material movement advance behavioural ability individual_involve transfer obsidian provide_opportunity reconstruct scale movement use data infer change scale social_life palaeolithic using distance obsidian movement network model_develop use reconstruction palaeolithic social landscape brings_together first_time publish instance obsidian use