The Aterian and its place in the North African Middle Stone Age
The Aterian is a frequently cited stone tool (âlithicâ) industry of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) (ca. 270-50,000-ka) of North Africa. Dating from at least 145 ka, the Aterianâs association with distinctive âtangâ hafted tools, the use of pigments, shell beads and other non-lithic artefacts is hypothesised to represent the earliest manifestations of identity and ethnicity, a reflection of âmodern human cognitionâ. However, an alternative view contests the extent of the Aterianâs geographical, temporal and cultural integrity. This thesis is the first detailed study to quantitatively test both these hypotheses and establish the technological character of a region at the nexus of human dispersals. Nineteen spatially and temporally representative lithic assemblages from the North African MSA, together with one outgroup from the Arabian Middle Palaeolithic are compared. Building on the emerging evidence for North African population increases and climatic amelioration in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, this research develops nested analytical models premised on cultural ecology and niche construction. Subsequent analysis explores the North African MSA as a landscape of population differentiation and/or
Scerri, Eleanor
CC Archaeology
The Aterian and its place in the North African Middle Stone Age. The Aterian is a frequently cited stone tool (âlithicâ) industry of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) (ca. 270-50,000-ka) of North Africa. Dating from at least 145 ka, the Aterianâs association with distinctive âtangâ hafted tools, the use of pigments, shell beads and other non-lithic artefacts is hypothesised to represent the earliest manifestations of identity and ethnicity, a reflection of âmodern human cognitionâ. However, an alternative view contests the extent of the Aterianâs geographical, temporal and cultural integrity. This thesis is the first detailed study to quantitatively test both these hypotheses and establish the technological character of a region at the nexus of human dispersals. Nineteen spatially and temporally representative lithic assemblages from the North African MSA, together with one outgroup from the Arabian Middle Palaeolithic are compared. Building on the emerging evidence for North African population increases and climatic amelioration in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, this research develops nested analytical models premised on cultural ecology and niche construction. Subsequent analysis explores the North African MSA as a landscape of population differentiation and/or
place north african middle stone_age frequently cite stone_tool lithic industry middle stone_age msa north_africa dating least association distinctive hafted tool_use pigment shell bead non lithic_artefact hypothesise represent early manifestation identity ethnicity reflection modern_human cognition however alternative view contest extent geographical_temporal cultural integrity first detail_study quantitatively test_hypothesis establish technological character region nexus human dispersal nineteen spatially temporally representative lithic_assemblage north african msa together middle_palaeolithic compare building emerge evidence north african population increase climatic marine isotope stage mis develops nest analytical_model premise cultural ecology niche construction subsequent analysis explores north african msa landscape population differentiation and