Plio-Pleistocene sites are a rare occurrence in same sites. This combination of factors is the archaeological record. When they are unique in East African Plio-Pleistocene uncovered, the faunal materials so crucial to archaeology and has stimulated much debate unlocking their behavioral meaning are often over the socioeconomic function of early sites. poorly preserved. For example, at Koobi Fora, Influential models of early hominid behavior Kenya, a prolific region that preserves several in the late 1960s and early 1970s were based classic Plio-Pleistocene sites, many bones are exclusively on information from Olduvai affected by poor cortical surface preservation Gorge (Leakey, 1971). Although Isaac¿s (e. g. , (Isaac, 1997). Such taphonomic vagaries limit 1978) work at Koobi Fora expanded their the range of questions that can be addressed application, the subsequent critiques, modi- with these assemblages. In other instances, cations, and reformulations of these models access to materials can be limited due to local were based almost solely on studies from politics or rivalries between individual Olduvai (Binford, 1981, 1984; Bunn, 1981; research teams. As a result, many important Potts, 1982, 1988; Bunn and Kroll, 1986; assemblages either remain unstudied or have Blumenschine, 1995; Rose and Marshall, been interpreted without the advantage of a 1996; Domínguez-Rodrigo, 1997a, 2002; fully developed taphonomic framework, a sit- Plummer, 2004). Having said that, it is also uation that all but guarantees stagnant inter- clear that continued work at Koobi Fora and pretations.
Plio-Pleistocene sites are a rare occurrence in same sites. This combination of factors is the archaeological record. When they are unique in East African Plio-Pleistocene uncovered, the faunal materials so crucial to archaeology and has stimulated much debate unlocking their behavioral meaning are often over the socioeconomic function of early sites. poorly preserved. For example, at Koobi Fora, Influential models of early hominid behavior Kenya, a prolific region that preserves several in the late 1960s and early 1970s were based classic Plio-Pleistocene sites, many bones are exclusively on information from Olduvai affected by poor cortical surface preservation Gorge (Leakey, 1971). Although Isaac¿s (e. g. , (Isaac, 1997). Such taphonomic vagaries limit 1978) work at Koobi Fora expanded their the range of questions that can be addressed application, the subsequent critiques, modi- with these assemblages. In other instances, cations, and reformulations of these models access to materials can be limited due to local were based almost solely on studies from politics or rivalries between individual Olduvai (Binford, 1981, 1984; Bunn, 1981; research teams. As a result, many important Potts, 1982, 1988; Bunn and Kroll, 1986; assemblages either remain unstudied or have Blumenschine, 1995; Rose and Marshall, been interpreted without the advantage of a 1996; Domínguez-Rodrigo, 1997a, 2002; fully developed taphonomic framework, a sit- Plummer, 2004). Having said that, it is also uation that all but guarantees stagnant inter- clear that continued work at Koobi Fora and pretations.
Über den Autor
Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo
is a professor of Archaeology in the Department of Prehistory of the Complutense University, Madrid. He is co-editor of Journal of Taphonomy. He has been the head of research projects on human evolution conducted in Peninj, Eyasi and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), as well as having participated in research conducted in Gona (Ethiopia) and Swartkrans (South Africa). He is associate researcher of the National Museums of Kenya.
Rebeca Barba
got her doctorate in Archaeology in the Complutense University under the supervision of MDR. She has conducted research in Peninj and Olduvai. He is associate researcher of the National Museums of Kenya.
Charles P. Egeland
recently recieved his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Indiana University in Bloomington. In addition to his work in Tanzania, he has conducted field and lab research in South Africa, Kenya, Germany and several U.S. states.
Zusammenfassung
A revolutionary analysis of the oldest archaeological sites of Olduvai Gorge showing that current models of reconstruction of human behavior are wrong
Offers a new analytical approach to understanding how early archaeological sites were formed
Inhaltsverzeichnis
1. The home base debate - M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, C.P. Egeland, R. Barba 2. The hunting-scavenging debate - M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, C.P. Egeland, R. Barba 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The use and misuse of skeletal part profiles 2.3 The ecology of scavenging 2.4 Testing the passive scavenging hypothesis 3. The 'Physical Attribute' Taphonomic Approach - M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, C.P. Egeland, R. Barba 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Analytical parameters of the Physical Attribute Taphonomic Approach 3.3 Referential frameworks of the Physical Attribute Taphonomic Approach 3.4 Reflections on the validity of actualistic frameworks for interpreting early hominid behavior 4. Geological and paleoecological overview of Olduvai Gorge - C. P. Egeland, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Geology and paleoecology 5. New estimates of tooth mark and percussion mark frequencies at the FLK Zinj level: the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis falsified (I) - M Domínguez-Rodrigo & R. Barba 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Sample and methods 5.3 Biochemical marks in modern and fossil bone assemblages 5.4 Results 5.5 Discussion 6. The behavioral meaning of cut marks at the FLK Zinj level: the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis falsified (II). - M Domínguez-Rodrigo & R. Barba 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cut mark frequencies at FLK Zinj 6.3 Anatomical distribution of flesh on felid kills 6.4 Cut mark frequencies in Hot Zones: modern butchery experiments 6.5 Cut mark frequencies in Hot Zones: the FLK Zinj assemblage 6.6 Conclusion 7. A cautionary tale about early archaeological sites: a re-analysis of FLK North 6- M Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba, I. De la Torre & R. Mora 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The FLK North 6 faunal assemblage 7.3 Taphonomic analysis of FLK North 6 7.4 Review of the arguments supporting an anthropogenic origin of FLK North 6 7.5 The analysis of the lithic assemblage 7.6 Conclusions 8. A palimpsest at FLK N 1-2: independent carnivore- and hominid-made bone accumulations - M Domínguez-Rodrigo & R. Barba 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Results 8.3 Discussion 8.4 Conclusions 9. A taphonomic study of FLK N 3&4: a felid-hyenid and hominid palimpsest - M Domínguez-Rodrigo & E. Organista 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Results 9.3 Conclusions 10. Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of FLK North 5 - C.P. Egeland 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The FLKN 5 faunal assemblage 10.3 Discussion and conclusions 11. Natural background bone assemblages and their ravaging stages in Bed I - M Domínuez-Rodrigo & E. Organista 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Samples, analysis and results 11.3 Measuring carnivore ravaging 11.4 Conclusions 12. FLK NN1: 'living floor' or natural accumulation? - R. Barba & M Domínguez-Rodrigo 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Results 12.3 Discussion and conclusions 13. Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of FLK North North 2 - C. P. Egeland 13.1 Introduction 13.2 The FLK North North faunal assemblage 13.3 Discussion and conclusions 14. Re-analysis of FLKNN 3: yet another case of a palimpsest? - M Domínguez-Rodrigo & R. Barba 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Sample and method 14.3
