Quantifying traces of tool use: a novel morphometric analysis of damage patterns on percussive tools

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 21;9(11):e113856. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113856. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Percussive technology continues to play an increasingly important role in understanding the evolution of tool use. Comparing the archaeological record with extractive foraging behaviors in nonhuman primates has focused on percussive implements as a key to investigating the origins of lithic technology. Despite this, archaeological approaches towards percussive tools have been obscured by a lack of standardized methodologies. Central to this issue have been the use of qualitative, non-diagnostic techniques to identify percussive tools from archaeological contexts. Here we describe a new morphometric method for distinguishing anthropogenically-generated damage patterns on percussive tools from naturally damaged river cobbles. We employ a geomatic approach through the use of three-dimensional scanning and geographical information systems software to statistically quantify the identification process in percussive technology research. This will strengthen current technological analyses of percussive tools in archaeological frameworks and open new avenues for translating behavioral inferences of early hominins from percussive damage patterns.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Fossils*
  • Primates / physiology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Palaeontological Scientific Trust (MVC), National Research Foundation (MVC), National Science Foundation's Biological Anthropology Program [BCS-1128170, -0924476] (DRB), Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program [DGE-0801634] (DRB), The George Washington University's Selective Excellence Fund (DRB), The George Washington University Columbian College Facilitating Fund (DRB), Clare Hall College [JRF] (SC), Newnham College [Gibbs Travelling Fellowship] Cambridge (SC), and the European Research Council [Grant #283959; Primate Archaeology] (SC MH). The European Research Council [Grant #283959; Primate Archaeology] funded the collection of materials and three dimensional scanning. All other funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.