Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
PLoS One. 2020 Sep 17;15(9):e0239195. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239195. eCollection 2020.
The Howiesons Poort (HP) of southern Africa plays an important role in models on the early behavioral evolution of Homo sapiens. The HP is often portrayed as a coherent MSA industry characterized by early complex material culture. Recent work has emphasized parallel technological change through time across southern Africa potentially driven by ecological adaptations or demographic change. Here we examine patterns of diachronic variation within the HP and evaluate potential causal factors behind these changes. We test previous temporal assessments of the technocomplex at the local and regional level based on high-resolution quantitative data on HP lithic assemblages from Sibudu (KwaZulu-Natal) and comparisons with other southern African sites. At Sibudu, consistent unidirectional change in lithic technology characterizes the HP sequence. The results show a gradual reduction in typical HP markers such as the proportion of blades, backed pieces, and HP cores, as well as declining size of blades and backed artifacts. Quantitative comparisons with seven HP sites in South Africa suggest that lithic technology varies between regions over time instead of following similar changes. Concerning hypotheses of causal drivers, directional changes in lithic technology at Sibudu covary with shifting hunting patterns towards larger-sized bovids and a gradual opening of the vegetation. In contrast, variation in lithic technology shows little association with site use, mobility patterns or demographic expansions. Unlike at Sibudu, diachronic changes at other HP sites such as Diepkloof, Klasies River and Klipdrift appear to be associated with aspects of mobility, technological organization and site use. The regional diachronic patterns in the HP partly follow paleoclimatic zones, which could imply different ecological adaptations and distinct connection networks over time. Divergent and at times decoupled changes in lithic traits across sites precludes monocausal explanations for the entire HP, supporting more complex models for the observed technological trajectories.
南非的豪登（HP）在人类早期行为进化模型中扮演着重要的角色。HP 通常被描绘为一个连贯的 MSA 产业，以早期复杂的物质文化为特征。最近的研究强调了整个南部非洲随着时间的推移平行的技术变革，这些变革可能是由生态适应或人口变化驱动的。在这里，我们研究了 HP 内部历时变化的模式，并评估了这些变化背后的潜在因果因素。我们根据 Sibudu（夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省）的 HP 石器组合的高分辨率定量数据以及与其他南部非洲遗址的比较，检验了局部和区域水平上 HP 技术复杂性的时间评估。在 Sibudu，石器技术的一致单向变化特征贯穿整个 HP 序列。结果表明，典型的 HP 标志物的比例逐渐减少，如叶片、背面物品和 HP 核心的比例，以及叶片和背面物品的尺寸减小。与南非七个 HP 地点的定量比较表明，石器技术随着时间的推移在不同地区发生变化，而不是遵循类似的变化。关于因果驱动因素的假设，Sibudu 石器技术的方向性变化与狩猎模式向较大尺寸的牛科动物转变以及植被逐渐开放相吻合。相比之下，石器技术的变化与遗址利用、迁移模式或人口扩张几乎没有关联。与 Sibudu 不同，其他 HP 地点（如 Diepkloof、Klasies River 和 Klipdrift）的历时变化似乎与迁移、技术组织和遗址利用等方面有关。HP 中的区域历时模式部分遵循古气候带，这可能意味着随着时间的推移，不同的生态适应和不同的连接网络。不同的、有时是不相关的石器特征的变化表明，对于整个 HP 来说，单一原因的解释是不可行的，这支持了对所观察到的技术轨迹更复杂的模型。
