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The origin of modern human behavior.
Christopher S Henshilwood1, Curtis W Marean
1Centre for Development Studies, Univesity of Bergen, Norway, and State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA. chris@blomboscave.co.za
Current Anthropology
|February 20, 2004
Summary
Archaeological indicators for behavioral modernity, crucial for understanding human origins, face significant challenges. Current methods are problematic for African contexts and lack robust theoretical grounding, necessitating re-evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Human Origins
- Behavioral Modernity
Background:
- The origins of modern humans are debated, with archaeology focusing on identifying behavioral modernity in the archaeological record.
- Competing models exist, using specific traits as indicators of behavioral modernity.
Observation:
- Current indicators of behavioral modernity are problematic due to empirical derivation from European contexts, ambiguity, and lack of theoretical justification.
- Application of these indicators in Africa is challenging due to their European bias.
- Taphonomic issues further complicate the use of these indicators across different time spans.
Findings:
- The existing set of test implications for behavioral modernity models suffers from context-specificity, ambiguity, and weak theoretical foundations.
- These limitations hinder robust testing of hypotheses regarding early modern human behavior.
Implications:
- Rigorous discussion and re-evaluation of archaeological test implications are essential for accurately modeling human origins.
- Developing context-appropriate and theoretically sound indicators is crucial for advancing the study of behavioral modernity, particularly in Africa.