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Operationalizing niche construction theory with stone tools.

Radu Iovita1,2,3, David R Braun3,4, Matthew J Douglass5,6

  • 1Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA.

Evolutionary Anthropology
|January 21, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Niche construction theory offers a new framework for understanding stone tool (lithic) evolution by linking culture and biology. This approach helps archaeologists generate testable hypotheses about human behavior and lithic technology.

Keywords:
cultural evolutionlithicsniche construction

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Area of Science:

  • Archaeology
  • Evolutionary Anthropology
  • Human Origins

Background:

  • Evolutionary approaches to stone tool (lithic) studies face challenges in integrating culture and biology while preserving human agency.
  • Existing models struggle to operate at scales relevant to the archaeological record.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the utility of niche construction theory (NCT) for stone tool archaeology.
  • To explore how NCT can bridge the gap between cultural and biological evolution in lithic studies.
  • To propose methods for applying NCT to generate testable hypotheses in lithic research.

Main Methods:

  • Review and theoretical application of niche construction theory to lithic archaeology.
  • Conceptualizing lithics as part of the "extended phenotype" and as byproducts of niche-constructing activities.
  • Developing frameworks for using niche construction feedbacks to formulate archaeological hypotheses.

Main Results:

  • Niche construction theory provides a viable mechanism for linking culture and biology in lithic studies.
  • NCT can be applied to lithics as both direct products and indirect residuals of human activities.
  • The theory offers a robust framework for generating testable hypotheses in stone tool research.

Conclusions:

  • Niche construction theory is a promising evolutionary approach for lithic archaeology.
  • NCT offers advantages over other evolutionary frameworks like human behavioral ecology and dual-inheritance theory for studying stone tools.
  • This theoretical integration enhances our understanding of human agency and evolutionary processes in the archaeological record.