Comparing Australian Message Sticks and Sequentially Marked Objects of the Upper Palaeolithic: Problems and...

Area of Science:

• Archaeology
• Cognitive Science
• Anthropology

Background:

• Engraved portable objects from the Upper Palaeolithic and earlier are theorized as cognitive tools for information storage (calculation, record-keeping, communication).
• Historical comparisons have been made between these ancient objects and Australian Indigenous message sticks, which are marked graphic devices for communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the intellectual history of comparing ancient engraved objects with message sticks.
• To evaluate the utility of ethnographic analogy in interpreting early cognitive tools.
• To clarify the function of message sticks and their relevance to understanding Upper Palaeolithic objects.

Main Methods:

• Systematic analysis of historical observations on message sticks.
• Review of recent fieldwork data on message stick use.
• Application of ethnographic analogy to archaeological interpretation.

Main Results:

• Comparisons between ancient objects and message sticks have often been misguided.
• Australian message sticks function primarily as tools of social cognition, not general cognition.
• Message stick meaning is dependent on orality and context.

Conclusions:

• Cautious application of ethnographic analogy can provide valuable insights into ancient cognitive tools.
• Understanding message sticks aids in interpreting Upper Palaeolithic objects, including their role in social aggregation, decoration vs. notation, and the relationship between graphics and speech.