Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

07:17
Murine Hind Limb Long Bone Dissection and Bone Marrow Isolation
Published on: April 14, 2016
A middle stone age worked bone industry from Katanda, Upper Semliki Valley, Zaire
J E Yellen1, A S Brooks, E Cornelissen
1Archaeology Program, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230, USA.
Summary
Middle Stone Age bone tools from Katanda, Zaire, reveal complex subsistence strategies and advanced behavioral competence, supporting an African origin for modern humans.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Paleoanthropology
- Stone Age Studies
Background:
- The Middle Stone Age (MSA) in Africa.
- Archaeological evidence from Katanda, Zaire.
- Dating of archaeological finds.
Discussion:
- Analysis of bone artifacts, including barbed and unbarbed points and a dagger.
- Interpretation of faunal remains, particularly catfish, indicating specialized fishing.
- Assessment of the technological sophistication and behavioral complexity.
Key Insights:
- Discovery of a sophisticated bone industry at Katanda, dating to approximately 90,000 years ago.
- Evidence for complex subsistence specialization, including advanced fishing techniques, during the MSA.
- The findings suggest behavioral modernity in Africa predates earlier estimates.
Outlook:
- Further research into MSA bone technologies across Africa.
- Comparative studies with other contemporary hominin sites.
- Implications for understanding the evolution of human behavior and cognition.

