An empirical test of the relative frequency of bipolar reduction in Beds VI, V, and III at Mumba Rockshelter, Tanzania: implications for the East African Middle to Late Stone Age transition

作者：Eren Metin I^*; Diez Martin Fernando; Dominguez Rodrigo Manuel

来源：Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013, 40(1): 248-256.

DOI：10.1016/j.jas.2012.08.012

• East Africa
• Middle to Late Stone Age transition
• Mumba Rockshelter
• Tanzania
• Stone tools
• Bipolar (Anvil) reduction
• Quartz
• Territoriality
• Microliths
• Time and energy constraints

Mumba Rockshelter, Tanzania, is the only East African site spanning a continuous record of more than 100,000 years, including the Middle Stone Age (MSA) to Late Stone Age (LSA) Transition. Rather than examine the presence or absence of traditional markers of %26quot;behavioral modernity%26quot;, we have endeavored here to respond to the calls of Shea (2011) and Basell (2008) by examining the proportional similarity of a trait present throughout the MSA-LSA sequence at Mumba Rockshelter: the bipolar technique of lithic reduction. We use a quantified, experimentally derived proxy to track the relative amount of bipolar percussion among Mumba%26apos;s Beds VI, V. and III, namely, waste shatter. Our examination of Mehlman%26apos;s previously unanalyzed collections from Mumba demonstrates that in terms of bipolar production Bed V is statistically indistinguishable from the Late Stone Age (LSA) Bed III, but significantly different from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) Bed VI. Given that Bed V dates to 56.9 +/- 4.8 - 49.1 +/- 4.3 ka cal BP, this result is consistent with other evidence that the origins of the LSA in East Africa began well before 40 kya, and that Mumba Bed V represents one of the earliest manifestations of the LSA in East Africa. We conclude with a discussion of factors that may have influenced the increased dependence of bipolar production at the site.

• 出版日期2013-1