Case study: paradigms in lithic analysis

6 important questions on Case study: paradigms in lithic analysis

What are the 3 mainstream approaches to biface variability? (handaxes)

  • Cultural design
  • Resharpening
  • Raw material constraints  

Raw material constraints

Biface variation and types explained by responses to raw material characteristics: form, size, availability -> you use the form/shape of the raw material as a base

What is a 4th view on handaxes?

Under genetic control
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What is the cultural transmission hypothesis?

  • Handaxes show variability (within sites and between sites)
    • Similarities: as result of shared social learning
    • Similarities: as a result of the limitations imposed (opgelegd) by the mechanics of handaxe production
  • Track environmental variation due to their role as a hand-held tools
  • Produced in social context (i.e., makers grew up exposed to handaxe manufacture)
  • Appearance in different times and places due to behavioural choices and population dynamics

What is the Baldwinian revolution?

  • Acquired traits becoming genetically specified and thus (partly) automatized
  • The evolutionary trade-off between costs and benefits provides the selection pressure (an agent of differential mortality or fertility that tends to make a population change genetically) for this process

Baldwinian solution or cultural solution more handy?

  • Baldwinian solution: is attractive as long as it’s a survival solution which has costs and benefits ->  takes a long time to master
  • Learn solution/cultural solution: is much more handy in certain circumstances because it’s a quick solution

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