Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania

PloS One
Christian A TryonAudax Z P Mabulla

Abstract

The archaeology of East Africa during the last ~65,000 years plays a central role in debates about the origins and dispersal of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Despite the historical importance of the region to these discussions, reliable chronologies for the nature, tempo, and timing of human behavioral changes seen among Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological assemblages are sparse. The Kisese II rockshelter in the Kondoa region of Tanzania, originally excavated in 1956, preserves a ≥ 6-m-thick archaeological succession that spans the MSA/LSA transition, with lithic artifacts such as Levallois and bladelet cores and backed microliths, the recurrent use of red ochre, and >5,000 ostrich eggshell beads and bead fragments. Twenty-nine radiocarbon dates on ostrich eggshell carbonate make Kisese II one of the most robust chronological sequences for understanding archaeological change over the last ~47,000 years in East Africa. In particular, ostrich eggshell beads and backed microliths appear by 46-42 ka cal BP and occur throughout overlying Late Pleistocene and Holocene strata. Changes in lithic technology suggest an MSA/LSA transition that began 39-34.3 ka, with typical LSA technologies in place by the Last ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 27, 2019·Evolutionary Anthropology·Richard G Klein
Mar 11, 2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Brian A StewartJoel D Blum
Feb 23, 2021·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Myra F LairdKathryn L Ranhorn
Mar 15, 2021·Journal of Human Evolution·Ceri ShiptonMichael D Petraglia
Aug 12, 2020·Journal of Human Evolution·Osbjorn M PearsonChristian A Tryon
Dec 8, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Elizabeth M NiespoloTim D White

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
electron spin resonance

Software Mentioned

Inskeep
OxCal

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