archaeology and palaeoanthropology 9
A R C H A E O L O G Y A N D P A L A E O A N T H R O P O L O G Y
Africa have not been that easy to date. Each ‘C4’, indicating an open habitat and gener-
cave represents multiple infilling episodes alist diet for all of the Australopithecines
and therefore represents different times and early Homo. The analysis of bone and
and changing environments. Faunal correla- plant remains from these sites continues
tions with well-dated East African sites were and suggests that there were significant
done in the 1960s and 1970s but these were
climatic differences on the interior highveld
based on the assumption that the East Afri-
plateau of South Africa between then and
can species were both equivalent and con-
now. Chemistry and microstructure of non-
temporaneous. Nick-point geomorphology
human bones have also led Andrew Sillen
was used to date the caves in the 1970s, but
and Bob Brain to the conclusion that fire
the results were controversial when it was
was present at the cave site of Swartkrans
suggested that the type site of Taung was
1.3 million years ago. The burnt bone from
comparatively young at around 2 million
this site is argued as indicating the mainte-
years. This was inconsistent with the faunal
nance, but not necessarily the making, of
dating and the Australopithecine morphol-
fire, an important landmark in the develop-
ogy. Palaeomagnetic dating has been rea-
ment of technology.
sonably successful in sorting some of the
deposits, and most recently cosmogenic
dating for Stw 573 has placed it between
The most recent research on human origins
3.5 and 4 million years, but this could be an
in southern Africa has concerned itself with
overestimation. A secure dating for the Aus-
the rise of anatomically modern humans
tralopithecine sites is absolutely necessary
and especially modern human behaviour.
in order to understand the progression of
With genetic evidence from living humans
species in both place and time.
indicating an African origin for modern hu-
mans around 150 000 years ago, and the
By the 1970s, a model of ecological differ-
Khoesan people of southern Africa dem-
entiation between the gracile and robust
onstrating the deepest roots of all living
Australopithecines had been proposed
humans, the fossil remains from the end of
that suggested a more generalist diet for
the Pleistocene in South Africa have gained
Australopithecus leading to the origin of
new importance. Critical to this new focus
Homo, and a specialised hard object vege-
has been the dating of deposits beyond
tarian diet for Paranthropus that eventually
the range of radiocarbon. Zenobia Jacobs
led them to extinction. The evidence came
and Dave Roberts, amongst others, have
from microscopic analysis of tooth wear
explored the use of optically stimulated
on the molars of the various specimens.
luminescence (OSL) and have revolution-
This simple model has been challenged in
ised our understanding of Early and Middle
recent times by the analysis of stable car- Stone Age sites, especially those at How-
bon isotopes from the same teeth. Van der ieson’s Poort and Still Bay.
Merwe and Julia Lee-Thorp have managed
to extract carbon from the teeth and have This has enabled palaeoanthropologists to
shown that all of these early Hominins were see the pattern of sequential change in ma-
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