A recent study suggests that around 600,000 years ago, there was a significant leap in stone tool complexity in the fossil record. This sudden increase in complexity indicates that hominin knowledge experienced a substantial growth during that time period. Researchers from the University of Missouri and Arizona State University have analyzed 3.3 million years of human evolution to understand the development of stone tool manufacturing techniques.
The researchers ranked 62 tool-making sequences based on their complexity across 57 different sites. They found that up until 1.8 million years ago, the manufacturing sequences of stone tools ranged between two and four procedural units in length. However, over the next 1.2 million years, there was a noticeable increase in tool complexity, with sequences reaching up to seven procedural units.
It wasn’t until around 600,000 years ago that our ancestors took tool complexity to a whole new level. At this point, the complexity of tools could require up to 18 procedural units. This significant advancement in technology relied on knowledge passed down from previous generations, suggesting a form of cumulative culture. Essentially, generations of improvements and modifications contributed to the rapid increase in point stone tool complexity.
Cumulative culture is the accumulation of modifications, innovations, and improvements over generations through social learning. It allows for the transfer of knowledge and advancements without the need for individuals to fully understand every aspect of their development. This collective knowledge pool continued to grow, leading to the selection of genes that affect learning. As a result, there may have been an increase in relative brain size, a prolonged life history, and other key traits underlying human uniqueness.
While the findings of the study provide a solid proxy for the presence of cumulative culture near the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene, researchers note that this type of cultural intelligence may have arisen even earlier in our evolutionary history. It is possible that early hominins relied on cumulative culture to develop complex social, foraging, and technological behaviors that are not easily preserved archaeologically. Regardless of the exact technology or timing, reliance on cumulative culture may have played a significant role in shaping many of humanity’s unique features.
The evolution of hominin knowledge and the development of stone tools provide valuable insights into the growth of cumulative culture among our ancestors. By examining the increase in tool complexity over millions of years, researchers have been able to uncover the role of social learning and generational knowledge transfer in shaping human technological advancements. Cumulative culture has proven to be a powerful force in driving innovation and problem-solving abilities, ultimately contributing to the unique characteristics that define us as humans.
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