LITHIC TECHNOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

HERNAN MUSCIO; CAROLA CASTIÑEIRA , MARCELO CARDILLO , JUDITH CHARLIN , JUAN CARLOS FERNICOLA Y JORGE BAEZA

Simposio; Rock and Roll: 13th International Symposium on Knappable Materials; 2021

Lithic tools are part of the archaeological record of human evolution. Recent advanceshave shown the usefulness of the application of Evolutionary Theory in the analysis ofpast lithic technological systems to understanding how different species of the genusHomo and other primates procured, made, and used stone tools, and the way in whichlithic assemblages document processes of cultural transmission and patterns of descentwith modification.The application of the theory of evolution to the study of lithic artifacts involves theconsideration of a series of theoretical and methodological issues for documentingand explaining evolutionary patterns in lithic data sets. The goal of this session is tobring together a diverse group of scholars from all over the world who work beneaththe umbrella of evolutionary research in lithic studies, in order to discuss issues suchas the role of lithic artifacts in the diversification, adaptation, and geographical expansionof the hominid clade, as well as tool design, history and evolution of lithic lineages,innovation and extinction of artifact classes, and the life history of lithic artifacts. In linewith the main interest of the symposium, an interesting question is the role of lithicraw materials in the organization of technology, behavior and evolution. We especiallyseek to promote the debate around the models used to describe evolution of lithic artifacts,considering the role of cultural transmission, selection, processes of biologicaland technological coevolution, and other mechanisms and contingencies promotingchange, including design and technological constraints and the availability of lithicresources in each environment. On the other hand, we hope to contribute to the discussionof different methodological tools for documenting patterns in lithic datasets,such as cladistic analysis, geometric morphometrics (2D and 3D shape analysis), lithictaphonomy, micro- and macroscopic approaches to tool function, statistical modellingand experimental approaches, among others. Along this line, contributions discussingthe lithic archaeological record of different species, societies, and economies from differentregions of the world are welcome.