Overview

How were early stone tools made, and what can they tell us about the development of human cognition? This question lies at the basis of archaeological research on human origins and evolution, and the present volume fulfils a growing need among advanced students and researchers working in this field. The individual chapters by a range of leading international scholars approach stone knapping from a multidisciplinary perspective that embraces psychology, physiology, behavioural biology and primatology as well as archaeology. The skills and behaviour of humans and their primate relatives are key parts of the enquiry. The result is a better understanding of early human engagement with the material world and the complex actions required for the creation of stone tools. The book contains many illustrations and is extensively referenced, and provides a landmark contribution in this field.

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9781902937342

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...ambitious and timely...' -- Paleoanthropology Paleoanthropology

...ambitious and timely...' -- Julien Riel-Salvatore PaleoAnthropology 2007

Author Information

Valentine Roux is Director of Research at the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) and has conducted research on both present-day and past societies in India and the Near East with a particular interest in technological studies. She is the author of The Potter's Wheel: Craft Specialization and Technical Competence (1989). Blandine Bril is Professor of Psychology at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris. Her research focuses on the development and learning of motor skills, and particularly of functional skills such as walking and tool use.

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