Beyond the genus stereotype. Who were the first toolmarkers in Africa? Crossed views between archaeology and anatomy

Abstract

The evolutionary history of hominins and archaeological assemblages has become considerably more complex in the last twenty-five years due to the contribution of innovative analytical methods and new archaeological and paleoanthropological discoveries. The discoveries unearthed in eastern and southern Africa show a high biological and cultural diversity. But what is the nature of the relationships between hominins and the different material cultures? Singularity or plurality of the stone and bone-tool makers and archaeological assemblages? We propose a crossed view on these questions based on investigations of hominin/culture associations in the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene fieldwork records, morphology-underlying hominins with manual skills as well on interdisciplinary research conducted recently. Our work highlights the plurality of bone and stone toolmakers, in particular Paranthropus, H. habilis and H. erectus/ergaster for Oldowan assemblages. Similarly, in terms of anatomy, the type of dexterity required to make Oldowan assemblages is likely not limited to Homo genus. The frequency of Paranthropus remains associated with Oldowan assemblages is not negligible and insignificant. The occurrences between Oldowan assemblages and Paranthropus seem not to be coincidental and Paranthropus should be therefore considered as a stone and bone-tool maker in the same way as it is for early Homo.