Quaternary Environments and Humans最新文献

{"title":"Lithological and geochemical characterization of ‘adinole’ artefacts from cave deposits in southwest Wales: A material of choice during the late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic","authors":"Richard Bevins ,&nbsp;Elizabeth A. Walker ,&nbsp;Nick Pearce ,&nbsp;Duncan Pirrie ,&nbsp;Rob Ixer ,&nbsp;Ian Saunders ,&nbsp;Matthew Power","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Twenty-three artefacts previously identified as being manufactured from adinole, a fine-grained metasomatic rock, from late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic cave sites in southwest Wales have been re-examined in terms of their petrology and geochemistry. Standard petrography has been combined with automated SEM-EDS analysis for a single artefact to determine the mineralogy and textures of that artefact, while portable XRF and μXRF have been combined to establish the geochemical characteristics of all twenty-three artefacts analysed. These investigations have shown that the artefacts were manufactured from rhyolite rather than adinole, a misidentification that has been in the literature for over 100 years. Some artefacts appear to cluster on geochemical plots, such as a group of eight artefacts from Hoyle’s Mouth Cave which share petrological characteristics and appear to have come from a common source. In other cases, however, certain artefacts with similar chemistries have dissimilar petrological characteristics and are not from a common source. This highlights the need to consider both petrological and geochemical characteristics when classifying rhyolitic artefacts. The artefacts studied show that this spotted variety of rhyolite was a preferred source of raw material throughout the late Middle and Upper Palaeolithic, despite having no obvious physical or practical advantages. Identifying rhyolite rather than adinole as the raw material used in the manufacture of the studied artefacts negates the need to consider long distance transport of either raw materials or finished artefacts. It strongly suggests that people in southwest Wales, where raw materials were scarce, were using materials that were local to them. Further, there is evidence that people were effectively planning for future use or reuse of artefacts, involving curation of tools. The next phase of work will use the lithological characteristics identified here to explore potential sources for the raw material used in the manufacture of these artefacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100058"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the Microlithic technology in the Lower Ganga Basin, Eastern India: A chronological and ecological perspective","authors":"Sourav Mukhopadhyay ,&nbsp;Antara Gupta ,&nbsp;Pankaj Kumar ,&nbsp;Prabhin Sukumaran ,&nbsp;Panduranga D. Sabale","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The geographical and ecological factors influencing the spread of microlithic technologies are a pivotal focus of prehistoric research in South Asia. This study examines two microlithic sites, Barakar and Susunia, located in the Lower Ganga Basin (LGB) of Eastern India, and presents new radiocarbon dating results from Susunia, providing an absolute chronology for the site. Preliminary analyses reveal that these sites, characterized by microlithic assemblages, date back approximately 17,000–12,000 years BP, corresponding to the Late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2. The period of human occupation aligns with climatic shifts marked by the dominance of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and humid conditions in the region. While the two sites share core-flake-based and blade production techniques, regional divergences in lithic raw material usage are evident. Notably, findings from Susunia, including a grinding/hammer stone, shell bead, and microlithic tools, provide insights into the community’s cultural practices, subsistence strategies, and interactions with their environment and neighboring groups. These results underscore the technological and social dynamics of microlithic adaptations in the LGB. Despite these contributions, further comprehensive fieldwork and excavation are essential to deepen our understanding of the evolutionary trajectory of microlithic technologies and societal transformations in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100059"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of lipid biomarkers in deciphering quaternary human evolution in the Indian subcontinent: An integrative review","authors":"Diptimayee Behera ,&nbsp;Charusmita Gadekar","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This comprehensive review article presents an integrated application of lipid biomarkers to unravel the intricate narrative of Quaternary human evolution in the Indian subcontinent. The study highlights the empirical and experimental foundations laid by numerous investigations, contributing to our current knowledge of sedimentary deposits, ecofacts, and artifacts that preserve organic residues containing lipid biomarkers. The advancements in lipid analysis, with a specific emphasis on enhanced analytical tools and approaches to data acquisition and interpretation, have provided an intuitive paradigm for comprehending various archaeological investigations. Concise documentation is provided on the process of establishing protocols for extracting and isolating lipid biomarkers, as well as the instrumental developments that enable the detection, identification, and quantification of these biomarkers. The utilization of compound groups such as fatty acids, alcohols and triacylglycerides (TAGs) for dietary reconstruction and subsistence transition studies is explored. Molecular markers including <em>n-</em>alkanes, lignins, terpenoids, and the related parametric ratios have also been discussed, offering an elaborate understanding of vegetation shift, thereby suggesting environmental and climatic change. An overview of relevant studies conducted within the Indian subcontinent and worldwide underscores the application of suggested lipid markers and subsequent technological advancements in archaeological contexts. The work highlights the paucity of studies within the Indian subcontinent, underlining the imperative for more extensive research to provide profound insights and address lingering questions surrounding human history.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100057"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revisiting the Lahchura pebble tool-complex in Uttar Pradesh, India: Technological insights and analysis","authors":"Jose Tom Rapheal ,&nbsp;Pratik Pandey ,&nbsp;Satyam Bharti ,&nbsp;Manish Kumar Rai","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The prehistoric site of Lahchura, located at the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, India has yielded a distinctive assemblage of pebble cores that offers valuable insights into post-Acheulean stone tool technology. This study analyses 134 pebble cores from a collection of 345 artefacts to understand the reduction sequences, flaking strategies, and technological trends. The remaining artefacts were examined to assess the composition and overall nature of the assemblage. In addition to metrical analysis, the study also focused on the qualitative features of the cores, revealing various strategies used to remove flakes. The pebble cores, predominantly made of quartzite and chert, exhibit unifacial flaking patterns, with most flakes removed from cortical platforms. Some cores show evidence of parallel end-flake removal, suggesting a technological shift toward end flake detachment, potentially serving as a precursor to microblade technology. The analysis reveals a lack of morphological shaping and symmetry in the cores, with flake scars indicating the removal of flakes primarily in the size range of 1–5 cm. Notably, differences in flaking techniques based on raw materials highlight both continuity in technological traits and possible innovations. The findings suggest that these cores reflect an adaptive strategy driven by the availability of local resources and the technological knowledge of hominin groups. Comparisons with similar artifacts from the Indian subcontinent and Southern China further underscore the regional and temporal significance of Lahchura's assemblage.This study proposes that the Lahchura pebble cores represent a possible episode in the stone tool technology, between Acheulean and microblade traditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100056"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The geoarchaeology, chronology and environment of Lusakert-1, a Late Middle Palaeolithic rockshelter (Kotayk Province, Armenia)","authors":"Keith N. Wilkinson ,&nbsp;Ethel Allué ,&nbsp;Simon J. Armitage ,&nbsp;Adam van Arsdale ,&nbsp;Guy Bar-Oz ,&nbsp;Alex Brittingham ,&nbsp;Boris Gasparyan ,&nbsp;Jayson Gill ,&nbsp;Philip Glauberman ,&nbsp;Thomas F.G. Higham ,&nbsp;Ellery Frahm ,&nbsp;Tanner Kovach ,&nbsp;Vasilija Lukich ,&nbsp;Carolina Mallol ,&nbsp;Yannick Raczynski-Henk ,&nbsp;Iván Rey Rodríguez ,&nbsp;Jennifer E. Sherriff ,&nbsp;Aayush Srivastava ,&nbsp;Lior Weissbrod ,&nbsp;Reuven Yeshurun ,&nbsp;Daniel S. Adler","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lusakert-1 (LKT-1) is a key site in any discussion of the Palaeolithic of the Armenian Highlands. This is in large part because of a long-running campaign of excavation in the 1970–1980s which recovered an obsidian artefact assemblage that was then interpreted as spanning the Lower–Upper Palaeolithic. Our reinvestigation in 2008–2012 revealed evidence of occupation in the interior of the LKT-1 rockshelter comprising spreads of ash, obsidian artefacts and human-modified bone. Deposits inside the rockshelter interdigitate with alluvial sediments deposited in a now-abandoned meander of the river Hrazdan demonstrating that occupation took place at the floodplain edge. Artefacts are typologically Middle Palaeolithic, and based on refits and inferences made from micromorphological and lithostratigraphical observation, are preserved in a near <em>in situ</em> state in the rockshelter interior. Artefacts recovered from alluvial strata on the rockshelter exterior are, however, in a secondary context. In addition to stone tool production and use, and the laying of fires, the butchery of wild goat and wild ass is also documented. These activities likely took place seasonally given that evidence of the use of the site by owls - raptors that avoid humans - is found through much of the rockshelter stratigraphy. Radiocarbon and luminescence dating indicate that the rockshelter sequence accumulated in the 65–34 ka interval, i.e. during Marine Isotope Stage 3. Indeed, micromorphological and stable isotopes of <em>n</em>-alkanes demonstrate changes between the warm-humid and cool-dry climates that characterise MIS 3 in the region. Nevertheless, stable isotope data, vertebrate remains, and wood charcoal suggest that grassland vegetation dominated throughout, albeit that arboreal vegetation is associated with deposits accumulating during humid phases. LKT-1 offers a unique and detailed perspective on hominin behaviour and palaeoenvironments in the Armenian Highlands prior to the Upper Palaeolithic and serves as a valuable comparison to the growing Middle Palaeolithic record of the broader region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100054"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The mounds of the India Muerta region, Uruguay, as pit oven stations. New data","authors":"Christopher Duarte ,&nbsp;Roberto Bracco Boksar ,&nbsp;Ofelia Gutiérrez ,&nbsp;Daniel Panario","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the India Muerta-Paso Barrancas region (Rocha, Uruguay) more than 600 prehistoric mounds have been identified. The archaeological record of these terrestrial structures includes integrated residues of human activity: bone remains, lithic and bone artifacts, charcoal, ochre, a small number of ceramic fragments and human burials. But the most outstanding characteristic of these structures is that they are mounds of thermoaltered sediment. Between 25 % and 30 % of their matrix are fragments of anthills that reaching 6 cm or more in their largest dimension and that were heated to minimum temperatures of 350/380ºC. This work presents a battery of TL and OSL dates carried out on the thermoaltered sediment of the highest and oldest mound structure in the region, known as “Cerro de la Viuda”. The data obtained with the two techniques are compared, along with ¹⁴C chronologies from the same mound. The correlations between the dates obtained and the daily processes that would have led the prehistoric groups of the region to produce, over centuries, of mounds of thermoaltered sediments are analyzed and interpreted. This is a contribution to the understanding of the chronology and function of anthropogenic mounds in the India Muerta-Paso Barrancas region. The data presented support the hypothesis that the sampled clasts were heated in situ and therefore that the mounds were built in association with earth ovens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100053"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does form entail function? Understanding pottery functionalities through absorbed residues within ceramics from the Harappan sites of Karanpura and Ropar in India","authors":"Ahana Ghosh ,&nbsp;V.N. Prabhakar ,&nbsp;Eleanora .A. Reber ,&nbsp;Helna Liston ,&nbsp;Sivapriya Kirubakaran ,&nbsp;Sreelakshmi K.S. ,&nbsp;Umesh Talekar ,&nbsp;Mukesh Bhardwaj ,&nbsp;Abhay Vishwakarma ,&nbsp;Sharada Channarayapatna","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Harappan Culture emerged in the Indus-Saraswati Region, with sites spreading over present-day northwest India, Gujarat, Pakistan, and Afghanistan between 2600 and 1900 BCE. Harappan sites have yielded extensive structural and material culture discoveries and diverse pottery assemblages, making it clear that it was an important and complex urban society extending over a wide area for more than 700 years. Harappan pottery, well-studied by various scholars, offers valuable insights into the socio-cultural-economic developments of its manufacturers and users during the culture’s existence. The current research directly determines the function of 15 potsherds scientifically from excavated Harappan sites of Karanpura and Ropar in Rajasthan and Punjab, respectively, in India. Besides the usual forms like cooking pots, the study explores unique ones like perforated jars and incised pottery. The samples are typical Harappan pottery types found in most settlements, both in habitation and burial contexts. Interestingly, perforated jars in burials are always associated with a wide-mouthed pot. The inclusion of these two vessel types in association is characteristic of the Harappan burials at other sites like Harappa and Kalibangan. The previous studies on Harappan ceramic types have mainly focused on their typological and morphological attributes, sometimes substantiated through ethnographic analogies. Until recently, only a few pilot studies employed organic residue analysis techniques to examine the relationship between the pottery forms and their possible functions by evaluating the lipids absorbed within their porous matrices (rim, body, and base). From the methodological perspective, this research examines the type and amount of lipids preserved within the sampled sherds, the potential effect of porosity on residue preservation, and possible contaminants affecting the interpretation of these lipids. This study focuses on studying the function of vessels using the direct scientific determination of vessel contents through residue analysis, moving away from ceramic research grounded solely on conventional forms found in the excavated settlements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100050"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoarchaeological perspective on Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement pattern and transition in the Ganga Plain, India","authors":"Hemant Kumar Vaishnav ,&nbsp;Deepak Kumar Jha ,&nbsp;B. Janardhana","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Ganga River Basin is one of the most densely populated regions in the world, supporting millions of people since the early Holocene, as evidenced by archaeological evidence of early agricultural practices. Over the past two decades, geological, archaeological and archaeobotanical research has provided important insights into human-environment interactions. However, this evidence is diverse and often fragmented, confined within individual disciplines. There is a need for a transdisciplinary approach to synthesise and contextualise this knowledge to guide future archaeological research in India. In this study, we have reviewed the evidence (≥100 articles) for the technological and cultural transition between Mesolithic and Neolithic populations. By combining spatial analysis of geological, geomorphological, biome and rainfall, archaeological information on burials, floral assemblages, and the distribution of archaeological sites, this study aims to identify changes in land-use practices, agriculture and technology that marked the transition from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers to Neolithic communities. The Mesolithic occupation in the Ganga Plain spanned from ∼12,000 to ∼4000 years BP, while Neolithic settlements occurred between ∼9000 and ∼3400 years BP, clearly indicating the ∼4000 year overlap in cultural adaptation between foraging and farming communities. A total of 269 archaeological sites are included in our study, of which 19 are dated. The spatial analysis suggests that both Mesolithic and Neolithic inhabitants occupied low relief topography (valley and pediplain) associated with Precambrian rock formations, rich in tool-making materials such as quartz and chert. Further analysis revealed that more than 80 % of the sites are concentrated in areas receiving 501–1500 mm of annual rainfall, which falls under the tropical moist broadleaf forest biome. The geographical distribution of these sites therefore reflects a strategic selection of locations to optimise resource availability, supporting both tool-making and agricultural activities, and demonstrating the adaptability of ancient populations in the Ganga Plain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100051"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ancient biomolecular analysis of 39 mammoth individuals from Kostenki 11-Ia elucidates Upper Palaeolithic human resource use","authors":"Alba Rey-Iglesia ,&nbsp;Alexander J.E. Pryor ,&nbsp;Deon de Jager ,&nbsp;Tess Wilson ,&nbsp;Mathew A. Teeter ,&nbsp;Ashot Margaryan ,&nbsp;Ruslan Khaskhanov ,&nbsp;Louise Le Meillour ,&nbsp;Gaudry Troché ,&nbsp;Frido Welker ,&nbsp;Paul Szpak ,&nbsp;Alexandr E. Dudin ,&nbsp;Eline D. Lorenzen","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circular structures made from woolly mammoth bones are found across Ukraine and west Russia, yet the origin of the bones remains uncertain. We present ten new mammoth radiocarbon dates from the largest circular structure at Kostenki 11-Ia, identifying two mammoth mandibles ∼200–1200 years older than the other dated materials from the site, suggesting skeletal material from long-dead individuals was scavenged and used in the site construction. Biomolecular sexing of 30 individuals showed a predominance of females, suggesting the Kostenki mammoths are primarily from herds. We identify seven mitochondrial lineages across 16 samples, and thus the mammoths are not all from the same matriline. Integrating biomolecular sexing with stable <em>δ</em>¹³C and <em>δ</em>¹⁵N isotope analysis, we find no isotopically-differentiated resource use by females and males, providing the first analysis of foraging differences between sexes in any Late Pleistocene megafauna. Our study highlights the significance of integrating ancient biomolecular approaches in archaeological inference.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100049"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Random forest models highlight early Homo sapiens habitats and their relationship to lithic assemblage composition","authors":"Lucy Timbrell ,&nbsp;James Blinkhorn ,&nbsp;Matt Grove","doi":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eastern Africa plays an enduring role in understanding the evolution of modern humans in relation to palaeoenvironmental change. Numerous studies have implicated ecological and geographic factors in determining the spatiotemporal patterning of technological and cultural behaviour seen in the region during the Middle Stone Age (MSA), the technological phase associated with the emergence of <em>Homo sapiens</em> in Africa. We use an eco-cultural niche modelling approach to evaluate the importance of different environmental and geographical variables in determining where early humans could have lived, and the impact of habitat suitability on different aspects of the eastern African MSA lithic record. We apply random forests, a powerful and highly flexible machine-learning tool for niche modelling, in combination with palaeoclimatic simulations at high temporal resolution. Topographic factors, distance to water and net primary productivity are found to be the most important factors in predicting MSA site locations in eastern Africa, followed by a suite of precipitation and then temperature variables. We find that environmental suitability has a significant impact on overall assemblage composition, suggesting that populations occupying optimal and peripheral zones within the landscapes use distinct artefact types and reduction technologies. These include the use of burins, bifacially retouched tools and bipolar technology, which are more likely to occur in the most optimal areas. Core tools, Levallois point and blade technology, and denticulates are associated with more peripheral areas, and thus perhaps could be associated with adapations to riskier ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101053,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Environments and Humans","volume":"3 1","pages":"Article 100048"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}