From small holes to grand narratives: the impact of taphonomy and sample size on the modernity debate in Australia and New Guinea.
J Hum Evol
; 61(2): 197-208, 2011 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21489603
ABSTRACT
Our knowledge of early Australasian societies has significantly expanded in recent decades with more than 220 Pleistocene sites reported from a range of environmental zones and depositional contexts. The uniqueness of this dataset has played an increasingly important role in global debates about the origins and expression of complex behaviour among early modern human populations. Nevertheless, discussions of Pleistocene behaviour and cultural innovation are yet to adequately consider the effects of taphonomy and archaeological sampling on the nature and representativeness of the record. Here, we investigate the effects of preservation and sampling on the archaeological record of Sahul, and explore the implications for understanding early cultural diversity and complexity. We find no evidence to support the view that Pleistocene populations of Sahul lacked cognitive modernity or cultural complexity. Instead, we argue that differences in the nature of early modern human populations across the globe were more likely the consequence of differences in population size and density, interaction and historical contingency.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Tamanho da Amostra
/
Fósseis
/
Antropologia Cultural
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Hum Evol
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido