Insights into the Cognitive Abilities of Oldowan and Acheulean Hominins

Abstract

Abstract This chapter incorporates a personal retrospective on the authors’ development of experimental and other comparative approaches in researching the behavioral and cognitive evolution of early tool-making hominins. Over the past four decades, the authors have conducted experimental archaeological and other actualistic research bearing on the technology, adaptation, behavioral patterns, and cognitive complexity of Early Stone Age hominins in Africa and Eurasia (~2.5–0.5 million years ago). This research has primarily focused on the Oldowan Industrial Complex (Mode 1 or “pebble tool” industries) and the Acheulean Industrial Complex (Mode 2 or “handaxe and cleaver” industries). This actualistic research has included experimental replicative and functional studies of early stone artifacts, geoarchaeological investigations of site formation processes, teaching modern African apes (bonobos) to make and use stone tools, ethnoarchaeology, and brain imaging studies.