Implications for complex cognition from the hafting of tools with compound adhesives in the Middle Stone Age, South Africa Export

@article{citeulike:4569675, abstract = {10.1073/pnas.0900957106 Compound adhesives made from red ochre mixed with plant gum were used in the Middle Stone Age (MSA), South Africa. Replications reported here suggest that early artisans did not merely color their glues red; they deliberately effected physical transformations involving chemical changes from acidic to less acidic pH, dehydration of the adhesive near wood fires, and changes to mechanical workability and electrostatic forces. Some of the steps required for making compound adhesive seem impossible without multitasking and abstract thought. This ability suggests overlap between the cognitive abilities of modern people and people in the MSA. Our multidisciplinary analysis provides a new way to recognize complex cognition in the MSA without necessarily invoking the concept of symbolism.}, author = {Wadley, Lyn and Hodgskiss, Tamaryn and Grant, Michael}, citeulike-article-id = {4569675}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900957106}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://www.pnas.org/content/0900957106v1//.abstract}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://www.pnas.org/content/0900957106v1//.full.pdf}, citeulike-linkout-3 = {http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19433786}, citeulike-linkout-4 = {http://www.hubmed.org/display.cgi?uids=19433786}, day = {11}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.0900957106}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, keywords = {200905, afrique-du-sud, comportement, emmanchement, industrie-lithique, middle-stone-age}, month = {May}, posted-at = {2009-05-21 14:39:47}, priority = {2}, title = {Implications for complex cognition from the hafting of tools with compound adhesives in the Middle Stone Age, South Africa}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900957106}, year = {2009} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:4569675 L3 - citeulike-article-id:4569675 N2 - 10.1073/pnas.0900957106 Compound adhesives made from red ochre mixed with plant gum were used in the Middle Stone Age (MSA), South Africa. Replications reported here suggest that early artisans did not merely color their glues red; they deliberately effected physical transformations involving chemical changes from acidic to less acidic pH, dehydration of the adhesive near wood fires, and changes to mechanical workability and electrostatic forces. Some of the steps required for making compound adhesive seem impossible without multitasking and abstract thought. This ability suggests overlap between the cognitive abilities of modern people and people in the MSA. Our multidisciplinary analysis provides a new way to recognize complex cognition in the MSA without necessarily invoking the concept of symbolism. JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences TI - Implications for complex cognition from the hafting of tools with compound adhesives in the Middle Stone Age, South Africa KW - 200905 KW - afrique-du-sud KW - comportement KW - emmanchement KW - industrie-lithique KW - middle-stone-age AU - Wadley, Lyn AU - Hodgskiss, Tamaryn AU - Grant, Michael PY - 2009/05/11/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900957106 ER -