Research

Stone tool technology: a lens for human behavior across time and space

One of the central pursuits of archaeology is to explore how hunter gatherers adapted to different environments throughout prehistory. One means to explore this is through the study of lithic technology, or stone tools. My current research involves examining the evidence for behavioral adaptation in mainland Southeast Asia, where global cycles of climate change brought on profound changes in regional geography and ecology.

How might an archaeologist use a stone tool assemblage to investigate past behaviors? Stone tool assemblages can be composed of hundreds, sometimes even thousands of stone tools. Each stone tool represents a snapshot of technology; a crystallized set of actions preserved across thousands of years. By exploring how tools change over time, archaeologists can learn about how long a stone tool was used, how it was made and subsequently reshaped or curated, and sometimes how the information needed to make the tool was transmitted across time or space. By comparing assemblages across different areas and among global regions, archaeologists help shed light on patterns of behavioral adaptations that enabled our species, Homo sapiens, to leave Africa and eventually colonize the entire planet.

How might this research be relevant to you? Today, people around the world face significant challenges related to climate change. In Southeast Asia, projections indicate that sea level increase of a mere 30-50 centimeters would affect 29,808 kilometers of shoreline, and inflict nearly $226 million in damages per year. By investigating patterns of human responses to climate change in the past, we might be more prepared to respond to similar challenges today. For more information, please visit the SUNDASIA Project website.

Header Photo: T. Kahlert 2016

Footer Photo: Utting 2016