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Equids can also make stone artefacts

David Dominguez-Solera, Santiago; Maillo-Fernandez, Jose-Manuel; Baquedano, Enrique; Dominguez-Rodrigo, Manuel

JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
2021
VL / 40 - BP / - EP /
abstract
Identifying how early humans flaked stone tools is one of the crucial elements in hominin evolution. Here, we show that equids can sometimes also produce equally complex cores with conchoidal breakages that exhibit the characteristics of intentionally-flaked hominin artefacts by bipolar technique and methods. As a result, sharp edged flakes with percussion platforms, previous scars and bulbs, which can easily be mistaken with hominin-made flakes, are also produced by equid self-trimming. Given the ubiquitous presence of equids in landscapes inhabited by hominins, this imposes caution when interpreting isolated flaked rocks and urges some degree of revision of the criteria to identify strictly hominin-made tools.

AccesS level

Hybrid

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