摘要:In this paper, we present an experiment to evaluate the gestures that preceded stone knapping. The goal of the present research was to shed light into the emergence of stone tools. We compared the knapping performed by expert and novice knappers. From this comparison, we hypothesized about the role non-human primate-like technological behaviours, such as nut-cracking, play on the dawn of lithic technology. Our results point to some continuity between these activities and stone knapping. Consequently, they highlight the urgency of researches and experiments especially designed to evaluate the magnitude of this connexion.
关键词:experimental archaeology; stone knapping; nut-cracking; cognition; human evolution.