Continuity of the Middle Stone Age into the Holocene

Abstract

The African Middle Stone Age (MSA, typically considered to span ca. 300–30 thousand years ago [ka]), represents our species’ first and longest lasting cultural phase. Although the MSA to Later Stone Age (LSA) transition is known to have had a degree of spatial and temporal variability, recent studies have implied that in some regions, the MSA persisted well beyond 30 ka. Here we report two new sites in Senegal that date the end of the MSA to around 11 ka, the youngest yet documented MSA in Africa. This shows that this cultural phase persisted into the Holocene. These results highlight significant spatial and temporal cultural variability in the African Late Pleistocene, consistent with genomic and palaeoanthropological hypotheses that significant, long-standing inter-group cultural differences shaped the later stages of human evolution in Africa.

Middle Stone Age Bifacial Technology and Pressure Flaking at the MIS 3 Site of Toumboura III, Eastern Senegal

“…65 to 25 ka at Tiémassas (Niang, et al, 2020) as well as the very young MSA dates of ca. 23-20 ka at Laminia, 11.6 ± 0.51 ka at Ndiayène Pendao, and 11.1 ± 0.58 ka at Saxomununya underpin an enduring existence of these Senegalese MSA sites into the onset of the Holocene (Scerri et al, 2017(Scerri et al, , 2021. These Senegalese assemblages echo unquestionably typical MSA features, such as Levallois and discoid reduction sequences, denticulates, notched pieces, side scrapers, and small foliate points (Scerri et al, 2021).…”

“…23-20 ka at Laminia, 11.6 ± 0.51 ka at Ndiayène Pendao, and 11.1 ± 0.58 ka at Saxomununya underpin an enduring existence of these Senegalese MSA sites into the onset of the Holocene (Scerri et al, 2017(Scerri et al, , 2021. These Senegalese assemblages echo unquestionably typical MSA features, such as Levallois and discoid reduction sequences, denticulates, notched pieces, side scrapers, and small foliate points (Scerri et al, 2021). Several other sites, extending from early MIS 3 into MIS 2 and even the onset of the Holocene, yielded evidence for the manufacture of bifacial tools.…”

“…Scientific efforts have intensified in the last decade to increase the knowledge about the West African Middle Stone Age (MSA) (e.g., Allsworth-Jones, 2019;Chevrier et al, 2016Chevrier et al, , 2018Huysecom, 1987;Niang et al, 2018;Scerri et al, 2016Scerri et al, , 2017Scerri et al, , 2021. The accumulating archaeological data, especially from Senegal and Mali, reveal distinctive cultural developments that have enriched our understanding of human behavioral evolutionary history during this period.…”

Testing the Integrity of the Middle and Later Stone Age Cultural Taxonomic Division in Eastern Africa

“…Goodwin (1946:74) was careful to note that 'the three periods overlap to some extent… we only reach each new "Age" as the new technique becomes dominant'; delegates at the Third Pan-African Congress on Prehistory in 1955 resolved that 'more elasticity' was required in the use of the three Ages (Cole 1955:204) and adopted two intermediate stages between them (Cole 1955;Clark 1957). As the three Ages came to be used over a greater extent of the continent, it became clear that they could not be used as chronological markers and that 'time connotations must be separated from cultural concepts' (Bishop and Clark 1967:866); transitions from one Age to another could be protracted and did not occur simultaneously-nor even necessarily follow the same trajectories-in different geographical areas (Scerri et al 2021).…”

Vectorial application for the illustration of archaeological lithic artefacts using the “Stone Tools Illustrations with Vector Art” (STIVA) Method

“…To resolve the issues of time and costs related to the hand illustration of lithics, the Stone Tools Illustrations with Vector Art 'STIVA' Method was developed. Although new, its application has already been tested and proved to be publishable in peer-reviewed manuscripts [10].…”