Population interconnectivity and technological trajectories in southern Africa during the MIS3 through replicable lithic analysis

Informazioni relative al progetto

RStone

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 101152531

DOI

10.3030/101152531

Progetto concluso il 31 Marzo 2026

Data della firma CE 10 Aprile 2024

Data di avvio 1 Settembre 2025

Data di completamento 31 Agosto 2028

Finanziato da

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Costo totale

Nessun dato

Contributo UE

€ 280 873,44

Coordinato da

UNIVERSIDADE DO ALGARVE
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RStone (Population interconnectivity and technological trajectories in southern Africa during the MIS3 through replicable lithic analysis)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2025-09-01 al 2027-08-31

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

The RStone project investigates a pivotal period in human history: the Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3), spanning roughly 59,000 to 28,000 years ago. This period is critical for understanding the biocultural evolution of our species, Homo sapiens, as it marks a time of significant environmental change and technological transition in southern Africa. During this period, human groups moved between the cultural phases known as the Middle Stone Age and the Later Stone Age, leaving behind a rich but complex record of stone tools. The central motivation behind RStone is to solve a long-standing archaeological puzzle: were human populations in southern Africa during this time culturally fragmented and isolated, or were they part of a broad, interconnected social network? Current archaeological data show a high degree of variability in stone tool technologies across different regions, which some researchers believe points to isolated groups living in "cultural pockets" due to environmental barriers. However, confirming this has been difficult because researchers often use different methods to describe and measure stone tools, making it nearly impossible to compare data accurately across different sites.

To address this need, the project’s overall objectives were:

1. To establish a replicable methodological framework: By using high-resolution 3D scanning and open-source statistical programming (using the R language), the project aimed to create a standardized "common language" for analyzing stone tools. This ensures that data collected at one site can be directly compared with data from another, regardless of who performed the analysis.
2. To test the fragmentation hypothesis: By applying this standardized method to stone tool collections, the project sought to identify patterns of technological similarity or difference that would reveal how much inter-regional contact occurred between ancient human groups.
3. To promote Open Science: A key pathway to impact for RStone was the commitment to making archaeological data and analytical code publicly accessible, fostering a more transparent and collaborative scientific community.

The project contributes to the social sciences and humanities by providing a deeper understanding of human resilience and social adaptability. By reconstructing the social networks of the past, RStone helps us understand how environmental challenges influence human connectivity and innovation, lessons that remain relevant for understanding human behavior today. Although the project was concluded early due to the researcher securing a permanent academic position, the infrastructure and data generated provide a significant foundation for future research into the roots of human cultural diversity.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

During the seven-month duration of the RStone project, significant technical and scientific progress was achieved, particularly in establishing the methodological infrastructure and completing primary data collection. The work focused on two main areas: the development of a replicable analytical framework (Work Package 1) and the analysis of key archaeological assemblages in South Africa (Work Package 2).

1. Methodological Framework and Digital Infrastructure (WP1)
A core achievement of the project was the creation of a standardized, 3D-based analytical framework for stone tools to address the lack of replicability in current archaeological methods. We successfully completed the high-resolution 3D scanning of 40 experimentally produced cores using an Artec Space Spider. These scans provide the baseline for testing the replicability of lithic attribute analysis.To facilitate standardized data collection, a custom database named E5 was drafted, coded, and hosted on GitHub (https://github.com/surf3s/E5). This digital infrastructure allows for the systematic recording of multivariate attributes. Finally, we developed a multivariate statistical method to quantify lithic variability, which is essential for identifying cultural "signatures" across different regions.

2. Data Collection and Assemblage Analysis (WP2)
The scientific work transitioned into primary data collection through a two-month research stay at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town, South Africa. We analyzed and documented over 6,000 lithic artifacts from the Boomplaas Cave sequence. This sequence is critical for understanding the transition between the Middle Stone Age (MSA) and the Later Stone Age (LSA). The work resulted in a comprehensive primary dataset, including detailed documentation, photographs, and drawings of the Boomplaas material. This dataset serves as the foundation for ongoing research into technological shifts during Marine Isotope Stage 3.

3. Scientific Outcomes and Impact
Despite the shortened timeline, the project produced several high-level outcomes. A major manuscript focusing on the use of mining tools for ochre extraction in the South African MSA was submitted and is currently under revision. This work applies the quantitative frameworks initiated during the fellowship. We established a collaborative pipeline with the CoMSAfrica research group, ensuring the project's long-term scientific contribution. Finally, the project successfully met its primary training goal, as the researcher secured a permanent academic position (Lectureship) at the University of Southampton.

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

The RStone project has moved beyond the current state of the art in Paleolithic archaeology by addressing the "reproducibility crisis" through the development of a standardized methodological framework. Historically, comparing stone tools across different regions of southern Africa has relied on a range of analytical methods, making it difficult to determine if cultural differences were real. By establishing a replicable, quantitative protocol for lithic attributes, the project has created a foundation for a "common language" in the field, ensuring that archaeological data is comparable regardless of the individual researcher.
A central achievement of these seven months was the creation of the E5 database, an open-source digital infrastructure hosted on GitHub. This tool enables the systematic and transparent recording of lithic data, promoting Open Science and providing a template for future high-resolution archaeological documentation. The potential impact of this work was further demonstrated through the analysis of over 6,000 lithic artifacts from the Boomplaas Cave sequence. This generated a significant primary dataset that serves as a high-resolution baseline for future research into human technological shifts during the Middle-to-Later Stone Age transition.
The most immediate and tangible impact of the fellowship was the fulfillment of the MSCA’s primary objective: the researcher’s successful transition to scientific independence. Securing a Lectureship at the University of Southampton ensures that the methodologies and digital tools developed during the fellowship will be integrated into long-term research programs and academic teaching.
To fully realize the project's long-term potential, the next steps involve expanding this quantitative framework to a wider range of archaeological sites and finalizing a user-friendly R-package. These future developments will facilitate the uptake of these tools by the global archaeological community, ensuring that the work initiated during the fellowship leads to a more rounded and transparent understanding of human cultural diversity.