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Deconstructing Olduvai: A Taphonomic Study of the Bed I Sites

  • Book
  • © 2007

Overview

Authors:
  1. Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo

    1. Complutense University, 28040, Spain

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  2. Rebeca Barba Egido

    1. Complutense University, 28040, Spain

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  3. Charles P. Egeland

    1. Indiana University, 47405, IN, USA

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  • A revolutionary analysis of the oldest archaeological sites of Olduvai Gorge showing that current models of reconstruction of human behavior are wrong
  • Offers a new analytical approach to understanding how early archaeological sites were formed

Part of the book series: Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology (VERT)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
    Download chapter PDF

  2. The “home base” debate

    • C. P. Egeland, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 1-10

  3. The Hunting-versus-scavenging debate

    • C. P. Egeland, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 11-22

  4. The “physical attribute” taphonomic approach

    • C. P. Egeland, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 23-32

  5. Geological and paleoecological overview of Olduvai Gorge

    • C. P. Egeland, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 33-38

  6. New estimates of tooth-mark and percussion-mark frequencies at the FLK Zinjanthropus level: the carn

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 39-74

  7. The behavioral meaning of cut marks at the FLK Zinj level: the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis falsified (II)

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 75-100

  8. A cautionary tale about early archaeological sites: a reanalysis of FLK North 6

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba, I. De la Torre, R. Mora
    Pages 101-125

  9. A palimpsest at FLK North 1-2: independent carnivore- and hominid-made bone accumulations

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 127-163

  10. A taphonomic study of FLK North 3 and 4: a felid-hyaenid and hominid palimpsest

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba, E. Organista
    Pages 165-189

  11. Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of FLK North 5

    • C. P. Egeland
    Pages 191-200

  12. Natural background bone assemblages and their ravaging stages in Olduvai Bed I

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, E. Organista
    Pages 201-215

  13. FLK North North 1: “living floor” or natural accumulation?

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 217-228

  14. Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of FLK North North 2

    • C. P. Egeland
    Pages 229-237

  15. Reanalysis of FLK North North 3: yet another case of a palimpsest?

    • M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, R. Barba
    Pages 239-252

  16. Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of the DK site

    • C. P. Egeland
    Pages 253-268

  17. Back Matter

    Pages 269-337
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Keywords

About this book

Plio-Pleistocene sites are a rare occurrence in same sites. This combination of factors is the archaeological record. When they are unique in East African Plio-Pleistocene uncovered, the faunal materials so crucial to archaeology and has stimulated much debate unlocking their behavioral meaning are often over the socioeconomic function of early sites. poorly preserved. For example, at Koobi Fora, Influential models of early hominid behavior Kenya, a prolific region that preserves several in the late 1960s and early 1970s were based classic Plio-Pleistocene sites, many bones are exclusively on information from Olduvai affected by poor cortical surface preservation Gorge (Leakey, 1971). Although Isaac’s (e. g. , (Isaac, 1997). Such taphonomic vagaries limit 1978) work at Koobi Fora expanded their the range of questions that can be addressed application, the subsequent critiques, modi- with these assemblages. In other instances, cations, and reformulations of these models access to materials can be limited due to local were based almost solely on studies from politics or rivalries between individual Olduvai (Binford, 1981, 1984; Bunn, 1981; research teams. As a result, many important Potts, 1982, 1988; Bunn and Kroll, 1986; assemblages either remain unstudied or have Blumenschine, 1995; Rose and Marshall, been interpreted without the advantage of a 1996; Domínguez-Rodrigo, 1997a, 2002; fully developed taphonomic framework, a sit- Plummer, 2004). Having said that, it is also uation that all but guarantees stagnant inter- clear that continued work at Koobi Fora and pretations.

Reviews

From the reviews:

"The book is divided into 16 chapters. … The monograph is data-rich, with abundant tables for each studied strata listing species and skeletal part representation, as well as graphical summaries of the locations of each individual surface modification (whether by hominin or carnivore) on bovid long bones. … Deconstructing Olduvai is an important paleoanthropological contribution … ." Christian A. Tryon, Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 2008.

"This volume provides a fresh look at an old issue – i.e. that hominins were primary agents in the formation of these sites – and suggests that site formation is heterogeneous and complicated during Bed I times at Olduvai Gorge." Journal of Human Evolution, 31 August 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Complutense University, 28040, Spain

    Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, Rebeca Barba Egido

  • Indiana University, 47405, IN, USA

    Charles P. Egeland

About the authors

Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo is a professor of Archaeology in the Department of Prehistory of the Complutense University, Madrid. He is co-editor of Journal of Taphonomy. He has been the head of research projects on human evolution conducted in Peninj, Eyasi and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), as well as having participated in research conducted in Gona (Ethiopia) and Swartkrans (South Africa). He is associate researcher of the National Museums of Kenya.

Rebeca Barba got her doctorate in Archaeology in the Complutense University under the supervision of MDR. She has conducted research in Peninj and Olduvai. He is associate researcher of the National Museums of Kenya.

Charles P. Egeland recently recieved his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Indiana University in Bloomington. In addition to his work in Tanzania, he has conducted field and lab research in South Africa, Kenya, Germany and several U.S. states.

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