Does it matter who made the Uluzzian? (original) (raw)

Abstract

Recent work by Benazzi et al. (2011) suggests that the Uluzzian of Grotta del Cavallo (Puglia, Italy) was made by anatomically modern humans, in contrast to the prior consensus that had seen it as the handiwork of Neandertals. Here, we highlight some features of the record that indicate that the question may not be satisfactorily resolved. We focus on issues about the size and composition of the comparative samples used in their study that indicate that the within-sample variation may have been unintentionally depressed. This suggests that a larger sample of Neandertal comparative material less biased towards older specimens might show less difference to Upper Paleolithic modern humans than assumed. While this does not directly contradict the results of Benazzi et al.’s innovative analysis, it suggests that caution is still warranted when discussing the authorship of the Uluzzian and other ‘transitional’ technocomplexes. Drawing on the archaeological evidence, we discuss to what extent it matters to know the authorship of these industries when assessing how ‘modern’ they are, and how preconceptions about authorship only complicate research. Given that the majority of the available evidence is archaeological, we argue that the behavioral record itself needs to be given its proper place in such discussions. As concerns the Uluzzian, its ‘modern’ features appear clear but they remain distinct from those of the proto-Aurignacian which succeeds it. We conclude with a discussion of how this shifts how paleoanthropologists should approach the Middle-Upper Paleolithic in Italy and more broadly at a continental level.

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