Percorrer por autor "Ndiema, Emmanuel K."
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- Early oldowan technology thrived during pliocene environmental change in the Turkana Basin, Kenya.Publication . Braun, David R.; Palcu Rolier, Dan V.; Advokaat, Eldert L.; Archer, Will; Baraki, Niguss G.; Biernat, Maryse D.; Beaudoin, Ella; Behrensmeyer, Anna K.; Bobe, René; Elmes, Katherine; Forrest, Frances; Hammond, Ashley S.; Jovane, Luigi; Kinyanjui, Rahab N.; de Martini, Ana P.; Mason, Paul R D.; McGrosky, Amanda; Munga, Joanne; Ndiema, Emmanuel K.; Patterson, David B.; Reeves, Jonathan S.; Roman, Diana C.; Sier, Mark J.; Srivastava, Priyeshu; Tuosto, Kristen; Uno, Kevin T.; Villaseñor, Amelia; Wynn, Jonathan G.; Harris, John W. K.; Carvalho, SusanaApproximately 2.75 million years ago, the Turkana Basin in Kenya experienced environmental changes, including increased aridity and environmental variability. Namorotukunan is a newly discovered archaeological site which provides a window into hominin behavioral adaptations. This site lies within the upper Tulu Bor and lower Burgi members of the Koobi Fora Formation (Marsabit District, Kenya), presently a poorly understood time interval due to large-scale erosional events. Moreover, this locale represents the earliest known evidence of Oldowan technology within the Koobi Fora Formation. Oldowan sites, older than 2.6 million years ago, are rare, and these typically represent insights from narrow windows of time. In contrast, Namorotukunan provides evidence of tool-making behaviors spanning hundreds of thousands of years, offering a unique temporal perspective on technological stability. The site comprises three distinct archaeological horizons spanning approximately 300,000 years (2.75 − 2.44 Ma). Our findings suggest continuity in tool-making practices over time, with evidence of systematic selection of rock types. Geological descriptions and chronological data, provide robust age control and contextualize the archaeological finds. We employ multiple paleoenvironmental proxies, to reconstruct past ecological conditions. Our study highlights the interplay between environmental shifts and technological innovations, shedding light on pivotal factors in the trajectory of human evolution.
- Modern stone tool users from northern Kenya emphasize mass and edge length in the selection of cutting toolsPublication . Reeves, Jonathan S.; Douglass, Matthew J.; Haney, Christine E.; Ndiema, Emmanuel K.; Luncz, Lydia V.The production and use of informal flake cutting tools played an essential role in foraging across human history. While much is known about the production of these tools, the attributes that facilitate their selection and use remain underexplored. This is because there remain few opportunities for the use of such tools in a traditional setting. The Daasanach of East Turkana, Kenya, maintain a tradition of stone tool production and use, affording the opportunity to investigate tool selection in a natural setting. Through interview and video documentation, we observed eight expert toolmakers complete butchery tasks, allowing us to link traditional technological knowledge governing cutting tool selection with measurable lithic attributes. Our findings reveal that factors such as edge angle, mass and grip significantly influence tool selection and cutting efficiency. These insights provide new perspectives on the functional relevance of informal cutting tools that are largely understood through experimentation. The outcomes of this study provide a venue for interpreting lithic variability in ancient contexts from the perspectives of traditional expert tool users. This research underscores the utility of detailed ethnographic studies to complement archaeological findings, enhancing our understanding of early human technological evolution.