Eastern Africa has played a prominent role in debates surrounding the origins and expansions of our species, Homo sapiens, and due to the extensive history of research in this region it remains an important region to explore patterns of behavioural change and environmental adaptation. However, the diverse research history of the region also presents challenges for synthesising stone tool datasets and opening them up to quantitative analyses. In this talk, I will discuss initial approaches to dataset building in eastern Africa and exploring the structure of Middle Stone Age stone tool assemblages. Moving beyond descriptive approaches, I will concentrate on testing alternative models of isolation by distance, time, and ecology to explain patterns of behavioural diversity in the Middle Stone Age. Finally, I will consider quantitative approaches to differentiate Middle and Later Stone Age assemblages.

Join online: https://zoom.us/j/94826858436?pwd=N1JCeU9Id3dUdkJ4ZDVyUjhtQ0FMQT09