Results suggest that direct contact between palaeolithic groups was likely required for the transmission of novel knapping techniques.
Experiment with 34 experienced knappers (i.e. stone tool makers) across 5 countries.
They were asked to reverse-engineer 3 sets of flint blades made with one different knapping technique each. One of them was a novel technique, designed specifically for this experiment.
First preprint @socarxiv.bsky.social of my PhD research: doi.org/10.31235/osf...
To what extent may reverse-engineering have enabled the transmission of novel stone tool techniques between palaeolithic groups?
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Very grateful to coauthors @marie.soressi.bsky.social
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Linguistic structures show uneven global distributions, but it remains unknown to
what extent such distributions are driven by human population his...
Observation of stone tools alone did not enable participants to identify a technique with which they were unfamiliar--despite extensive knapping experience and knowledge.
Practical experience of a technique seemed to be required to identify it on artefacts.
