1. Institute of Human Origins,
2. School of Human Evolution and Social Change, PO Box 872402, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-2402, USA
3. Geological Survey of Israel, 30 Malchei Israel Street, Jerusalem 95501, Israel
4. Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
5. Department of Archaeology, Boston University, 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
6. Human Origins Group, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
7. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
8. Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
9. Ephoreia of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology, Ministry of Culture, Ardittou 34b, Athens 11636, Greece
10. Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Box 353100, Seattle, Washington 98195-3100, USA
11. Archaeology Division, Iziko-South African Museum, PO Box 61, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
12. 58 Eastdown House, Downs Estate, Amhurst Road, London E8 2AT, United Kingdom

Correspondence to: Curtis W. Marean¹ Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to C.W.M. (Email: curtis.marean@asu.edu).

Abstract

Genetic and anatomical evidence suggests that Homo sapiens arose in Africa between 200 and 100 thousand years (kyr) ago^{1, 2}, and recent evidence indicates symbolic behaviour may have appeared 135–75 kyr ago^{3, 4}. From 195–130 kyr ago, the world was in a fluctuating but predominantly glacial stage (marine isotope stage MIS6)⁵; much of Africa was cooler and drier, and dated archaeological sites are rare^{6, 7}. Here we show that by 164 kyr ago (12 kyr) at Pinnacle Point (on the south coast of South Africa) humans expanded their diet to include marine resources, perhaps as a response to these harsh environmental conditions. The earliest previous evidence for human use of marine resources and coastal habitats was dated to 125 kyr ago^{8, 9}. Coincident with this diet and habitat expansion is an early use and modification of pigment, probably for symbolic behaviour, as well as the production of bladelet stone tool technology, previously dated to post-70 kyr ago^{10, 11, 12}. Shellfish may have been crucial to the survival of these early humans as they expanded their home ranges to include coastlines and followed the shifting position of the coast when sea level fluctuated over the length of MIS6.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.