Evidence of the Emergence of “Modern” Behavior in the Middle and Later Stone Age Lithic Assemblages at Shurmai Rockshelter (GnJm1) and Kakwa Lelash Rockshelter (GnJm2) in the Mukogodo Hills of North-Central Kenya

摘要: The Shurmai (GnJm1) and Kakwa Lelash (GnJm2) rockshelters are located in the Mukogodo Hills region of north-central Kenya. Sondages excavated at both sites allow preliminary reconstruction their geological archaeological histories. A total 4782 lithic pieces were recovered from Shurmai, 7862 Lelash. earliest materials date to late African Middle Stone Age (sometime before ca. 40,000 years bp), those apparently Later after bp). raw material composition, technomorphological characteristics, style assemblages these do not reveal whether “modern” human behavior emerged first or Age. However, greater sophistication, systematization efficiency evident patterns resource use, tool manufacture, components is consistent with view that origins modern be found Later, rather than Middle, Africa.