Variability in the Middle Stone Age of eastern Africa

摘要: Eastern Africa is an important area to study early populations of Homo sapiens because subsets those likely dispersed Eurasia and subsequently throughout the globe during Upper Pleistocene. The Middle Stone Age (MSA) archaeology this region, particularly aspects stone-tool technology typology, highly variable with only rare cases geographic temporal patterning. Although there are differences in timing perhaps frequency occurrence, elements that make up MSA lithic tool kit also found at contemporaneous sites elsewhere Eurasia, making it difficult identify a unique archaeological signal for hominin dispersals out eastern Africa. Rather, regional variation appears be outcome possibly long-term interactions between particular physical social environments experienced by populations.