Marcos Terradillos-Bernal

Considering the biomechanical and cognitive aspects involved in tool manipulation, hand size emerges as a critical factor. Males, on average, exhibit greater grip strength attributed to larger hand dimensions. Beyond mere physical factors, cognitive components tied to visuospatial abilities also influence stone tool use. However, the intricate relationship between hand size, grip strength, and ergonomic patterns necessitates further exploration. Here, we study the ergonomic pattern of phalanx flexion during the manipulation of Lower Paleolithic stone tools (choppers and handaxes) to understand the nuanced interplay between hand dimensions and grasping behaviors in Lower Paleolithic stone tool use. The static hand posture during the comfortable grasping of each tool is measured using a motion capture hand glove. Flexions are measured at the metacarpophalangeal joint, the proximal interphalangeal joint and the distal interphalangeal joint of each finger. Our investigation into Lower Paleolithic stone tool manipulation reveals gender-based differences in phalanx flexion, with hand dimensions showing correlation only in pooled samples. However, these associations diminish when analyzing males and females separately. This study suggests a minimal link between hand size and grasping behavior within our sample, hinting at the influence of cognitive, behavioral, and motor factors. Exploring lifestyle and psychometric profiles could provide further insights. In the context of early human technology, our results prompt considerations on the evolution of the hand-tool interaction system, linking our tool-dependent culture to our phylogenetic history.

San Quirce is an open‐air archaeological site situated on a fluvial terrace in the Duero basin (Palencia, northern Iberia). This paper presents new and consistent chronologies obtained for the sedimentary sequence using post‐infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (pIR‐IR) dating of K‐feldspars and single‐grain thermally transferred optically stimulated luminescence (TT‐OSL) dating of quartz. The new dating results indicate that the sequence is older than ~200 000 years and place San Quirce Level III within marine isotope stages (MIS) 8 and 7, between 274 ± 13 ka and 238 ± 13 ka. The main lithic assemblage at San Quirce comes from Level III. The predominant tool types found in this level are hammerstones, manuports and flakes, with a small proportion of cores and a significant presence of denticulates. Adaptation to local environmental conditions resulted in distinctive cultural habits, which were embedded in the cultural tradition of hominins occupying the site during the final third of the Middle Pleistocene. San Quirce preserves a simple cultural tradition that was employed by local hominins to engage in a diverse array of activities, and highlights the cultural diversity that appears to have been a characteristic feature of the Lower to Middle Palaeolithic transition 300–200 ka.

The role of experience during the exploration of lithic artefacts can be been investigated through multiple approaches. Knowledge can influence visual perception of the environment, whilst action “affordances” can be processed at the first sight of an object. In this study, we used eye tracking to analyse whether and to what extent archaeological knowledge can influence visuospatial attention whilst interacting with stone tools. Archaeologists were found to pay more visual attention to the middle region and the knapped surface. Differences between the visual exploration of choppers and handaxes were also found. Although the general pattern of distribution of the visual attention was similar to naïve subjects, participants with archaeological experience paid more attention to functionally relevant regions. Individuals with archaeological experience directed more attention to the upper region and the knapped surface of the tools, whilst naïve participants spent more time viewing the middle region. We conclude that although both groups could direct their attention to action relevant features in stone tools, functional affordances had a greater effect in subjects with previous experience. Affordances related to manipulation triggered lower attention and showed no differences between participants.

Humans are specialized in eye-hand coordination through a complex visuospatial system. When a tool is observed, the motor areas of the brain are activated and, when grasped, it is sensed as a part of the body. One approach to understanding the underlying mechanisms behind this process regards the analysis of visual attention. Vision influences the spatial interaction with tools and plays a crucial role in the perception of an object’s affordances. In this study, we employ eye-tracking technology to investigate whether Lower Palaeolithic stone tool morphology influences visual attention during visual exploration and manipulation. Our results suggest that the handaxe morphology has a moderate influence on the visual scanning of the tool. In contrast, visual exploration of the chopper is only influenced by the weight of the tool. The different visual behaviours exerted by these two technologies suggest divergences in the visuospatial process underlying the interaction with these tools.

This article expresses the relationship that the archaeological sites of Sierra de Atapuerca have had with Experimental Archeology. Its study focuses on three aspects. The first one links the application of experimental programs in scientific research since the first works began in the archaeological sites. The second one is related to the implementation of this discipline in the universities related to the Atapuerca Project. In this one, it has been made a study of the involvement of these centers holding congresses and workshops directly related to Experimental Archeology in recent years. Finally, the last aspect shows the importance that this discipline has had in the dissemination and development of cultural tourism linked to these sites.

In situ archaeological assemblages are scarce. Most artefacts are affected by post-depositional processes, which complicate the identification of human factors involved in the formation of lithic workshops, such as hand laterality, knapping positions, and knapping expertise. In this regard, experimental archaeology can reproduce past processes to test present hypotheses. In this study, experimental knapping processes were carried out to examine how techniques and methods learned by experience can affect waste flake assemblages. Our results show that, in addition to knapping position, experience affects both flake measurements and spatial distribution. The techniques applied, the knappers’ skill and the control of the application of force all affect spatial flake distribution. However, flakes do not exhibit any preferential orientation, contrary to those affected by some post-depositional factors. The experimental design and results could contribute to the ability to discern Palaeolithic in situ assemblages as well as some human factors that affect their formations.