Convergent Evolution in Stone-Tool Technology

Convergent Evolution in Stone-Tool Technology by Michael J O'brien

Scholars from a variety of disciplines consider cases of convergence in lithic technology, when functional or developmental constraints result in similar forms in independent lineages.

Hominins began using stone tools at least 2.6 million years ago, perhaps even 3.4 million years ago. Given the nearly ubiquitous use of stone tools by humans and their ancestors, the study of lithic technology offers an important line of inquiry into questions of evolution and behavior. This book examines convergence in stone tool-making, cases in which functional or developmental constraints result in similar forms in independent lineages. Identifying examples of convergence, and distinguishing convergence from divergence, refutes hypotheses that suggest physical or cultural connection between far-flung prehistoric toolmakers. Employing phylogenetic analysis and stone-tool replication, the contributors show that similarity of tools can be caused by such common constraints as the fracture properties of stone or adaptive challenges rather than such unlikely phenomena as migration of toolmakers over an Arctic ice shelf.

Contributors
R. Alexander Bentley, Briggs Buchanan, Marcelo Cardillo, Mathieu Charbonneau, Judith Charlin, Chris Clarkson, Loren G. Davis, Metin I. Eren, Peter Hiscock, Thomas A. Jennings, Steven L. Kuhn, Daniel E. Lieberman, George R. McGhee, Alex Mackay, Michael J. O'Brien, Charlotte D. Pevny, Ceri Shipton, Ashley M. Smallwood, Heather Smith, Jayne Wilkins, Samuel C. Willis, Nicolas Zayns

Michael J. O'Brien is Provost and Professor of History at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the coauthor of I'll Have What She's Having: Mapping Social Behavior and The Acceleration of Cultural Change: From Ancestors to Algorithms (both published by the MIT Press).

Briggs Buchanan is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tulsa.

Metin I. Eren is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of Archaeology at Kent State University.

Michael J. O'Brien is Provost and Professor of History at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the coauthor of I'll Have What She's Having: Mapping Social Behavior and The Acceleration of Cultural Change: From Ancestors to Algorithms (both published by the MIT Press).

Briggs Buchanan is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tulsa.

Metin I. Eren is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of Archaeology at Kent State University.

George McGhee is Distinguished Professor of Paleobiology in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Rutgers University and a Member of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research in Klosterneuburg, Austria. He is the author of Convergent Evolution: Limited Forms Most Beautiful (MIT Press)

R. Alexander Bentley is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee and coauthor of I'll Have What She's Having: Mapping Social Behavior and The Acceleration of Cultural Change: From Ancestors to Algorithms (both published by the MIT Press).

Metin I. Eren is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of Archaeology at Kent State University.

Briggs Buchanan is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tulsa.

Michael J. O'Brien is Provost and Professor of History at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the coauthor of I'll Have What She's Having: Mapping Social Behavior and The Acceleration of Cultural Change: From Ancestors to Algorithms (both published by the MIT Press).

Briggs Buchanan is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tulsa.

Metin I. Eren is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of Archaeology at Kent State University.

Michael J. O'Brien is Provost and Professor of History at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the coauthor of I'll Have What She's Having: Mapping Social Behavior and The Acceleration of Cultural Change: From Ancestors to Algorithms (both published by the MIT Press).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780262037839
ISBN 10	0262037831
Title	Convergent Evolution in Stone-Tool Technology
Author	Michael J O'brien
Series	Vienna Series In Theoretical Biology
Condition	Unavailable
Binding type	Hardback
Publisher	MIT Press Ltd
Year published	2018-04-20
Number of pages	304
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable