Exploring the relative influence of raw materials, percussion techniques, and hominin skill levels on the diversity of the early Oldowan assemblages: Insights from the Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia

A study of early Oldowan stone tool assemblages from the Shungura Formation in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley reveals that knapper skill levels played a minimal role in producing sharp-edged flakes, contrary to previous assumptions. Instead, local environmental conditions—such as raw material constraints and the frequent use of bipolar percussion techniques—primarily shaped the unique characteristics of these tools, including their small size and poorly controlled flaking. The research combines experimental data with regression tree models to demonstrate that cognitive adaptations to landscape learning and tool use, rather than sensorimotor skills alone, likely drove the diversity in early Oldowan technology. This challenges conventional narratives about hominin skill development during this critical period of human evolution (2.6–2 million years ago).

Delagnes, A., Brenet, M., Gravina, B., & Santos, F. (2023). Exploring the relative influence of raw materials, percussion techniques, and hominin skill levels on the diversity of the early Oldowan assemblages: Insights from the Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Plos One, 18(4), e0283250. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283250