The upcoming Paleoanthropology convention abstracts have this note:
"During a recent examination of in-situ lithic artifacts from additional
sites dating to at least 1.6 Ma in the Olduvai and Turkana basins, clear
evidence for the exposure of some siliceous stone tools to intense heat was
noted. These artifacts consist of flakes that exhibit potlid fractures,
coloration and texture consistent with prolonged contact to temperatures in
excess of 480 degrees farenheit. Such evidence strengthens earlier
assertions, regarding the use of fire by early hominids at sites such as
FxJj20E and GnJi1/6E. In addition these findings may indicate that this
behavior originate earlier and was more widespread in the East African
Plio-Pleistocene than previously thought." Brian Ludwig, "New Evidence for
the Possible Use of Controlled Fire from ESA Sites in the Olduvai and
Turkana Basins," Abstracts for the Paleoanthropology Society Meeting, The
University of Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.,
April 4-5, 2000
There are two items which are quite fascinating about this--the use of fire
and the potlid fractures. First, as I pointed out in my Communication
entitled "Planning Ahead: Requirement for Moral Accountability," to the
PSCF in September 1999, pp 176-180 the use of fire implies a tremendous
intellectual ability. I pointed out that the fire user must "mentally
calculate how long the previously collected wood will last before it is
burned up, remember where the excellent sources of wood are and which woods
burn best (green or dry), depart at the proper time for gathering the wood,
and return before the firee goes out. They also must understand that the
wood must be put on the fire and that correct distances between large logs
must be maintained for optimal burning.
"If fire users did not know how to make fire, they had to know and
remember another sequence of steps for the maintenance of the fire. THis
often involved careful treatment of embers, such as wrapping them in green
leaves and carrying them in special containers." Morton, "Planning
Ahead..." PSCF 51(1999):3:177
Gowlett writes:
"If the use of fire goes back to the Lower Pleistocene (over 1 million
years), as seems likely, it can be argued that our ancestors had already
achieved a basically human character: but this view will be hotly debated
for some time to come." ~ John A. J. Gowlett, Ascent to Civilization, (New
York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1993), p. 57
and
"Why then is there hostility to the idea of early fire among some
archaeologists? One view is that fire use represents a considerable mental
advance over stone tool manufacture, and that it must therefore be expected
at a later stage. Holders of this opinion are unwilling to postulate the
use of fire at any time earlier than is actually proven. But it seems
likely that early humans beings who were skilled in stone tool manufacture
and use would have a similar familiarity with wood (although it is never
preserved.)." ~ John A. J. Gowlett, Ascent to Civilization, (New York:
McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1993), p. 57
Now, what is very interesting about this particular evidence of fire is
that it is one of the sophisticated ways that modern knappers prepare the
stones for knapping. It shows a tremendous mental ability among these men
from 1.6 myr ago. They must have been able to plan almost as well as we
moderns do. Knapping is the process of chipping the stone into the shape of
the tool. Whittaker writes (sorry about the length but this is necessary to
explain the activity):
"Prehistoric and ethongraphic knappers in some areas routinely
heat-treated their stone. It is often possible to recognize heat-treated
stone tools.Heat-treatment of a good chert gives it a very smooth, glossy
fracture, with almost a 'soapy' feel. This texture change is visible only
on a fresh fracture or flake scar. If there are older surfaces with
grainier, duller textures that contrast to the rest of theflake scars, it
is likely that the tool was heat-treated. Colors often change too, becoming
brighter and redder (as iron is oxidized). This may be obvious only when
you can compare treated and raw samples of the same material.
"All that is necessary for successful heat-treatment of the right stone is
a high enough temperature and slow heating and cooling. Modern
archaeologists and knappers have experimented extensively with different
materials and techniques in recent years. Prehistoric knappers did quite
well by burying flakes and building a fire over them. It is better to
heat-treat flakes or partly finished tools rather than large nodules or
cores, and the pattern of treated and raw scars on prehistoric tools shows
that many were treated as rough blanks before final flaking. A bed of
clean sand helps spread the heat slowly and evenly. Pieces of material
should be buried shallowly, from a couple of centimeters (1 in.) to no more
than about 10 centimetes (4 in.), unless you want to build a really big
fire. A good hot campfiere-sized fire will usually do. Build it up slowly
and let it burn well for a couple of hours, then leave the coals to burn
out and let the hearth cool down until you can dig with your hands. If the
heat increases too fast, or if the hot flakes are exposed suddenly to cold
air, they will crack, shatter, or develop potlid fractures. Potlids are
little round flakes that popp off the surface and leave an irregularly
pitted scar. Potlids often indicate deeper flaws and mean that the material
is ruined." John C. Whittaker, _Flintknapping,(Austin: University of Texas
Press, 1994), p. 73
The interesting thing about the discovery of potlids is that it strongly
implies that these flintknappers 1.6 myr ago were using techniques that
modern stone aged peoples use to prepare their stone tools. This implies a
period of experimentation, of learning and of temporal planning equal to
that of the ability to tend a fire. It seems to me that for apologists to
continue to exclude H. erectus from humanity simply because he looks a bit
different than us flies in the face of a growing evidence for his
intelligence, and planning abilities. It also implies that those apologists
are more interested in supporting their theological interpretation than in
paying attention to the actual facts of anthropology.
glenn
Foundation, Fall and Flood
Adam, Apes and Anthropology
http://www.flash.net/~mortongr/dmd.htm
Lots of information on creation/evolution
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