Hominins and the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition: evolution, culture and climate in Africa and Europe

Abstract: Some of the more important evidence isreviewed for the archaeology f hominin colo-nization associated with the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition. This is done by reference to the nature of migration 'out of Africa ' before the interval of transition, across the transition itself, and then after it. Technologically assisted behaviour may not have been so important inthe colonization process, behaviour and biology being the primary factors that led to the success of a migrating species. While climate change and especially shifts in local aridity would have been experienced and possibly remembered by localized hominin groups, the Acheulean behavioural repertoire d d not change much across Africa nd Europe over a million years of time. It merely adapted to local conditions. The Acheulean was a generalized hand-held processing technology for a generalized hominin. This paper examines two interrelated questions. Firstly, does the xternal environment force changes in hominin material culture (as a reflection of adap-tive niche) as hominins attempt o adapt to new circumstances? Secondly, what was the timing an