Bringing behaviour into focus: archaic landscapes and lithic technology

This paper focuses on moving beyond characterization of the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic in terms of thetechnology and typology of lithic artefacts, to address the behaviour and cognitive capabilities of theArchaic hominid communities of which the lithic evidence is the most abundant trace. Although undisturbedevidence from short-lived episodes of activity has previously been emphasized for its potential for behaviouralreconstruction, it is suggested here that the excavation of palimpsests representing the conflated evidencefrom repeated episodes of activity may, paradoxically, give a clearer view of the behaviour of Archaichominids and, in particular, their capacity for a modern style of adaptation. This approach is exploredthrough a case-study at the site of Red Barns, Hampshire, where the lithic evidence reveals a clear patternof handaxe manufacture and removal, suggesting use of the site as a tooling-up base and implying thecapacity for Archaic hominids to anticipate future tool needs and equip in advance accordingly