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The larger mammal fossil assemblages from Beds III and IV, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
Descriptive
TypeOfResource
Text
TitleInfo
(ID = T-1)
Title
The larger mammal fossil assemblages from Beds III and IV, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
SubTitle
implications for the feeding behavior of Homo erectus
Identifier
ETD_2769
Identifier
(type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001600001.ETD.000056699
Language
LanguageTerm
(authority = ISO639-2);
(type = code)
eng
Genre
(authority = marcgt)
theses
Subject
(ID = SBJ-1);
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Anthropology
Subject
(ID = SBJ-2);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Homo erectus--Nutrition
Subject
(ID = SBJ-3);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Homo erectus--Food
Subject
(ID = SBJ-4);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Taphonomy--Tanzania--Olduvai Gorge
Subject
(ID = SBJ-5);
(authority = lcsh/lcnaf)
Geographic
Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)--Antiquities
Abstract
(type = abstract)
This dissertation represents the first taphonomically-informed assessment of the feeding behavior of Homo erectus. Until now studies of the feeding behavior of Early Stone Age hominins based on the assemblage-wide proportions of tooth, cut, and percussion marks have focused on Oldowan sites attributed to Homo habilis leaving assessments of the subsistence capabilities of Homo erectus to inference. This trend is the direct result of the river/channel depositional settings for most sites that are attributed to Homo erectus and the lack of a theoretically-grounded basis for interpreting fossil assemblages from such sites. Using a flume I have generated the first experimental sample designed to interpret bone assemblages that were modified by hominins and carnivores and subsequently disturbed by flowing water. Results show that the transportability of bone fragments is inversely related to the size of bone fragments as measured by length, width, cortical thickness, and indirectly by the size group of the carcass from which the fragments were generated. More importantly, fluvial processes should not significantly alter the assemblage-wide proportions of tooth, cut, and percussion marks in low-energy fluvial environments. The results of flume experiments are applied here in the first taphonomic analysis of the larger mammal fossil assemblages from JK2, Bed III and WK, Bed IV, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. The results for both sites indicate that Homo erectus likely acquired earlier access to carcasses than its Oldowan hominin ancestors. However, only the younger WK site exhibits evidence for cooking indicating that the feeding behavior of the species was continually evolving. The significance of this research lies not only in the results reported for the Bed III and IV fossil assemblages, but also in the methodology that was developed to interpret the results, which is broadly applicable to archaeological sites regardless of age or geographic location. Further application of these methods will allow paleoanthropologists to track the increasingly pervasive role played by Homo erectus in the larger carnivore guild. For it is through this research that the social behavior of the species may ultimately be revealed and a greater understanding of our own behavior and societies can be obtained.
PhysicalDescription
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electronic resource
Extent
xix, 213 p. : ill.
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application/pdf
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text/xml
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references
Note
(type = vita)
Includes vita
Note
(type = statement of responsibility)
by Michael C. Pante
Name
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Pante
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Michael C.
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1979-
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author
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Michael Pante
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NamePart
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Blumenschine
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Robert J.
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chair
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Advisory Committee
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Robert J. Blumenschine
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(type = family)
Harris
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John W.K.
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internal member
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Advisory Committee
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John W.K. Harris
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(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Scott
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Robert
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internal member
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Advisory Committee
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Robert Scott
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Stanistreet
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Ian
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outside member
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Advisory Committee
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Ian Stanistreet
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NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
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degree grantor
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
Role
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school
OriginInfo
DateCreated
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2010
DateOther
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(type = degree)
2010-10
Place
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(type = code)
xx
RelatedItem
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TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
(type = RULIB)
ETD
RelatedItem
(type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
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rucore19991600001
Location
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(displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
NjNbRU
Identifier
(type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3W37W12
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights
RightsDeclaration
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(ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
RightsHolder
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(type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Pante
GivenName
Michael
Role
Copyright Holder
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(ID = RE-1);
(AUTHORITY = rulib)
Type
Permission or license
DateTime
2010-06-30 11:07:26
AssociatedEntity
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(AUTHORITY = rulib)
Role
Copyright holder
Name
Michael Pante
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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Technical
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ETD
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application/pdf
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application/x-tar
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10536960
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