2020•Lithic TechnologyRequires access
Lithic Technology in the Earliest Later Stone age at Nasera Rockshelter (Tanzania)
Irene Solano-Megías, José‐Manuel Maíllo‐Fernández, Juan Marín, David Martín‐Perea, Audax Z. P. Mabulla
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Abstract
The Nasera rockshelter is one of the key sites for our understanding of human occupations of East Africa during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. Excavated by L. Leakey and M. Mehlman, the stratigraphy provides a long sequence of Middle Stone Age, Later Stone Age and Pastoral Neolithic periods. In this paper we carry out a technological study of the Early Later Stone Age levels (levels 8 / 9-11) excavated by M. Mehlman. These levels, clearly Later Stone Age, are characterized by a break from the operational schemes of the Middle Stone Age (Levallois/Discoid) and an abundance of bipolar and laminar methods. There are few tools and the backed pieces appear from the most recent of the levels studied (8/9). Following this study, its relationship with the Mumba Industry may need to be revisited.