https://www.tudelft.nl/en/2023/3me/news/modelling-of-adhesive-technology-sheds-new-light-on-prehistoric-cognition
Studying prehistoric production processes of birch bark
tar using computational modelling reveals what kinds of
cognition were required for the materials produced by
Neanderthal and early modern humans. Researchers of Team
Langejans in the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
department recently published two papers on one of the
world’s oldest transformative technologies, publishing
their findings in Nature Scientific Reports.
Measuring complexity
Birch bark tar is the first time we see evidence of
creating a new material, said Dr. Paul Kozowyk, lead
author on one of the papers. Examining the methods used to
create the tar is an important step in understanding the
behaviours and technical cognition required by the
Neanderthals. Using Petri net models, a formal modelling
language, Dr. Sebastian Fajardo led a study looking at
various production methods, using metrics from existing
literature to measure complexity. “Neanderthals used, at
least on some occasions, a complex production process to
make tar. To do that they needed ways to deal with a lot
of information, like understanding and a way to transmit
information very well,” he said. The findings from the
study suggest that Neanderthals probably relied on several
cognitive traits that archaeologists often associate with
modern thinking and behaviour. ...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-41963-z
Scaling Palaeolithic tar production processes
exponentially increases behavioural complexity
Published: 07 September 2023
Abstract
Technological processes, reconstructed from the
archaeological record, are used to study the evolution
of behaviour and cognition of Neanderthals and early
modern humans. In comparisons, technologies that are
more complex infer more complex behaviour and cognition.
The manufacture of birch bark tar adhesives is regarded
as particularly telling and often features in debates
about Neanderthal cognition. One method of tar
production, the ‘condensation technique’, demonstrates
a pathway for Neanderthals to have discovered birch
bark tar. However, to improve on the relatively low
yield, and to turn tar into a perennial innovation,
this method likely needed to be scaled up. Yet, it is
currently unknown how scaling Palaeolithic
technological processes influences their complexity.
We used Petri net models and the Extended Cyclomatic
Metric to measure system complexity of birch tar
production with a single and three concurrent
condensation assemblies. Our results show that
changing the number of concurrent tar production
assemblies substantially increases the measured
complexity. This has potential implications on the
behavioural and cognitive capacities required by
Neanderthals, such as an increase in cooperation or
inhibition control.
Thanks a lot, this beautifully confirms our view: neandertal huge brain (DHA in aquatic foods), pachyosteosclerosis (half as in H.erectus: still frequently diving, probably seasonally), platymeria, platypelloidy, platycephaly etc.
Tar (also) to make boasts watertight?
https://www.gondwanatalks.com/l/the-waterside-hypothesis-wading-led-to-upright-walking-in-early-humans/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b07v2ysg David Attenborough "The Waterside Ape"
https://www.tudelft.nl/en/2023/3me/news/modelling-of-adhesive-technology-sheds-new-light-on-prehistoric-cognition
Studying prehistoric production processes of birch bark
tar using computational modelling reveals what kinds of
cognition were required for the materials produced by
Neanderthal and early modern humans. Researchers of Team
Langejans in the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
department recently published two papers on one of the
world’s oldest transformative technologies, publishing
their findings in Nature Scientific Reports.
Measuring complexity
Birch bark tar is the first time we see evidence of
creating a new material, said Dr. Paul Kozowyk, lead
author on one of the papers. Examining the methods used to
create the tar is an important step in understanding the
behaviours and technical cognition required by the
Neanderthals. Using Petri net models, a formal modelling
language, Dr. Sebastian Fajardo led a study looking at
various production methods, using metrics from existing
literature to measure complexity. “Neanderthals used, at
least on some occasions, a complex production process to
make tar. To do that they needed ways to deal with a lot
of information, like understanding and a way to transmit
information very well,” he said. The findings from the
study suggest that Neanderthals probably relied on several
cognitive traits that archaeologists often associate with
modern thinking and behaviour. ...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-41963-z
Scaling Palaeolithic tar production processes
exponentially increases behavioural complexity
Published: 07 September 2023
Abstract
Technological processes, reconstructed from the
archaeological record, are used to study the evolution
of behaviour and cognition of Neanderthals and early
modern humans. In comparisons, technologies that are
more complex infer more complex behaviour and cognition.
The manufacture of birch bark tar adhesives is regarded
as particularly telling and often features in debates
about Neanderthal cognition. One method of tar
production, the ‘condensation technique’, demonstrates
a pathway for Neanderthals to have discovered birch
bark tar. However, to improve on the relatively low
yield, and to turn tar into a perennial innovation,
this method likely needed to be scaled up. Yet, it is
currently unknown how scaling Palaeolithic
technological processes influences their complexity.
We used Petri net models and the Extended Cyclomatic
Metric to measure system complexity of birch tar
production with a single and three concurrent
condensation assemblies. Our results show that
changing the number of concurrent tar production
assemblies substantially increases the measured
complexity. This has potential implications on the
behavioural and cognitive capacities required by
Neanderthals, such as an increase in cooperation or
inhibition control.
https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/neanderthal-birch-tar-glue-adhesive-spear.htm
Sysop: | Keyop |
---|---|
Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
Users: | 303 |
Nodes: | 16 (3 / 13) |
Uptime: | 86:49:04 |
Calls: | 6,811 |
Calls today: | 3 |
Files: | 12,328 |
Messages: | 5,401,758 |