A new interpretation of bone tool use by early African hominids

Paris, January 16, 2001

Francesco d’Errico, a CNRS researcher from the "Institut de Préhistoire et de Géologie du Quaternaire" (Institute for Prehistory and Quaternary Geology, CNRS – Ministry for Culture - Université de Bordeaux 1 ) and Lucinda Backwell, a South African researcher at the University of the Witwaterstrand, have discovered that early African hominids used bone tools to dig into termite mounds. These results provide a new interpretation of the use of these bone tools. They were obtained by means of microscopic analysis and image analysis of the wear patterns left on the tips of these tools.
This work was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday January 16, 2001.

For more than a century, archaeologists have been trying to find out how and when the oldest bone tools were used, and by which human types. The research findings of Francesco d’Errico and Lucinda Backwell have provided some answers to these questions.

According to an earlier study carried out by a South African scientist, Bob Brain, and an American scientist, Pat Shipman, early hominids used these tools to search for tubers. These tools were found at three sites in South Africa (Sterkfontein, Swartkrans et Drimolen) where the early presence of hominids has been established.

Based on a microscopic analysis and image analysis of the wear patterns observed on the tools, the study conducted by Francesco d’Errico and Lucinda Backwell indicates that the worn areas are covered with striations, the orientation and length of which are incompatible with tuber digging. This wear pattern, however, is identical to that produced experimentally when digging into termite mounds using a technique similar to that used by certain groups of chimpanzees.

Termites constitute an important source of protein for primates such as chimpanzees, and still form part of the diet of a number of human groups. They may have also played an important role in the diet of early hominids.

During this study, the researchers were also able to determine that these bone tools were made of large bone splinters and bone pegs.

Isotopic analyses of remains of Homo habilis and Australopithecus robustus may identify which of these two hominids used these tools. Australopithecus robustus was traditionally considered to be a fruit-eating species. Recent analyses, however, have demonstrated that the proportion of C4 carbon in the bones of these two species is relatively high. C4 carbon can be absorbed by eating herbivorous animals or termites, which both eat savannah plants. This indicates that Homo habilis or Australopithecus robustus, or both, ate termites. Isotopic analyses of the different termite species could perhaps allow the user of these tools to be identified.

Reference:
Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids, Lucinda R. Backwell, Francesco d’Errico, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, January 16, 2001.

Research contact:
Francesco d’Errico
Institut de Préhistoire et de Géologie du Quaternaire (CNRS - Ministère de la culture - Université de Bordeaux 1)
Tel: +33 5 56 84 26 28
e-mail: f.derrico@iquat.u-bordeaux.fr

Sciences of Humans and Society Department contact:
Annick Ternier
Tel: +33 1 44 96 43 10
e-mail: annick.ternier@cnrs-dir.fr

Press contact:
Carine Noël
Tel: +33 1 44 96 46 06
e-mail: carine.noel@cnrs-dir.fr