Middle Pleistocene sea-crossings in the eastern Mediterranean?

Bibliographic Collection: 
APE
Publication Type: Journal Article
Authors: Howitt-Marshall, D; Runnels, C
Year of Publication: 2016
Journal: Journal of Anthropological Anthropology
Volume: 42
Start Page: 140
Pagination: 140-153
Date Published: 06/2016
Publication Language: eng
Keywords: Greek islands, Human cognition, Middle Pleistocene, Palaeolithic maritime activity, Targeted archaeological survey, Wayfinding
Abstract:

Lower and Middle Palaeolithic artifacts on Greek islands separated from the mainland in the Middle and Upper Pleistocene may be proxy evidence for maritime activity in the eastern Mediterranean. Four hypotheses are connected with this topic. The first is the presence of archaic hominins on the islands in the Palaeolithic, and the second is that some of the islands were separated from the mainland when hominins reached them. A third hypothesis is that archaic hominin technological and cognitive capabilities were sufficient for the fabrication of watercraft. Finally, the required wayfinding skills for open sea-crossings were within the purview of early humans. Our review of the archaeological, experimental, ethno-historical, and theoretical evidence leads us to conclude that there is no a priori reason to reject the first two hypotheses in the absence of more targeted archaeological surveys on the islands, and thus the latter two hypotheses should be tested by future research.

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2016.04.005
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