Pleistocene exchange networks as evidence for the evolution of language

Citation: Ben Marwick (2003) Pleistocene exchange networks as evidence for the evolution of language. Cambridge Archaeological Journal (RSS)
Internet Archive Scholar (search for fulltext): Pleistocene exchange networks as evidence for the evolution of language
Download: https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/42089/2/Marwick 2003 CAJ.pdf
Tagged: Anthropology (RSS)

Summary

Context: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the emergence of language and exchange networks and how they developed over time. It covers a broad time span, taking evidence from between 2.5 million to 20 ka to trace these developments through early hominids to anatomically modern humans.

Methods and Materials: The distances between stone artifacts and the source their raw materials were procured from were compared to estimate the home-range or distances traveled by early hominids. This included late Pliocene hominids, non-modern hominids, and anatomically modern Homo sapiens. This data was compared to other evidence for the cognitive and language development from the literature. Computer simulations of the evolution of language, done by Kirby (2000) are used to examine the ways in which languages evolve, even in a non-biological way.

Results: The data indicates a gradual increase in distance between the source of raw material and where the stone artifact was found in sites from Africa. Late Pliocene hominids are interpreted to have had a home range of 13 km and no language. After 1.2 million years ago, non-modern hominids see an increase in home range from 15 km to up to 100 km after 1.2 million years ago and a form of proto-language is suggested to be used in this time. During the African Middle Stone Age (about 250-40,000 years ago) anatomically modern humans develop of artifacts greater than 100-120 km, probably through trade networks sustained by the ability to communicate through language. Computer simulations suggest appearance of language is gradual and is capable of evolving from non-biological factors. The unstable proto-language of this stage of these simulations could be a reason why Neanderthals did not use trade networks.

Theoretical and Practical Relevance

One of the main questions in investigating early hominid technology is how cognitively developed they were. Ambrose (2001) investigates the current findings in this endeavor. Marwick offers a way to look at the development of language based on the establishment of trade networks (as extrapolated from the distances raw material is found from their sources). This provides further evidence that language had developed past a proto-language by/during the Middle Stone Age of Africa.