Middle Stone Age Artifacts
There is today widespread agreement among archaeologists that the world's first art and symbolic culture dates to the southern African Middle Stone Age. Some of the most striking artifacts, including engraved pieces of red ochre, were manufactured at Blombos Cave in South Africa 70 ka. Pierced and ochred Nassarius shell beads were also recovered from Blombos, with even earlier examples (Middle Stone Age, Aterian) from the Taforalt Caves. Arrows and hide working tools have been found at Sibudu Cave as evidence of making weapons with compound heat treated gluing technology.
The stone tool technology in use during the Middle Stone Age shows a mosaic of techniques. The Levallois prepared core technology (also widely used by Neanderthals during the European Middle Palaeolithic) is seen at many sites throughout the period. However, the use of blades (associated mainly with the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe) is seen at many sites as well. It may have been used from the transition from the Early Stone Age to the Middle Stone Age onwards. Finally, during the later part of the Middle Stone Age, microlithic technologies, aimed at producing replaceable components of composite hafted tools is seen from at least 70 ka at sites such as Pinnacle Point and Diepkloof Rock Shelter in South Africa.
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