Our understanding of how human material culture evolved is biased towards lithic technology, as stone tools are more likely to survive over time, and we know little about the archaeological signatures that plant-based artefacts may leave in the environment. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that plant materials featured prominently in our ancestor’s toolkit, perhaps even before stone tools. This project, led by Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido, delves into the archaeology of chimpanzee termite fishing, to uncover the archaeological traces of plant-based technology, and gain insights into the cognitive, technical, and behavioural precursors of stone tool use.
