The future of lithic analysis in palaeolithic archaeology: A view from the old world

Abstract

Archaeology has to rise to the challenge of projecting itself, accommodating new relationships with disciplines such as evolutionary psychology and anthropology, primatology and genetics. This task requires a reorganisation of approach, so that archaeology does not seem to take purely minimalist views, based simply on the current record of preserved finds. Early archaeology in the Old World divides overall into the dynamics of big evolutionary outlines, and scenarios of local detail. Both are equally important in building a record. The first is more subject to major changes of perspective, and the second offers more continuity in its analytical techniques. The chapter explores recent developments in Palaeolithic archaeology as hints of changes to come. © 2010 Springer-Verlag New York.