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Morphological variation of scrapers from two artefact concentrations in the Stud Creek catchment, northwest New South Wales (NSW) is examined to investigate whether variation in retouch fits best with a segmented, continuum or composite model. Technological and typological analyses are used to characterise morphological variation. The results clearly show that a composite model, associated with a plurality in the purposes of retouching and in the nature of tool-use prior to discard, is applicable. We argue that the cautious use of typology, requiring phases of hypothesis development and testing, can play an important role in elucidating the nature of morphological variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundant shell matrix sites around Albatross Bay near Weipa, western Cape York Peninsula, provide an important source of evidence for models of mid- to late Holocene Aboriginal subsistence strategies in the region. While there is considerable variation in the size and spatial distribution of these sites, their surficial species composition is almost invariably dominated by Anadara granosa (blood cockle). In this paper I describe a complex of shell matrix sites at Norman Creek, ∼60 km south of Weipa, that do not conform to this trend. Like the Albatross Bay sites, they exhibit considerable variation in size, but their surficial species composition is dominated by Marcia hiantina (hiant Venus). This suggests that, in the past, shellfish foraging in the region was not exclusively focused on A. granosa. There are several factors that may influence variation in species composition, including shellfish ecology, economic and cultural values, and taphonomic processes. Further research, including detailed sub-surface investigation of shell matrix sites, is necessary to evaluate the role(s), and interplay, of these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from Howieson's Poort to post-Howieson's Poort industries is a rare example of a striking discontinuity in the southern African Middle Stone Age record. The Howieson's Poort Industry has usually been interpreted as a cultural adaptation to harsh environmental conditions and the transition as a consequence of climatic amelioration. The fine-grained stratigraphic and chronological resolution of archaeological deposits at Sibudu Cave that span this period enables closer examination of this interpretation and the theoretical assumptions that underpin it. This evidence suggests that the transition preceded the climatic amelioration and marks a period of systemic collapse and reformation rather than systemic adjustment. Cultural changes occurred over varying time frames and involved varying levels of human consciousness. The competing theoretical frameworks of Darwinian archaeologists generally fail to accommodate this variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1998 detailed excavations have been conducted at Sibudu Cave over an area of 21 m². A trial trench of 2 m² has been excavated to a depth of nearly 3 m. Luminescence dating of the sediments from Sibudu Cave indicates that it was occupied for several relatively brief periods during the Middle Stone Age. One of these occupations occurred about 60 000 years ago. The lithic artefacts from this occupation appear to be the product of a variety of flaking strategies, including tool-maintenance. Retouched artefacts mainly fall within the categories of points and scrapers and display little standardization of form. Artefacts from layers immediately below this assemblage have been assigned to the Howiesons Poort Industry. A short-lived change in raw material preference appears to coincide roughly with the transition from Howiesons Poort to post-Howiesons Poort technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]