The Earlier Stone Age technocomplex spans 3.3 to roughly 0.3 million years ago and is the longest technological era. Stone tools can provide immense detail into the lifeways of our hominin ancestors, but we have little preserved information from this time and must often rely on stone tools to help us understand our ancestors. In this talk, Dr Moll will present some examples from Tanzania and South Africa, discuss how archaeologists study stone tools and try to interpret the world of hominins. These locales, rich in geological diversity and archaeological significance, offer windows into the lives of early hominins. By meticulously studying the lithic artefacts unearthed from these sites, archaeologists endeavour to decipher the intricate tapestry of behaviours and technologies that characterised hominin existence during the ESA. This will hopefully elucidate the challenges of reconstructing the technological world of hominins and how such investigative approaches unveil unique insights into tool-making techniques, and resource exploitation patterns.

Dr Rosa Moll is a post-doctoral researcher specializing in the Earlier and Middle Stone Age of South Africa and Tanzania. She earned her MSc and Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of the Witwatersrand, in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Her research, which included excavation work in The Cradle of Humankind, provided invaluable insights into the technological advancements and behavioural patterns of early hominin populations. Dr Moll’s excavation experience extends beyond The Cradle of Humankind to iconic sites such as Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and Wonderwerk Cave in the Northern Cape, South Africa. In addition to her work in Africa, Dr Moll has participated in excavations at various sites in France and Spain, contributing to our knowledge of early human dispersals and interactions in Europe.

• Date: Thursday, 16 May 2024
• Time: 19:30 
• Venue: The Auditorium at Roedean School, 35 Princess of Wales Terrace, Parktown, Johannesburg
• Charge: Non-members R50, members free