325:, archeologists uncovered 799 possible manuports from inside Spirit Eye Cave. Hundreds of unmodified, polished pebbles were uncovered, organized alongside other ‘cultural material’ that indicates human presence during prehistory. Sedimentary analysis indicates that these pebbles were deposited possibly 4,200 years BP. Researchers have suggested that this collection represents a portable form of ‘pebble art’, although their meaning is difficult to conclusively discern.
72:
240:. The island has no natural chert deposits and so the stone must have been carried from mainland Australia. Chert is a traditional toolstone and other chert artifacts found on Barrow Island have been modified to be used as a blade. The closest sources of chert are several kilometers away by boat in the
145:
The
Makapansgat cobble’s distinct ‘face’, with its pair of ‘eyes’ and a ‘mouth’, has led some researchers to conclude that the profile must have, at least partially, been carved by hand. However, current research suggests that the cobble’s ‘features’ are entirely the result of natural forces. During
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of stones in prehistory, there is a myriad of possible ‘cultural meanings’ these gastroliths represent. One explanation offered is that these stones, given their smaller size, could have made for effective projectiles. Another explanation suggests that, like other contemporary prehistoric cultures,
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typical of sand dunes and reefs that have dried out. The exposed portion of the chert measures 40mm wide by 35mm high. Chemical analysis has determined the calcrete’s age to be 41,000 years old, indicating the earliest possible date that the manuport was deposited. This supports other archeological
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are believed to have been deposited sometime around 1.8mya. Measuring the collection reveals two clear groups of manuports in a ‘deliberate selection and hoarding by a hominid species’. One group demonstrates an average weight of approximately 400g, and the other with an average weight of 220g. A
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period. The fossil had to have been carried a substantial distance to its eventual site, as cuttlefish fossils are not found in this part of
Eastern Morocco and they are known to be found commonly elsewhere. Microscopic analysis of the object’s surface has found no trace of human modification but
252:
when the coastlines of Barrow Island and
Australia would have been much closer and more easily traversable. The manuport notably displays no signs of fracture, despite being carried for the intended later use as a tool. This implies that the chert stone must have been lost at some point during
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It is not uncommon for ‘alien’ lithics to be found alongside other artifacts during archaeological excavations. Discerning whether certain stones are, indeed, manuports is difficult. There is no set criteria for determining a manuport and this designation is often provided at the researcher’s
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argues that the cobble must have, sometime around 2.95 million years ago, been picked up and “carried for a considerable distance” by an early hominin. The
Makapansgat cobble is the oldest known manuport and is possibly the earliest example of
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Australian archeologists have noted that calcrete is an ideal medium for preservation and the finding of the Barrow Island manuport is a strong indication further artifacts are likely to be located along
Western Australia’s limestone shelf.
296:, has long been used as a mineral pigment by the local indigenous communities of what is now Southern California. The mineral has a naturally metallic sheen and can appear as lead-colored or dark silver when applied as
304:, for which galena was commonly used. The only nearby source of galena is between 26–32 km away and archeologists believe that the manuport was brought to the site through trade sometime during prehistory.
23:
is a natural object that has been deliberately taken from its original environment and relocated without further modification. Typically moved by human hand, some manuports are the result of other
366:: 400g is an ideal mass to be thrown by a male, and 220g is an ideal mass for a female. Alternatively, these two groups represent two separate group of hominids, the larger presumably being
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manuport, like a footprint, may indicate the locomotion and mass of the hominid who threw it. It is possible that the collection of manuports found in
Olduvai represent selection for
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Stanley, J. D.; Jorstad, T. F.; Berbasconi, M. P.; Stanford, D.; Jodry, M. (2008). "Predynastic human presence discovered by core drilling at the northern Nile delta coast, Egypt".
194:. Measuring approximately 68mm long, 35mm wide and 33mm thick, the Erfoud manuport is noteworthy for resembling a “perfectly naturalistic and life-size, non-erect human
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discoveries on the island suggesting humans occupied Barrow Island as early as 53,000 years ago. Collectively these artifacts present one of the oldest examples of
150:, the jasperite deposit that would become the Makapansgat cobble experienced serious geological stress that produced fractures, which were then later filled with
666:
Koeper, H. C.; Strudwick, I. H. (2006). "Native
Employment of Mineral Pigments with Special Reference to a Galena Manuport from an Orange County Rock Site".
133:, the principal mineral found in the cobble, is not found elsewhere in the cave, and the nearest deposit of jasperite is reportedly 32 km away.
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Manuports can reveal to archeologists what some of the cultural practices of early hominids were. A collection of 176 manuports found in
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Cannell, Alan (2002). "Throwing
Behaviour and the Mass Distribution of Geological Hand Samples, Hand Grenades and Olduvian Manuports".
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or later collected by humans is still up for debate, though cultural significance of the stones should not be ruled out. Given the
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Ward, I.; Salvemini, F.; Veth, P. (2016). "3D visualisation and dating of an embedded chert artefact from Barrow Island".
154:. Typical forces of erosion then later wore the silica away, leaving the cobble’s ‘face’ mostly formed by the end of the
634:
Dortch, C. E.; Morse, K. (December 1984). "Prehistoric Stone
Artefacts on Some Offshore Islands in Western Australia".
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The pebbles demonstrate a striking uniformity. The leading theory proposed by archeologists is that these stones are
233:
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Sedimentary analysis of the cave where the
Makapansgat cobble was discovered, including the unearthing of a nearby
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The earliest attestation of the word manuport is from English in 1966. The term is derived from the Latin words
90:
The Makapansgat cobble was first discovered in the 1920s during excavations at an archaeological site in the
121:
102:, the cobble drew little attention at the time. (Only several years prior had the first description of
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the Spirit Eye Cave manuports may have been spiritually ‘eaten’ (or placed in the mouth) as part of a
171:
98:. Although noted for its striking resemblance to a human face and its likely association with
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8:
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Bednarik, R. G. (1998). "The "Australopithecine" Cobble from Makapansgat, South Africa".
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to conclude they must have been chosen for their beauty. This recognition of an object’s
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character suggests that certain manuports represent some of the earliest examples of
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been published and, as such, the cobble received no further study). As the field of
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708:"Pebbles in Archaeological Contexts: A Case Study from a West Texas Cave"
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Bednarik, R. G. (2002). "An Acheulian palaeoart manuport from Morocco".
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Sometime around 2006, a galena manuport was discovered in a cave in the
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developed through the 20th century, aided by the discovery of further
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The manuport is composed from a fragment of a cuttlefish fossil (
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species, it led to a renewed interest in the Makapansgat cobble.
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Helm, C. W.; Benoit, J. (2019). "Geomythology in South Africa".
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248:. The stone is believed to have been transported during the
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manuport was discovered embedded in an ancient reef on
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skeleton, dates the manuport to 2,000,000-3,000,000
332:. Whether they were deposited after birds had died
300:. The cave the manuport was discovered in contains
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186:estimated to have been deposited 200,000-300,000
170:was discovered in 1984 by Lutz Fiedler during an
27:. Common manuports include stones, seashells and
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75:The Makapansgat cobble with its distinct 'face'.
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705:
668:Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Quarterly
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601:Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
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434:The South African Archaeological Bulletin
182:. The manuport was found alongside other
706:Schroeder, Bryon; Greer, Taylor (2019).
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758:Journal of Archaeological Science
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256:The manuport was found lodged in
220:does show signs of minor wear.
648:10.1080/03122417.1984.12092954
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267:maritime resource exploitation
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798:Archaeological artefact types
724:10.1080/01977261.2019.1587256
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621:10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.05.023
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559:"Oxford English Dictionary"
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10:
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349:Manuport size and hominids
122:Australopithecus africanus
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172:archaeological excavation
338:technological prominence
321:In a 2019 excavation in
317:Spirit Eye Cave pebbles
778:10.1006/jasc.2002.0710
636:Australian Archaeology
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59:, meaning ‘hand’, and
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302:prehistoric rock art
280:Orange County galena
110:evolutionary biology
770:2002JArSc..29..335C
613:2016JArSR...7..432W
537:2008Geo....36..599S
308:Ambiguous manuports
224:Barrow Island chert
63:, meaning ‘carry’.
382:Makapansgat pebble
192:Lower Palaeolithic
135:Robert G. Bednarik
100:australopithecines
86:Makapansgat pebble
80:Makapansgat cobble
77:
712:Lithic Technology
545:10.1130/G24803A.1
506:The Digging Stick
484:Rock Art Research
364:sexual dimorphism
286:San Joaquin Hills
270:outside of Africa
238:Western Australia
174:near the town of
162:Erfoud cuttlefish
140:symbolic thinking
67:Notable manuports
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262:sedimentary rock
105:Australopithecus
31:, which has led
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246:Carnarvon Basin
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168:Erfoud manuport
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37:anthropologists
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764:(4): 335–339.
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207:sp.) that was
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156:Pliocene epoch
92:Makapan Valley
84:Main article:
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33:archaeologists
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565:. March 2022.
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292:. Galena, or
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234:Barrow Island
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718:(2): 90–99.
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440:(167): 4–8.
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392:Found object
369:homo erectus
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313:discretion.
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294:lead sulfide
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260:, a kind of
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250:last Ice Age
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96:South Africa
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607:: 431–436.
343:lithophagic
330:gastroliths
253:transport.
228:In 2014, a
211:during the
190:during the
184:stone tools
792:Categories
490:: 137–139.
398:References
323:West Texas
290:California
209:silicified
204:Orthoceras
732:135093831
642:: 31–47.
131:Jasperite
51:Etymology
41:aesthetic
803:Geofacts
563:manuport
512:: 15–18.
376:See also
359:Tanzania
345:ritual.
258:calcrete
213:Devonian
148:Pliocene
25:hominins
21:manuport
766:Bibcode
674:: 1–20.
609:Bibcode
533:Bibcode
525:Geology
454:3889256
355:Olduvai
334:in situ
242:Pilbara
180:Morocco
114:hominin
61:portare
29:fossils
730:
452:
176:Erfoud
152:silica
728:S2CID
450:JSTOR
298:paint
230:chert
196:penis
57:manus
244:and
166:The
146:the
35:and
774:doi
720:doi
644:doi
617:doi
541:doi
442:doi
215:or
198:”.
45:art
794::
772:.
762:29
760:.
740:^
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716:44
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710:.
680:^
672:38
670:.
656:^
640:19
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615:.
603:.
571:^
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539:.
529:36
527:.
510:36
508:.
496:^
488:19
486:.
462:^
448:.
438:53
436:.
406:^
372:.
357:,
288:,
272:.
236:,
188:BP
178:,
158:.
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129:.
127:BP
94:,
47:.
19:A
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605:7
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