Origins of Human Innovation and Creativity

Scott Elias (Editor), Nick Barton, F. D'Errico, William Davies, Clive Gamble, John Hoffecker, Erella Hovers, Steven Kuhn, Joao Zilhao

Research output: Book/ReportBook

Abstract

Innovation and creativity are two of the key characteristics that distinguish cultural transmission from biological transmission. This book explores a number of questions concerning the nature and timing of the origins of human creativity. What were the driving factors in the development of new technologies? What caused the statis in stone tool technological innovation in the Early Pleistocene? Were there specific regions and episodes of enhanced technological development, or did it occur at a steady pace where ancestral humans lived? The authors are archaeologists who address these questions, armed with data from ancient artefacts such as shell beads used as jewelry, primitive musical instruments, and sophisticated techniques required to fashion certain kinds of stone into tools.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationAmsterdam
PublisherElsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
Number of pages133
ISBN (Print)978-0-444-53821-5
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2012

Keywords

  • Pleistocene;
  • human brain
  • CREATIVITY
  • innovation

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