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> The team found obsidian tools that came from sources dozens of miles away — a sign of long-distance trade networks. Dozens of miles is something a person cou
by amenod 9y ago
> The team found obsidian tools that came from sources dozens of miles away — a sign of long-distance trade networks.
Dozens of miles is something a person could walk in a few days, so I don't see how that signifies a trade network, let alone a long-distance one.
Not that I'm doubting other things from the article, but this sentence seems a bit far fetched to me. I'm not an expert though - am I missing something?
- apeace 9y agoFrom the article: > Many of the tools were made from a black volcanic rock called obsidian, which was brought to the site and processed there. But from where? There aren’t any obsidian outcrops near Olorgesailie. The chemistry of the tools suggests that they came from sources up to 100 kilometers away. But “these are straight-line distances that, in some cases, go over the top of a mountain,” says Alison Brooks from George Washington University. > “There’s an occasional piece in the Acheulean that gets transported these distances,” says Brooks. “But we have thousands of pieces in this one site that’s smaller than most people’s kitchens. There has been a really major import of raw materials.”
- woodandsteel 9y agoActually, the article says the materials were from up to 100 km away, and that was as the crow flies.
- ivan_gammel 9y agoDozens of miles away may probably mean distance of 50-100 km (and area of control of up to 31415 km^2). For hunter-gatherers it could be too energy-expensive to travel that distance just to collect some raw materials for their tools. It will take more than a week for round trip, considering the time needed to get the food, and the location should be already known.