Lithic Standardization and Behavioral Complexity in the Middle Stone Age - A Case Study From Sibhudu, South Africa

The concept of standardization has been applied in archaeological research as a proxy measure for cognitive and behavioral complexity since the late nineteenth century. Here we evaluate these issues in the context of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) examining microlithic technology and laminar blanks and their corresponding core reduction and tool assemblages from the Howiesons Poort (HP) and Sibhudan from Sibhudu (South Africa). We find both standardization and variability among different techno-typological components of these technocomplexes. Similar degrees of standardization characterize the metrics of the bladelet assemblages in the Sibhudan and the backed pieces in the HP, but they remain much more variable than products from craft specialists. We argue for a careful interpretation of standardization in lithic technology taking into account factors like raw material, technological redundancy, site use patterns, functionality and tool biographies. Standardization in lithic tools per se is not an ideal proxy measure for behavioral complexity.