We develop a framework to differentiate the technological niches of co-existing hominin species by reviewing some theoretical biases influential in thinking about techno-behaviours of extinct hominins, such as a teleological bias in discussing technological evolution. We suggest that some stone-tool classification systems underestimate technological variability, while overestimating the complexity of the behaviours most commonly represented. To model the likely technological niches of extinct populations, we combine ecological principles (i.e. competitive exclusion) with physical anthropology and the archaeological record. We test the framework by applying it to the co-existence of Homo naledi and Homo sapiens during the late Middle Pleistocene in southern Africa. Based on our analysis, we suggest that tool use was probably not an essential part of H. naledi’s niche, but that technology occasionally provided caloric benefits. In contrast, tool use was a structural part of the H. sapiens way of life. We provide reasoning for our interpretation that the latter population is associated with more sophisticated reduction strategies and the development of prepared core technology. The method also has applicability to cases such as the co-existence of different toolmakers during the Earlier Stone Age (ESA) in East Africa and the co-existence of Neanderthals and H. sapiens in Eurasia.

我们通过回顾一些影响已灭绝的人类素技术行为的理论偏见，例如讨论技术发展中的目的论偏见，建立了一个区分人类共存人类素物种的技术优势的框架。我们建议某些石器分类系统低估了技术的可变性，同时高估了最常代表的行为的复杂性。为了模拟灭绝种群的可能技术壁we，我们将生态学原理（即竞争性排斥）与自然人类学和考古记录相结合。我们将它应用到的共存测试框架纳莱蒂人与智人在南部非洲中更新世晚期。根据我们的分析，我们认为工具的使用可能不是纳尔迪（H. naledi）利基市场的重要组成部分，但该技术有时会带来热量收益。相反，工具的使用是智人生活方式的结构性组成部分。我们为我们的解释提供了理由，即后一种人群与更复杂的减排策略和成熟的核心技术的发展相关。该方法还适用于诸如东非早期石器时代（ESA）期间不同工具制造者共存以及欧亚大陆中尼安德特人和智人共存的情况。