ABSTRACT

We explore and describe the auditory landscape that emerges from stone tool making. Using two trained musicians, we identify the pitches and octaves produced from percussion knapping. We also analyze whether knapping sounds vary by raw material, knapper skill level, or by flake size. Our results show that our chosen stone material types each displayed a single fundamental pitch (E or G) with one or two additional octaves present, and each individual nodule maintained the same pitch throughout reduction. Knappers of different skills produced no differences in pitch, but there were significant differences in octaves present. Different raw materials showed significant differences in both pitch and octaves present. Flake size did not seem to influence either pitch or octaves present. The acoustic landscape resulting from knapping was certainly even more diverse than what we documented here, and likely influenced hominin stone tool production and learning, cognition, language, and music.

摘要

我们探索并描述了石器制造过程中出现的听觉景观。我们使用两名训练有素的音乐家来确定打击乐敲击产生的音高和八度。我们还分析敲击声是否因原材料、敲击器技能水平或薄片大小而异。我们的结果表明，我们选择的石材类型每种都显示出单一的基本音高（E 或 G），并且存在一两个额外的八度音程，并且每个单独的结节在整个还原过程中都保持相同的音高。不同技能的敲击手在音高上没有差异，但存在的八度音程有显着差异。不同的原材料在音高和八度音程上表现出显着差异。薄片大小似乎不影响音高或八度音程。