Group-specific archaeological signatures of stone tool use in wild macaques
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- University College London, United Kingdom
- Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
- Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Figures
Figure 1
Research site in the Ao Phang Nga National Park, Thailand.
(A) Southeastern tip of Boi Yai Island and (B) Lobi Bay on Yao Noi Island, both within Ao Phang Nga National Park, Southern Thailand.
Figure 2
Stone tools used by wild macaques in Ao Phang Nga National Park to exploit rock oysters (Saccostrea cucullate).
(a) Examples of stone tools used at Lobi Bay. (b) Examples of stone tools used on Boi Yai Island. (c) rock oyster prey species available on both islands and.
Figure 3
Stone tools used by macaques in Ao Phang Nga National Park to exploit Thais bitubercularis.
(a) Examples of stone tools used at Lobi Bay. (b) examples of stone tools used on Boi Yai Island. (c) Thais bitubercularis prey species available on both islands.
Figure 4
Intensity of damage (UWG) compared for stone tools between two sites (Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island) in the Ao Phang Nga National Park.
The size of the circle indicates the respective number of tools included. (For underlying data, see Source data 1).
Figure 5
Selected tools used to crack open marine prey by wild macaques in Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island.
(A) Differences in selected tool weight to crack open marine snails. (B) Differences in selected tool weight to crack open Thais bitubercularis. The plots are showing all quantiles and the CIs (grey). (For underlying data, see Source data 1).
Figure 6
Size of marine prey available at Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island.
The plot is showing the mean with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals.
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Figure 6—source data 1
Maximum length and maximum width of marine snails from Boi Yai Island and Lobi Bay.
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.009
Figure 7
Tools selected by wild macaques to crack open oysters at Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island.
The plot is showing all quantiles and the CIs (grey). (For underlying data, see Source data 1).
Figure 8
Size of oysters available at Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island.
The plot is showing the mean with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals.
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Figure 8—source data 1
Maximum length and maximum width of oysters on Boi Yai Island and Lobi Bay.
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.012
Figure 9
Availability of raw material at Lobi Bay and Boi Yai Island.
(A) Weight of stones available at point transects. (B) Number of availability of stones. The plots show the mean with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals.
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Figure 9—source data 1
Measurements and weight of stones available in the tidal and intertidal zone on Boi Yai Island and Lobi Bay.
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.014
Tables
Table 1
Total number of tools associated with specific prey species.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.003| Prey | Lobi Bay | Boi Yai Island |
|---|---|---|
| Monodonta labio | 9 | 3 |
| Morulla spp. | 0 | 2 |
| Nerita spp. | 18 | 26 |
| Oysters | 10 | 26 |
| Thais bitubercularis | 9 | 12 |
| Total limestone hammerstones used | 46 | 69 |
| Total granite hammerstones used | 0 | 1 |
Table 2
Grading of use wear by zone (adapted from Haslam et al., 2013)
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.015| Use Wear Grade (numerical) | Use Wear Grade (descriptive) | Pitting | Crushing | Fracture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Distinct indentations from discrete strikes that can culminate in the creation of more general craters in the stone surface | Rounding and flattening of the tool surface, especially the protruding parts on the points and edges. | A breakage of the tool caused by chipping or flaking | |
| Grade 0 | None | No trace | No trace | No trace |
| Grade 1 | Slight | Trace - minimal and isolated damage. Isolated points of impact | Trace - minimal and isolated damage | Trace - minimal and isolated fracture |
| Grade 2 | Medium | Overlapping impact points that have formed a coherent platform of damage | Surface clearly damaged but limited evidence of repeated use. | Moderate - larger fractureaffecting < 30% of the use zone |
| Grade 3 | High | Cumulative damage with a pitting to a depth of 2 mm | Cumulative - rounding can be observed and felt. | Extensive - Fracture affecting between 30% and 60% of the use zone |
| Grade 4 | Very-High | Cratered - a larger more extensive indentation that is more than 2 mm deep and 5 mm in diameter. | More progressive rounding that has produced a flatter surface on the use zone. | General - fracture extending beyond 60% of the use zone |
Additional files
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Transparent reporting form
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.016
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Source data 1
Measurements and use wear intensity scores of tools collected on Boi Yai Island and Lobi Bay.
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961.017
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Group-specific archaeological signatures of stone tool use in wild macaques
eLife 8:e46961.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46961
