Cognitive Archaeology and Human Evolution

This book presents new directions in the study of cognitive archaeology. Seeking to understand the conditions that led to the development of a variety of cognitive processes during evolution, it uses evidence from empirical studies and offers theoretical speculations about the evolution of modern thinking as well. The volume draws from the fields of archaeology and neuropsychology, which traditionally have shared little in the way of theories and methods, even though both disciplines provide crucial pieces to the puzzle of the emergence and evolution of human cognition. The twelve essays, written by an international team of scholars, represent an eclectic array of interests, methods, and theories about evolutionary cognitive archaeology. Collectively, they consider whether the processes in the development of human cognition simply made a better use of anatomical and cerebral structures already in place at the beginning of hominization. They also consider the possibility of an active role of hominoids in their own development and query the impact of hominoid activity in the emergence of new cognitive abilities.

Sophie A. de Beaune is Professor of Prehistory at Jean Moulin University-Lyon 3 and Deputy Scientific Director at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). The author of eight books, most recently L'Homme et L'outil: L'invention Technique durant la Prehistoire, she is also director of a book series entitled "Le passe recompose" at CNRS Editions. Frederick L. Coolidge is Professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He has published extensively in behavioral genetics, neuropsychology, psychopathology assessment, and cognitive archaeology, with recent articles in Cambridge Archaeological Journal, the Journal of Human Evolution, and Journal of Archaeological Research, among others. Thomas Wynn is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He has published extensively on the evolution of human cognition, culminating in a target article in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, published in 2002.