Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania

Kisese II rockshelter, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites in Tanzania, reveals that behavioral innovations associated with modern humans emerged gradually between 46,000 and 34,300 years ago. This study provides one of the most robust chronological sequences for East Africa using 29 radiocarbon dates on ostrich eggshell beads, showing that backed microliths and red ochre use became widespread during this period. The transition from Middle Stone Age (MSA) to Later Stone Age (LSA) lithic technologies began around 39,000 years ago, with LSA technologies fully established by the Last Glacial Maximum. These findings challenge the notion of a rapid, uniform shift in human behavior, instead highlighting regional variability and time-transgressive changes.

Tryon, C. A., Lewis, J. E., Ranhorn, K. L., Kwekason, A., Alex, B., Laird, M. F., Marean, C. W., Niespolo, E., Nivens, J., & Mabulla, A. Z. P. (2018). Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania. Plos One, 13(2), e0192029. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192029