title: Homo erectus at Trinil on Java used shells for tool production and engraving.
abstract: The manufacture of geometric engravings is generally interpreted as indicative of modern cognition and behaviour. Key questions in the debate on the origin of such behaviour are whether this innovation is restricted to Homo sapiens, and whether it has a uniquely African origin. Here we report on a fossil freshwater shell assemblage from the Hauptknochenschicht ('main bone layer') of Trinil (Java, Indonesia), the type locality of Homo erectus discovered by Eugène Dubois in 1891 (refs 2 and 3). In the Dubois collection (in the Naturalis museum, Leiden, The Netherlands) we found evidence for freshwater shellfish consumption by hominins, one unambiguous shell tool, and a shell with a geometric engraving. We dated sediment contained in the shells with (40)Ar/(39)Ar and luminescence dating methods, obtaining a maximum age of 0.54 ± 0.10 million years and a minimum age of 0.43 ± 0.05 million years. This implies that the Trinil Hauptknochenschicht is younger than previously estimated. Together, our data indicate that the engraving was made by Homo erectus, and that it is considerably older than the oldest geometric engravings described so far. Although it is at present not possible to assess the function or meaning of the engraved shell, this discovery suggests that engraving abstract patterns was in the realm of Asian Homo erectus cognition and neuromotor control.
authors.affiliation: 1] Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands [2] Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Josephine C A
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Joordens
authors.affiliation: 1] Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 33615 Pessac, France [2] Institute of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, University of Bergen, Øysteinsgate 3PO Box 7805, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: d'Errico
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, PO Box 9517, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Wesselingh
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, 0200 Canberra, Australia [2] National Museum of Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, PO Box 9517, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.affiliation: 1] Wageningen University, Soil Geography and Landscape Group &Netherlands Centre for Luminescence Dating, PO Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands [2] Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mekelweg 15, 2629JB, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallinga
authors.affiliation: 1] Wageningen University, Soil Geography and Landscape Group &Netherlands Centre for Luminescence Dating, PO Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands [2] Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mekelweg 15, 2629JB, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ankjærgaard
authors.affiliation: 1] Wageningen University, Soil Geography and Landscape Group &Netherlands Centre for Luminescence Dating, PO Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands [2] Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mekelweg 15, 2629JB, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wijbrans
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Klaudia F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Kuiper
authors.affiliation: 1] Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands [2] Prinses Beatrixsingel 21, 6301VK, Valkenburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Herman J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mücher
authors.affiliation: Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 33615 Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Coqueugniot
authors.affiliation: 1] Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR 7205, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, CP51, 55 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France [2] Biotope Recherche et Développement, 22 Boulevard Maréchal Foch, 34140 Mèze, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prié
authors.affiliation: Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, PO Box 1600, 3800BP, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ineke
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Joosten
authors.affiliation: Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, PO Box 1600, 3800BP, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bertil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van Os
authors.affiliation: 1] Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, PO Box 9517, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands [3] Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, De Bosquetplein 7, 6211KJ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Schulp
authors.affiliation: 1] Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Aix-Marseille, EFS, CNRS UMR 7268, Boulevard Pierre Dramard, 13344 Marseille, France [2] Department of Medical Imaging Hôpital Nord, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, Chemin de Bourrellys, 13915 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panuel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: van der Haas
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lustenhouwer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John J G
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reijmer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wil
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roebroeks
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells; D000818:Animals; D004741:Engraving and Engravings / Q000266:history*; D005580:Fossils; D049690:History, Ancient; D015186:Hominidae; D007214:Indonesia; D008974:Mollusca; D053001:Tool Use Behavior