A Cognitive and Neuropsychological Perspective on the Châtelperronian

Châtelperronian is the term used for a distinctive archaeological assemblage found in areas of southwestern France and northern Spain. Neandertals appear to have been responsible for the artifacts, but some of the artifact types represent a significant change from those used in the previous 200,000 years of Neandertal culture. Two alternative interpretations have been proposed for this change--one emphasizing independent development and the other emphasizing imitation of modern humans. We propose a slightly different scenario in which Neandertals created the artifacts through a form of observational learning known as emulation. This form of learning fits an account of Neandertal thinking that is derived from cognitive models of working memory and long-term working memory and is enriched by examples from neuropsychology.

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