Decoding changes: technological and statistical investigation of the Middle Stone Age-Later Stone Age transition in the Horn of Africa

The transition from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) to the Later Stone Age (LSA) in East Africa presents a complex topic in archaeology, marked by a technological shift where MSA traits decline while LSA characteristics increase during the MIS4 and 2. However, the regional variation in the timing and patterns of these changes made more challanging its comprehension. This thesis centers on the MSA-LSA transition in the Horn of Africa, analysing local lithic assemblages in the Gotera area (southern Ethiopia) and then investigating other contexts across the region and parts of Kenya, by doing a comparative analysis of lithic assemblages. Furthermore, the integration of archaeological data with paleoclimatic and environmental factors at macro-regional level sheds light on the environmental influences for this transition. The study confirms subtle distinctions between MSA and LSA techno-complexes but acknowledges the difficulty in creating a comprehensive model due to data limitations. Nevertheless, the correlation between lithic industries and paleoclimatic factors introduces new hypotheses regarding environmental adaptability and behavioral responses during the Late Pleistocene in East Africa. Despite challenges stemming from data limitations, environmental factors likely served as significant influencing factor for observed changes during the MSA-LSA transition. Continual testing of hypotheses through quantitative analysis and data integration remains crucial for a deeper comprehension of this pivotal period in human prehistory.