https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41982-022-00129-5 Skip to main content Advertisement SpringerLink Search Go to cart * Log in Search SpringerLink [ ] Search * Report * Published: 23 November 2022 The role of vision during Lower Palaeolithic tool-making * Maria Silva-Gago ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1383-3039^1, * Marcos Terradillos-Bernal^2, * Timothy Hodgson^3 & * ... * Emiliano Bruner^1 Show authors Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology volume 5, Article number: 19 (2022 ) Cite this article * 24 Accesses * 26 Altmetric * Metrics details Abstract Stone tools are the result of goal-oriented actions involving cognitive processes. Because visual attention is a requirement in accurate tool-making, visual exploration can provide information about the relationship between perception and technological evolution. The purpose of this study is to analyse visual behaviour while an expert knapper produces different stone tools, using a portable eye tracking device. To understand where gaze was directed moment by moment, different areas of interest were defined. The preliminary results show that the most observed areas were the middle region, the knapped surface, the first face of the tool being struck and the next point of percussion. There were differences in visual exploration between choppers and handaxes during knapping. The distal position, upper region, cortex and the first face of the tool being struck were more explored in choppers, while the base, knapped surface and first tool's face knapped were more viewed for handaxes. These areas can be considered to be the most salient features needed to control knapping, hence constituting action affordances for the successful production of stone tools. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. Access options Buy single article Instant access to the full article PDF. USD 39.95 Price excludes VAT (USA) Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout. [Buy article PDF] Rent this article via DeepDyve. Learn more about Institutional subscriptions Fig. 1 [41982_2022_129_Fig1_HTML] Fig. 2 [41982_2022_129_Fig2_HTML] Fig. 3 [41982_2022_129_Fig3_HTML] Fig. 4 [41982_2022_129_Fig4_HTML] Fig. 5 [41982_2022_129_Fig5_HTML] References * Ambrose, S. H. (2001). Paleolithic technology and human evolution. In Science, 291(5509), 1748-1753. https://doi.org/ 10.1126/science.1059487 American Association for the Advancement of Science. Article Google Scholar * Atkinson, J. (2008). The developing visual brain. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/ 9780198525998.001.0001 Book Google Scholar * Bayani, K. Y. T., Natraj, N., Khresdish, N., Pargeter, J., Stout, D., & Wheaton, L. A. (2021). Emergence of perceptuomotor relationships during paleolithic stone toolmaking learning: Intersections of observation and practice. Communications Biology, 4, 1278. Article Google Scholar * Beyene, Y., Katoh, S., Woldegabriel, G., Hart, W. 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Maria Silva-Gago View author publications You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar 2. Marcos Terradillos-Bernal View author publications You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar 3. Timothy Hodgson View author publications You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar 4. Emiliano Bruner View author publications You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Corresponding author Correspondence to Maria Silva-Gago. Ethics declarations Ethics Approval All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Consent to Participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. 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