Technological Variability at Mochena Borago Rockshelter, Ethiopia: a Contribution to Understanding MIS 3 Cultural Change in the Horn of Africa

Non-Levallois core reduction strategies for producing elongated flakes or blades appear early in the African Middle Stone Age (MSA) but have rarely been studied in detail. In this paper we present a detailed comparative analysis of non-Levallois lithic technologies at Mochena Borago Rockshelter, SW Ethiopia, from strata dating to around 46 to 36 ka, with a focus on the technological solutions and quality of blade production. Although there is an increase in the frequency of laminar production as well as improved technological capabilities over time, the numerical importance of laminar products remains small. Only the youngest assemblages (~39-36 ka) show the beginning of a technological transformation, with clear features of intentional blade production. Several factors may explain this transformative process: functional changes in tool production, raw material availability, climatic change, cultural developments and/or population movements.