Authors

Hjalmar S. Kühl, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Ammie K. Kalan, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Mimi Arandjelovic, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Floris Aubert, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Lucy D’Auvergne, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Annemarie Goedmakers, Chimbo Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sorrel Jones, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Laura Kehoe, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Sebastien Regnaut, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Alexander Tickle, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Els Ton, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Joost van Schijndel, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Ekwoge E. Abwe, Ebo Forest Research Project, Messa, Cameroon
Samuel Angedakin, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Anthony Agbor, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Emmanuel Ayuk Ayimisin, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Emma Bailey, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Mattia Bessone, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Matthieu Bonnet, The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, UK
Gregory Brazolla, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Valentine Ebua Buh, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Rebecca Chancellor, West Chester University of PennsylvaniaFollow
Chloe Cipoletta, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Heather Cohen, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Katherine Corogenes, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Charlotte Coupland, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Bryan Curran, The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, UK
Tobias Deschner, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Karsten Dierks, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Paula Dieguez, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Emmanuel Dilambaka, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Orume Diotoh, Korup Rainforest Conservation Society, South West Region, Cameroon
Dervla Dowd, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Andrew Dunn, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Henk Eshuis, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Rumen Fernandez, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Yisa Ginath, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
John Hart, Lukuru Foundation, Kinshasa, DRC
Daniela Hedwig, The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, UK
Martijn Ter Heegde, WWF Cameroon Country Office, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Thurston Cleveland Hicks, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Inaoyom Imong, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Kathryn J. Jeffery, Agence National des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Jessica Junker, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Parag Kadam, University of Cambridge
Mohamed Kambi, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Ivonne Kienast, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Deo Kujirakwinja, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Kevin Langergraber, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
Vincent Lapeyre, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Juan Lapuente, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Kevin Lee, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Vera Leinert, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Amelia Meier, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Giovanna Maretti, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Sergio Marrocoli, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Tanyi Julius Mbi, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Vianet Mihindou, Agence National des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
Yasmin Moebius, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
David Morgan, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Bethan Morgan, Ebo Forest Research Project, Messa, Cameroon
Felix Mulindahabi, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Mizuki Murai, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Protais Niyigabae, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Emma Normand, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Nicolas Ntare, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Lucy Jayne Ormsby, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Alex Piel, Liverpool John Moores University
Jill Pruetz, Iowa State University
Aaron S. Rundus, West Chester University of PennsylvaniaFollow
Crickette Sanz, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Volker Sommer, University College London
Fiona Stewart, University of Cambridge
Nikki Tagg, KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
Hilde Vanleeuwe, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
Virginie Vergnes, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Leipzig, Germany
Jacob Willie, KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
Roman M. Wittig, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Klaus Zuberbuehler, Université de Neuchâtel
Christophe Boesch, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-29-2016

Abstract

The study of the archaeological remains of fossil hominins must rely on reconstructions to elucidate the behaviour that may have resulted in particular stone tools and their accumulation. Comparatively, stone tool use among living primates has illuminated behaviours that are also amenable to archaeological examination, permitting direct observations of the behaviour leading to artefacts and their assemblages to be incorporated. Here, we describe newly discovered stone tool-use behaviour and stone accumulation sites in wild chimpanzees reminiscent of human cairns. In addition to data from 17 mid- to long-term chimpanzee research sites, we sampled a further 34 Pan troglodytes communities. We found four populations in West Africa where chimpanzees habitually bang and throw rocks against trees, or toss them into tree cavities, resulting in conspicuous stone accumulations at these sites. This represents the first record of repeated observations of individual chimpanzees exhibiting stone tool use for a purpose other than extractive foraging at what appear to be targeted trees. The ritualized behavioural display and collection of artefacts at particular locations observed in chimpanzee accumulative stone throwing may have implications for the inferences that can be drawn from archaeological stone assemblages and the origins of ritual sites.

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

ISSN

2045-2322

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Volume

6

Issue

22219

First Page

1

Last Page

8

DOI

doi:10.1038/srep22219

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