Squeezing Minds From Stones Cognitive Archaeology and the Evolution of the Human Mind

by Overmann, Karenleigh A.; Coolidge, Frederick L.

• ISBN13: 9780190854614
• ISBN10: 0190854618
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2019-05-02
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Cognitive archaeology is a relatively new interdisciplinary science that uses cognitive and psychological models to explain archeological artifacts like stone tools, figurines, and art. Squeezing Minds From Stones is a collection of essays from early pioneers in the field, like archaeologists Thomas Wynn and Iain Davidson, and evolutionary primatologist William McGrew, to 'up and coming' newcomers like Shelby Putt, Ceri Shipton, Mark Moore, James Cole, Natalie Uomini, and Lana Ruck. Their essays address a wide variety of cognitive archaeology topics, including the value of experimental archaeology, primate archaeology, the intent of ancient tool makers, and how they may have lived and thought.

Author Biography

Karenleigh A. Overmann has a doctorate in archaeology from the University of Oxford, as well as a master's in psychology and bachelor's in anthropology, philosophy, and English from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). She is a founding member of the faculty of the UCCS Center for Cognitive Archaeology, and in June 2018 she began an MSCA individual fellowship at the University of Bergen, Norway. Her primary research investigates numeracy and literacy as complex cultural systems that emerge through sustained interactions between brains, behaviors, and material forms. Her previous career was in the U.S. Navy, where she performed communications-electronics work as an enlisted Radioman before earning a commission under the Limited Duty Officer program; she retired with 25 years active service in 2003.

Professor Frederick L. Coolidge has a PhD from the University of Florida and completed a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology. He is a three-time Fulbright Fellow recipient and has three teaching awards and two research awards from the University of Colorado. He was appointed Senior Visiting Scholar to Oxford University (Keble College) in 2015 and Visiting Scholar to the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar from 2014-2018.