Li Li

My research reconstructs hominins’ technical decisions from the lithic record. My doctoral research was focused on investigating an important variable in flake production that has remained archaeologically invisible, i.e., the hammer strike angle that hominins used to produce flakes. Using a controlled experimental approach, I study how Early Pleistocene hominins controlled their hammer strike angles and discover a diachronic progression in their production strategies. Currently, I am continuing my investigation of the missing key principles of stone tool production toward developing a more comprehensive understanding of hominins’ tool use behavior.