Mission of the Stone Age Institute
An unbroken line of technology and culture extends from our present day back in time at least two-and-a-half million years. The earliest stone tool-makers were upright-walking, small-brained ape-men. From these primordial origins, the human lineage embarked upon a pathway that is extraordinary and unique in the history of life. This pathway has shaped our bodies, our brains, and our way of life, and has an accelerating impact on the earth and its other organisms. Well over 99% of this technological evolution occurred in the Stone Age, so it is no exaggeration to say that modern humans have evolved as Stone Age creatures.
The primary mission of the Stone Age Institute is to study the origins of human technology and the evolution of our technological adaptation in order to gain a better understanding of ourselves and our place in nature. A critical component of this undertaking is training and mentoring of scholars from around the world to make this search for understanding broad-based and inclusive, and to take this research to those areas of the world where critical stages of this journey occurred.
Our goal is to provide a haven for this research, providing research opportunities for scholars from around the world conducting cutting-edge Stone Age human origins research. These include professional research scientists in long-term positions, postdoctoral research fellows, and visiting scholars. Fieldwork, collecting primary data from important archaeological sites, as well as laboratory studies and experimental archaeological research are all critical components of our operation. Invited conferences, workshops, and retreats convening top scientists to discuss and work on special topics are also vital functions of the Institute. A publication series of monographs by the Stone Age Institute Press on special selected topics in the field will enhance the dissemination of information from our research and conferences.
Co-Director Nick Toth speaking to a group of students at the Bowers Museum in California.
Group of conference participants inspecting fossils at an Institute conference.
