 Fig. 4 |
 Figs. 8 & 9 |
 Fig. 10 / Fig. 10 LARGE |
“Regularidades desconcertantes que, si los indicadores válidos, sugerirían que algunos hominins paleolíticos más bajos poseyeran los conceptos de spatiality que eran perceptiblemente diferentes los nuestros, y, al parecer, mucho más elegante y avanzado.” - Robert Bednarik, Pleistocene Palaeoart of the World (Palaeoart Pleistoceno del mundo) |
Phi in the Acheulian is the second of two papers presented at the XVth UISPP Congress in Lisbon (September 7, 2006) that offer a completely new perspective on the intelligence of our ancient ancestors. For the past 150 years, early humans have been regarded as inferior to us, unable to create art, think abstractly, or even to speak. In these two papers (Part I being The Graphics of Bilzingsleben), I demonstrate that this picture is not at all accurate and that early peoples such as Homo erectus, Homo ergaster, Neanderthals, and Homo heidelbergensis were just as intelligent as we are in today's modern world. The evidence provided in the two papers shows beyond any reasonable doubt that early people had highly-developed language and even mathematical ability 400,000 years ago.
Although the paper was written for a scientific venue, I hope that the figures offered here will let anyone who is interested see that the picture of early peoples so long-promoted by the scientific community needs to be reexamined with an open mind. The paper demonstrates by way of visual geometry understandable to everyone that
intricate bone engravings created 320,000-412,000 years ago indicate extensive use of the mathematical ratio 1.618 known as Phi, the golden mean, and many other names. Fig. 2 at right shows the three easy-to-understand tools used for measurements in this particular paper. The paper demonstrates by instantly-understandable comparisons that this is the exact ratio used in the well-known Acheulian handaxe* and other stone tools from the time of Bilzingsleben and earlier (Fig. 4 above and Fig. 13 below left). In fact, Phi in the Acheulian provides the very first proof that the ratio long known to exist in the handaxes of Homo erectus exists in the engravings of Homo erectus as well (e.g., Figs. 8 & 9 and Fig. 10 above, and Fig. 14 below).
*Acheulian
(sometimes spelled Acheulean) refers to a basic set of stone tools used by people who lived between
roughly 1.8 million years ago and 100,000 years ago (with many
differing opinions on these dates). It is also used to refer to
such as Acheulian Culture or Tradition or to the various
peoples themselves, for
instance, Acheulian people, or to the general time
period during which these tools were being used, for
instance, Acheulian age. The Acheulian occurred during a larger
time period
known as the Lower Palaeolithic.
GEOMETRIC TOLERANCES: The details in Fig. 10 LARGE. If you would like to see the real details of Fig. 10, click on this link, Fig. 10 LARGE, or the picture at left, and then click on the enlarged picture one more time (the filesize for Fig. 10 LARGE is 460kb so it may load slowly on some computers.)
You can adjust viewing size of Fig. 10
LARGE by using the "Zoom" tool in your computer's "View" menu.In Fig. 10 LARGE, you can clearly see all of the geometric tolerances I applied which will leave nothing whatsoever to the imagination. You can see every point and every line and even how precisely any line goes through any given point. You can also rest assured that the tolerances applied to create Fig. 10 are equivalent in all of the other Phi in the Acheulian studies as well as in all of my other publications (both past and in press). I emphasize this so that the reader may understand that there is no need for me to use persuading arguments or authority when one can readily see that the geometry is fully able to speak for itself.* This is also the level of completely open and unambiguous data that is presented in the Part I paper, The Graphics of Bilzingsleben, which has been held back from publication since 2006. The Part I paper contains the first unequivocal geometric and linguistic proof of early language.
*A WORD ABOUT MY GEOMETRY BACKGROUND AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE
BILZINGSLEBEN ARTIFACTS: Among other influences, my father, a
retired draftsman and mechanical designer, started me at a very
early age (probably around age 4) in the techniques of drafting. He taught me the basic technologies of straight edge use, T-square, triangles, protractor and
compass. I have been designing original work of all kinds for many years from a drafting mindset.
It was this background that inclined me to notice drafting techniques such as use of a straight edge in the Bilzingsleben engraved
artifacts. Modern technical
designers initially trained on CAD might not be so inclined to notice
the more direct use of straight edge in bone engravings especially if
they have been equally trained to believe that straight edge use is
something of which only modern Homo sapiens
were capable. Again, the major point in my originally strongly-resisted
ideas regarding early human cognition is that despite our own abundance
of culturally-preserved technologies we as human beings are no more
intelligent or
capable than the Homo erectus people who lived 400,000 years ago. As I have published many times before, it is the longtime scientific commitment of needing Homo erectus to serve as a "half-way-there" ape-man that the obvious intelligence of these people has been completely overlooked.
Here are a few central propositions and discoveries that were first presented in Phi in the Acheulian:
1.) 'Phi-based conceptual units.' Phi is the first archaeologically identifiable ratio
to cross over from the natural world into the world of human ideas. Phi
is measurable, and, therefore, provides the most direct access to the
thoughts of early peoples so far proposed. Because of its intrinsic analogical quality,
Phi is the single most efficient concept capable of opening the human
mind to every other area of intellectual inquiry. This is why
recognizing its presence beyond handaxes during the Acheulian is so
important. The ratio has long been known in Acheulian handaxes and
discussed by many authors. Phi in the Acheulian is the first scientific
work to document the presence of Phi in Homo erectus engravings.
2.) Phi handaxes to Phi microlithic tools. The use of Phi in microlithic tools represents the earliest archaeological evidence of miniaturization adhering to an identifiable mathematical ratio.
The Phi microliths also
represent the earliest evidence for miniaturization of a
pre-established technology as much as 400,000 years before the comparable
histories of gears and microchips.
3.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 3: The first archaeological evidence showing the transformation of a specific and "measurable" idea from one medium into an entirely different and unrelated medium.
This
is part of the premise of phi-based conceptual units and is quickly
demonstrated by superimposing a Bilzingsleben phi-based microlith over
a set of Bilzingsleben engraved phi rectangles, the rectangles of
which, themselves, are in phi relationship with each other, that
is, sized to each other in accordance with the ratio (Fig. 13, right).
4.) Diminution and augmentation of engraved motifs (e.g., reducing or increasing the length or size of phrases or motifs) demonstrating the ability to reproduce the same motif in different sizes or variations (Figs. 8 & 9, above).
5.) The golden mean in Artifact 2 circle studies suggests a grasp of ratio in Homo erectus that well transcends the more crude and/or predictable sense of ratio in modern human culture. It is proposed in the paper that part of our narrow modern sense of ratio is due to our preoccupation with dividing everything into equal increments. The idea of "phi-based conceptual units" suggests a more complex and more subtle mindset in Homo erectus than in modern Homo sapiens at least more so when compared with the standard Western science mindset (Fig. 10 and Fig. 10 LARGE, above).
6.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 5: Fractal associations with Artifact 6. Phi comparisons carried out to 5 decimal points. To demonstrate how completely absorbed into the ape-man paradigm most anthropologists have been trained in, after seeing the phi evidence a very common response has been something like, "maybe this proves that Homo erectus 'wasn't' intelligent." The only thing statements such as this prove is how willing pre-trained anthropologists are at continuing to try and fit square pegs into round holes (Fig. 12 above right).
7.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 6, Fractal associations between engravings and microliths (Fig. 13 above right).
2.) Phi handaxes to Phi microlithic tools. The use of Phi in microlithic tools represents the earliest archaeological evidence of miniaturization adhering to an identifiable mathematical ratio.
The Phi microliths also
represent the earliest evidence for miniaturization of a
pre-established technology as much as 400,000 years before the comparable
histories of gears and microchips.
Microliths are advanced stone tools
and typically date no older than
10,000 years. They are also often used as parts of composite
tools (i.e. where two or more parts are put together to form a single
tool). The 400,000-year old microliths at Bilzingsleben, many of
which are in the same proportion as the Acheulian
handaxe (Fig. 4 above and to the right) not
only demonstrate an intelligence equal to that of modern Homo sapiens
but also help to confirm deliberate sophistication of the site's
bone engravings.
3.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 3: The first archaeological evidence showing the transformation of a specific and "measurable" idea from one medium into an entirely different and unrelated medium.
This
is part of the premise of phi-based conceptual units and is quickly
demonstrated by superimposing a Bilzingsleben phi-based microlith over
a set of Bilzingsleben engraved phi rectangles, the rectangles of
which, themselves, are in phi relationship with each other, that
is, sized to each other in accordance with the ratio (Fig. 13, right).4.) Diminution and augmentation of engraved motifs (e.g., reducing or increasing the length or size of phrases or motifs) demonstrating the ability to reproduce the same motif in different sizes or variations (Figs. 8 & 9, above).
5.) The golden mean in Artifact 2 circle studies suggests a grasp of ratio in Homo erectus that well transcends the more crude and/or predictable sense of ratio in modern human culture. It is proposed in the paper that part of our narrow modern sense of ratio is due to our preoccupation with dividing everything into equal increments. The idea of "phi-based conceptual units" suggests a more complex and more subtle mindset in Homo erectus than in modern Homo sapiens at least more so when compared with the standard Western science mindset (Fig. 10 and Fig. 10 LARGE, above).
6.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 5: Fractal associations with Artifact 6. Phi comparisons carried out to 5 decimal points. To demonstrate how completely absorbed into the ape-man paradigm most anthropologists have been trained in, after seeing the phi evidence a very common response has been something like, "maybe this proves that Homo erectus 'wasn't' intelligent." The only thing statements such as this prove is how willing pre-trained anthropologists are at continuing to try and fit square pegs into round holes (Fig. 12 above right).
7.) Phi-based conceptual units, Part 6, Fractal associations between engravings and microliths (Fig. 13 above right).
EXTENT OF THE DATA: The figures offered here are only a few of the 24 that were published. There are over a hundred more studies which the author produced in preparation for the UISPP Congress
(all
intended to make the point visually and clearly using such as
triangles,
trapezoids, parallelograms, etc.), so the reader may rest assured
that there already exists substantially more evidence in support of the
ideas put forth.The reader is invited to click on any of the thumbnails to see that even 400,000 years ago, work of extremely fine artistic quality, precision and detail was being produced which is well beyond the limited capabilities for early peoples long promoted by the scientific community. In reality, the abilities of these early people were comparable to what people are capable of today and were in many ways more sophisticated. These extinct elephant bone engravings are all the more remarkable seeing that they were engraved using a flint knife (see also, Straight edge theory forwarded in the papers, Musings on the Palaeolithic fan motif and The Graphics of Bilzingsleben).
The engravings, which were found in association with at least two Homo erectus individuals, offer the most direct evidence of Homo erectus language yet discovered. The recent sudden rush of language-confident theories which are based on indirect circumstantial evidence such as quasi-language genes or pecked holes in rock are emboldened in their confidence from research presented in The Graphics of Bilzingsleben and Phi in the Acheulian.
Here is the abstract published in the scientific venue:
Abstract: The ratio 1.618, commonly known as the golden ratio or phi, has fascinated the modern mind since the beginnings of Greek science and philosophy, and many have made cases for its use as early as the Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations. In this paper, however, I hope to demonstrate that interest in the ratio extends much farther back in time than a mere four or five thousand years, being already highly developed during the Lower Palaeolithic. At whatever point it first occurred, I suggest that interest in phi was an essential human trait that grew in tandem with the human capacity for analogy. With the cranial ratios of Turkana Boy (Walker and Leakey 1993) and the stone handaxe ratios of Gowlett (1984, 1993) serving as stable early references, I provide evidence of phi spanning 1.6 million years time. In the central studies, I expand on the work of Mania and Mania (1988) and Bednarik (1995), and demonstrate that the hominids at Bilzingsleben, Germany, 350,000 years ago, continued the long established phi tradition in ways that prove its existence beyond the long-debated handaxe ratio issue into microlithic tools and intricate bone engravings, adhering more accurately and more consistently to the ratio than the most often cited examples in modern culture. The intense concentration of phi in so many forms within Bilzingsleben is well beyond any expectations of chance. Based on the evidence, I suggest that phi was not only a centralizing element in general Acheulian culture but due to its intrinsic analogical quality played a defining role in the actual development of human cognition. Deliberate use of phi suggests that human understanding of analogy occurred much earlier in our history than ever anticipated, and by way of a “mathematical idea” which has remained firmly rooted in human thought to this very day.
Keywords: Cognitive Archaeology, Bilzingsleben, Phi, Analogy, Linguistics
Feliks, J. 2008. Phi in the Acheulian: Lower Palaeolithic intuition and the natural origins of analogy. In Bednarik, R. G. and D. Hodgson (eds), Pleistocene palaeoart of the world, pp. 11-31.
Proceedings of the XV UISPP World Congress
(Lisbon, 4-9 September 2006), BAR International Series 1804, Oxford.*Feliks, J. 2006. Phi in the Acheulian: The natural inclination of Homo erectus toward the golden mean. Program #C80-06 presented at the XV UISPP World Congress (Lisbon, 4-9 September 2006). 56 color slides with thumbnails handout.**
**Phi in the Acheulian is Part II of a two-part visual program and thesis offering an entirely new perspective regarding early peoples such as Homo erectus, Homo ergaster, Homo heidelbergensis, and Neanderthals. The Part I program and thesis is The Graphics of Bilzingsleben.*** At right is Fig. 14 from Phi in the Acheulian.
***Feliks, J. 2009 (in press). The graphics of Bilzingsleben: Sophistication and subtlety in the mind of Homo erectus. Proceedings of the XV UISPP World Congress (Lisbon, 4-9 September 2006), BAR International Series, Oxford.
*(BAR es British Archaeological Reports.)
PRE-PUBLICATION REGISTRATIONS FOR THE GRAPHICS OF BILZINGSLEBEN AND PHI IN THE ACHEULIAN
This information is being posted only because the Graphics presentation and/or thesis paper have been held back from publication for two years while changing hands several times. Unfortunately, some of this material or motivation and confidence derived from the author's work (Graphics & Phi) has already shown up on the web and in academic papers without citation of the original sources, including by those who have had privileged access to the author's supplementary materials and references. This, of course, is part of the reason that international copyright exists. Scholars need to have confidence that material being considered for publication remains in confidential trust and that once it is published any work which is based on that material or inspired by it will cite the original source:
Registered 2006: http://bulk.resource.org/copyright/hids/hid_17/hid_17850500-17850799.txt [Txu 1-323-001: Two Visual Thesis Programs (112 slides, Thumbnails Handout): 1.) The Graphics of Bilzingsleben, 2.) Phi in the Acheulian. U. S. Copyright Office]
Registered 2007: http://bulk.resource.org/copyright/hids/hid_20/hid_20849600-20849899.txt [Txu 1-350-724: Publication Materials for the Lisbon Programs: 1.) The Graphics of Bilzingsleben (in thesis form), 2.) Phi in the Acheulian (in thesis form), 3.) Publication Addendum, 4.) Copy of the original Thumbnails Handout. U. S. Copyright Office]
OTRAS PUBLICACIONES DEL AUTOR
Feliks, J. 1998. The impact of
fossils on the development of visual representation. Rock Art Research 15: 109-34.
Feliks, J. 2006. Musings on the Palaeolithic fan motif. In P. Chenna Reddy (ed.), Exploring the mind of ancient man: Festschrift to Robert G. Bednarik, 249-66. Research India Press, New Delhi.
Feliks, J. 2009. A Lot of Gold in the Mix: Review of Fragment from a Nonfiction Reader. Pre-publication review of the debut science thriller by Warren Fahy (see quotation on the author's review page under FRAGMENT: Reviews).
Feliks, J. 2009. The idea of protolanguage considered in the context of archaeological evidence. Comment on "From protolanguage to true language," by Blair Bolles. Babel's Dawn [Internet]. Available at: http://www.babelsdawn.com/babels_dawn/2009/04/from-protolanguage-to-true-language.html.
Feliks, J. 2009. The handaxe shape in microliths. Comment on "Is a hand ax really a hand ax," by Michael Balter. Origins: a history of beginnings [Internet]. Available at: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/origins/2009/02/is-a-handax-really-a-handax.html.
SOBRE EL AUTOR Y LA PREMISA DEL WEB SITE
John Feliks es un erudito
independiente que investiga la cognición humana temprana por los
últimos 15 años. Junto con la ciencia, él ofrece una perspectiva
interior basada en una experiencia extensa de la vida y una experiencia
profesional en los artes. El trabajo reciente de Feliks implica
capacidad de la lengua y de las matemáticas en el erectus del homo y la
otra gente temprana. Él demuestra estas capacidades con análisis
geométricos abierto-comprobables de los grabados del artefacto, de la
distribución de artefactos, y de las herramientas de la piedra. En
todos, los resultados de la investigación de Feliks desafían
grandemente el modelo estándar largo-aceptado de la inteligencia de
gradual-desarrollo en el género homo. Sugieren en lugar de otro que la
gente temprana tal como erectus, ergaster, Neanderthals, y
heidelbergensis del homo fuera apenas tan capaz como cualquier persona
viviendo en el mundo moderno de hoy.
SOBRE LOS WEB SITE
Esta página de los Phi-solamente es nueva y en
curso de pellizcar, satisface tan sea paciente pues pasa a través de
cambios en la fraseología o la disposición. Estoy esperando conseguir
el sitio principal en servicio pronto. El sitio ofrecerá varios cientos
de estudios geométricos sistemáticos producidos durante un período del
quince-año que demuestren que la gente temprana tal como erectus del
homo y los Neanderthals tenían capacidades artísticas e intelectuales
iguales nuestros las propias. También ofrecerá diapositivas de color
originales de los dos programas presentados en el congreso en Lisboa, 7
de septiembre de 2006 de XVth UISPP.
Email: feliks (at) umich.edu
Pasado actualizado el 7 de diciembre de 2009. © John Feliks 2009