What is it about?
Critically examines Steven Mithen's claim that large symmetrical handaxes were related to sexual selection by assessing the evolutionary precursors of visual perception in an ecological context.
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Why is it important?
Understanding the reason for the appearance of nonfunctional behaviour found in large symmetrical handaxes is important for assessing the timeline of cognitive evolution.
Perspectives
This paper was motivated by the need to bring new data from visual science to the issue, which contradicts Mithen's theory that was becoming the norm.
Derek Hodgson
University of York
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This page is a summary of: Symmetry and humans: reply to Mithen's ‘Sexy Handaxe Theory’, Antiquity, March 2009, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s0003598x00098197.
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