A MIDDLE STONE-AGE WORKED BONE INDUSTRY FROM KATANDA, UPPER SEMLIKI VALLEY, ZAIRE

Three archaeological sites at Katanda on the Upper Semliki River in th e Western Rift Valley of Zaire have provided evidence for a well-devel oped bone industry in a Middle Stone Age context. Artifacts include bo th barbed and unbarbed points as well as a daggerlike object. Dating b y both direct and indirect means indicate an age of similar to 90,000 years or older. Together with abundant fish (primarily catfish) remain s, the bone technology indicates that a complex subsistence specializa tion had developed in Africa by this time. The level of behavioral com petence required is consistent with that of upper Paleolithic Home sap iens sapiens. These data support an African origin of behaviorally as well as biologically modern humans.