Study Traces Human Habit of Collecting Personal Mementos Back 500,000 Years
A new study by Tel Aviv University researchers suggests that the human habit of collecting personal mementos dates back about half a million years, linking material culture to the evolution of autobiographical memory.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University suggest that the human habit of collecting and keeping personal mementos dates back approximately half a million years. The study, published in the journal Evolutionary Anthropology, was led by Dr. Yoav Ram from the School of Zoology and Prof. Ran Barkai from the Department of Archaeology, in collaboration with Prof. Liad Mudrik from the School of Psychology, Dr. Ella Assaf, and Dr. Bar Efrati.
The research combines archaeological findings with insights from psychology and neuroscience. The authors point to objects collected, carried, and preserved by ancient humans despite lacking any clear practical advantage, suggesting they served as personal keepsakes recalling a visited location or experienced event.
Several examples stem from archaeological sites in Israel, where humans lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. At Qesem Cave, small colorful pebbles brought from various locations were discovered with no discernible practical use. In the Sakhnin Valley, handaxes were crafted from flint nodules containing fossils or unusual geological shapes, deliberately preserved at the center of the stone for tactile and visual interaction.
At other sites such as Revadim, Jaljulia, and Qesem Cave, ancient flint tools were collected long after their surface appearance had naturally altered over time. The researchers propose that the weathered appearance of these tools held value for those who kept them, essentially telling the object's story. Such items may have served as external memory devices, helping individuals distinguish personal experiences from imagined stories and reinforcing the credibility of personal narratives within prehistoric societies.
Prof. Barkai suggests a link to environmental shifts, noting that the disappearance of large animals like elephants forced ancient humans to adopt new hunting methods across specific territories. Objects brought back from these areas may have helped maintain a personal connection to the landscapes that sustained them. Dr. Ram concludes that these ancient keepsakes supported the evolution of autobiographical memory mechanisms, which remain central to human identity.
