A helping hand: investigating 3D motion of human hand bones during Palaeolithic tool behaviours

The morphological configuration of the wrist of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals has traditionally been interpreted as biomechanically advantageous for frequent lithic tool use and production. However, this interpretation remains to be demonstrated. We present a proof of concept study that is the first to investigate the 3D kinematics of the hand bones of modern humans during in vivo simulated Palaeolithic tool behaviours. We used the bi-planar X-ray system at the University of Liverpool (UK). O...