Thomas Plummer

Thomas Plummer

Thomas Plummer

Professor

Ph.D, Yale University 1991

CUNY Advanced Research Collaborative (Fall 2018) Recipient

Office: Powdermaker Hall 315M
Phone: (718) 997-5514
Fax: (718) 997-2885
Email: thomas.plummer@qc.cuny.edu

Thomas Plummer’s research focuses on reconstructing the behavior and ecology of extinct members of our biological family, the Hominidae. It includes a strong paleoecological component because paleoenvironmental information is integral to issues ranging from the origin of major morphological complexes (e.g. bipedalism), understanding adaptive shifts within and between hominid lineages (e.g. between hominids with gracile and robust chewing apparatuses) and elucidating the context of novel behaviors (e.g., the production of stone tools and the formation of the first archeological sites at ca. 2.6 million years ago).ÌýÌý

His fieldwork focuses on investigating archeological and paleontological occurrences in late Pliocene and Pleistocene sediments on the Homa Peninsula, southwestern Kenya. He is particularly interested in probing the adaptive significance of the earliest stone tool industry, known as the Oldowan. His on-going excavations at the ca. 2.0 million year old Oldowan site of Kanjera South, Kenya, have uncovered the largest assemblage of artifacts and archeological fauna from an Oldowan site outside of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Manuscripts describing and interpreting the finds from Kanjera are currently in preparation.

Research Focus
  • Oldowan hominid behavior and paleoecology
  • Early Stone Age technology
  • Hominid paleontology
  • Human osteology
  • Vertebrate paleontology
Courses Taught
  • Intro to Human Evolution (102)
  • Essentials of Biological Anthropology (260)
  • Human Skeleton (272)
  • Special Topics: Faunal Analysis (279)
  • Ancient Technology (250)
  • Human Paleontology (362)
Selected Publications

Finestone, E., Plummer T.W. et al. (2025). Selective use of distant stone resources by the earliest Oldowan toolmakers. Science Advances 11:33: eadu5838. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adu5838 ()

Plummer, T.W. et al. (2023). Expanded geographic distribution and dietary strategies of the earliest Oldowan hominins and Paranthropus. Science 379: 561-566. DOI:10.1126/science.abo7452 ()

Forrest, F. L., Plummer, T. W., & R. L. Raaum (2018). Ecomorphological analysis of bovid mandibles from Laetoli Tanzania using 3D geometric morphometrics: Implications for hominin paleoenvironmental reconstruction.ÌýJournal of Human EvolutionÌý114: 20-34.

Ditchfield, P.W., Whitfield, E., Vincent, T., Plummer, T., Braun, D., Deino, A., Hertel, F.,Oliver, J.S., Louys, J. and L.C. Bishop (2018). Geochronology and physical context of Oldowan site formation at Kanjera South, Kenya.ÌýGeological Magazine, pp.1-11.

Douglass, M. J., Lin, S. C., Braun, D. R., & T.W. Plummer (2018). Core Use-Life Distributions in Lithic Assemblages as a Means for Reconstructing Behavioral Patterns.ÌýJournal of Archaeological Method and TheoryÌý25:254-288.

Plummer, T. W., &Finestone, E. (2017). Archeological sites from 2.6–2.0 Ma: Towards deeper understanding of the early Oldowan. InÌýRethinking Human Evolution. MIT Press,Cambridge, pp. 267-296.

Plummer, T.W. & L. Bishop (2016)Oldowan hominin behavior and ecology at Kanjera South, Kenya. Journal of Anthropological SciencesÌý94:29-40.

O’Brien, H.D., Faith, J.T., Jenkins, K.E., Peppe, D.J., Plummer, T.W., Jacobs, Z.L., Li, B., Joannes-Boyau, R., Price, G., Feng, Y.X. & C.A. Tryon (2016). Unexpected Convergent Evolution of Nasal Domes between Pleistocene Bovids and Cretaceous Hadrosaur Dinosaurs.ÌýCurrent BiologyÌý26:1-6.

Elton, S., Jansson, A. U., Meloro, C., Louys, J., Plummer, T., & L. C. Bishop (2016).Exploring morphological generality in the Old World monkey postcranium using an ecomorphological framework.ÌýJournal of AnatomyÌý228: 534-560.

Plummer, T. W., Ferraro, J. V., Louys, J., Hertel, F., Alemseged, Z., Bobe, R., & L. C. Bishop(2015. Bovid ecomorphology and hominin paleoenvironments of the Shungura Formation, lower Omo River Valley, Ethiopia.ÌýJournal of Human EvolutionÌý88: 108-126.

Parkinson,J.A.,Plummer, T. W. & A. Hartstone-Rose (2015). Characterizing felid tooth marking and gross bone damage patterns using GIS image analysis: An experimental feeding study with large felids.ÌýÌýJournal of Human Evolution 80:114-134.<

Lemorini, C., Plummer, T.W., Braun, D., Crittenden, A., Marlowe, F., Bishop, L.C., Ditchfield,P., Hertel., F., Oliver, J., Schoeninger, M., & R. Potts (2014). Old stones song: functional interpretation of the Oldowan quartz and quartzite assemblage from Kanjera South (Kenya).ÌýJournal of Human EvolutionÌý72:10-25.

Parkinson, J.A., Plummer, T.W. & R. Bose (2014).A GIS-based approach to documenting large canid damage to bones.ÌýPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, PalaeoecologyÌý409:57-71.

Braun,D. R. & T.W. Plummer (2013). Oldowan technology at Kanjera South: Technological diversity on the Homa Peninsula. In: Sahnouni, M. (Ed)ÌýAfrica: Cradle of Humanity: Recent Discoveries, CNRPAH, Algeria, pp. 131-145.

Ferraro, J.V., Plummer, T., Pobiner, B., Oliver, J.S., Bishop, L., Braun, D.R., Ditchfield, P.W., Seaman III, J.W.,Binetti, K.M., Seaman Jr., J.W., Hertel, F.& R. Potts (2013). Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Persistent Hominin Carnivory.PLoS ONEÌý8(4):e62174, 1-10.

Louys, J., Montanari,S., Plummer, T., Hertel, F. & L.C. Bishop (2013. Evolutionary divergence and convergence in shape and size within African antelope proximal phalanges.ÌýJournal of Mammalian EvolutionÌý20:239–248.

Swedell,L. & T. W. Plummer. (2012) A Papionin Multi-Level Society as a Model for Early Hominin Evolution.ÌýInternational Journal of PrimatologyÌý33:1165-1193.

Faith, J. T., Potts, R., Plummer, T. W., Bishop, L.C., Marean, C. W. & C. A. Tryon (2012). New perspectives on middle Pleistocene change in the large mammal faunas of East Africa: Damaliscus hypsodon sp. nov. (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from Lainyamok, Kenya.ÌýPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, PalaeoecologyÌý361-362:84-93.

Luoys, J., Montanari, S., Plummer, T., Hertel, F. & L.C. Bishop (2012). Evolutionary divergence and convergence in shape and size within African antelope proximal phalanges.ÌýJournal of Mammalian EvolutionÌý20:239-248.

Plummer, T.W. (2012). The Hard Stuff of Culture: Oldowan Archaeology at Kanjera South, Kenya.ÌýPopular ArchaeologyÌý(online journal), volume 7.

Bishop, L.C., Plummer, T.W., Hertel, F. & K. Kovarovic (2011). Paleoenvironments of Laetoli, Tanzania as determined by antelope habitat preferences. In T. Harrison (ed.)ÌýPaleontology and Geology of Laetoli: Human Evolution in Context. Vol. 2: Fossil Hominins and the Associated Fauna,ÌýSpringer. pp. 355-366. ISBN 978-90-481-9961-7.

T. W. Plummer, P. W. Ditchfield, L. C. Bishop, J. D. Kingston, J. V. Ferraro, D. R. Braun, F. Hertel, and R. Potts (2009).ÌýÌýPLoS ONEÌý4:7199.

Plummer, T. W., L. C. Bishop, and F. Hertel (2008).ÌýÌýJournal of Archaeological ScienceÌý35:3016-3027.

D. R. Braun, T. Plummer, P. Ditchfield, J. V. Ferraro, D. Maina, L. C. Bishop, and R. Potts (2008).ÌýÌýJournal ofÌýArchaeological ScienceÌý35:2329-2345.

Plummer, T. W. (2005). Discord after Discard. Reconstructing Aspects of Oldowan Hominin Behavior. In A. Stahl (ed)ÌýAfrican Archaeology.ÌýA Critical Introduction, Blackwell Guides to Archaeology, Oxford, pp. 55-92.

Plummer, T. W. (2004).ÌýYearbook of Physical AnthropologyÌý47: 118-164.

Frost, S.R., Plummer, T.W., Bishop, L.C., Ditchfield, P., Ferraro, J., Hicks, J. (2003).ÌýÌýAmerican Journal of Physical AnthropologyÌý122: 191-199.

Plummer, T. W. & Stanford, C. B. (2000).ÌýÌýJournal of Human EvolutionÌý39: 345-365.

Plummer, T. W., Bishop, L., Ditchfield, P. & J. Hicks (1999).ÌýÌýJournal of Human EvolutionÌý36: 151-170.