Rocks become meaningful when traced to their role in human origins

Evidence

It is quite possible to assemble a cabinet of very fine crystals—of quartz, tourmalines, garnets, and the like—and never give much thought to the mystery of our inorganic partners of life. It is when you hold even an unshowy bit of rock in hand and consider that this sort of thing made our own life possible by being broken down into soil by tiny plants, by sun and snow and other agencies; when you sit upon a stayed boulder left by glaciation, and consider the time when plants and wildlife, and perhaps even man in our own country, had to move southward away from an increasing frigidity he could not understand; when rocks and minerals begin to add up to a big sum in our own frail origins—then you are on the way toward the status of a happy amateur. — Freeman Tilden, Interpreting Our Heritage, 605

Categorization

• XREF: Direct instance of ch14’s claim that a scientist transforms bare geology into a living story of land upheaval, and ch12’s whole-making. — connects to: Human life began in Africa with stone tools creation. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 64; Human culture originates in the socially mediated relation between man and nature; Hunter-gatherers moved multi-ton stones before any sedentary technology existed — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 388 (+1 more)
• ADDENDUM: Feeds ‘Grafting & Growth’ by modeling how a material object (here rock, there tree) gains meaning by connection to origins and process.

Broader Connections

• Human life began in Africa with stone tools creation. #expands (0.85) — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 64
• Human culture originates in the socially mediated relation between man and nature #expands (0.80)
• Making stone tools likely relates to learning speech. #expands (0.75) — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 96
• Hunter-gatherers moved multi-ton stones before any sedentary technology existed #exemplifies (0.70) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 388