Making culture from scratch

A newly observed social custom among chimpanzees in Tanzania consists of one individual scratching another who is usually of higher rank within the community.

References:

Marchant, L.F., W.C. McGrew, and M. Nakamura. 1999. Social scratch, a newly reported custom in social grooming by the chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April-May. Columbus, Ohio.

Further Readings:

Bower, B. 1998. Chimps may put their own spin on culture. Science News 154(Dec. 12):374.

Sources:

Linda F. Marchant
Miami University
Department of Anthropology
Oxford, OH 45056

From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 20, May 15, 1999, p. 315. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.

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