74 Mathieu Charbonneau similar artifact forms by reconstructing their lineages. To solve it, we rely on methods of phylogenetic ordering, meaning that we identify the most parsimonious evolutionary story tracing the heritable transmission of variant tool forms. The use of cladistics to construct phylogenetic trees has been employed to address this type of question (eg, Lycett 2009, 2011; Mace et al. 2005; O’Brien and Lyman 2003; O’Brien, Darwent, and Lyman 2001).

Here, I limit discussion to process by addressing the causal, effective story behind the forming of technological phylogenies. To solve the process problem, we need to explain how the evolution of some technological traditions happened to converge and what factors, causal or otherwise, shaped this evolution. Addressing the process question means identifying the different mechanisms involved in shaping technological lineages and balancing the causes that led to the specific evolutionary trajectories, including instances of two independent traditions creating similar technological products.