How useful is the culture concept in early hominid studies?

Culture is a central concept in anthropology. An understanding of the mechanisms of processes of cultural formation, cohesion, maintenance, and change forms a central focus of anthropological studies. The notion of culture has been extensively developed as a unique area of study within the discipline, distinguishing much of anthropology from other branches of the social and behavioural sciences. Furthermore, the concept has acquired a connotation of what is uniquely human—that which distinguishes humans from other animals.