Neural Evolution and Symbolic Stabilization : A Neuro-Archaeological Foundation for the Deep Symbolic Systems Model (DSSM)

The Deep Symbolic Systems Model (DSSM) proposes that symbolic cognition emerges from repeated embodied practices and progressive neural stabilization over deep evolutionary time. Integrating paleo-neurological and archaeological evidence, this study demonstrates that cortical folding, integrative brain morphology, and regional expansion consistently precede the appearance of symbolic behavior. Fossil endocasts, 3D reconstructions, and archaeological proxies indicate a gradual co-evolution of neural architecture and behavioral complexity rather than a sudden cognitive leap in Homo sapiens. These findings establish a neuro-archaeological foundation for DSSM, positioning symbolic cognition as an emergent property of long-term neural and cultural co-development.