Aurignacian dynamics in Southeastern Europe based on spatial analysis, sediment geochemistry, raw materials, lithic analysis, and use-wear from Românești-Dumbrăvița

Abstract

The Aurignacian is one of the first cultural-technological traditions commonly associated with the expansion of Homo sapiens in Europe. Early Homo sapiens demographics across the continent are therefore typically inferred using the distribution of Aurignacian assemblages. Western Romania has been used as a tie-point to connect the well-researched lithic assemblages from the eastern Mediterranean and Western Europe through its early Homo sapiens fossils. However, Romania’s archeological record remains underexplored thereby hindering our ability to directly connect better understood regions through time and space. Here we report on excavations from the open-air Middle/Upper Paleolithic site of Românești-Dumbrăvița I in southwestern Romania. Three stratified Paleolithic assemblages were extensively excavated within a 1-m-thick eolian-deposited sequence. Spatial, geochemical, raw material, techno-typological, and use-wear analysis of the site reveal patterns of artifact configuration, resource exploitation, fire history, knapping objectives, and functionality. Taken together, Românești-Dumbrăvița I is the first well-contextualized archeological site in close spatiotemporal proximity to many early, well-preserved human fossils and in East-Central Europe.

Palaeoenvironmental and Chronological Context of Hominin Occupations of the Armenian Highlands During Mis 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 Cave

“…This period coincides with the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic 'transition', commonly associated with the spread of anatomically modern humans into Eurasia (Mellars, 2004;Higham et al, 2014;Hublin et al, 2020) and is characterised by sub-orbital scale climatic variability and associated palaeoenvironmental change (Siddall et al, 2008;Van Meerbeeck et al, 2011;Rasmussen et al, 2014). Emerging evidence from regions such as the Levant (Hovers and Belfer-Cohen, 2013;Goder-Goldberger et al, 2020), southeast Europe (Fewlass et al, 2020;Hajdinjak et al, 2021;Hublin et al, 2020;Pederzani et al, 2021;Chu et al, 2022), and southern Europe (Badino et al, 2020;Slimak et al, 2022;Marín-Arroyo et al, 2023) suggest that variable climates and mosaic biomes were key factors in regional hominin adaptions during this period. This emerging perspective highlights the importance of the intricate interactions between hominins and local environmental conditions during this interval.…”

Subsistence of early anatomically modern humans in Europe as evidenced in the Protoaurignacian occupations of Fumane Cave, Italy

“…spread of AMH from east to west 13,[34][35][36][37][38][39] , dated to around 43-42 ka cal BP 1,12,20,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] . Within the Aurignacian, the earliest phase is known as the Protoaurignacian, most frequent in the Mediterranean region, while the Early Aurignacian is spread across the continental areas 13,38,39,48,49 .…”