Chronostratigraphic context of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition: Recent data from Belgium

Pirson, Stéphane; Flas, Damien; Abrams, Grégory; Bonjean, Dominique; Court-Picon, Mona; Modica, Kévin Di; Draily, Christelle; Damblon, Freddy; Haesaerts, Paul; Miller, Rebecca; Rougier, Hélène; Toussaint, Michel; Semal, Patrick

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2011.03.035

Cited by 44 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…These deposits consist of two types of sediments: 1) eolian sediments, particularly loess; and 2) rock debris, sometimes called eboulis (Goldberg and Macphail, 2006). These two types may form different strata or occur together in one layer (e.g., Richter, 1997;Goldberg and Macphail, 2006;Pirson et al, 2012;Nerudov a and Neruda, 2014). If they occur together, rock clasts represent the earlier period, which comprised a cold and moist climate and often regelation events, while the fine fraction accumulated later by wind during a cold and dry phase inside the empty space between clasts (Madeyska, 1981).…”

Section: Loess Layers In Cavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A detailed lithostratigraphic description was provided for the entrances of Belgian caves (Pirson et al, 2006(Pirson et al, , 2009(Pirson et al, , 2012. Above the series of soils in Walou Cave is an erosional channel that is filled with re-deposited silts, an analog of 'bed B', and covered with massive yellowish silt with limestone clasts (Pirson et al, 2006(Pirson et al, , 2012, representing 'bed C'.…”

Section: Analogies With Other Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Above the series of soils in Walou Cave is an erosional channel that is filled with re-deposited silts, an analog of 'bed B', and covered with massive yellowish silt with limestone clasts (Pirson et al, 2006(Pirson et al, , 2012, representing 'bed C'. The loess-like sediment passed upward into humiferous deposits that were altered by pedogenesis, which corresponds well with 'bed D'.…”

Section: Analogies With Other Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Loess in a cave: Lithostratigraphic and correlative value of loess and loess-like layers in caves from the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Poland)

Krajcarz

Cyrek

Mroczek

et al. 2016

Quaternary International

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Section: Loess Layers In Cavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Analogies With Other Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Analogies With Other Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Loess in a cave: Lithostratigraphic and correlative value of loess and loess-like layers in caves from the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Poland)

Krajcarz

Cyrek

Mroczek

et al. 2016

Quaternary International

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“…These units continued the technological traditions of the Middle Palaeolithic, but also included some Upper Palaeolithic technologies and stylistics (Kozłowski ). It is generally assumed that the transitional technocomplexes originated from a local background of the late Middle Palaeolithic (Svoboda and Simán ; Kozłowski ; Flas ; Hublin et al ; Pirson et al ; Hublin ). While there are suggestions from a few sites that the creator of the transitional assemblages could be a Neanderthal man (Semal et al ; Hublin et al ; Pirson et al ), the biological affinity of the producers of most transitional units remains unclear (Higham et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Chronology of the Jerzmanowician—a New Series of Radiocarbon Dates from Nietoperzowa Cave (Poland)

et al. 2017

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The period around 50 000–35 000 years ago constitutes one of the most debated research issues in European archaeology of the Palaeolithic. In this time period, the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic took place. Locally, in different areas of Europe, this shift is recorded in so‐called transitional assemblages. The eastern fringe of these transitional assemblages is represented by the Jerzmanowician, the unit described on the basis of a lithic assemblage from Nietoperzowa Cave (Poland). The unit is a part of a European transitional complex called the Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician. Up to now, the radiocarbon dates presented in the literature have only allowed us to set the age of the Jerzmanowician at c.40 000–45 000 ka cal bp. In this study, we present 42 new radiocarbon dates. We attempt to set the archaeological record of the Jerzmanowician from Nietoperzowa Cave in an accurate chronological framework, based on Bayesian statistical processing of radiocarbon dates. We conclude that the lower boundary of layer 6 in Nietoperzowa Cave can be statistically located in the range 44 000–42 000 cal bp and the upper limit for the Jerzmanowician is estimated to c.31 000 cal bp. New data raises a question on the correlation with upper layer 4. In the light of the new chronology, the attribution of the archaeological inventory from layer 4 to the Jerzmanowician seems questionable.

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“…The widespread use of "diagenesis" rather than the more restricted term "pedogenesis" in cave studies lends weight to the idea that most of the observed post-depositional modifications, including weathering, are not controlled by biological or physical environmentally dependant factors and, therefore, cannot provide reliable data on past climates. Recently, however, Pirson et al (2006Pirson et al ( , 2012 have highlighted the similarities between Upper Pleistocene cave sequences in Belgium and those documented from regional open-air sites in the loess belt. In particular, the main palaeosols in the loess deposits, which date to the Last Interglacial, the Early Glacial, and the Middle Pleniglacial, were found to have counterparts in cave entrances, strongly suggesting that both types of records were controlled by common, climatically driven factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stratigraphy and Palaeopedology of the Palaeolithic Cave Site of Combe‐Saunière, Southwest France

Ajas

Bertrán²,

Lemée

et al. 2013

Geoarchaeology

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The sequence of Combe‐Saunière (southwest France) has been studied with a large suite of methods, including micromorphology, geochemistry, magnetic susceptibility, and organic matter (OM) analysis in order to document the post‐depositional processes that occurred during the last climatic cycle at the cave entrance. This study shows that intense weathering together with the accumulation of OM and phosphates by cave animals and others vectors (including humans) occurred during the phases of low clastic sedimentation. During the latter part of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, the Aurignacian and Gravettian humus‐bearing levels, which may be classified as cryoturbated leptosols, show incomplete decalcification and are dominated by poorly evolved forms of phosphates (bone fragments, coprolites). Phosphatized cambic B‐horizons formed at the beginning of MIS 3 and the Early Glacial and may reflect longer periods of pedological modification. The molecules identified by the analysis of the OM extracted from the Châtelperronian level derive mostly from the degradation of vegetal matter, most notably from conifers and mosses, in addition to bacteria and fungi. The Last Interglacial s.l. (MIS 5) is typified by the development of a phosphatized illuviated B‐horizon. Intense weathering together with phosphate leaching and precipitation took place in this soil, forming thick apatite–CaOH crusts. Although the poor chronological resolution prevents us from drawing clear conclusions as to the respective roles of the factors involved, phosphate accumulation and weathering seem to be controlled primarily by the duration of the soil‐forming periods. This study strongly suggests that a climatic signal has been recorded in the deposits.

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Chronostratigraphic context of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition: Recent data from Belgium

Cited by 44 publications

References 18 publications

Loess in a cave: Lithostratigraphic and correlative value of loess and loess-like layers in caves from the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Poland)

Loess in a cave: Lithostratigraphic and correlative value of loess and loess-like layers in caves from the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Poland)

Towards a Chronology of the Jerzmanowician—a New Series of Radiocarbon Dates from Nietoperzowa Cave (Poland)

Stratigraphy and Palaeopedology of the Palaeolithic Cave Site of Combe‐Saunière, Southwest France

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