Early and Middle Holocene Environments and Capsian Cultural Change: Evidence from the Télidjène Basin, Eastern Algeria

Abstract

Interdisciplinary investigations from 1973 to1978 at Aïn Misteheyia and Kef Zoura D, two stratified Capsian sites in the Télidjène Basin, Tebessa Wilaya, Algeria, have shown that palaeoenvironmental changes centred around the 8200 calBP event can be correlated with changes in subsistence and technology traditionally associated with the difference between Typical Capsian and Upper Capsian. We use data from geoarchaeological investigations, invertebrate and vertebrate faunal assemblages, and radiocarbon analyses to characterize the nature and extent of these changes.

Tooth Evulsion in the Maghreb: Chronological and Geographical Patterns

“…The Capsian period dates from around 9,800 BP and can be divided into an earlier Typical Capsian and a later Upper Capsian (see Jackes and Lubell 2008). Most human remains assigned to the Capsian period were excavated from escargotières, small to large open-air mounds characterised by large quantities of edible land snails within a dark grey ashy deposit (Lubell 2001).…”

Oral health in Late Pleistocene and Holocene North West Africa

“…The Capsian lithic industry is based on the production of bladelets but distinguished from the Iberomaurusian by the inclusion of small geometric microliths (Lubell 2001). Two typologically distinct industries have been identified: The Typical and the Upper Capsian (Jackes and Lubell 2008;Lubell 2001;Lubell et al 1976;Lubell et al 1984;Merzoug 2014;Rahmani 2004). Both have a tool assemblage consisting of backed blades, scrapers and burins, as well as some bone tools.…”

Environmental changes, climate and anthropogenic impact in south-east Tunisia during the last 8 kyr

“…The pollen-vegetation relationship and the climatic affinities of the pollen flora are established on the basis of specialised flora (Le Houérou, 1959Houérou, , 1969Houérou, , 1980Houérou, , 1995Pottier-Alapetite, 1979Floret and Pontanier, 1982;Chaieb and Boukhris, 1998;Ozenda, 2004), completed by surface pollen spectra which are representative of the different regional environments (Jaouadi et al, 2016). The Amaranthaceae are a significant floristic component of the desert margins of southern Tunisia.…”

“…Modern pollen rain from the vicinity of the sebkha and the mountainous hinterland tie in well with the regional biogeography. In these arid areas, the modern pollen spectra display a very low presence of Mediterranean taxa that require more humid conditions (Jaouadi et al, 2016). Today, only degraded relics of Mediterranean vegetation still survive on the wetter northern peaks of the Matmata Mountains (Le Houérou, 1959Houérou, , 1969Houérou, , 1995Pottier-Alapetite, 1979Chaieb and Boukhris, 1998).…”

“…The Epipalaeolithic Capsian culture developed in the Maghreb during the Holocene, between ca. 10 and 7 ka BP, and was replaced by the Neolithic of Capsian Tradition (NCT) around 7 ka BP (Jackes and Lubell, 2008;Mulazzani, 2013). These cultural entities are largely distinguished on the basis of typological analysis of their lithic industries.…”