Identification of local and allochthonous flint artefacts from the Middle Palaeolithical site ‘Abrigo de la Quebrada’ (Chelva, Valencia, Spain) by macroscopic and physicochemical methods

Abstract

This work summarizes the characterization of flint artefacts from the Middle Palaeolithic site 'Abrigo de la Quebrada' (Chelva, Valencia, Spain) and flint geological samples collected in the Chelva area. Additionally, some flint artefacts located outside this geographical zone were also analysed and compared with the samples from the Abrigo de la Quebrada site. Flint samples have been studied using methods of macroscopic description and physicochemical analysis [energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)]. Multivariate statistical analysis of the EDXRF data and the determination of the crystalline index of quartz, obtained from the XRD patterns, are suitable methods to discriminate between local and allochthonous flint artefacts in agreement with the macroscopic classification. These results provide new analytical information of the flint artefacts on a geographical area that had not been studied so far.

Abrigo de la Quebrada Level IV (Valencia, Spain): Interpreting a Middle Palaeolithic Palimpsest from a Zooarchaeological and Lithic Perspective

“…To establish the technological characteristics of each rock (flint, quartzite, limestone and quartz) and their relation to procurement, stone tools were organised into raw material units (RMU) (Conard and Adler 1997;Roebroeks 1988;Vaquero 2008) whose separateness was verified by macro-and microscopic analysis (Eixea et al 2011(Eixea et al , 2014Prudêncio et al 2016;Roldán et al 2015). The technological study was conducted from a chaîne opératoire perspective (Boëda et al 1990;Bourguignon et al 2004;Faivre 2011;Geneste 1985Geneste , 1988Tixier et al 1980;Turq 2000), and retouched pieces (including those with macro-and micro-use wear) were classified using the type list of Bordes (1988).…”

“…The geological stratum where it was first identified outcrops in the hillsides above River Turia, 5-8 km from the site. The allochthonous flints, classified into four subgroups (types 1, 2, 3 and 4), are good-quality raw materials whose macroscopic attributes differ from the Domeño type and match sources located > 100 km away (Eixea et al 2011;Prudêncio et al 2016;Roldán et al 2015). The quartzite and limestone blocks selected for knapping are fine-grained and have a microcrystalline structure.…”

Trace element mapping of two Pyrenean chert deposits (SW Europe) by PIXE

“…The use of geochemical studies to characterise chert have increased in the last few years [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Results show that these analyses are essential for better determining the relationship prehistoric human populations had with their environment.…”

Presenting LusoLit: A lithotheque of knappable raw materials from central and southern Portugal

“…The sampling of the available primary and secondary sources of raw materials used somehow during Prehistoric times have been shown to be a fundamental tool to infer a multiplicity of features in hominine behaviour such as mobility (Crandell, et al 2013;Eixea et al 2014), acquisition areas (Aubry et al 2004;Barberena et al 2011;Crandell, et al 2013;Dawson et al 2012;Messineo & Barros 2015;Roldán et al 2015;), territory and networks (Aubry et al 2012;Djindjian et al 2009 resource management (Messineo & Barros 2015), lithic technology (Beck et al 2002;Pereira & Benedetti 2013), adaptation (Brown 2011) and, possibly, cognition (Mcbrearty & Brooks 2000). Despite the effort made during the last three decades (Aubry, et al 2001;2004;Bicho 1994;Aubry & Igreja 2008;Aubry & Sampaio 1997;Pereira et al 2015a;2015b;2015c;Santos 2005;Shokler 2002;2007;Thacker 2001;Veríssimo 2004;, Portugal lacked the existence of an institutional infrastructure that hosted geological samples representable of the variety of raw materials existent in this territory and that could have been used in the past by human groups.…”