MTA-B or not to be? Recycled bifaces and shifting hunting strategies at Le Moustier and their implication for the late Middle Palaeolithic in southwestern France

Gravina, Brad; Discamps, Emmanuel

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.04.005

Cited by 56 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(54 reference statements)

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“…There are later reindeer dominated assemblages that might be correlated to Heinrich Event 5 and would be consistent with the Roc de Marsal ages, e.g. La Quina Level 8 (Higham, 2011;Valladas et al, 1999) or Le Moustier Layers G1-2 (Gravina and Discamps, 2015), even although in the latter case the number of faunal remains is small; Combe-Grenal Level 7 (despite, again, a relatively limited sample size; Guadelli, 1987) could also fit within this pattern, and a dating study in progress should soon provide additional data. Abri Peyrony Level L-3B is reindeer dominated and radiocarbon dated to between 39 and 48 ka cal BP (Soressi et al 2013) and also overlaps with some of the Roc de Marsal ages.…”

Section: Implications For the Mousterian In Southwest Francesupporting

confidence: 76%

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Guérin

Frouin

Tuquoi

et al. 2017

Quaternary International

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Located in southwest France, Roc de Marsal is a cave with a rich Mousterian stratigraphic sequence. The lower part of the sequence (Layers 9-5) are characterized by assemblages dominated by Levallois lithic technology associated with composite faunal spectra (including red deer, roe deer and reindeer) that shows a gradual increase in the frequency of reindeer. The top of the sequence (Layers 4-2) are characterised instead by Quina lithic technology (both in terms of technology and typology) with the faunal remains dominated by reindeer. Roc de Marsal thus provides a very interesting case study to place behavioural changes in a context of changing climates and environments in western Europe during the late Pleistocene. To link the occupations at Roc de Marsal with global and regional climatic conditions known independently, a robust chronology is needed. With this aim in mind, we applied three luminescence dating methods (TL, OSL and IRSL) on different minerals (flint, quartz and K-feldspar extracts). Here the results of two of these methods are presented in detail (TL and OSL) and compared with preliminary IRSL data. At Roc de Marsal, a comparison of methods was necessary to overcome a complex sedimentary history, with very heterogeneous dose rate distributions, both at the beta (mm) and gamma (dm) dose rate scales. The results indicate that the lower Levallois layers are dated to ~65-70 ka, while overlying Quina layers are dated to ~49 ka. These ages for the lower layers fit well with some models that place mixed faunal assemblages in the initial MIS 4; however, while the Quina ages overlap with several other Quina assemblages from the region, they place the reindeer dominated fauna well after the peak cold of MIS 4 and suggest a more extended and complex period of contemporaneous lithic techno-complexes than posited by some current models. AbstractLocated in southwest France, Roc de Marsal is a cave with a rich Mousterian stratigraphic sequence. The lower part of the sequence (Layers 9-5) are characterized by assemblages dominated by Levallois lithic technology associated with composite faunal spectra (including red deer, roe deer and reindeer) that shows a gradual increase in the frequency of reindeer. The top of the sequence (Layers 4-2) are characterised instead by Quina lithic technology (both in terms of technology and typology) with the faunal remains dominated by reindeer. Roc de Marsal thus provides a very interesting case study to place behavioural changes in a context of changing climates and environments in western Europe during the late Pleistocene. To link the occupations at Roc de Marsal with global and regional climatic conditions known independently, a robust chronology is needed. With this aim in mind, we applied three luminescence dating methods (TL, OSL and IRSL) on different minerals (flint, quartz and K-feldspar extracts). Here the results of two of these methods are presented in detail (TL and OSL) and compared with preliminary IRSL data. At Roc de Marsal, a comparison of metho...

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Section: Implications For the Mousterian In Southwest Francesupporting

confidence: 76%

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Guérin

Frouin

Tuquoi

et al. 2017

Quaternary International

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“…S3 and S4). Based on thermoluminescence dating of level J, Le Moustier 2 dates to ∼40 ka BP (43,(63)(64)(65)(66).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Weaver

Coqueugniot

Golovanova³

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Neandertal and modern human adults differ in skeletal features of the cranium and postcranium, and it is clear that many of the cranial differences-although not all of them-are already present at the time of birth. We know less, however, about the developmental origins of the postcranial differences. Here, we address this deficiency with morphometric analyses of the postcrania of the two most complete Neandertal neonates-Mezmaiskaya 1 (from Russia) and Le Moustier 2 (from France)-and a recent human sample. We find that neonatal Neandertals already appear to possess the wide body, long pubis, and robust long bones of adult Neandertals. Taken together, current evidence indicates that skeletal differences between Neandertals and modern humans are largely established by the time of birth. body proportions | climatic adaptation | Homo neanderthalensis | infracranial | ontogeny

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“…The MTA is most commonly associated with Levallois debitage and the production of elongated flakes (Soressi, 1997, 2002 andreferences therein;Turq, 2000;Jaubert, 2013), although the Discoid method is present, it is less frequent. However, as a majority of research concerning the MTA has focused on characterising its bifacial component, the variability of associated flake production methods and the general techno-economic coherency of this technocomplex remains under-evaluated (Gravina and Discamps, 2015). The KMG is equally typified by the Levallois method, particularly centripetal and blade modalities (J€ oris, 2004;Richter, 2006).…”

Section: Inter-regional Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages with flake cleavers in the western Pyrenees: The Vasconian reconsidered

Deschamps¹

2017

Quaternary International

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a b s t r a c tThe analysis of several lithic assemblages with flake cleavers and bifaces from sites attributed to MIS 5 and 3 in the western Pyrenees provides the basis for a new chronological and typo-technological characterisation of the region's late Middle Palaeolithic record. Previously assigned to the Vasconian based strictly on typological criteria, a certain degree of variability evident between the analysed assemblages likely indicates different occupation types. However, broad typo-technological traits reflecting a common regional tradition can be identified and are discussed against the backdrop of the regional diversity and cultural geography of late Middle Palaeolithic industries dated to around 50 ka BP. This 'regionalisation' of lithic techno-complexes may also have important ramifications for the socioeconomic organisation and demographic dynamics of late Middle Palaeolithic human groups.

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MTA-B or not to be? Recycled bifaces and shifting hunting strategies at Le Moustier and their implication for the late Middle Palaeolithic in southwestern France

Cited by 56 publications

References 50 publications

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages with flake cleavers in the western Pyrenees: The Vasconian reconsidered

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