New Data from the Site of Ifri n’Ammar (Morocco) and Some Remarks on the Chronometric Status of the Middle Paleolithic in the Maghreb

Mugharet el'Aliya: Affinities of an enigmatic north African Aterian maxillary fragment

“…Several sites show Aterian layers below layers with supposedly earlier MSA assemblages in a stratified context (Aouadi‐Abdeljaouad & Belhouchet, 2008; Nami & Moser, 2010; Richter et al, 2010). Thereby, a distinction of the Northwest African MSA into multiple industries has been questioned (Linstädter et al, 2012; Richter et al, 2012; Scerri, 2017; Scerri & Spinapolica, 2019). The Aterian was often recognized by the presence of the so‐called “tanged” pieces.…”

A New Chronology for Rhafas, Northeast Morocco, Spanning the North African Middle Stone Age through to the Neolithic

“…When the chronological position of the Aterian was thought to fall within an age range of 40–20 thousands of years ago (ka) [ 11 ], meaning clearly post non-Aterian MSA, its status as a distinct entity seemed clearer. However, more recent dating studies have extended the beginning of the Aterian to >100 ka [ 10 , 12 – 17 ] and perhaps as early as 145±9 ka [ 10 ], which juxtaposes with the timing of the MSA in north Africa. Thus debate continues as to whether once the Aterian first occurs all subsequent assemblages are Aterian (meaning that the Aterian represents a phase within the MSA) or whether there is still a continuation of a non-Aterian MSA (meaning that the Aterian is a separate entity in North Africa) [ 9 , 18 ].…”

The role of cryptotephra in refining the chronology of Late Pleistocene human evolution and cultural change in North Africa

“…The earliest appearance of prepared Levallois cores can be dated to~300 ka at Grotte du Rhinoc eros, Morocco (Raynal et al, 2010) while developed prepared core technologies e once described as 'Mousterian' e are known from Djbel Irhoud, Morocco (Hublin et al, 1987) from around 190e160 ka BP and potentially earlier (Geraads et al, 2013). At other sites in Morocco occupying the time range of 150e90 ka BP, such as Ifri n'Ammar, the sequence appears to show alternating MSA Mousterian and Aterian layers (Nami and Moser, 2010), which has been interpreted as evidence that the Aterian was a North African facies of the Mousterian (Richter et al, 2012). However, in the majority of cases where longer sequences are recorded the Aterian is generally stratified above 'Mousterian'-like industries, as exemplified by Contrebandiers Cave (Dibble et al, 2013) and Grotte de Rhafas (Wengler, 1993).…”