Shell Technology, Rock Art, and the Role of Marine Resources during the Upper Paleolithic

Solana, David Cuenca; Gutiérrez-Zugasti, Igor; González-Morales, Manuel R.; Setién-Marquinez, Jesus; Ruiz-Martinez, Estela; García‐Moreno, Alejandro; Clemente‐Conte, Ignacio

doi:10.1086/670325

Cited by 27 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…A further corollary of the method presented here will be facilitation of a considerable improvement in the mapping and dating of the fluctuations evident in submerged prehistoric coastlines, because in the Stone Age, coasts represented the most attractive environments for exploitation and settlement by humans (Odum and Barrett, 2005). There has been increasing recognition of this by archaeologists in recent years, even though these coastal sites often lie submerged today and are therefore difficult to locate and study (Schackleton and van Andel, 1986;Parfitt et al, 2005;Richards et al, 2005;Jaksland, , 2009Bjerck, 2009;Wikell et al, 2009;Parfitt et al, 2010;Cortés-Sánchez et al, 2011;Ramos et al, 2011;Cuenca-Solana et al, 2013;Fischer et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detecting human-knapped flint with marine high-resolution reflection seismics: A preliminary study of new possibilities for subsea mapping of submerged Stone Age sites

Grøn¹,

Boldreel²,

Hermand³

et al. 2018

uw tech: int j soc uw tech

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Seismic high-resolution Chirp profiles from the welldocumented submerged Stone Age settlement Atlit-Yam, located off Israel's Carmel coast, display systematic disturbances within the water column not related to sea-floor cavitation, vegetation, fish shoals, gas or salinity/temperature differences, where flint debitage from the Stone Age site had been verified archaeologically. A preliminary series of controlled experiments, using identical acquisition parameters, strongly indicate that human-knapped flint debitage lying on the sea floor, or embedded within its sediments, produces similar significant responses in the water column. Flint pieces cracked naturally by thermal or geological processes appear not to do so. Laboratory experiments, finite element modelling and controlled experiments conducted in open water on the response to broad-spectrum acoustic signals point to an excited resonance response within humanknapped flint even for sediment embedded debitage, with acoustic signals within the 2-20 kHz interval. The disturbances observed in the water column on the seismic profiles recorded at Atlit-Yam are, therefore, based on these results, interpreted as resonance from human-knapped flint debitage covered by up to 1.5 m of sand. Such a principle, if substantiated by further research, should facilitate efficient and precise mapping of submerged Stone Age sites.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detecting human-knapped flint with marine high-resolution reflection seismics: A preliminary study of new possibilities for subsea mapping of submerged Stone Age sites

Grøn¹,

Boldreel²,

Hermand³

et al. 2018

uw tech: int j soc uw tech

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“…Use-wear analysis showed that 57 limpets out of 602 specimens, primarily collected for consumption, were then used for scraping ochre utilized to paint the graphic representations in the cave [55]. Use of shell to obtain pigment is also documented at two other Upper Paleolithic Spanish cave sites (Fuente del Salin and Tito Bustillo in Cantabria) [56]. At Fuente del Salin two fragments of Patella were retouched to make them into borers [57].…”

Section: Shell Tools In Time and Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Neandertals on the beach: Use of marine resources at Grotta dei Moscerini (Latium, Italy)

et al. 2020

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Excavated in 1949, Grotta dei Moscerini, dated MIS 5 to early MIS 4, is one of two Italian Neandertal sites with a large assemblage of retouched shells (n = 171) from 21 layers. The other occurrence is from the broadly contemporaneous layer L of Grotta del Cavallo in southern Italy (n = 126). Eight other Mousterian sites in Italy and one in Greece also have shell tools but in a very small number. The shell tools are made on valves of the smooth clam Callista chione. The general idea that the valves of Callista chione were collected by Neandertals on the beach after the death of the mollusk is incomplete. At Moscerini 23.9% of the specimens were gathered directly from the sea floor as live animals by skin diving Neandertals. Archaeological data from sites in Italy, France and Spain confirm that shell fishing and fresh water fishing was a common activity of Neandertals, as indicated by anatomical studies recently published by E. Trinkaus. Lithic analysis provides data to show the relation between stone tools and shell tools. Several layers contain pumices derived from volcanic eruptions in the Ischia Island or the Campi Flegrei (prior to the Campanian Ignimbrite mega-eruption). Their rounded edges indicate that they were transported by sea currents to the beach at the base of the Moscerini sequence. Their presence in the occupation layers above the beach is discussed. The most plausible hypothesis is that they were collected by Neandertals. Incontrovertible evidence that Neandertals collected pumices is provided by a cave in Liguria. Use of pumices as abraders is well documented in the Upper Paleolithic. We prove that the exploitation of submerged aquatic resources and the collection of pumices common in the Upper Paleolithic were part of Neandertal behavior well before the arrival of modern humans in Western Europe.

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“…Como hemos indicado en trabajos anteriores (Cuenca-Solana, 2014; Cuenca-Solana y Clemente-Conte, 2018), consideramos que esta situación muestra que probablemente el rol de estos instrumentos ha sido infravalorado dentro del abanico tecnológico empleado por los grupos humanos. El progresivo incremento durante los últimos años del análisis de este tipo de evidencias en contextos arqueológicos de Europa (ver, por ejemplo, Clemente-Conte et al, 2014; Courtin y Vigié, 1987;Cristiani et al, 2005;Cuenca-Solana, 2013;2015;Cuenca-Solana et al, 2010;2013a;2013b;2015;2016;Dupont y Cuenca-Solana, 2014;Gruet et al, 1999;Gutiérrez Zugasti et al, 2011;Pascual Benito, 2008;Maicas Ramos, 2008;Manca, 2013;2016;Rodríguez y Navarro, 1999;Tumung et al, 2012;2015;Vigié, 1987;1995;Vigié y Courtin, 1986), así como la variedad y calidad de los datos obtenidos, contribuye a reafirmar esta hipótesis. A continuación, mostraremos, a partir de la información etnográfica y de los resultados obtenidos en el análisis de diferentes contextos arqueológicos, las vinculaciones existentes entre el desarrollo de la actividad alfarera y el empleo de los instrumentos de concha.…”

Section: Instrumentos De Concha Para El Trabajo De Cerámicaunclassified

Cerámica prehistórica y el kit instrumental para su producción. Descripción del registro arqueológico de Coro Trasito (Tella-Sin, Huesca)

Conte

Mazzucco²,

Cuenca-Solana

et al. 2019

TArqueo

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Cerámica prehistórica y el kit instrumental para su producción. Descripción del registro arqueológico de Coro Trasito (Tella-Sin, Huesca) Once these types of working tools have been defined, we bring the study to specific archaeological contexts. In this case, we describe the instruments recovered in Coro Trasito (Tella-Sin, Huesca) and how these tools relate to the production and upkeep of pottery vessels, especially during a chronological period related to the ancient Neolithic period.

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Shell Technology, Rock Art, and the Role of Marine Resources during the Upper Paleolithic

Cited by 27 publications

References 23 publications

Detecting human-knapped flint with marine high-resolution reflection seismics: A preliminary study of new possibilities for subsea mapping of submerged Stone Age sites

Detecting human-knapped flint with marine high-resolution reflection seismics: A preliminary study of new possibilities for subsea mapping of submerged Stone Age sites

Neandertals on the beach: Use of marine resources at Grotta dei Moscerini (Latium, Italy)

Cerámica prehistórica y el kit instrumental para su producción. Descripción del registro arqueológico de Coro Trasito (Tella-Sin, Huesca)

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