The Early Middle Pleistocene Site of Gombore II (Melka Kunture, Upper Awash, Ethiopia) and the Issue of Acheulean Bifacial Shaping Strategies

Abstract

International audienceThe Gombore II site dates to circa the Brunhes Matuyama Reversal and is one of the Acheulean localities of the Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia) archaeological complex, known since the 1970s. In 2001, this locality was selected as the site for an Open Air Museum and thus excavated. The excavation area has yielded an abundant Acheulean lithic assemblage manufactured on volcanic raw materials in close association with numerous paleontological remains. A technological analysis was carried out on a fraction of the bifacial tools (bifaces and cleavers) which could be temporarily removed from the displayed surface in the museum. This set of artefacts reveals new data about the bifacial shaping strategies adopted at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene in Ethiopia. The use of obsidian and the systematic manufacturing of twisted bifaces are original features of the assemblage. These data are discussed in the framework of penecontemporaneous East African sites.Gomboré II est un des sites acheuléens du complexe préhistorique de Melka Kunture (Haut Awash, Ethiopie), connu depuis les années 70, et se place aux environs de la limite Brunhes-Matuyama. En 2001, ce site fut choisi pour implanter un musée de site et des fouilles furent alors organisées. La zone fouillée a livré un abondant outillage lithique acheuléen manufacturé sur roches volcaniques, étroitement associé à de nombreux restes paléontologiques. L'analyse technologique du matériel n'a pu être conduite que sur une fraction des outils bifaciaux (bifaces et hachereaux), temporairement extraite de la surface de fouille préservée dans le musée. L'étude de ces artefacts apporte de nouvelles données sur les stratégies de façonnage adoptées par les hominidés au début du Pléistocène moyen en Ethiopie. L'usage de l'obsidienne et la fabrication systématique de bifaces “twist” confèrent un aspect original à cette série. Les données sont replacées dans le contexte contemporain est-africain

The Acheulean workshop of la Noira (France, 700 ka) in the European technological context

“…Large flakes are commonly used in some sites, whereas in North Africa at Thomas Quarry I level L (1 Ma), Sidi Abderrhamane STIC L1 L2/level F extension site or Tighenif (800 ka), LCTs are partial, picklike and frequently unifacial on pebbles and flakes (Raynal et al, 2001(Raynal et al, , 2011. Some of these features are common to la Noira; for instance, twisted bifaces on obsidian are observed at Gombore II (800 ka), mainly on large flakes (Gallotti et al, 2010). Modes of shaping of some pieces at la Noira are also similar to standardized LCTs on flakes from Isenya (700 ka) (Roche et al, 1987(Roche et al, , 1988Texier and Roche, 1995;Texier, 2001).…”

The massive fossil humerus from the Oldowan horizon of Gombore I, Melka Kunture (Ethiopia, >1.39 Ma)

“…and marks the western border of the Main Ethiopian Rift (part of the great rift system of eastern Africa) (Gallotti et al, 2010).…”

Garba III (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): a MSA site with archaic Homo sapiens remains revisited

“…The alluviums of the left bank tributaries record the dismantling stages of superficial formations spreading between Melka Kunture and the distant volcanic centres (Gallotti et al, 2010). The present morphology is mainly characterized by wide glacis affected by sheet, gully and fluvial erosion, responsible for vigorous incisions and for the fast destruction of soil cover .…”

“…Erosion processes resumed after each filling. While cyclically eroding and redepositing volcanic as well as other deposits, the water flow of the Awash and of the tributaries alternatively destroyed earlier archaeological sites and re-buried part of them (Gallotti et al, 2010).…”