The lithic assemblage from Pont-de-Lavaud (Indre, France) and the role of the bipolar-on-anvil technique in the Lower and Early Middle Pleistocene technology

Abstract

The lithic assemblage of the Pont-de-Lavaud site (Indre, France) shows a technical choice within the Lower Pleistocene European Mode 1 sites, which is defined by the widespread use of the bipolar-on-anvil knapping technique. Although it is traditionally considered an expedient percussion method, in this lithic assemblage a selective technical behavior regarding the reduction methods and raw material is identified. In this respect, different knapping methods are applied in accordance with a combination of the percussion axis and the recurrence of the reduction series. These features are also observed in the archaeological record from other Lower and Middle Pleistocene sites, which are discussed in the text. The role of this knapping technique in the hominin technology is, in our opinion, greater than previously believed. Its implementation cannot be considered as proof of opportunistic or expedient activities. The bipolar-on-anvil technique is applied in different contexts, on different raw materials and as a technical choice or gesture in the reduction sequences. Because of its low technical requirements, it can be considered as a successful technological strategy for overcoming raw material constraints for producing some specific types of pieces. Its ubiquitous presence, both from a diachronic and geographical point of view, is proof of its considerable technical versatility and, hence, of Mode 1 hominin technological flexibility and capabilities.

Subspheroids in the lithic assemblage of Barranco León (Spain): Recognizing the late Oldowan in Europe

“…Levels TD6 Gran Dolina (0.8-0.9 Ma.) [95,96,97], and TE9 at Sima del Elefante, Atapuerca (1.2 Ma, Castilla y León, Spain) [98,99] presence of flakes from different phases of core reduction reflects on-site knapping of this material (flakes and debris with various degrees of residual cortex, abundant tiny fragments and some cores). Flint cores are scarce (3.1% of the 1 562 pieces in flint) and intensively reduced compared to the limestone (11.2% of the 581 pieces in limestone).…”

Active percussion tools from the Oldowan site of Barranco León (Orce, Andalusia, Spain): The fundamental role of pounding activities in hominin lifeways

“…A single percussion tool on a quartz cobble has been published from the Pont-de-Lavaud site (1 Ma, Centre France, Despriée et al, 2006;Lombera et al, 2016) and is described as offering "… a good manual grip and the arrangement of the battering marks, clustered in the lateral and distal part of the pebble, indicate its function as a freehand hammerstone. It also bears some crushing marks and pits in the proximal edge, indicating a second active zone, also possibly linked to freehand percussion."…”

Le site pléistocène moyen de la Noira à Brinay (Cher, région Centre, France) : contexte morphosédimentaire, géochronologie et données archéologiques

“…moyen pondéré de l'Unité b, de 665 ± 55 ka (7 échantillons), permet d'attribuer la mise en place de la Formation des Fougères au cycle climatique glaciaire-interglaciaire MIS 16 / MIS 15 (Moncel et al, 2013 ;Despriée et al, 2016). Cette antiquité a été confirmée par une date 26 Al / 10 Be de 730 ± 210 ka obtenue sur un échantillon de quartz issu de l'Unité a (Shen et al, 2012).…”

“…D'après les datations obtenues pour la Formation des Fougères, l'âge du niveau d'industrie à bifaces situé à la base de la Noira pouvait être au minimum de l'ordre de 650 ka (terminus ad quem) et compter ainsi parmi les âges les plus anciens actuellement connus pour un niveau acheuléen en Europe (Despriée et al, 2007) 5D) sont attribués à une phase précoce de l'Acheuléen (Moncel et al, 2013(Moncel et al, , 2016Despriée et al, 2016).…”

“…Dans la zone sud de la coupe ouest, des pièces acheuléennes taillées dans la meulière sont systématiquement associées à ces accumulations de cailloux, de blocs usés et de plaques de meulière, plus ou moins emballés dans une matrice sablo-limoneuse à graviers. Cette disposition semble indiquer que les amas ont servi de gîtes à matériaux pour les homininés (Moncel et al, 2013 ;Despriée et al, 2016).…”