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International audience; In recent years, we have undertaken a technological reappraisal (productional and techno-functional analysis) of several lithic collections attributed to the Acheulean on typological basis during the 20th century and located on the Atlantic coast of Sub-Saharan Africa. This article presents a summary of the work carried out, in progress and to come. Based on the successive synthesis of chronostratigraphic and technological data from each of these lithic assemblages, we discuss the idea of an “African Acheulean”.Despite that this idea of “African Acheulean” masks a technocultural diversity that is still underestimated for the Middle Pleistocene, it remains well anchored in the current prehistoric archaeological research. Concurrently, it appears that the low-resolution geoarchaeological context and the lack of dating for this Atlantic African area are among the pitfalls that have led prehistorians to compare the assemblages discovered to the well-contextualised corpus of South, East and North Africa. Today, new chronological data on some of these Atlantic African assemblages seem to allow a new episteme for these regions thanks to the rising comprehension of local phenomena.The different examples from Senegal, Central African Republic, Gabon, Angola and Namibia gradually highlight the specificities of Earlier Stone Age technical expressions and the existence of local trajectories on the Atlantic fringe, pointing to the need to consider Earlier Stone Age on a regional or even local scale rather than continental scale. Finally, this leads to questioning the existence of specific chronological and techno-cultural scenarios in West Africa – and why not a “west side story”.; Au cours des dernières années, nous avons entrepris la révision technoproductionnelle et/ou technofonctionnelle de collections lithiques de la façade atlantique de l'Afrique subsaharienne, attribuées à l'Acheuléen sur des bases typologiques au cours du xx e siècle. Cet article se présente comme un résumé des travaux réalisés, en cours et à venir. À partir de la synthèse des données chronostratigraphiques puis technologiques de chacun de ces assemblages lithiques, nous discutons l'idée d'un Acheuléen « africain ». Pourtant bien ancrée dans les paradigmes actuels de la Préhistoire ancienne du continent, cette idée masque une diversité technoculturelle encore sous-estimée pour le Pléistocène moyen. Parallèlement, il semblerait que les contextes géoarchéologiques à faible résolution et le manque de datations pour cet espace atlantique africain soient autant d'écueils qui ont conduit, pendant longtemps, les préhistoriens à étudier ces assemblages en se référant aux corpus bien contextualisés de l'Afrique du Sud, de l'Est et du Nord. Aujourd'hui, de nouvelles données chronologiques pour certains de ces assemblages ouest-africains et centre-africains, ainsi que de nouveaux sites, semblent permettre une nouvelle épistémê pour ces régions grâce la compréhension de phénomènes locaux. Ces différents exemples du Sénégal, de la République centrafricaine, du Gabon, de l'Angola et de la Namibie mettent peu à peu en lumière les spécificités des expressions techniques Earlier Stone Age et l'existence de trajectoires locales sur la façade atlantique. Ils contribuent également à mettre en exergue la nécessité de considérer les industries anciennes africaines à échelle régionale, voire locale, plutôt que continentale. Enfin se pose la question de l'existence de scénarios spécifiques sur le plan tant chronologique que technoculturel à l'ouest du continent africain-et pourquoi pas d'une nouvelle « west side story ».

The relationship between Earlier Stone Age (ESA) hominins and the southern African coastal environment has been poorly investigated, despite the high concentration of open-air sites in marine and fluvial terraces of the coastal plain from c. 1Ma onward during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. Southern Africa provides some of the earliest evidence of coastal subsistence strategies since the end of the Middle Pleistocene, during the Middle Stone Age (MSA). These coastal MSA sites showcase the role of coastal environments in the emergence and development of modern human behaviors. Given the high prevalence of coastal ESA sites throughout the region, we seek to question the relationship between hominins and coastal landscapes much earlier in time. In this regard, the +100 m raised beaches of the Benguela Province, Angola, are key areas as they are well-preserved and contain a dense record of prehistoric occupation from the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene, including sites like Dungo, Mormolo, Sombreiro, Macaca and Punta das Vacas. Accordingly, this paper provides a critical review of the coastal ESA record of southern Africa and a detailed presentation of the Dungo IV site, through a qualitative technological analysis coupled with a quantitative inter-site comparison with contemporary southern African coastal plain sites. Through our detailed technological analyses, we highlight the influence of coastal lithological resources on the technical behaviors of hominin groups, and we propose the existence of a “regional adaptive strategy” in a coastal landscape more than 600 000 years ago. Finally, we argue for the integration of coastal landscapes into hominins’ territories, suggesting that adaptation to coastal environments is actually a slower process which begins with “territorialization” well before the emergence and development of Homo sapiens.

At the end of the Middle Pleistocene, in North Africa, cultural complexes have co-existed. The identification and definition of these techno-complexes have been debated for more than a century. One of the important issues of Paleolithic research in North Africa is the understanding of the relationship between the North African Middle Stone Age and Aterian industries. For this reason, precise definitions of these complexes are essential.Typo-technological approaches to lithic equipment have allowed for the enrichment of the definition of the Aterian and North African Early Middle Stone Age complexes - notably by the detail of the attributes constituting their definitions (i.e. blades industries, miniaturization and micro-flakes industries, tooling, etc.).The corpus studied comes from the sequences of three sites: the Bizmoune Cave, Rhafas, and Taforalt. The combined archaeostratigraphic sequences cover a period of 100,000 years, from the end of the Middle Pleistocene to the beginning of the Late Pleistocene. This study proposes a chronological and spatial gradient of two globalizing cultural entities: 1/ the Early North African Middle Stone Age is represented from the beginning of MIS6, or even SIM8 on the Atlantic coast and will last until MIS5 in the occidental part of North Africa; 2/ the Aterian is represented from the end of MIS6 in the Atlantic westcoast of Morocco. Its representation is uniform in the Maghreb in MIS5 and replaces the Early NAMSA techno-complex.Moreover, the Aterian is not a homogeneous technical entity. The assemblages show a multitude of technical solutions highlighting the presence of plural entities. These results show the importance of the methodological choice of the typo-technological approaches. They show moreover that this space is dynamic, connected by flows of humans, carriers of ideas.; À la fin du Pléistocène moyen, en Afrique du Nord, plusieurs complexes culturels co-existent. Leur détermination et leur définition font débat depuis plus d’un siècle. L’une des problématiques importantes des recherches paléolithiques en Afrique du Nord est la compréhension des liens qu’entretiennent les industries du Middle Stone Age Nord-Africain (NAMSA) avec celles de l’Atérien. Pour cette raison, la définition précise de ces complexes revêt une importance cruciale. Les approches typo-technologiques des équipements lithiques ont enrichi la définition des complexes atériens et de l’Early Middle Stone Age Nord-Africain en détaillant les attributs qui les constituent : production de supports lamino-lamellaires, processus de miniaturisation et production de microsupports, outillage, etc. Le corpus étudié provient des séquences de trois gisements : la Grotte de Bizmoune, celle du Rhafas et celle de Taforalt. Les séquences archéostratigraphiques combinées couvrent une période de 100 000 ans, de la fin du Pléistocène moyen au début du Pléistocène récent. Cette étude propose un gradient chronologique et spatial de deux entités culturelles globalisantes : 1/ l’Early Middle Stone Age Nord-Africain est représentés dès le début SIM 6, voire du SIM 8 sur le littoral atlantique, et perdure jusqu’au SIM 5 dans l’espace occidental du nord de l’Afrique ; 2/ l’Atérien est représenté dès la fin du SIM 6 à l’ouest. Il remplace les complexes techniques de l’Early NAMSA au Maghreb au SIM 5. Par ailleurs, l’Atérien n’est plus une entité technique homogène. Les assemblages révèlent une multitude de solutions techniques qui mettent en évidence la présence d’entités plurielles. Ces résultats signent l’importance du choix méthodologique du détail des assemblages par les approches typo-technologiques. Ils montrent par ailleurs que cet espace est dynamique, connecté par des flux d’humains porteurs d’idées.

The “Charentien” is one of the first cultural groups identified by François Bordes and Michel Bourgon. The cumulative diagrams built based on this group by the two researchers will lead to its splitting into two entities: the Quina-type Mousterian and the Ferrassie-type Mousterian. Although the first has been well characterized by new investigations that led to its updating during the 1990s, the second still resists its many reassessments. A few decades of hindsight later, and thanks to new dating efforts on key Mousterian sites in the South-West of France, effectively reshuffling the cards of an overly linear vision of the succession of Mousterian facies, we take this opportunity to question the manifestations of this second "Ferrassie" facies in a new way, based on two angles : - From a marginal one, with the unpublished study of the lithic industries of the Roc-en-Pail site (Maine-et-Loire), excavated by doctor Michel Gruet from 1943 to 1969, whose industries labeled as "Moustérien de Ferrassie type” are underlying those assigned to the Quina type Mousterian. - From an epicentral one, with the new investigation of three layers attributed to the Ferrassie-type Mousterian of the Combe-Grenal site, which will lead F. Bordes to confirm the existence of this facies. Based on these previous studies carried out on the subject, we established a new methodological approach in line with the conclusions of our predecessors as well as with the nature of the collections studied, in order to differently question the manifestations of this entity. Therefore, we put the shape of the tools aside in order to focus on what comprises them: their structure. Taking in account the different elements constituting the artefacts, coupled with a statistical approach including both descriptive and explanatory methods, allows us to highlight the specificities of production and confection methods specific to these industries as well as drawing a common technical trajectory. In short, this work invites us to perceive the well-known tools of the Mousterian other than a variation of different types, in order to access the heart of the retouched flake by identifying and exposing its structure.; Le « Charentien » est l’un des premiers groupes culturels identifié par François Bordes et Michel Bourgon. De ce groupe, les diagrammes cumulatifs construits par ces derniers mèneront à son découpage en deux entités : Le Moustérien de type Quina et Le Moustérien de type Ferrassie. Bien que le premier ait été individualisé par de nouvelles investigations ayant permis son actualisation pendant les années 1990, le second aura résisté à ses nombreuses revisites. Après quelques décennies de recul et grâce à l’impulsion des nouvelles datations des sites phares du Moustérien du Sud-Ouest, redistribuant les cartes d’une vision parfois trop linéaire de la succession des faciès Moustérien, l’opportunité nous est donnée de questionner différemment les manifestations de ce second faciès « Ferrassie », selon deux points de vue : - D’un point de vue marginal, par l’étude inédite des industries du site de Roc-en-Pail (Maine-et-Loire), fouillé par le docteur Michel Gruet de 1943 à 1969, dont les industries estampillées « Moustérien de type Ferrassie » sont sous-jacentes à celles attribuées au Moustérien de type Quina.- Et d’un point de vue épicentral, avec la nouvelle investigation de trois couches attribuées au Moustérien de type Ferrassie du site de Combe-Grenal, elles-mêmes qui conduiront F. Bordes à confirmer l’existence de ce faciès. Fort des précédentes études réalisées sur le sujet, nous avons pensé une nouvelle approche méthodologique en adéquation avec les conclusions de nos prédécesseurs, et avec la nature des collections étudiées, afin de questionner au mieux les manifestations de cette entité. Nous délaisserons alors la forme des outils pour s’intéresser à ce qui les constituent : leur structure. Cette considération des différents éléments composant les artefacts, couplée à une approche statistique via des méthodes tant descriptives qu’explicatives, permet de mettre en lumière des spécificités de production et des modalités de confection propres à ces industries, dessinant une trajectoire technique commune. En somme, ce travail invite à percevoir les outils phares du Moustérien autrement que comme une déclinaison de différents types, afin d’accéder au cœur de l’éclat retouché en identifiant et en exposant sa structuration.

Bifacial leaf-shaped pieces and backed bifaces of the Prondnik type are rare tools from lithic industries or a marginal phenomenon of the French Middle Paleolithic. These pieces being cultural markers in the Middle Paleolithic of Central Europe, the question of the reality of this phenomenon in France arises. Where published, in the North and East, techno-morpho-functional studies of bifacial pieces were incomplete. The second set of issues concerns morpho-techno-functional comparisons in Europe and their significance in terms of settlements. The matter is of illustrating and arguing a scenario of regions-refuges and stages which could feed the repertoire of know-how of the Western Neanderthals. Thirteen open-air sites, three in the North and ten in Eastern France, have contributed to enriching the knowledge of leaf-shaped pieces from SIM 5a to SIM 3 in Western Europe. Thirty-five bifacial pieces are analyzed, some are isolated discoveries, most are contextualized in the industries that accompany them, abundance varies from a few dozen tools to more than eight hundred.We based our point of view on the study and the presence of foliate pieces, by consulting a rich international bibliography and applying a methodology borrowed from researchers working on this category of bifacial and foliate artefacts. Our analyzes produced diagrams of the operating steps, descriptive photo boards, as well as maps presenting the geography of the techno-morphofunctional facts.To do this, we documented the internal diversity of the morphological type of the leaf-shaped tools. We have shown that among all the pieces with elongated and thin proportions, there are two techno-functional organizations and six shaping methods. In detail, on each site is implemented a single UTF organization scheme, and a single shaping method. This method of analysis shows the distinct identities of coins from northern and eastern France. At Riencourt-lès-Bapaume show that the two morphological types of bifacial pieces form a homogeneous group from a techno-functional point of view. Applying the same method to Beuvry's Prondniks, we show how these thin-backed knives are different from Prondniks. In Haute-Saône we highlight the diversity of shaping methods, six in total. However, they were used to produce a model of techno-functional structure present on two-thirds of the leaf-shaped pieces of Haute-Saône: a symmetrical techno-functional unit's scheme. The comparisons we have made have enabled us to confirm the affinity of foliated pieces from northeastern France with those from the Late Middle Paleolithic of central Europe. We found all the variations in methods of shaping and techno-functional organization. We can offer two privileged migratory routes, the plain of Northern Europe, sometimes on the edge of the polar desert, sometimes along the shores of the North Sea, and on the other hand the valley of the Danube which leads the men from the Black Sea to the Swabian Jura and the gates of Burgundy.The plain of Northern Europe is the diffusion route for thin-backed bifacial knife signatures and is also used by some KMG groups in Prondniks. The Haute-Saône-Danube flyway feeds the Western European cultural mosaic of influences from the Altmühlian, Micoquian from Germany, Moravia, and cultures from the transition period to the Upper Palaeolithic.; Les pièces foliacées bifaciales et bifaces à dos de type Prondniks sont des outils rares des industries lithiques ou phénomène marginal du Paléolithique moyen français. Ces pièces sont considérées comme des marqueurs culturels dans le Paléolithique moyen d'Europe centrale, la question de la réalité de ce phénomène en France se pose. Là où elles ont été publiées dans le Nord et dans l'est, les études techno-morpho-fonctionnelles de pièces bifaciales étaient lacunaires. Le deuxième volet de problématiques porte sur les comparaisons morpho-techno-fonctionnelles en Europe et leur signification en matière de peuplements. Il s'agit d'illustrer et argumenter un scénario de régions-refuges et d'étapes qui ont pu alimenter le répertoire de savoir-faire des Néandertaliens occidentaux. Treize sites de plein air, trois dans le Nord et dix dans l'Est de la France, ont contribué à enrichir la connaissance des pièces foliacées du SIM 5a au SIM 3 d'Europe de l'Ouest. Ce sont trente-cinq pièces bifaciales qui sont analysées, quelques-unes sont des découvertes isolées, la plupart sont mises en contexte dans les industries qui les accompagnent, abondantes de quelques dizaines d'outils à plus de huit-cents. Nous avons renseigné notre point de vue, sur l'étude et la présence des pièces foliacées, par la consultation d'une riche bibliographie internationale et l'application d'une méthodologie empruntée aux chercheurs œuvrant sur cette catégorie d'artefacts bifaciales et foliacées. Nos analyses ont produit des schémas des étapes opératoires, planches photos descriptives, ainsi que de cartes présentant la géographie des faits techno-morphofonctionnels. Pour ce faire, nous avons documenté la diversité interne du type morphologique des pièces foliacées. Nous avons montré que parmi toutes les pièces aux proportions allongées et minces, il existe deux organisations techno-fonctionnelles et six méthodes de façonnage. Dans le détail, sur chaque site est mis en œuvre un seul schéma d'organisation des UTFs, et une seule méthode de façonnage. Cette méthode d'analyse montre les identités distinctes des pièces de France septentrionale et de l'Est. A Riencourt-lès-Bapaume, nous avons montré que les deux types morphologiques de pièces bifaciales forment en réalité un ensemble homogène du point de vue techno-fonctionnel. En appliquant la même méthode aux Prondniks de Beuvry, nous montrons en quoi ces couteaux à dos minces sont différents des Prondniks. En Haute-Saône nous avons mis en lumière la diversité des méthodes de façonnage, six au total. Elles ont pourtant servi à produire un modèle de structure techno-fonctionnelle présent sur les deux-tiers des pièces foliacées de Haute-Saône : un schéma d'UTFs symétriques. Les comparaisons que nous avons effectuées nous ont permis de confirmer l'affinité des pièces foliacées du Nord-Est de la France avec celles du Paléolithique moyen récent d'Europe centrale. On y a retrouvé toutes les variations de méthode de façonnage et d'organisation techno-fonctionnelle. Nous sommes en mesure de proposer deux voies migratoires privilégiées, la plaine du Nord de l'Europe, tantôt au bord du désert polaire, tantôt longeant les rives de la Mer du Nord, et d'autre part de la vallée du Danube qui conduit les hommes de la mer Noire au Jura souabe et aux portes de la Bourgogne. La plaine du Nord de l'Europe est la voie de diffusion des signatures à couteaux bifaciaux à dos mince et est aussi empruntée par certains groupes du KMG à Prondniks. La voie migratoire Haute-Saône-Danube alimente la mosaïque culturelle d'Europe de l'Ouest d'influences de l'Altmühlien, du Micoquien d'Allemagne, de Moravie et des cultures de la période de transition vers le Paléolithique supérieur.

The technocomplexes of the European Lower Palaeolithic are often attributed to the so-called Acheulean. Through several prehistoric sites located in the South Armorican coast, distinct and contemporary Acheulean cultural facies was proposed at the end of the 1980s. Based on the study of lithic industries at the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site in Carnac, it is called "Colombanian" and is characterised by the coexistence of macro-tools on pebbles and a variety of small tools on flakes. As is often the case, the presence or absence of handaxes is a determining criterion to qualify a lithic assemblage as “Acheulean”. However, this categorial attribution loses all meaning when a technological analysis is conducted. Consequently, we used a techno-structural approach to illustrate the technological and functional variability of lithic artefacts from the early occupations of the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site (layers 5, 6 and 7). The application of the “chaîne opératoire” principle allowed us to reveal the processes and objectives of the lithic production system and to establish a homogeneous reading grid among the different pieces of the assemblage. We present here the data from our study which clearly shows that the "Colombanian" is no longer valid and that we need to initiate a change of definition. The lithic industry of the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site is dominated by the concept of flaking (débitage) represented by numerous cores and flake tools. The concept of shaping (façonnage) is illustrated by only two sandstone pebble tools. All this highlights the diversity and originality of the lithic technical systems of the Lower Palaeolithic of the Atlantic Armorican coastline.

Following the recovery of the collections from D. Berciu's excavations in Ceamurlia de Jos and Baia-Golovița, the lithic industries have been subject to a characterization of the materials and a technological and typological study. The exploitation focuses mainly on local materials cut on site, but the sites are integrated into the circulation networks of semi-finished products. The question of microlithism of Mesolithic origin is debated., Suite à la reprise des collection issues des fouilles de D. Berciu à Ceamurlia de Jos et Baia-Golovița, les industries lithiques ont fait l’objet d’une caractérisation des matériaux et d’une étude technologique et typologique. L’exploitation porte avant tout sur les matériaux locaux débités localement, mais les sites sont intégrés dans les réseaux de circulation de produits semi-finis. La question du microlithisme d’influence mésolithique est débattue.

This article presents an overview of lithic material from lateral pits of Early Neolithic dwelling units (Linear Pottery Culture or Rubane) in the Aisne Valley. The corpus of 17500 objects comes from 12 sites and about 90 houses dating to the later phase of the Rubane of the Seine (5100 - 4950 BCE). These sites have been excavated by a team of researchers from the UMR Trajectoires (CNRS-Paris I) from 1970 to the present day. The sites are hamlets typical for the period, with house plans made up of five parallel rows of posts with the internal space divided up by tierces. The Rubane period lasts only for a short period in the region and dates of very few houses overlap, making it easy to attribute the artefacts found in the lateral pits to specific domestic units. Our aim is to decipher the composition of the lithic assemblages of the LPC houses and to document the activities using the flint tools. We have been able to draw up the main characteristics of the LPC lithic industry from the technological study of the lithic material. The assemblages show a mix of several manufacturing and consumption chains. Different varieties of flint are present in all the houses, but regional materials are preferred for blade debitage (Campanian and Bartonian flint between 20 and 50 km south of the area). The Aisne valley is divided into three from east to west in terms of different materials are selected and used. In the easternmost sector, communities were mainly supplied with Turonian flint from the Ardennes to the east. This type of flint is hardly used in the central part of the valley, whereas it is massively used for expedient production in the western sector. Turonian flint blocks from the alluvium were knapped to provide the blanks for the splintered pieces. Blade debitage is predominant at all sites, and all houses show evidence of the blade debitage process. It is possible, however, that some houses, notably at Cuiry-lès-Chaudardes, may have been supplied with Campanian flint laminar products by other houses. The lithic assemblages from the pits show recurrent lack of evidence of certain steps in the blade debitage process as only some artefacts that were progressively discarded in the pits. In order to characterize the activities evidenced by the flint tools found in the lateral pits, 366 artefacts from 7 LPC houses were analysed for microwear. This study showed that part of the technical system is not found according to the tools and traces of use recorded and entire technical sections remain absent or are very little present, although they are documented from the point of view of production. The tools within each of the pits clearly show that they were grouped together according to very different activities such as subsistence and crafts even if most activities are documented in most houses. Hunting, harvesting, crafting of hides and plants, and working with hard and soft materials are activities shared by all of the houses analyzed.The composition of the tool assemblages is stable for this period in this region and we can therefore assume that this assemblage and the recurrence of dominant tools are typical of the activities that take place in and around the domestic unit. We have pinpointed two main locations. Tool finds indicate that the activities took place inside or near to the house, for example, hide processing (especially finishing activities). The same is true for drills, burins, splintered pieces or retouched blades and flakes, which indicate a whole range of activities in or near the house. Other tools refer to activities that cannot take place in or near the housing unit such as arrows and sickle blades used for hunting and harvesting.The remains of wild fauna found in the lateral pits pits: deer and wild boar and more rarely aurochs show that hunting did not take place in the hamlet and even in its immediate vicinity.The preponderance of blade debitage in the LPC lithic industry could be the technical response to the fact that most tools were hafted. The lack of tools that show evidence of different processing activities indicates that most of these activities actually took place near or beyond the domestic space and that the domestic unit, stricto sensu, was in fact the place where tools were maintained and repaired., Cet article présente la synthèse des études du mobilier lithique issu des fosses latérales qui bordent les parois des unités d'habitation du Néolithique ancien Rubané dans la vallée de l'Aisne. La séquence chronologique correspond à l'étape récente du Rubané de la Seine (5100-4950 cal. BP) et le corpus pris en compte rassemble 17 500 objets répartis dans 12 sites et environ 90 maisons. La problématique vise à décrypter la nature des assemblages lithiques des maisons rubanées et à documenter les activités représentées par les outils en silex. L'approche technologique permet de dresser les principales caractéristiques de l'industrie lithique rubanée. Le mobilier des fosses latérales correspond à un assemblage qui mixe différentes chaînes opératoires de fabrication et de consommation. Différents matériaux sont présents dans toutes les maisons, mais on observe une utilisation préférentielle pour les matériaux régionaux (20 à 50 km) pour le débitage des lames. L'échelle de la vallée de l'Aisne, il existe une tripartition d'est en ouest avec des différences importantes dans la sélection et le traitement des matières premières. L'échelle du site, il est possible que certaines maisons, notamment à Cuiry-lès-Chaudardes, aient pu être alimentées en produits laminaires par d'autres maisons. Néanmoins, la composition des assemblages lithiques des fosses montre des absences récurrentes de certaines étapes de la chaîne opératoire du débitage des lames et qu'il ne s'agit pas de rejets primaires, mais plutôt que les fosses sont le réceptacle d'objets progressivement rejetés. Afin de caractériser les activités dont témoignent les outils en silex présents dans les fosses latérales, 366 pièces en silex issues de 7 fosses latérales ont fait l'objet d'une analyse tracéologique. Le principal résultat est qu'une partie du système technique n'est pas retrouvée d'après les outils et les traces d'utilisation recensés. Des pans techniques entiers demeurent absents ou très peu présents alors qu'ils sont documentés du point de vue des productions. La prépondérance du débitage laminaire dans l'industrie lithique rubanée pourrait être la réponse technique à un outillage composite, c'est-à-dire emmanché. Les lacunes observées dans les différentes chaînes opératoires des activités recensées par les outils peuvent s'interpréter en postulant que la plupart de ces activités ont lieu en fait en marge ou au-delà de l'espace domestique au sens large et que l'unité domestique, stricto sensu, soit en fait le lieu d'entretien et de réparation des outils.

Northeastern Iran’s diverse climatic conditions, as well as its diverse geological structures and environments in its mountains, plains, and deserts, lent itself to human settlements over several historical periods. Hence, this part of the Iranian plateau is expected to lay bare many interesting facts about prehistoric humans in the Paleolithic era, due to its geographical location, situated between the Zagros and Central Asia. The discovery of the first traces of Mousterian culture in Khunik site touches off a series of Paleolithic studies in the last decade, giving credence to the presence of the middle Paleolithic communities in the region. This article examines the stone artifacts discovered in the region, which gives insight into the technical variety of the middle Paleolithic techniques. The tradition of stone tool manufacturing, for example, is well worth studying in the Jam plain. The middle Paleolithic settlers used the shaping technique in addition to the Levallois Knapping technique in order to manufacture their stone tools. Such discoveries suggest that, at least during the middle Paleolithic era, northeastern Iran housed groups of hunter - gatherer humans who practiced a variety of tool - manufacturing traditions.

International audience; The establishment of the Acheulean in Europe occurred after MIS 17, but it was after the harsh glaciation of MIS 12 and during the long interglacial of MIS 11 that human occupation of Western Europe became more sustained, with an increased number of sites. Menez-Dregan I (Brittany, France) is one of the key sites in Western Europe that dates from this threshold, with an alternating sequence of 16 occupation levels and four marine deposits, from MIS 12 to 8. The large lithic assemblages of more than 154,000 artifacts from knapping (cores, flakes) and shaping (macrotools and shaping flakes) show the varying use of raw materials and activities at the site through the sequence. This work focuses on the study of the handaxes and cleavers using technological and metrical methods with multivariate analysis, in combination with geometric morphometrics, and places these analyses within the context of other technological changes at the site. Collectively, results show the persistent use through the sequence of the same lithic raw materials and technologies, including fire use and the import of glossy sandstone from 20 km away, but with variation in activities at the site. These findings suggest that Menez-Dregan I shows the development of a specific material culture that reflects the local resources and environment. Results further indicate that the site shows the sustained hominin occupation of the area, despite varying climate and environment, with strong traditions of social learning that were maintained through flexibility of site use, deep understanding of the local territory, and the innovation of new technologies, such as the use of fire. Evidence from the site is placed within the wider context of Europe, and contrasted with areas to the north, such as Britain, where hominin occupation was more sporadic and driven by cyclical climate change.

International audience; This posthumously published theoretical text follows on from the round table organised by Anne Delagnes and Nicolas Teyssandier at Les Eyzies in 2006: "he laminar phenomenon in the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in Eurasia". Nicole Pigeot presented an introductory lecture and then prepared this text' finalized by her editors - for the publication of the proceedings of the round table, but they were not published. As for the figures, her editors have the PowerPoint figures designed by Nicole Pigeot to illustrate the conference and have decided to make almost all of them available to readers. Nevertheless, had the edition been completed, the author would clearly have taken more care with the illustrations and their consubstantial link with the writing of her very pictorial thought. For this reason, the publication of these slides has been deliberately dissociated from the present text. Through both of them, the reader will discover an important intellectual construction in the author's scientific journey. In the wake of her "Habilitation à diriger des recherches" (Pigeot, 1991a) and the resulting reference article (Pigeot, 1991b), and then her new reflections on the laminar debitage of Etiolles (Pigeot et al., 1991; Pigeot dir, 2004), we see here the full development of a genuine method - inspired in its logic by André Leroi-Gourhan's "degrees of fact" (1943) - to identify technical acts according to a systemic perspective, constantly promoted by Nicole Pigeot. In her view, this dynamic point of view protects against the all too frequent confusion between consequences and causes, the latter being so difficult to grasp in prehistory. It also provides the best way of distinguishing - at an advanced stage of research and not at the beginning! - the exact part of the cultural dimension in the "stratification of constraints" ("physical", "economic and functional", "cognitive", etc.: cf. Pigeot, 1991 a and b). Moreover, this approach, enriched by the work of the philosopher Georges Simondon (1958), opens up new perspectives - and this is the main point - on the evolution and the main stages of laminar techniques, and, for each of them, the "field of constraints and possibilities" (Pigeot, 1991b).In the background of this reflection on the evolution of techniques, the author distances herself completely from the fallacious equation according to which "laminar debitage = Upper Palaeolithic". This in no way dispenses with trying to understand what happened at the end of the Palaeolithic when blade production became so frequent compared to earlier periods. To do this, Nicole Pigeot begins by analysing the advantages of laminar debitage, without omitting the technical constraints linked to this type of operative concept. In order to study the parameters involved in the laminar objective, she begins by setting out the criteria for defining the blade by referring first to its basic appearance: a long, narrow and thin debitage product. A second level of analysis then focuses on understanding how the blade actually fits into a wider network of ramifications, revealing the essential role of recurrence, the cornerstone of productivity and standardisation. Given the multi-functional aspect of the interacting elements, we cannot simply infer the primary intention behind the choice of this type of debitage. This may be the result of a desire for length, or narrowness, or operative ease, or productivity, or standardisation, or several or all of these advantages "functioning" together.Nicole Pigeot then reminds us that laminar debitage is possible from the early periods of the Palaeolithic onwards, even with a "facial" management of cores (i.e., debitage on the largest surface). Such debitage with the hard hammers used during those periods entails numerous constraints, including sacrificing one or more of the intrinsic laminar qualities, in particular the operative ease induced by good recurrence, and also the elongation of the product, its regularity, its standardisation, as well as its productivity. At the beginning of the laminar lineage, the different parameters thus act for themselves, independently, which is in line with Georges Simondon's definition of the "abstract" technical object. Then, at the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic, it would seem that the conjunction of the use of the soft hammer (organic or mineral) with the conceptual opening towards "frontal" debitage (i.e., preferential exploitation of the small surface) offers a very new situation, where the laminar system conditions really fall into place. The ensuing operative and conceptual complexity involves a strong cultural codification with numerous possible solutions: there is obviously not only one type of laminar debitage in the Upper Palaeolithic. However, from the Aurignacian onwards, with the synergy of the different elements, the process begins to move towards what Simondon calls "concretisation". This will only be truly accomplished with the complete investment of the whole volume to be knapped, which is made possible by the debitage method with the indirect percussion and above all pressure. With these innovations, the knapper can obtain such regularity of the product that it sets up the optimal regularity of the following product, and so on. All the parameters interact synergistically and none of them can "work for itself" without "working for all". Length, narrowness, thinness, straightness, standardisation, productivity: all the parameters are now inseparable and each one contributes to the functioning of the others. The blade thus becomes the epiphenomenon of the laminar system. The retroaction cycle of recurrence is almost absolute and background noise of irregularity is almost inexistent. This is the complete definition of the final stage of a lineage according to Simondon. Perhaps at this stage we have reached a "hypertelic" technique, in the words of the philosopher, i.e., an exaggerated situation that becomes non-adapted in the event of the slightest change in the milieu? At this stage, the laminar lineage can no longer evolve: it is "saturated" in Simondon's words.; Suite à la conférence que Nicole Pigeot avait donnée à la table ronde organisée aux Eyzies par Anne Delagnes et Nicolas Teyssandier en 2006 : « Le phénomène laminaire au Paléolithique moyen et supérieur en Eurasie », elle prépara ensuite un article en vue des actes de la table ronde, mais ceux-ci ne virent pas le jour. La présente édition de ce texte est couplée à la mise en ligne des figures conçues par l'auteure pour accompagner sa conférence. Le résumé qui introduisait celle-ci synthétise l'essentiel de cette réflexion théorique prolongeant un précédent article de référence (Pigeot, 1991b) ; nous le reproduisons intégralement ici : "L'équation débitage laminaire = Paléolithique supérieur" est fallacieuse alors qu'elle reste souvent un arrière-plan paradigmatique fréquent. La documentation démontre pourtant que les débitages laminaires ne sont pas l'apanage de cette dernière période du Paléolithique ni des capacités cognitives des formes les plus modernes de notre humanité. On propose d'apporter ici une base de discussion à ce sujet en explicitant la définition du phénomène laminaire qui ne se résume pas à l'expression d'une complexité conceptuelle et économique de type "moderne". L'objet "lame" est l'épiphénomène des nombreux paramètres qui interviennent au carrefour de questions purement techniques (volumétriques et opératoires), économiques (en termes de productivité et d'objectif qualitatif), culturelles (choix entre des possibles), et bien évidemment cognitives (limitatives en amont des choix culturels) ".

Lithic-archaeological studies in the Peruvian Central Andes have faced an irregular development for more than four decades. Hence, current knowledge about prehistoric societies, is based on old data, and needs updating. In order to understand the current state of research, this paper presents a brief historical overview of lithic studies. With the propose of evidencing the need to carry out the importance of lithic studies in an integrated way, we present the results of two archaeological cases (one from south-central highlands: ~4.200-3.500 BP and another from the central coast: ~2.200-400 BP), using French technological approach. Thus, this contributes to a better understanding of (i) the methods and techniques of production, (ii) the use and management of the space, (iii) the identification of lithic sources and (iv) the exchange of lithic resources. Our aim is to define technocomplexes and to encourage lithic studies that take a holistic perspective of spatial-temporal dimension., Desde hace más de cuatro décadas, los estudios lítico-arqueológicos en los Andes Centrales peruanos afrontan un desarrollo inconstante. Como consecuencia, lo que conocemos sobre este aspecto en ciertas sociedades del pasado, está basado en viejos postulados no renovados. Este trabajo realiza una breve revisión historiográfica de dichos estudios líticos, con el fin de comprender el estado actual de las investigaciones. Con el propósito de evidenciar la necesidad de realizar estudios líticos sistémicos, exponemos los resultados de dos casos arqueológicos (uno de la sierra centro-sur: ~4.200-3.500 a.p. y otro de la costa central: ~2.200-400 a.p.), utilizando la metodología tecnológica francesa. Así, buscamos contribuir a (i) una mejor comprensión de métodos y técnicas de producción; (ii) al entendimiento del uso y construcción de espacios; (iii) a la identificación de fuentes de aprovisionamiento y (iv) al intercambio de recursos líticos. Nuestra finalidad es definir tecnocomplejos e impulsar estos estudios bajo una óptica holística de dimensión espacial-temporal.

Vorganjska peć važno je prapovijesno pećinsko nalazište smješteno na padini brda Organ iznad Batomlja kraj Baške na otoku Krku. Sredinom 20. stoljeća ovo, kao i druga pećinska nalazišta na kvarnerskim otocima, počinje istraživati Vladimir Mirosavljević. Zahvaljujući rezultatima njegovih istraživanja Vorganjska peć, zajedno s Jami na Sredi na otoku Cresu te Velom špiljom na otoku Lošinju, postaje značajan izvor podataka o neolitiku Kvarnera i time neizostavni dio rasprava o tome razdoblju na istočnojadranskoj obali. Kako istraživanja nikad nisu u cijelosti objavljena, revizijsko arheološko iskopavanje provedeno je kao provjera davno prikupljenih podataka o načinima korištenja špilje tijekom prapovijesti. Rezultati istraživanja dali su uvid u stratigrafski slijed intaktnih prapovijesnih arheoloških depozita s nalazima koji pripadaju razdoblju ranoga i srednjega neolitika. Analiza stratifikacije i prikupljenih pokretnih arheoloških nalaza doprinosi širenju uvida u kompleksne mehanizme procesa neolitizacije istočnoga Jadrana te govori o nedvojbenom informativnom i interpretativnom značenju ovoga nalazišta za razmatranja problematike sjevernojadranskoga neolitika., Vorganjska peć is an important prehistoric cave site located on the slope of Organ hill above Batomalj near Baška on the island of Krk. The research of this site, as well as other cave sites on Kvarner islands, was initiated by Vladimir Mirosavljević in the mid-twentieth century. As the result of his research, Vorganjska peć, alongside Jami na Sredi on the island of Cres and Vela špilja on the island of Lošinj, became a significant source of data about the Neolithic of the Kvarner region and thereby an essential part of discussions about this period on the eastern Adriatic coast. Since this research was never fully published, the site was re-excavated in order to review previously obtained data about the cave usage in prehistory. The research results provided insight into the stratigraphic sequence of intact prehistoric archaeological deposits with Early and Middle Neolithic finds. The analysis of stratification and artefacts contributes to our knowledge of complex mechanisms of neolithisation of the eastern Adriatic and confirms the undeniable informative and interpretative significance of the site in the studies of the northern Adriatic Neolithic.

International audience; The two exceptional sites of Pen Hat and Trez Rouz (Crozon Peninsula, Brittany), and that of Trégana (North of the Brest Harbour, Brittany) are rare owing to the preservation of Pleistocene formations dated by infrared stimulated luminescence, electron spin resonance and radiocarbon. They highlight the regional occurrence of periglacial cover sands from the MIS 6, and of a high marine level attributed to the MIS 9a. These three sites in Western Finistere are key-sites to determine the conditions of occupation of archaeological sites during the Middle Pleistocene. During late MIS 11, the men settled south-east of the relief of the Toulinguet point, in an area sheltered from the prevailing west and north winds on the shore of a lagoon, between two pebble spits, an outcrop for small flint pebbles. Human occupations are mainly observed at the end of the interglacial periods thanks to the preservation of sediments of high marine stands or of early marine regressions with some fast ice, allowing hunting’ possibilities on the just cleared sandy plains. Small and poorly prepared flakes with a single raw cutting-edge characterise this lithic series. Pen Hat toolkit appears atypical in the landscape of the Briton Lower Palaeolithic, especially known for its Large Cutting Tools of grained rocks (pebble tools and handaxes). Comparisons with the contemporaneous units of the Menez-Dregan reference site (layers 9 to 7) reveal some similarities. Nevertheless, it remains insufficient for a better inside the variability of the Lower Palaeolithic in Armorican lands. This suggests to explore another Middle Pleistocene sedimentary sequences with interesting archaeological potential, such as Pen Hat, Trez-Rouz and Trégana. If Pen Hat –Toulinguet represents clearly a key site and, for the moment, an atypical assemblage at a regional scale, its technology is seemingly coherent with the variability of the assemblages of the Lower European Palaeolithic.; Les deux sites exceptionnels de Pen Hat et de Trez Rouz (presqu’île de Crozon, Bretagne), et celui de Trégana (bordure nord de la rade de Brest, Bretagne), sont rares de par la préservation de formations du Pléistocène moyen datées par les méthodes de luminescence stimulée par infra-rouge, résonance de spin électronique et radiocarbone. La mise en évidence régionale de sables de couvertures périglaciaires du MIS 6 et d'un haut niveau marin attribué au MIS 9a sont d'une grande importance stratigraphique à l'échelle régionale. Ces trois sites permettent en outre de reconstituer les conditions d'occupation de sites archéologiques du Pleistocène moyen en Finistère ouest. A la fin du MIS 11, les hommes se sont implantés au sud-est du relief de la pointe du Toulinguet, dans un secteur abrité des vents d'ouest et de nord dominants en bordure d'une lagune, barrée par deux flèches en galets, une source d'approvisionnement en petits galets de silex. Les occupations par l'Homme sont surtout observées en fin d'interglaciaire pour raison de préservation de corps sédimentaires de haut niveau marin et de début de régression associés avec une banquise littorale, et avec une possibilité de chasse sur les plaines sableuses ainsi dégagées. L'industrie lithique se caractérise par la production faiblement prédéterminée de petits éclats de silex possédant un tranchant brut. L'industrie de Pen Hat apparaît atypique dans le paysage du Paléolithique inférieur breton, surtout connu pour ces pièces massives en roches grenues (galets aménagés et bifaces). Une comparaison avec les niveaux pénécontemporains du gisement-référence de Menez-Dregan (couches 9 à 7) révèle un certain nombre de similitudes mais reste cependant insuffisant pour mieux cerner la variabilité du Paléolithique inférieur en terres armoricaines. Cela invite à explorer d'autres séquences du Pléistocène moyen à potentiel archéologique intéressant, à l'instar de Pen Hat, Trez-Rouz et Trégana qui ont également livré des artéfacts. Si Pen Hat se présente comme un gisement clé et par certains aspects atypiques à l'échelle régionale, il s'inscrit à notre avis pleinement dans la variabilité des assemblages du Paléolithique inférieur européen.

The Middle Neolithic is the Neolithic period following the first settlements of the Early Neolithic. This period takes place chronologically between the middle of the 5th millennium BC and the middle of the 4th millennium BC in the south of France. This period saw the emergence of important networks for the exchange of raw materials (flint, obsidian, jadeite, quartz).At the centre of these networks, Provence thank to the Bedoulian flints deposit and sites related to his production. This raw material it’s exchange to a large distance, such as northern Italy, Catalonia, or the Swiss Plateau. Studying these exchanges means questioning the social relations inherent in the circulation of materials and know-how. This question will be study by a techno-economic approach to the lithic industry.The study combining statistical methods with a techno-economic approach, has made possible to define 5 chronological stages of the Southern Middle Neolithic. These results show importance of cultural contacts in the emergence of networks for the exchange of materials and techniques. The add of radiocarbon dating allow to study the evolution of the territories in the time.Provence appears as a technical catalyst area, with appearance of a certain number of innovations (pressure cutting, flint heating), thanks to contact with other cultural spheres during the 5th millennium BC. It is also in this region that funerary practices appeared, consisting of placing large Bedoulian flint blades in burials. These practices would later appear in Catalonia. These innovations were later imported over a vast territory from the Alps to the Pyrenees, until they formed a single technical complex in the 4th millennium BC.These results also made it possible to propose the hypothesis of the existence of several socio-geographical entities, and thus to highlight the importance of contact between human groups in the development of exchanges in the north-western Mediterranean.; El Neolítico Medio es el período que posterior a los primeros asentamientos del Neolítico Antiguo. Este período tiene lugar cronológicamente entre mediados del V y mediados del IV milenio a.C. en el Sureste de Francia. Es en este período, precisamente, cuando surgen importantes redes de intercambio de materias primas (sílex, obsidiana, jadeíta, cuarzo).En el centro de estas redes, el territorio de la Provenza ocupa un lugar especial, ya que es la región de procedencia del sílex Bedoulian. Los yacimientos y centros de producción documentados se encuentran en Vaucluse. Este sílex debió ser muy conocido, si tenemos en cuenta que se registra en yacimientos situados a varios cientos de kilómetros de distancia, caso del norte de Italia, Cataluña o la Meseta Suiza. Estudiar estos intercambios significa cuestionar las relaciones sociales, inherentes a la circulación de materias primas y a sus conocimientos. Por lo tanto, es a través de un enfoque tecno-económico de la industria lítica tallada que estas sociedades han sido analizadas.El estudio realizado en esta tesis, combinando métodos estadísticos con un enfoque tecno-económico, ha permitido definir 5 etapas cronológicas del Neolítico Medio. Estos resultados muestran que las zonas de contactos culturales pueden haber desempeñado un papel importante en la aparición de las redes de intercambio vinculadas a la circulación de materias y técnicas. Así, y gracias a la contribución de las dataciones por radiocarbono, la evolución de los territorios ha podido ser abordada.La Provenza aparece como un catalizador técnico que vio surgir un cierto número de innovaciones (talla a presión, tratamiento térmico del sílex), gracias al contacto con otras entidades culturales a lo largo del V milenio a.C. También es en esta región donde los inhumados enterrados en sepulturas suelen estar acompañados de grandes láminas de sílex de Bedoulian. Práctica que más tarde se repetirá en Cataluña. Estas innovaciones se importaron más tarde sobre un vasto territorio desde los Alpes hasta los Pirineos, hasta formar un único complejo técnico situado cronológicamente hacia el IV milenio a.C.Estos resultados también permitieron proponer la hipótesis de la existencia de varias entidades socio-geográficas, poniendo de relieve la importancia del contacto entre los grupos humanos en el desarrollo de los intercambios en el Mediterráneo noroccidental.; Le Néolithique moyen est la période du Néolithique faisant suite aux premiers établissements du Néolithique ancien. Cette période se place chronologiquement entre le milieu du 5e millénaire et le milieu du 4e millénaire avant notre ère dans le sud de la France. Cette période voit l’émergence de réseaux d’échanges de matières premières (silex, obsidienne, jadéite, quartz) importants.Au centre de ces réseaux, la Provence tient une place particulière puisque c’est la région de provenance des silex bédouliens, dont les gisements et les sites producteurs sont localisés dans le Vaucluse. Cette matière va connaitre un certain succès et va au cours du temps atteindre des régions lointaines de plusieurs centaines de kilomètres, comme l’Italie septentrionale, la Catalogne ou encore le Plateau suisse. Étudier ces échanges revient à questionner les relations sociales inhérentes à la circulation des matières et des savoir-faire. C’est donc par une approche technoéconomique de l’industrie lithique taillée que ces sociétés vont être abordées.L’étude menée ici couplant des méthodes statistiques à une approche technoéconomique a permis de définir 5 étapes chronologiques du Néolithique moyen méridional et ainsi d’étudier ces industries lithiques dans leur diachronie. Ces résultats montrent que les zones de contacts culturels ont pu jouer un rôle important dans l’émergence de réseaux d’échanges de matières et de techniques. Ainsi, grâce à l’apport des datations radiocarbones, l’évolution des territoires a pu être abordée étape par étape.La Provence apparait ainsi comme un catalyseur technique qui a vu apparaitre un certain nombre d’innovations (débitage par pression, chauffe du silex), grâce au contact avec d’autres sphères culturelles au cours du 5e millénaire avant notre ère. C’est également dans cette région qu’apparaissent des pratiques funéraires, consistant à déposer des grandes lames en silex bédoulien dans des sépultures, pratiques qui vont ensuite apparaitre en Catalogne. Ces innovations s’importeront par la suite sur un vaste territoire des Alpes aux Pyrénées, jusqu’à ne former qu’un seul complexe technique au cours du 4e millénaire avant notre ère.Ces résultats ont également permis de proposer l’hypothèse de l’existence de plusieurs entités sociogéographiques, et ainsi de mettre en avant l’importance du contact entre groupes humains dans le développement des échanges dans le nord-ouest de la Méditerranée.; Il Neolitico medio è il periodo del Neolitico successivo ai primi insediamenti del Neolitico antico. Nel Sud della Francia, questo periodo si colloca cronologicamente tra il V millennio a.C. la metà del IV millennio a.C.. In questo periodo si sviluppa un importante sistema di scambi di materie prime (selce, ossidiana, giadeite, quarzo) sulle lunghe distanze.Al centro di questo sistema si colloca la Provenza, dove si trovano i principi giacimenti e i siti di produzione di selce bedoulian, localizzati nel Vaucluse. Durante il Neolitico medio, questa materia prima diviene importante e si diffonde nell’Italia settentrionale, nella Catalogna e sull’Altopiano svizzero. Lo studio di questi scambi, permette di interrogarsi sulle relazioni sociali che interessano la circolazione delle materie prime e delle tecniche. È dunque attraverso un approccio tecno-economico dell’industria litica che bisogna approcciarsi a queste società.Lo studio qui condotto, che congiunge i metodi statistici all’approccio tecno-economico, ha permesso la definizione di cinque fasi cronologiche del Neolitico medio meridionale e lo studio diacronico dell’industria litica. I risultati dimostrano che le aree di contatto culturale possono aver giocato un ruolo importante nella nascita dei sistemi di scambio delle materie prime e delle tecniche durante il V millennio a.C.. Inoltre, grazie all’apporto delle datazioni al radiocarbonio, si è potuto affrontare l’evoluzione dei territori fase dopo fase.La Provenza si configura come un catalizzatore di tecnologie che ha visto la nascita di una certo numero d’innovazioni (scheggiatura per pressione, riscaldamento della selce) grazie ai contatti con altre sfere culturali nel corso del V millennio a.C.. È in questa stessa regione che si manifestano delle pratiche cultuali che consistono nel deporre delle grandi lame di selce bedoulian nelle sepolture. Pratiche che successivamente appariranno in Catalogna. In un secondo momento, queste innovazioni saranno esportate su un vasto territorio compreso tra le Alpi e i Pirenei, fino a costituire un unico complesso di tecnologie nel corso del IV millennio a.C..Questi risultati hanno permesso inoltre di ipotizzare l’esistenza di diverse entità socio-geografiche, e di sottolineare l’importanza del contatto tra gruppi umani nello sviluppo degli scambi nel Nord-Ovest del Mediterraneo.

International audience; The recently reported discovery of cultural evidence at Chiquihuite Cave (Zacatecas, Mexico), produced by humans of at least 26,500 calendar years ago, is a major advance in research into early human occupations in the Americas. Thirteen of the 239 lithic artifacts recovered from the SC-C stratigraphic component, dated during and before the Last Glacial Maximum, are illustrated in Ardelean et al. (2020. “Evidence of Human Occupation in Mexico around the Last Glacial Maximum.” Nature 584: 87–92). Although waiting for more detailed technological studies, these types of artifacts have been reported in other sites, primarily in South America. The field evidence from sites predating the Last Glacial Maximum must now be included in all interpretations of the initial settlement of the Americas.

At the heart of this work lies an analysis of a stratified sequence of three Magdalenian occupations: the D71 units at Étiolles (Essonne). The exceptional configuration of these units allows us to advance the hypothesis of their reoccupation by one Magdalenian band, perhaps even a single family, over the course of a few years. The comparative study of these three successive occupations allows us to broach behavioural variability at three scales: that of cultural mutations during the Late Glacial, already explored in depth via the palaeohistoric approach; that of the discrete nuances that appear at the level of individuals, which falls within the palaeosociological domain; and, most of all, that which operates within a cultural group and shifts as a function of differing occupational circumstances. This intermediary scale is rarely accessible for these time periods, but it allows us to distinguish between behavioural variability of a cultural nature from circumstantial variability. These three scales of variability are put into perspective here through two research axes: on the one hand, the technological analysis of stone knapping sequences, and on the other, the reconstitution of the activities, the operation, and the function of each occupational unit, which is made possible by the significant preservation of the occupation floors. The results of these analyses form the basis of a broader discussion, touching upon both the diversity of blade production methods during the Magdalenian, and the use of space within nomadic hunter-gatherer campsites., Le cœur de ce travail est formé par l’analyse d’une séquence stratifiée de trois occupations magdaléniennes : les unités d’occupation D71, à Étiolles (Essonne). La configuration exceptionnelle de ces unités d’occupation permet de proposer l’hypothèse d’une réoccupation par une même bande de Magdaléniens, voire par une même famille, à l’échelle de quelques années. L’étude com- parée des vestiges de chacun des trois séjours successifs de ces individus permet par conséquent d’aborder la variabilité des comportements préhistoriques à trois échelles : celle, déjà largement explorée via une démarche dite paléohistorique, des mutations culturelles du Tardiglaciaire ; celle des nuances discrètes entre les comportements de chaque individu, propre aux approches paléosociologiques ; celle, surtout, qui opère au sein d’un même groupe culturel, au gré des cir- constances de chaque occupation. C’est cette échelle intermédiaire qui nous est rarement accessible pour ces périodes anciennes, et qui permet de distinguer, au sein de la variabilité des com- portements, celle d’ordre culturel de celle plus circonstancielle. Ces trois échelles de variabilité sont mises en perspective à travers deux axes de travail : d’une part, l’analyse technologique des chaînes opératoires de taille, et d’autre part la reconstitution des activités, du fonctionnement, et de la fonction de chaque unité d’occupation, permise par la grande qualité de préservation des sols d’occupation. Les résultats de cette étude constituent la base d’une discussion plus large, à la fois sur la diversité des méthodes de débitage laminaire au Magdalénien et sur les modes d’occupation dans les campements de chasseurs-cueilleurs nomades.

In 2015, a large rescue excavation to the north of Auxerre led to the discovery of Mousterian occupations in the Appoigny district, within colluvial deposits covering a large paleochannel at the top of the middle terrace of the Yonne. The archaeologists recovered a large, well-preserved lithic assemblage with no other artifact types. A techno-typological analysis confirmed the homogeneity of this assemblage in terms of flaking methods (mostly Levallois), production objectives (elongated, quadrangular and triangular blanks), and retouched tools (tool types, retouch types, selected blanks, etc.). In addition to this “technical and stylistic” consistency, this assemblage corresponds to an economic facies that is rare at open-air sites. The techno-economic analysis revealed a dominant consumption facies associated with a spatio-temporal ramification and fabrication of the chaînes opératoires. While flaking activities did occur at the site, they are not frequent. On the contrary, a large percentage of the Levallois products was imported to the site along with cortical products and perhaps a few nodules to be used as matrices for occasional flaking as needed. A large number of retouched pieces was also imported to the site. The high proportion of imported pieces and finished products (full-debitage blanks and tools stricto sensu) indicates they were used during a short-term occupation for specialized activities, probably related to hunting, as indicated by a functional analysis. From a typo-technological perspective, and based on regional comparisons, the assemblage can be attributed to a Mousterian Levallois techno-complex with a laminar component, scrapers, and a few bifaces. This assemblage is thus similar to those found in Sénonais and attributed to the end of the Early Weichselian and the North-West techno-complex. This Mousterian assemblage could thus be associated with one or several occupations at the end of Marine Isotope Stage 5. Based on the stratigraphic data and luminescence dates, however, these occupations could be more recent and closer to Marine Isotope Stage 3., Une vaste fouille préventive réalisée au nord d’Auxerre en 2015 a permis la découverte d’occupations moustériennes sur lacommune d’Appoigny au sein de dépôts colluviaux couvrant un large paléochenal inscrit au toit de la moyenne terrasse de l’Yonne. Ellesont livré une riche série lithique, à l’exclusion de tout autre mobilier, dont l’approche taphonomique atteste son bon état de conservation.L’analyse techno-typologique de la série a mis en avant une forte cohérence de l’ensemble recueilli, tant au niveau des concepts dedébitage mis en oeuvre (essentiellement Levallois) que des objectifs de production (produits allongés quadrangulaires et triangulaires) ouencore du panel d’outils retouchés (type d’outils, style de retouche, supports sélectionnés…). Au-delà de cette homogénéité « techniqueet stylistique », la série se démarque par un faciès économique peu fréquent en plein air. En effet, l’analyse techno-économique met enévidence un faciès de consommation dominant associé à une ramification et une fragmentation spatio-temporelle des chaînes opératoires.Si des activités de débitage ont bien eu lieu sur site, elles ne sont pas dominantes, une part importante de la production Levalloisayant été introduite sur site accompagnée de produits corticaux et peut-être de quelques blocs, en tant que matrices destinées à un débitaged’appoint. Une forte composante de pièces retouchées a également été introduite sur site. L’import massif et la forte représentativitéde cet ensemble de produits finis (supports de plein débitage et outillage stricto sensu) impliquent une utilisation au cours du séjour surle site, dans le cadre d’activités probablement spécialisées, probablement d’ordre cynégétique comme le suggère l’approche fonctionnelle.D’un point de vue typo-technologique, et sur la base de comparaisons régionales, l’ensemble peut être rattaché à un technocomplexemoustérien Levallois à composante laminaire, à racloirs et rares bifaces, proche de ceux mis en avant en Sénonais au cours de la findu Weichsélien ancien et rapprochés du techno-complexe du Nord-Ouest. La série moustérienne pourrait alors être rapportée à uneou plusieurs occupations de la fin du stade isotopique 5. Sur la base des données stratigraphiques et des datations par luminescence,ces occupations pourraient être cependant plus récentes, plus proches du stade isotopique 3.

International audience; The establishment of the Acheulean in Europe occurred after MIS 17, but it was after the harsh glaciation of MIS 12 and during the long interglacial of MIS 11 that human occupation of western Europe became more sustained, with an increased number of sites. Menez-Dregan I (Brittany, France) is one of the key sites in western Europe that dates from this threshold, with an alternating sequence of 16 occupation levels and four marine deposits, from MIS 12 to 8. The large lithic assemblages of over 154,000 artifacts from knapping (cores, flakes) and shaping (macro-tools and shaping flakes) show the varying use of raw materials and activities at the site through the sequence. This work focuses on the study of the handaxes and cleavers using technological and metrical methods with multivariate analysis, in combination with geometric morphometrics, and places these analyses within the context of other technological changes at the site. Collectively, results show the persistent use through the sequence of the same lithic raw materials and technologies, including fire-use and the import of glossy sandstone from 20 km away, but with variation in activities at the site. These findings suggest that Menez-Dregan I shows the development of a specific material culture that reflects the local resources and environment. Results further indicate that the site shows the sustained hominin occupation of the area, despite varying climate and environment, with strong traditions of social learning that were maintained through flexibility of site-use, deep understanding of the local territory and the innovation of new technologies, such as the use of fire. Evidence from the site is placed within the wider context of Europe, and contrasted with areas to the north, such as Britain, where hominin occupation was more sporadic and driven by cyclical climate change.

International audience; The northwestern part of Saudi Arabia, being still widely unexplored, is a crucial area to document and understand dispersals and peopling of the Arabian Peninsula by the genus Homo on its way to other parts of Eurasia. We present here the preliminary results of a short survey conducted in 2019 in the vicinity of the modern town of Al-Badʾ, northwestern Saudi Arabia. The lithics from three surface sites, which are located at the foot and slopes of a small jebel of the Al-Rughāmah Mountains present technologically characteristic traits that match other various Middle Palaeolithic industries found across the Arabian Peninsula. The presence of hand-axes and other heavy-weathered artefacts may also indicate an earlier occupation of the region, possibly during the Lower Palaeolithic. The short description of these three newly discovered sites contributes to the growing dataset of Palaeolithic presence in Arabia.

New World archaeologists have amply demonstrated that fluted point technology is specific to Terminal Pleistocene American cultures. Base-fluted, and rarer tip-fluted, projectile points from the Americas have been well-documented by archaeologists for nearly a century. Fluting is an iconic stone tool manufacturing method and a specific action that involves the extraction of a channel flake along the longitudinal axis of a bifacial piece. Here we report and synthesize information from Neolithic sites in southern Arabia, demonstrating the presence of fluting on a variety of stone tool types including projectile points. Fluted projectile points are known from both surface sites and stratified contexts in southern Arabia. Fluting technology has been clearly identified at the Manayzah site (Yemen) dating to 8000–7700 cal. BP. Examination of fluted points and channel flakes from southern Arabia enable a reconstruction of stone tool manufacturing techniques and reduction sequences (chaines opératoires). To illustrate the technological similarities and contrasts of fluting methods in Arabia and the Americas, comparative studies and experiments were conducted. Similarities in manufacturing approaches were observed on the fluting scars of bifacial pieces, whereas technological differences are apparent in the nature and localization of the flute and, most probably, the functional objective of fluting in economic, social and cultural contexts. Arabian and American fluted point technologies provide an excellent example of convergence of highly specialized stone tool production methods. Our description of Arabian and American fluting technology demonstrates that similar innovations and inventions were developed under different circumstances, and that highly-skilled and convergent production methods can have different anthropological implications. Introduction: The fluting method and its aims - Fluting as a flintknapping method - Why flute? Geographic distribution of the fluting method across the world - Fluting in the New World - Fluting in the Old World? The fluting method in South Arabia: From isolated discoveries to a new tradition in tool-making - First discoveries in Arabia Fluted points from Manayzah (Yemen) - Dating fluted points at Manayzah - Chaine opératoire of fluting from Manayzah Fluted points from Ad-Dahariz 2, Oman - The Ad-Dahariz 2 site and its lithic assemblage - Fluted and unfluted trihedral points: Morphology and metrics Lithic experiments on Arabian fluting technology - Experimental aims - Main morpho-technical characteristics of archaeological points from Manayzah and Ad-Dahariz - Experimental procedures - Experimental results - Determining detachment techniques for channel flakes: Comparison between archaeological and experimental data Discussion - Function, level of expertise and cultural transmission - Convergent evolution of the fluting method in the Americas and Arabia - Interpretation of fluting in South Arabia Conclusion

Northern France and the Near East play and have played a central role in the debate around the Lower Paleolithic (LP) to Middle Paleolithic (MP) boundary. In the early 1990s, the renewed Saalian record for Northern France began to outline a mosaic model of the LP-to-MP transition-mainly based on Tuffreau's works. It implied the coexistence of Upper Acheulean assemblages (numerous bifaces with few standardized retouched flakes), 'Epi-Acheulean' assemblages (rare bifaces and diversified retouched flakes), and Mousterian assemblages (Levalloisian industries) during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8-6 period. Since the 2000s, the discovery of new key sites and enhanced field and laboratory methods are challenging this model. We present first a brief historical summary of previous approaches to the LP to MP boundary in Northern France. A large data set of Saalian archaeological units available from previous works has been updated and expanded to include additional sites. This allows us to demonstrate that the current Saalian record from Northern France is both rich and sparse as it is heterogeneously biased through time and space and that these biases limit the accuracy of any attempt to model the LP-to-MP transition. Nevertheless, we describe the differences between pre-MIS 9 and MIS 9 and MIS 8-6 records for lithic industries and discuss whether the current periodization is still relevant considering new data on technological, behavioral, and cultural changes. The comparison between Northern France and Near Eastern records allows regional cultural patterns to be distinguished from global trends in lithic trajectories of change and determination of how they slotted together. Our review of the available data from these two distant regions confirms that the LP-to-MP transition is probably one of the major cultural shifts in human evolution.

International audience; The late Mousterian open-air site of Bout-des-Verges was the subject of large-scale rescue excavations between 2012 and 2103 that yielded evidence for the spatial organisation of particular techno-typological elements amongst the 900 lithics recovered from the site. Three knapping concentrations in the southwest sector of the site produced two-thirds of the overall lithic assemblage, the remaining pieces were found scattered across the excavated area. Our techno-economic analysis of the Bout-des-Verges assemblage revealed clear differences in terms of raw material economy and artefact transport patterns between the dominant discoidal component and the larger, imported bifaces and Levallois flakes. Refitted reduction sequences and our spatial analysis confirm the three lithic concentrations to be contemporaneous and, by extension, to form part of a single Mousterian occupation with multiple technological components. The majority of discoidal products produced on the site were exported for future use, while the imported bifaces and Levallois scrapers with longer use-lives were transported multiple times by Neanderthal groups.

International audience

Objectifs et principaux résultats de la mission de terrain 2019 Valle Giumentina est un gisement des Abruzzes du Paléolithique ancien et moyen en plein air, connu grâce aux travaux approfondis des années 1950 menés par le préhistorien A. M. Radmilli et le géographe J. Demangeot. Sept horizons archéologiques avaient été mis au jour en contexte globalement lacustre, à la faveur d’une ravine profonde qui a incisé les dépôts du Pléistocène jusqu’à 25 m de profondeur. Les recherches pluridisciplin...

The long archeological sequence exposed during our renewed excavations in Hayonim Cave sheds new light on the striking technological changes observed at the boundary between the Acheulo-Yabrudian (end of the Lower Paleolithic) and Early Middle Paleolithic in the Levant, as well as on their meaning in terms of population movements. The recent, as yet unpublished, technological studies highlight a clear technological break between these two entities. In Hayonim, the Acheulo-Yabrudian assemblages found at the bottom of the archeological sequence display the specific combination of bifacial shaping and the production of thick, often cortical, flakes frequently shaped into scrapers by Quina retouch. Neither of these lithic production systems is observed in the succeeding Levantine Middle Paleolithic assemblages. In contrast, the Early Middle Paleolithic is characterized by the expansion and diversification of the Levallois production system in its full-fledged form, the emergence of a specific Laminar technology, and a high proportion of retouched tools made on elongated blanks (points and blades). These technological features are unknown in the previous Acheulo-Yabrudian assemblages in the cave. Based on this information, we attempt to determine if the observed changes in stone tool production strategies resulted from an autochthonous development or a dispersal out of Africa.

International audience; 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.

International audience; The Sauveterrian represents one of the main cultural aspects of the Early Mesolithic in Europe. Its recognition in southern France by L. Coulonge dates back to the beginning of last century. During the 1970s it was also identified in northeastern Italy (Adige Valley) by A. Broglio and some years later in Tuscany. In spite of these early attributions only a few works – essentially applying a typological approach – have attempted to compare the lithic complexes from northern Italy and southern France.By applying a techno-economic analysis to a broad set of assemblages distributed across northern Italy and southern France, a synthesis of Sauveterrian lithic technical systems has been attempted. This has made it possible to identify the general objectives of debitage and the reduction sequences applied by Sauveterrian groups along with some broad evolutionary trends over time. According to this technological perspective the same conceptual schemes are attested in the two regions. Incidentally, certain specific traits – both stylistic and technical – have also been recognized, especially in the production of microliths, which are possibly related to regional adaptations. The key to the success of the Sauveterrian lithic technical systems, which also permitted extensive occupation of the entire territory considered, is recognized here in all its versatility.

Article dans une revue; International audience; Seit fast 90 Jahren ist das Hoabinhian ein wichtiges Thema der prähistorischen Forschung auf dem südostasiatischen Festland. Ihre Variabilität in Bezug auf die lithischen Assemblagen ist jedoch noch wenig erforscht, da nur eine begrenzte Anzahl von Fundstellen unter technologischen Gesichtspunkten analysiert wurde. Diese Variabilität ist zu erwarten, wenn man bedenkt, dass das Hoa-Binhian eine Zeitspanne von mehr als 30.000 Jahren abdeckt, eine breite Region, die sich vom gebirgigen Südwesten Chinas bis zur Insel Indonesien erstreckt und verschiedene subtropische bis tropische Umgebungen umfasst. In dieser Untersuchung stellen wir die Variabilität der Hoabinhian-Werkzeuge in der Moh Khiew-Höhle in Südthailand vor. Im Gegensatz zu anderen "typischen" Hoabinhian-Fundstellen in dieser Region wird die Hoabinhian-Lithensammlung (~11.000-9000 BP) von Moh Khiew von einfacialen Butzen und einfacialen Platten auf breiten/mittleren und dicken Platten dominiert und umfasst somit eine gemischte Abfolge (Operationskette) von Debitage und Formgebungsmethoden. An der Fundstelle wurden keine klassischen Sumatralith-Werkzeuge gefunden, die im Allgemeinen auf Flusskieseln hergestellt werden und als Markenzeichen des Hoabinhian gelten. Ein weiterer herausragender Werkzeugtyp ist der Faustkeil, der auf Platten oder Schieferblöcken hergestellt wird, andere Arten von Schneidwerkzeugen sind Hack- und Schlitzwerkzeuge usw. In Anbetracht der Herstellungsmethoden von Unifaces und Butzen, ihrer ausgeprägten volumetrischen Strukturen und der Koexistenz von Unifaces mit anderen Arten von geformten Werkzeugen unterscheidet sich die lithische Ansammlung von Moh Khiew von anderen Hoabinhian-Fundstellen und könnte eine lokale Variante des Hoabinhian in dieser Region Südwestthailands darstellen.; The Hoabinhian has been a major topic in prehistoric research in Mainland Southeast Asia fornearly 90 years. However, its variability in terms of lithic assemblages is still poorly understood, as a limited number of sites have been analyzed from a technological perspective. This variability is to be expected, considering that the Hoabinhian covers a timespan of more than 30,000 years, a wide region extending from mountainous south-western China to insular Indonesia and diversified sub-tropical to tropical environments. In this research, we present the variability of Hoabinhian tools at the site of Moh Khiew Cave in Southern Thailand. Unlike other ‘typical’-Hoabinhian sites discovered in this region, the Hoabinhian lithic assemblage (~11,000–9000 BP) at Moh Khiew is dominated by unifacially shaped limaces and unifaces, on large/medium and thick flakes, and thus involves a mixed operational sequence (chaîne opératoire) of debitage and shaping methods. No classic sumatralith tools were found in the site, which are usually made on river cobbles and considered to be the hallmark of the Hoabinhian. Another exceptional tool type is the biface, made on shale slabs or blocks, other cutting tool types include chopper-chopping-tools and flake tools, etc. In view of the production methods of unifaces and limaces, their distinct volumetric structures, and the co-existence of unifaces with other shaped tool types; the Moh Khiew lithic assemblage is different from other Hoabinhian sites, and may represent a local variant of the Hoabinhian in this region of southwestern Thailand.; Depuis près de 90 ans, le Hoabinhien est un sujet majeur de la recherche préhistorique en Asie du Sud-Est continentale. Cependant, sa variabilité en termes d'assemblages lithiques est encore mal comprise, car un nombre limité de sites ont été analysés d'un point de vue technologique. Cette variabilité est à prévoir, si l'on considère que le Hoa-binhien couvre un intervalle de temps de plus de 30 000 ans, une large région s'étendant du sud-ouest montagneux de la Chine à l'Indonésie insulaire et des environnements diversifiés subtropicaux à tropicaux. Dans cette recherche, nous présentons la variabilité des outils hoabinhiens sur le site de la grotte de Moh Khiew dans le sud de la Thaïlande. Contrairement aux autres sites hoabinhiens " typiques " découverts dans cette région, l'assemblage lithique hoabinhien (~11 000-9000 BP) de Moh Khiew est dominé par des limaces et unifaces de forme unifaciale, sur des flakes larges/moyens et épais, et implique donc une séquence opérationnelle mixte (chaîne op'eratoire) de débitage et de méthodes de façonnage. Aucun outil classique de sumatralith n'a été trouvé sur le site, qui sont généralement fabriqués sur des galets de rivière et considérés comme la marque de fabrique du Hoabinhien. Un autre type d'outil exceptionnel est le biface, fabriqué sur des dalles ou des blocs de schiste, d'autres types d'outils coupants comprennent des outils de hachage et de flake, etc. Au vu des méthodes de production des unifaces et des limaces, de leurs structures volumétriques distinctes, et de la coexistence des unifaces avec d'autres types d'outils façonnés ; l'assemblage lithique de Moh Khiew est différent des autres sites hoabinhiens, et peut représenter une variante locale du Hoabinhien dans cette région du sud-ouest de la Thaïlande.; Per quasi 90 anni, l'Hoabinhian è stato al centro della ricerca preistorica nel sud-est asiatico continentale. Tuttavia, la sua variabilità in termini di assemblaggi litici è ancora poco compresa, poiché un numero limitato di siti è stato analizzato dal punto di vista tecnologico. Questa variabilità è da aspettarsi, considerando che l'Hoa-Binhian copre un arco di tempo di più di 30.000 anni, una vasta regione che si estende dal sud-ovest della Cina montuosa all'isola Indonesia e diversi ambienti subtropicali e tropicali. In questa ricerca, presentiamo la variabilità degli strumenti Hoabinhian nel sito Moh Khiew Cave nel sud della Thailandia. A differenza di altri siti hoabiniani "tipici" trovati in questa regione, l'assemblaggio litico hoabiniano (~11.000-9000 BP) a Moh Khiew è dominato da lumache unifacciali e unifacciali, su scaglie larghe/medie e spesse, e quindi comporta una sequenza operativa mista (catena op'eratoria) di debitage e metodi di modellazione. Nel sito non sono stati trovati strumenti sumatraliti classici, che sono generalmente realizzati su ciottoli di fiume e considerati il segno distintivo dell'Hoabinhiano. Un altro tipo di utensile eccezionale è il bifacciale, fatto su lastre o blocchi di scisto, altri tipi di utensili da taglio includono strumenti di taglio e flake, ecc. In considerazione dei metodi di produzione delle unifacce e delle lumache, delle loro distinte strutture volumetriche e della coesistenza di unifacce con altri tipi di utensili sagomati, l'assemblaggio litico di Moh Khiew è diverso dagli altri siti hoabiniani e può rappresentare una variante locale dell'hoabiniano in questa regione della Thailandia sud-occidentale.

La fouille du site de Nunalleq (GDN-248) en territoire yup’ik a révélé une succession d’au moins trois niveaux allant vers 1570-1630 après J.C. à 1645–1675 après J.C. correspondant à plusieurs phases de construction et d’habitation d’une maison semi-souterraine de l’époque précontact du village historiquement appelé Agaligmiut. Les occupations du site s’inscrivent dans le cadre historique des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, et le dernier niveau concerne justement la destruction et l’abandon du village après un raid par un groupe extérieur. Cette étude se focalise sur l’outillage en pierre, et plus précisément sur les pointes de projectiles. Il s’agit donc d’étudier cette période de conflits à travers un des types d’outils ayant justement servi à ce conflit : les armatures de flèches. L’étude de ce matériel a permis de mieux comprendre le déroulement de l’attaque qui a conduit à la destruction et l’abandon du village, ainsi que certains aspects de la période des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, qui demeure relativement peu connue d’un point de vue archéologique., The excavation of the Nunalleq site (GDN-248), located in Yup’ik territory, revealed a succession of at least three phases ranging from c. A.D. 1570-1630 to c. A.D. 1645-1675 corresponding to several phases of construction and habitation of a sod dwelling dating from the pre-contact period of the historical village known as Agaligmiut. The occupation of the site takes place during the Bow-and-Arrow Wars, and the last phase actually corresponds to the destruction and abandonment of the village after a raid by an outside group. This study focuses on stone tools, and more specifically on projectile points. The objective is therefore to study this period of conflicts through one of the types of tools having served precisely to this conflict: the arrow points (end-blades). The study of these artifacts helped to better understand the course of the attack that led to the destruction and abandonment of the village, as well as some aspects of the period of the Bow-and-Arrow Wars, which remains relatively unknown from an archaeological point of view.

International audience; The beginning of the Middle Palaeolithic in Western Europe is traditionally associated with the emergence of new, more complex and standardised debitage technologies, such as Levallois technology. These changes occurred in the archaeological record between MIS 9 and MIS 6. This paper aims to evaluate the processes of technical change at work in Southern France, tracking innovations and persistent behaviours and potential shifts, to describe the process of transition and compare the Southeast and Southwest of France. We revised several major sites from Ardèche and Dordogne through the technological analysis of seven lithic assemblages in areas rich in good-quality raw materials, mostly flint. Technological analysis shows common features in lithic strategies and industries that can all be attributed to the Early Middle Palaeolithic. The features are a diversity of debitage methods and spatiotemporal management of the chaînes opératoires (ramification and artefact mobility). At the same time, algorithmic methods (Système par Surface de Débitage Alternées: SSDA) continue to be used, in the same way as large cutting tools (LCTs), although they are rare (pebble tools, bifaces and ‘mixed matrices’). These LCTs are persistent technologies from the Acheulean technocomplex. Gradual mosaic-type changes in the lithic record are particularly well demonstrated through the sequence of Orgnac 3, where a local onset of Levallois technologies appears to occur. Both in the Southeast and Southwest of France, the Lower to Middle Palaeolithic transition records gradual and asynchronous behavioural changes as early as MIS 9 to MIS 6. These shifts are not only due to increased hominin cognition. Abilities of human groups to adapt to diversified environments and regional cultural processes may also have played a key role. Several lithic technocomplexes coexisted between MIS 9 and 6 in these two areas and although differences in local strategies are obvious, similar trajectories towards MP behaviour can be detected.

International audience; The field works conducted since 2009 in the sub-Himalayan palaeontological Quranwala zone at Masol, Siwaliks, Northwestern India, has enabled us to collect fossil bones with cut marks and stone tools in quartzite (Human origins in the Indian sub-continent, dir. A. Dambricourt Malassé, Palevol, 2016, 15, 3-4: 279-452). The layers composed of sands and silts are visible on and around the dome of an anticline tilted by the tectonics and gullied by the monsoon rainfall. The fossil assemblage known since the 1960s is characteristic of the late Upper Pliocene in Northwestern India (e.g. Hipparion-Equus, Stegodon-Elephas, Merycopotamus) and the paleontological deposits are clearly below the Gauss-Matuyama Reversal (> 2.588 Ma, in Ranga Rao 1993). Our field works have recorded 12 localities in the deepest fossiliferous layers where cut marks are in association with other bones and artifacts: choppers, flakes, anvils, hammerstones and rare cores. These artifacts have been collected only on the fossiliferous layers (40 meters thick), while erosion affects all the cliffs (170 meters thick). We have checked the normal polarity. The first tool in situ has been excavated in 2017 at Masol 1 on the summit of the anticline, this locality, 450 m long x 50 m width, had provided 387 fossils and 23 artifacts. The new artifact was 50 meters far from cut-marks and in the same silty horizon. These silts referenced c3 in our lithostratigraphic log are 3 meters thick. An excavation was carried out mainly to study the mineralogy and verify the homogeneity of the silts. The mineralogical analyses confirm the lack of disturbance or secondary deposits while the paleomagnetism of the silts c3 measured in the vicinity of the excavation, put in light an excursion dated between 2.62 Ma and 2.95 Ma (Chapon Sao et al. submitted). The dating of Masol 1 is in progress by Electron Spin Resonance. The tool is a split quartzite pebble, obtained by the bipolar-on-anvil technique, then shaped by removals from its edge. The result is a unifacial chopper (91 x 75 x 30 mm). The industry of the fossiliferous localities is very homogeneous and does not match neither with the Middle Pleistocene Soanian known in the Siwaliks nor with the Oldowan known in Africa at the very beginning of the Pleistocene. On the other hand, a comparison with the lithic assemblages described at this same period in China, allows us to conclude to a great similarity between the Masol and the Longgupo industries.

During past decades the lack of sufficient clarification between typology and lithic technology has caused misapprehension and misuse of “lithic technology” and more than once generated two opposing views on characterization of the same lithic industry. Here the authors would like firstly to take issue with Hu et al.’s recently published paper claiming “the earliest evidence of Levallois at Guanyindong site of Southwest China” (Nature 565: 82–85), secondly to clarify the essential difference between these two methods which Hu et al. failed to do, with expectation for deeper discussion and larger application of lithic technology in East Asian Paleolithic research.

West-central France is a key region to apprehend cultural variations of the Early Middle Magdalenian (19-17 500 cal. BP). This region appears to be at a cultural crossroad of several traditions visible through rich art (cave art, portable art, ornaments) and bone industry traditions (projectile points, navettes). Two technical traditions are identified: the Lussac-Angles Magdalenian and the navettes Magdalenian. By focusing on the sites of la Marche (Lussac-Angles) and the Blanchard cave on the hillside of la Garenne (navettes), we seeked to approach technical behaviours related to use and production of the tools of these two traditions. With a systemic approach that combines technological and functional analyses of lithic production, we show the existence of a shared technical background and a permeability between technical traditions. This is evidenced through modalities of production of blades and bladelets, relations between form and function and tools management strategies (multiple uses, reuses, sharpenings, multiplication of double tools). On the other hand, variations in terms of gestures or technical processes related to the use of endscrapers and backed bladelets are perceptible. These elements reveal specificities of the technical behaviours on each site.; Le Centre-Ouest de la France est une région clef pour l’appréhension des variations culturelles du Magdalénien moyen ancien (19-17 500 cal. BP). Elle apparaît, à travers de riches productions artistiques (art pariétal et mobilier, parure) et osseuses (pointes de projectiles, navettes), comme un carrefour culturel. Deux traditions techniques y sont identifiées : le Magdalénien à pointe de Lussac-Angles et le Magdalénien à navettes. À travers l’étude des sites de la Marche (Lussac-Angles) et de la grotte Blanchard à la Garenne (navettes), nous avons cherché à restituer les comportements techniques liés à la production et à l’utilisation de l’outillage de ces deux traditions. À la suite d’une approche systémique combinant analyse technologique et fonctionnelle des productions lithiques, nous montrons qu’il existe un partage de fonds technique commun et une perméabilité entre traditions techniques, à travers les modalités de production des lames et des lamelles, les relations entre forme et fonction et les stratégies de gestion de l’outillage (utilisations multiples, réutilisations, ravivages, raffûtages, multiplication des outils doubles). En revanche, des variations en termes de gestes voire de procédés techniques liés à l’utilisation des grattoirs et des lamelles à dos sont perceptibles. Ces éléments révèlent des spécificités propres aux comportements techniques sur chacun des sites.

Blade technology, long associated solely with the Upper Paleolithic (UP) as an indicator of modern behavior, appears as early as the Middle Pleistocene and is present during the Middle Paleolithic (MP) and the Middle Stone Age (MSA). The nature behind the appearance of early laminar assemblages remains poorly understood. Yet current excavations at Sibudu Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) have yielded MIS 5 lithic assemblages that contribute to the understanding of the diversity of blade technologies during the MSA. Following the chaîne opératoire approach, we explain how the knappers at Sibudu developed a laminar reduction strategy characterized by unidirectional cores with a lateral crest opposite a flat surface. The core configuration facilitated the production of blades with different intended morphological characteristics. Our results highlight the distinctiveness of the laminar reduction system of the D-A layers and foster the discussion on the role of this technological choice within the Southern African MSA.

International audience; Neanderthal material culture patterning in Western Europe has been primarily approached from retouched stone tools and associated flake production methods. While considerable effort has been devoted over the past decade to better characterize Middle Palaeolithic lithic techno-complexes (LTCs) in this region, the extent to which they reflect cultural groups still remains unclear. In this respect, integrating other forms of archaeological evidence could provide valuable insights on the cultural significance of late Middle Palaeolithic industrial variability. The site of Combe-Grenal (Dordogne, France) has yielded consistent evidence of mineral pigment use throughout the upper part of the sequence. Here we explore whether mineral pigments might be embedded with an indexical meaning and if changes in pigment exploitation potentially reflect cultural changes. We combined a microscopic use-wear approach with SEM-EDS, pXRF, and XRD analyses of 73 pigment fragments from layers 26 to 11 in order to reconstruct the different stages of their acquisition and use (provenance, selection, processing, function). Our results show manganese oxides to have been used in the lower layers of the Quina LTC, while red and/or yellow iron oxide pieces were employed during the Discoid and Discoid/Levallois LTCs. This decrease in manganese oxide use correlates with a change in lithic technology and may represent some form of cultural change.

The archaeological evidence from the end of the Middle Holocene and the beginning of the Late Holocene (ca. 5000-2000 years BP) shows a period of great changes. These appear to be the main result of low residential mobility occupations and subsistence strategies based in the specialized hunting of camelids, their domestication and further herding. Even though there is no consensus over the relative importance of each adopted strategy (hunting vs. herding) during this temporal sequence, several and relevant changes can be observed, related to many social spheres. In this paper, we present the particular changes over lithic technology during the temporal sequence proposed through two sites analysed from Barrancas: Laguna Media 7 and Morro Blanco. First, we will clarify the concept of technical system and describe the operative chains observed in both sites. This context is suitable for the topic addressed in this paper, since the chronological difference between both sites (ca. 3400-3200 years BP) is almost contemporary with the appearance in the region of the domesticated camelid Lama glama. Thus, we explain the changes in lithic technology and their relation with the other raw materials used in different technologies from a qualitative characterization. Afterwards this change is characterized by performing separate Chi square analysis from the quantification between both sites of: transformative and prehensile techno-units, shaping and knapping methods. We detect some continuities related to the operative chains, but some changes as well, with the disappearance of blade knapping. Finally, we conclude that the changes during this time period are mainly related with the prehensile and hafting system, associated to a broader regional technological change, influenced by the circulation and exchange of goods, knowledge and people.

International audience; Neanderthals had complex land use patterns, adapting to diversified landscapes and climates. Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in reconstructing the chronology, land use and subsistence patterns, and occupation types of sites in the Rhône Valley, southeast France. In this study, Neanderthal mobility at the site of Payre is investigated by combining information from lithic procurement analysis (“chaîne evolutive” and “chaîne opératoire” concepts) and strontium isotope analysis of teeth (childhood foraging area), from two units (F and G). Both units date to the transition from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 to MIS 7, and show similar environmental conditions, but represent contrasting occupation durations. Level Gb (unit G) represents a long-term year-round use, in contrast to short-term seasonal use of the cave in level Fb (unit F). For both levels, lithic material and food were generally collected from a local to semi-local region. However, in level Gb, lithic materials were mainly collected from colluviums and food collected in the valley, whereas in level Fb, lithic procurement focused primarily on alluvial deposits and food was collected from higher elevation plateaus. These procurement or exchange patterns might be related to flint availability, knapping advantages of alluvial flint or occupation duration. The site of Payre is located in a flint rich circulation corridor and the movement of groups or exchanges between groups were organized along a north-south axis on the plateaus or towards the east following the river. The ridges were widely used as they are rich in flint, whereas the Rhône Valley is not an important source of lithic raw materials. Compared to other western European Middle Palaeolithic sites, these results indicate that procurement strategies have a moderate link with occupation types and duration, and with lithic technology. The Sr isotope ratios broadly match the proposed foraging areas, with the Rhône Valley being predominantly used in unit G and the ridges and limestone plateaus in unit F. While lithic reconstructions and childhood foraging are not directly related this suggests that the three analysed Neanderthals spend their childhood in the same general area and supports the idea of mobile Neanderthals in the Rhône Valley and neighbouring higher elevation plateaus. The combination of reconstructing lithic raw material sources, provisioning strategies, and strontium isotope analyses provides new details on how Neanderthals at Payre practised land use and mobility in the Early Middle Palaeolithic.

7 fig., 3 tab.; International audience; The Mousterian locus at Pradayrol (Caniac-du-Causse, Lot, France) produced an important lithic assemblage, composed primarily of quartz, alongside a varied flint component. Our technological analysis reveals the presence of several chaînes opératoires adapted to the morphology and mechanical properties of different raw materials. This is especially evident in the use of the bipolar on-anvil technique on quartz cobbles and discoidal flaking methods on both quartz and relatively local flints. Flint from the Périgord region provides evidence for a fragmented and ramified Levallois chaîne opératoire, different from that observed with local raw materials. These techno-economic features are similar to those documented formany late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages in the Quercy. The Neanderthal occupation of Pradayrol seems to reflect a balance between technical know-how and adaptations to the raw material constraints.; Le locus moustérien de Pradayrol (Caniac-du-Causse, Lot, France) a livré une importante série lithique essentiellement composée de quartz et de matériaux apparentés, associés à une composante de silex constituée d’une large gamme de types différents. L’étude technologique de ce matériel met en évidence la présence de plusieurs chaînes opératoires. Des schémas de débitage de conception discoïde sont mis en œuvre sur quartz comme sur silex, d’origine locale ou proche. On remarque cependant une adaptation des méthodes de production aux morphologies et aux propriétés mécaniques des matériaux locaux, notamment avec l’utilisation du débitage bipolaire sur enclume aux dépens de galets de quartz. Un échantillon de silex importé du Périgord atteste une chaîne opératoire de conception Levallois, fractionnée et ramifiée, différente de celle mise en évidence sur les silex locaux. Ces données techno-économiques rapprochent cette série des assemblages quercynois datés du Paléolithique moyen récent. Comme plusieurs autres assemblages moustériens régionaux, Pradayrol livre donc une série où la diversité des choix opérés relève, dans le cadre des modalités d’occupation du site, d’une composition entre savoir-faire techniques et adaptations de l’Homme à son environnement.

International audience; The lack of consensus surrounding the macroscopic determination of high-quality black flint discovered at the Aldenhoven Plateau sites (Rhineland, NorthWestern Germany) from the beginning of the Middle Neolithic has far-reaching consequences for the anthropological understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics involved in the neolithization of NorthWestern Europe. This flint has been assigned to Western Belgian 'Obourg' flint type and is used as a key indicator of strong links between populations from West Belgium (Mons Basin) and the German Rhineland at the beginning of the 5th millennium BC. Here, we present an integrated study of this flint using geochemical and lithic technological approaches. This work rules out attribution of the analysed flint artefacts to the Upper Cretaceous flint sources of the Mons Basin; however, the exact origin of the black flint used in the Rhineland remains unanswered. Our results do not support the hypothesis of intensive contact between populations from West Belgium and the German Rhineland and highlights the urgent need for further combined petrographic and geochemical analyses in the region, particularly on geological samples, in order to build up an extensive and reliable comparative reference collection.

International audience

International audience; Since the middle of the 1980s, a lot of research has focused on the end of the Upper Palaeolithic in France. This article presents an overview of these thirty years of research, organized around four main geographic units which structure our knowledge of these societies. However, this overview aims to bring to light the main dynamics driving the composition of the technical, economic, symbolic and probably socio-cultural systems in France as a whole. Between the end of the Magdalenian and the first stages of the Mesolithic, the history of the hunter-gatherers on this territory underwent three major changes. The rhythms of these changes are still unclear and understanding the forces driving these changes is still difficult, although scenarios based on the very unstable climatic and environmental context are often advanced. This Lateglacial is no longer merely considered to be the antechamber of the Mesolithic –an “EpiPalaeolithic”, as it was called– studied in particular to contextualize the emergence of complex societies, wrongly solely attributed to the Neolithic. These last Pleistocene periods, with their abundant cultural changes and complex evolutionary techno-complexes and traditions, comprise their own research issues and constitute a subject in their own right.; Depuis le milieu des années 1980, une importante dynamique de recherche bénéficie aux derniers temps du Paléolithique supérieur en France. Cet article propose un bilan de cette trentaine d’années de recherche. Bien qu’organisée autour des quatre grandes unités géographiques, chacune structurante dans la connaissance de ces sociétés, cette synthèse vise à mettre en lumière, à l’échelle de la France, les grandes dynamiques de recomposition des systèmes techniques, économiques, symboliques et probablement socioculturels. Entre la fin du Magdalénien et les premiers temps du Mésolithique, l’histoire des chasseurs-collecteurs évoluant sur ce territoire connaît en effet trois grandes inflexions dont les rythmes restent flous. La compréhension des moteurs à l’origine de ces basculements demeure très délicate, même si plusieurs scénarios mobilisant le contexte climatique et environnemental, très instable de cette période, sont régulièrement avancés. Quoi qu’il en soit, ce Tardiglaciaire ne constitue plus aujourd’hui l’antichambre du Mésolithique – un « Épipaléolithique » disait-on – surtout étudié pour contextualiser l’avènement des sociétés complexes, attribuées à tort au seul Néolithique. Ces derniers temps du Pléistocène, du fait de nombreuses transformations culturelles des techno-complexes et traditions aux schémas évolutifs complexes, sont en réalité particulièrement riches en problématiques de recherches propres.

The lithic assemblages from the principal early Neolithic sites in Northern Dalmatia have been analysed with respect to the technological aspects and principles of schéma and chaîne opératoire, débitage economy and raw material economy. Northern Dalmatia, the most fertile region of the Eastern Adriatic, hosts the most important Neolithic open-air sites. Early Neolithic is associated with the Impressed Ware culture and dates back to c. 6000–5400 cal BC. The Early Neolithic lithic assemblages are characterized by the pressure blade production techniques on high-quality Gargano cherts reflecting important socio-economic and technical mutations that are specific to the Neolithic. Moreover, the almost exclusive reliance on these exogenous cherts emphasizes the social aspects of such networks and reinforces the idea of cultural uniformity of Dalmatian and Apulian Impressed Ware.

International audience

In 2014, the excavations at la Grotte aux Points led to the discovery of a flintstone bowl. The unusual raw material of this object rises a series of questions regarding: (1) its geographical origin, (2) the processes of formation of its bowl-shape, (3) the possible part played in it by human intervention, (4) the succession order of these different interventions/events and (5) its possible function/s (grease lamp, paint bowl or else). The presence of a bowl in a palaeolithic rock art cave also touches wider questions regarding the frequentation and/or ornamentation of rock art caves in the region. Those are finally discussed here through a set of technological, taphonomical and petroarchaeological investigations and a contextualization of palaeolithic bowls discovered in the region., En 2014, les fouilles menées à la Grotte aux Points ont conduit à la découverte d’un bloc de silex en plaquette portant une cupule. La matière relativement inhabituelle, pour ce type d’objet – que l’on peut qualifier de godet – de même que son contexte de découverte (grotte ornée paléolithique) ont motivé la réalisation d’une première série d’observations technologiques, taphonomiques et pétroarchéologiques destinées à déterminer d’une part (1) la provenance de la matière première, (2) les modalités de formation de la cupule, (3) la part de façonnage dont ce bloc a pu faire l’objet et (4) l’ordre de succession des diverses interventions et/ou événements subis par le bloc ; mais aussi (5) à identifier d’éventuels stigmates d’utilisation/s préhistorique/s (lampe à graisse, récipient à couleur, mortier ou autre). Sa découverte dans une grotte ornée s’inscrit au sein d’enjeux plus vastes quant aux modalités de fréquentation (éclairage) et/ou d’ornementation des grottes de la région qui sont abordées au travers d’une mise en contexte vis-à-vis des autres godets attribuables au Paléolithique connus dans la région.

The Aurignacian, which dates between 42 and 33 thousand years ago, represents several important changes in regards to the history of humanity. It marks the arrival of Homo sapiens in Western Europe and illustrates several behavioural shifts within the context of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition. The amplitude and consistency of these illustrations, notably within the “symbolic” sphere, clearly distinguish the Aurignacian from preceding periods, and this “revolution” extends equally to the organization and conception of toolkits, underlining a profound evolution in the economic, sociological, and ideological domains. Several models have been proposed over the years to explain the origins and expansion of the Aurignacian, but they are often based on a general vision of this phenomenon using sites, dates, and particular types of objects, while the human groups responsible remain most often silent.This work aims to contribute to a renewal of research axes pertaining to the socio-economic organization of Aurignacian groups in the south of France via a resolutely palethnological and paleosociological approach. A method for the study of lithic industries was developed in order to target three axes of variability: technical intentions, raw material constraints, and knapping performance. Approaching lithic toolkits in this manner highlights the technical activities occurring on site and provides a sociological profile of the actors responsible, permitting us to better situate each site within a nomadic circuit. This economic and sociological procedure was applied to one cave site (La Tuto de Camalhot), and a palethnological description was additionally integrated into the study of three open-air sites (Régismont-le-Haut, Champ-Parel 3, Brignol).The study of the material is also enriched by a theoretical framework founded on the crossing of ethnoarchaeological data on sub-actual hunter-gatherer groups with psychological andethnological models of skill acquisition. This in turn allows for the development of a middle- range theory linking the group, individuals, and mobility.The synthesis of the results from these four case studies allows for the proposal of a socio- economic model of organization applicable, at the least, at the scale of southwestern France during the Early Aurignacian. This discussion also provides the basis for a greater perspective that broaches the evolution of groups and their territories through the Aurignacian lato sensu, but equally the structuration of the means and ways of knowledge transmission in the longue durée., L’Aurignacien, daté entre 42 et 33 000 ans avant le présent, marque plusieurs basculements importants pour l’histoire de l’humanité. Il représente l’arrivée d’Homo sapiens en Europe de l’Ouest et illustre des changements importants dans les comportements dans le cadre de la transition entre le Paléolithique moyen et supérieur. L’ampleur et la constance de ces témoignages, notamment dans les sphères « symboliques », distinguent nettement l’Aurignacien de ce qui le précède, et cette « révolution » s’étend également à la gestion et à la conception des équipements techniques, soulignant des évolutions profondes dans les domaines économiques, sociologiques et idéologiques. Plusieurs modèles ont été proposés au fil des années pour expliquer les origines et l’expansion de l’Aurignacien, mais ils sont fondés sur une vision générale du phénomène, s’attachant à des sites, des dates, ou des objets types ; les groupes humains responsables de ces témoins y sont le plus souvent muets.Ce travail vise à contribuer au renouvellement des axes de recherches sur l’organisation socio- économique des groupes aurignaciens dans le sud de la France, à travers une approche résolument palethnologique et paléosociologique. Une méthode d’étude des industries lithiques a été développée afin de cibler trois axes de variabilité : les intentions techniques, les contraintes de matières premières et les performances de taille. Aborder ainsi une industrie met en exergue les activités techniques ayant eu lieu sur le site et fournit un profil sociologique des acteurs, permettant ainsi de mieux situer chaque site au sein d’un circuit nomade. Cette démarche économique et sociologique a été appliquée à un site en grotte (La Tuto de Camalhot), et une description palethnologique a été également intégrée à l’étude de trois sites de plein air (Régismont-le-Haut, Champ-Parel 3, Brignol).L’étude du matériel est enrichie par un cadre théorique fondé sur le croisement de données ethnologiques sur les chasseurs-cueilleurs subactuels avec des modèles psychologiques etethnologiques sur l’acquisition des habiletés. Cela permet ensuite d’établir une middle-range theory liant le groupe, les individus et la mobilité.La synthèse des résultats issus de ces quatre études de cas permet de proposer un modèle d’organisation socio-économique applicable au minimum à l’échelle du Sud-Ouest français durant l’Aurignacien ancien. Cette discussion fournit la base d’une mise en perspective plus large abordant l’évolution des groupes et du territoire au cours de l’Aurignacien lato sensu, mais également la structuration des modes et voies de transmission des savoir-faire sur le temps long.

Northernmost Germany represents one of the regions in NorthWest Europe where a succession of Late Palaeolithic traditions makes it possible to describe the techno-economic changes which led from the Late Upper Palaeolithic to the beginning of the Mesolithic. The aim of this paper will be to propose a model of the techno-economic evolution of the Ahrensburgian that culminated in exceptional lithic productions at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, and to put it into perspective by discussing the changes which occurred throughout this tradition on the basis of several Ahrensburgian settlements. These conclusions will be drawn from evidence obtained on lithic industries from different sites in Schleswig-Holstein. In the absence of direct dating, the lithic industries from Teltwisch 2 and Teltwisch-Mitte in the Ahrensburg tunnel valley were regarded as sufficiently characteristic to attribute these sites to two different phases of the Ahrensburgian: the recent phase with Long Blades and Zonhoven points (Eggstedt-Stellmoor-Gruppe) in the case of Teltwisch 2 and an older phase lacking these elements in the case of Teltwisch-Mitte. Based on refitting and a detailed techno-economic analysis of these inventories, their similarities and differences will be presented in a more reliable way and a hypothesis for the Ahrensburgian trajectory will be proposed. This hypothesis will be checked by a comparison with other Ahrensburgian lithic industries: a partially refitted surface collection from Klein Nordende that comprises characteristic elements of the most recent phase of the Ahrensburgian and the assemblage from Alt Duvenstedt LA 121 + 123 representing one of the oldest Ahrensburgian sites known thus far. The latter site is not only radiocarbon-dated but also well-documented in a palaeoethnographic way, and its exhaustively refitted lithic industry offers the rare possibility to describe and analyse entire chaînes opératoires., Le nord de l’Allemagne constitue un secteur géographique particulièrement intéressant dès lors quel’on s’intéresse aux sociétés du Tardiglaciaire. En effet, c’est l’une des rares régions où il est possible de suivrel’évolution des sociétés depuis le Hambourgien (GS-2-a/GI-1e) jusqu’à l’avènement des sociétés mésolithiquesau début de l’Holocène. À la différence d’autres secteurs géographiques de la plaine nord-européenne, il n’ya pas de hiatus manifeste dans l’occupation de ce territoire et l’on peut, grâce à quelques sites majeurs(Teltwisch, Alt Duvenstedt, Stellmoor, Duvensee), documenter finement l’évolution des comportements de cesgroupes humains. Cette contribution propose d’interroger la variabilité des comportements techniques desgroupes ahrensbourgiens qui ont peuplé ce secteur géographique entre la fin de l’Allerød (GI-1c/GI-1a) et lafin du Dryas récent (GS-1). Les recherches menées depuis une dizaine d’années par l’une de nous (MJW) ontpermis de redéfinir les comportements des groupes humains du Hambourgien. Aussi, nous disposons de connaissancesrenouvelées sur les premières populations qui ont occupé ce territoire, à la suite du retrait glaciaire.Nos problématiques visent à développer deux axes. Le premier veut caractériser, sur le temps long(14 000-10 000 BP), l’évolution des comportements de ces sociétés au sein d’un territoire où la disponibilité enressources animales fluctue finalement assez peu par rapport à des secteurs plus méridionaux. Le second viseà déterminer à l’intérieur de chaque tradition technique (Federmesser-Gruppen et Ahrensbourgien) le degré devariabilité technique et d’en comprendre la signification. C’est sur cette problématique que nous avons focalisénos premiers travaux. En plus d’une révision du cadre chronologique de l’Ahrensbourgien, nous proposons larévision de quatre ensembles archéologiques de cette tradition (Alt Duvenstedt LA 121 + 123, Teltwisch 2,Teltwisch-Mitte, Klein Nordende LA 46). S’ils présentent des contextes taphonomiques contrastés, chacun deces gisements permettent de documenter des aspects essentiels des comportements techniques de ces groupeshumains et de leur variabilité. L’assemblage de Teltwisch-Mitte présente des chaînes opératoires clairementplus expéditives, en nette rupture avec ce que nous percevons actuellement des industries plus anciennes(Federmesser-Gruppen et Ahrensbourgien « ancien »). Aussi, ces observations nous amènent à nous interrogersur sa position chronologique et en particulier à nous demander s’il ne représente pas finalement un jalon récent, voire final de l’Ahrensbourgien dans la région. Cet assemblage présente d’ailleurs des affinités technologiquesévidentes avec les comportements mis en évidence à partir des séries du début du Mésolithique(Duvensee : Holst, 2014). En l’état, la différence majeure avec ce que nous connaissons des premières industriesdu Mésolithique se situe au niveau des armatures qui restent typiques de l’Ahrensbourgien. La présence d’unesérie à « grandes lames » (Klein Nordende) associée à des armatures clairement ahrensbourgiennes pose aussila question de sa place dans cette chronologie. Ces premiers résultats nous encouragent à poursuivre nosinvestigations autour de ces gisements, en raffinant nos analyses, en particulier autour du site d’Alt Duvenstedtoù une véritable analyse palethnologique est possible.

International audience; The cave of Getahovit 2, discovered in 2010, is situated in the valley of the Khachakhpyur river, in the Tavush region of northeastern Armenia. The excavation of the cave over a period of 7 years revealed human occupations ranging from the Late Palaeolithic periods up to the medieval period.This paper only focuses on the procurement strategies for and the technologies of lithic artefacts recovered from the Chalcolithic layers, of a period when the cave was mostly used as a sheepfold for transhumant shepherds.The lithic assemblage from these Chalcolithic layers is predominantly obsidian that originates from 3 obsidian sources in Armenia; a difference in the technologies used is observed:The majority of the lithic industry consists of small flakes, cores and chips deriving from simple production techniques such as hard-hammer direct percussion and anvil technique on small nodules with cortical residues. The lithic analysis suggests a direct procurement strategy from the obsidian sources in the form of small nodules knapped in the cave itself (opportunistic model).On the other hand, the presence of a few very regular blades produced using pressure techniques, which appear to have been imported to the site as finished products, raises the question of a totally different procurement strategy, probably through exchanges with neighboring villages located closer to the source (down-the-line exchange).