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Issues of chronology are central to inferences pertaining to relationships between both contemporaneous and successive prehistoric typo-technological entities (i.e., archaeological cultures), culture–environment relationships, and ultimately the mechanisms at play behind cultural changes observed through time in the archaeological record. We refine the chronology of Upper Paleolithic archaeological cultures between 35–18 calibrated kiloanni before the present in present-day France by incorporating recently published radiocarbon data along with new 14C ages that we obtained from several Gravettian archaeological contexts. We present the results of a Bayesian age model that includes these new radiometric data and that, more importantly, separates Gravettian contexts in regions north of the Garonne River into two successive cultural phases: The Northern Noaillian and the Rayssian, respectively. This new age model places the beginning of the Noaillian during Greenland Stadial 5.2. The appearance of contexts containing assemblages associated with the Rayssian lithic technical system occurs immediately prior to the termination of Greenland Interstadial 5.1, and it is present throughout Heinrich Event 3 (GS-5.1) and into the following GI-4 climatic amelioration. Despite the Rayssian’s initial appearance during the brief and relatively weakly expressed Greenland Interstadial 5.1, its duration suggests that Rayssian lithic technology was well-suited to the environmental conditions of Greenland Stadial 5.1.

En este artículo presentamos un estado actual de la cuestión en relación a la posicióncronocultural de las denominadas industrias con piezas de Bertonne en el seno delPaleolítico superior de Europa occidental. Atribuidas en un primer momento alAuriñaciense (Leyssalles y Noone 1949), más tarde al Protosolutrense (Arambourou1970), estas industrias han sido recientemente adscritas al Badeguliense basándose en laasociación de las piezas de Bertonne a uno de los útiles más evocadores de esta culturamaterial, la raclette (Lenoir 2000a y b). Esta asociación ha sido en efecto señalada endiferentes niveles del yacimiento de Laugerie-Haute Est (Dordoña. Francia) uno de loscuales arroja una datación de 17 040 ± 440 BP (Ly-973 ; Évin et al. 1976: 80). Esta esla única datación radiocarbónica disponible actualmente para estas industrias. Por otrolado, el empleo de la presión, recientemente reconocido para la obtención de hojitas apartir de piezas de Bertonne y el retoque de útiles sobre lascas delgadas, junto a lapresencia anecdótica de piezas foliáceas son, a nuestro entender, otros tantos elementosque estas industrias comparten con las del Solutrense y que parecen evidenciar laaparición de industrias con piezas de Bertonne antes del 17 000 BP, a caballo entre elSolutrense y el Badeguliense.In this article we present a overview of current knowledge regarding the chronocultural position of industries with La Bertonne pieces within the Western European Upper Paleolithic. Initially attributed to the Aurignacian (Leyssalles and Noone 1949) and then to the Proto-Solutrean (Arambourou 1970), these industries are now attributed to the Badegoulian due to the association of La Bertonne pieces with one of the most typical tools of this material culture, the raclette (Lenoir 2000a and b). This association has indeed been pointed out in several levels at the site of Laugerie-Haute Est (France, Dordogne), one of which has been dated to 17040 ± 440 BP (Ly-973; Évin et al. 1976: 80). This is the only available radiocarbon date for these industries. In addition, the use of pressure flaking, recently identified for the detachment of bladelets from La Bertonne pieces and to create retouched tools on thin flakes, and the sporadic presence of foliate pieces, are, in our view, elements that these industries share with the Solutrean. They suggest the appearance of La Bertonne industries somewhat earlier than 17000 BP at the transition between the Solutrean and the Badegoulian.