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International audience; Recent excavations from late Pleistocene to Historical period sites on the islands of Guadeloupe and Saint Martin yielded bones of the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia). The osteological description of the remains combined with the location of fossil-bearing sites and historical accounts show this owl to have been present across the Guadeloupe islands in historical periods. This species has been identified in multiple archaeological sites, including those reported here, attesting to the near continuous distribution of this owl throughout the pre-Columbian period in the north of Lesser Antilles. Taken together, these results challenge the previous hypothesis of a relict distribution of the Burrowing Owl as a consequence of climatically induced modifications of the Caribbean environment since the last glaciation.; Les fouilles réalisées ces dernières années sur des sites du Pléistocène supérieur à l’époque historique, sur les îles de la Guadeloupe et de Saint-Martin, ont livré des ossements de Chouette des terriers (Athene cunicularia). La description ostéologique des vestiges fossiles conjuguée à la localisation des cavités et aux récits historiques, montre que cette chouette était présente dans les îles de la Guadeloupe à l’époque historique. La présence de cette espèce dans des sites archéologiques, dont les nouvelles mentions apportées par ce travail, témoigne d’une distribution quasi continue de ce taxon dans la partie nord des Petites Antilles à l’époque précolombienne. Ces résultats remettent en question l’hypothèse précédente d’une distribution relictuelle de cette espèce en conséquence des modifications climatiques du milieu caribéen au sortir de la dernière glaciation.

Indigenous human populations in Guadeloupe coexisted with island reptile species extinguished by later European colonialists., Large-scale extinction is one of the defining challenges of our time, as human processes fundamentally and irreversibly reshape global ecosystems. While the extinction of large animals with popular appeal garners widespread public and research interest, the importance of smaller, less “charismatic” species to ecosystem health is increasingly recognized. Benefitting from systematically collected fossil and archaeological archives, we examined snake and lizard extinctions in the Guadeloupe Islands of the Caribbean. Study of 43,000 bone remains across six islands revealed a massive extinction of 50 to 70% of Guadeloupe’s snakes and lizards following European colonization. In contrast, earlier Indigenous populations coexisted with snakes and lizards for thousands of years without affecting their diversity. Study of archaeological remains provides insights into the causes of snake and lizard extinctions and shows that failure to consider fossil-derived data probably contributes to substantial underestimation of human impacts to global biodiversity.

Les planteurs introduisirent la petite mangouste indienne, Urva auropunctata (Hodgson, 1836), dans les « iles a sucre» des Antilles, entre 1870 et 1900, afin de lutter contre les rats, mais aussi contre les serpents venimeux dans les deux iles ou ceux-ci etaient presents. L'espece fait maintenant partie des ecosystemes et des agrosystemes d'un nombre important d'iles. L'histoire des introductions de mangoustes a Trinidad, a la Jamaique et dans les Antilles francaises, est revisitee ici a la lecture des documents disponibles et certaines dates d'introductions sont corrigees ou precisees. Apres avoir reclame son introduction, les societes coloniales antillaises ont tres tot denonce les consequences negatives de la presence de la mangouste et cherche des moyens de lutte efficaces. Si l'on considere le fonctionnement des ecosystemes insulaires et la biodiversite, force est de constater que la presence de ce predateur mammalien introduit a eu des consequences importantes sur les densites de nombreuses especes, ayant pu contribuer a l'extinction de certaines d'entre elles.

Evidence for chronological change in intra-site subsistence strategies is very rare in the Amerindian record of the Lesser Antilles. The study of the vertebrate assemblage from the archeological site of Roseau in the Guadeloupe Islands underlines the complexity and variability of Ceramic Age Amerindian subsistence behavior. This study establishes a more precise chronology of the previously identified strata of the site, and demonstrates that the Contact period was only represented by rare archeological artifacts dispersed in the stratigraphy. The results from this assemblage indicate that the earlier occupations of the site exhibit a more intensive exploitation of aquatic vertebrate resources compared to later occupations, which have a larger focus on terrestrial fauna, especially rodents and iguanas. This unusual pattern highlights how subsistence behaviors in the Lesser Antilles during the Late and Final Ceramic periods were highly variable. This new evidence of strong inter-site variability shows that the behaviors of Amerindians are not only dependent of large-scale environmental conditions but also influenced by more complex socio-cultural and local environmental parameters. Introduction The site of Roseau Materials and methods - 14C dating and calibration - Archeological material recovery - Ceramic analysis - Zooarchaeological analysis - Paleoproteomic analysis Results - Ceramic analysis - Revaluation of the stratigraphy and dating of the site - Zooarchaeological analysis -- Fish remains -- Reptile remains -- Bird remains -- Mammal remains -- Paleoproteomic analysis -- General zooarchaeological remarks Discussion - The Roseau zooarchaeological assemblage in the regional context - Evolution of fishing techniques - Evolution of vertebrate exploitation strategies Conclusion

International audience; Polygyra cereolus (Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1816) is a small air-breathing snail originating in Florida, which is considered as an invasive species and is reported from a wide area in the south of the United States to Mexico and in some in some Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Spain and the Arabian peninsula. Here we report the observation of this species in Puerto Rico.

12 pages; International audience; The black rat (Rattus rattus) is one of the most widespread rodents on islands worldwide, introduced over the last five centuries. However, reliable information concerning how biotic or abiotic factors influence key parameters of black rat population biology in insular contexts is currently unavailable. Here we aim to document the relative abundance of rat populations and evaluate how the age structure and the body mass of adult individual vary seasonally in different forest environments under contrasting climatic conditions. Rats were captured during wet and dry seasons in 2017–2018 at one or two sites in each of the four natural forested environments of Guadeloupe, all of which experience widely different annual rainfall (semi-deciduous dry forest, seasonal evergreen forest, mountain rainforest and Pterocarpus officinalis swamp forest). A total of 171 black rats were captured during a 1018 trap-night effort. Overall capture results confirm this species to thrive in all the natural forested environments we investigated. With the exception of the P. officinalis swamp forest, black rat populations reach higher relative abundances during the wet season due to juvenile and sub-adult recruitment at the end of the dry season. In contrast, in the P. officinalis swamp forest, breeding activity continues during both seasons and relative rat abundance appears to fluctuate less seasonally. The relative abundance of adult black rats is also higher in the seasonal semi-evergreen and rainforests that experience little or no water stress. These contexts therefore appear the most favourable for sustaining black rat populations, a pattern that is most likely connected to a combination of climatic and/or edaphic parameters that condition the year-round availability and abundance of food resources.

Discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Abri Casserole (Dordogne, France) was the subject of salvage excavations in the early nineties. The fieldwork revealed a sequence of 13 archaeological levels that document human occupations from the Gravettian to the Magdalenian, including very rare and poorly known assemblages (e.g. Early Badegoulian, Protosolutrean) that afford a particular importance to this sequence. Results of a previous dating program that focused on the Badegoulian levels were obtained in 1994 but were neither extensively published nor discussed. Five AMS14C ages obtained for the Gravettian and Solutrean assemblages in the early 2010s served to complement the site’s chronology. However, since the beta counting ages for the Badegoulian levels were in conflict with the accepted AMS chronology for the region’s late Pleniglacial archaeological record, a new AMS dating program was implemented to renew the radiometric framework of this specific portion of the sequence. Compared to the previous beta counting measurements, the seven newly obtained AMS ages are about 1000 years older (23.3–20.5 cal ka BP) and congruent with other AMS-dated Badegoulian sequences. These results thereby restore the inter-site chronological coherence of the Solutrean–Badegoulian and Badegoulian–Magdalenian transitions.

14 pages; International audience; The Lesser Antilles is a string of islands stretching from Grenada in the south to Sombrero in the north, which was once home to at least 20 insular populations of native rodents scattered across the different islands. Despite their relative ubiquity on the archipelago, these now extinct rodents remain poorly understood. In Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre), Marie-Galante, Barbuda and Antigua, fossil specimens of a large Lesser Antillean native rodent have recently been described as a distinct species, Antillomys rayi Brace et al. 2015. In order to shed new light on the processes leading to the extinction of this species, we use stable carbon and oxygen isotopes to better constrain its ecology, along with a series of radiocarbon dates to narrow its last-occurrence date in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante. First, we built a reference collection of present-day isotopic data based on carbon and oxygen isotopes from black rats captured in different natural environmental contexts of Guadeloupe. Here, we show A. rayi to have occupied multiple distinct environments ranging from semi-deciduous dry forest to seasonal evergreen or mountain forests. New direct radiocarbon dates obtained on fossil material considerably bring forward the last occurrence of A. rayi in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante, making it roughly coincident with European contact. However, our new calibrated age intervals place the last occurrence of A. rayi no later than the 16th century AD. Taken together, our results suggest that A. rayi became exceedingly rare, if not extirpated, in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante shortly after European contact. While the overexploitation of A. rayi by Amerindian populations and the deforestation by European colonists could have impacted A. rayi populations, the consequences (biological competition, disease) of the introduction of black rat most likely explains the early decline of A. rayi and its ultimate extirpation from the islands of Guadeloupe.

International audience; The Kebibat quarry locates on the coastal area of Rabat. It is also known as ‘’The Rabat Human deposit’’ due to the presence of human cranial bones in the quarry deposit. These remains of Hominines are related to the archaic Homo sapiens.The revision of the geological and geochronological context of Kebibat and its surroundings allowed clarifying the morpho-litho-stratigraphic aspects of the different formations that constitute it, as well as their evolution during the Middle-Upper Pleistocene. The sedimentary unit that fossilized the human remains corresponds to a dune deposit (eolianite), which is part of a high-resolution sedimentary sequence (parasequence). Luminescence and U-Th dating indicate that this sequence was deposited between the end of the marine isotopic stage 7 (MIS 7) until the end of MIS 6.; L’ancienne carrière Kébibat qui se situe sur le littoral de Rabat est surnommée le gisement de l’Homme de Rabat du fait des restes crâniens humains qu’elle a livrés. Ces restes d’homininés se rattachent à un Homo sapiens archaïque.La révision du contexte géologique et géochronologique de ce site et de ses environs permet de préciser l’aspect morpho-litho-stratigraphique des différentes formations qui le constituent, ainsi que leur évolution au cours du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur. Les restes humains sont fossilisés à l’intérieur d’une unité formée d’une calcarénite éolienne, elle-même située sur une séquence sédimentaire de haute résolution (paraséquence). La chronologie déduite des analyses de luminescence et de l’U-Th suggère que la séquence s’est mise en place à partir de la fin du stade isotopique marin 7 (SIM 7) jusqu’à la fin du SIM 6.

In this paper we present a natural deposit in Marie-Galante island (French West Indies), Blanchard 2, where historical-period Audubon's shearwater remains dominate the vertebrate assemblage. We combined a study of sediment geometry, a taphonomic analysis of molluscs, crustaceans and vertebrate remains, and direct radiocarbon dating on bird bone to demonstrate that the cave was used as a nesting ground during the island's colonial period. This approach also allows the discussion of the causes leading to the desertion of the site by birds. Finally, we investigate hypotheses regarding the dynamics of Audubon's shearwater nesting during prehistoric and historical times and the impact of anthropogenic phenomenon on these birds.

Le gisement magdalenien de La Chaire-a-Calvin (Charente) est connu de longue date. Toutefois, apres 150 ans de recherche, les interpretations chrono-stratigraphiques, avancees par plusieurs generations de chercheurs, ne s’accordent pas entre elles, ni avec les deux datations radiocarbone disponibles. Dans ce contexte, un nouveau programme de mesures radiometriques du remplissage a abouti a trois nouvelles dates. La presente note expose ces resultats et en discute la validite au sein de la sequence du site.

In neotropical regions, fossil bat guano accumulated over time as laminated layers in caves, hence providing a high-resolution temporal record of terrestrial environmental changes. Additionally, cave settings have the property to preserve such organic sediments from processes triggered by winds (deflation, abrasion and sandblasting) and intense rainfall (leaching away). This study reports both stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of frugivorous bat guano deposited in a well-preserved stratigraphic succession of Blanchard Cave on Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe. These isotopic data are discussed with regard to climate changes and its specific impact on Eastern Caribbean vegetation during the Late Pleistocene from 40 to 10 ka cal. BP. Guano delta C-13 values are higher than modern ones, suggesting noticeable vegetation changes. This provides also evidence for overall drier environmental conditions during the Pleistocene compared to today. Meanwhile, within this generally drier climate, shifts between wetter and drier conditions can be observed. Large temporal amplitudes in both delta C-13 and delta N-15 variations reaching up to 5.9 parts per thousand and 16.8 parts per thousand), respectively, also indicate these oceanic tropical environments have been highly sensitive to regional or global climatic forcing. Stable isotope compositions of bat guano deposited from 40 to 35 ka BP, the Last Glacial Maximum and the Younger-Dryas reveal relatively wet environmental conditions whereas, at least from the end of the Heinrich event 1 and the Bolling period the region experienced drier environmental conditions. Nevertheless, when considering uncertainties in the model age, the isotopic record of Blanchard Cave show relatively similar variations with known proxy records from the northern South America and Central America, suggesting thus that the Blanchard Cave record is a robust proxy of past ITCZ migration. Teleconnections through global atmospheric pattern suggest that islands of the eastern Caribbean Basin could be also under the influence of a bipolar temperature gradients that impact the mean location of the ITCZ, with a Southern Hemisphere imprint during the glacial period and a more significant role of Northern Hemisphere during the last deglaciation.

Cet article fait le bilan des travaux geoarcheologiques menes dans le site d’Isturitz au cours des annees 1996-1997 et 2000-2005. L’etude du contexte geomorphologique et des differents affleurements localises autour et a l’interieur du massif karstique a permis de retracer les principales phases evolutives du reseau. Celui-ci comprend trois niveaux etages qui sont relies a des etapes de creusement de la vallee de l’Arberoue. Une attention particuliere a ete portee au niveau superieur dans lequel ont ete menees les fouilles. Dans cette partie du reseau, la sedimentation evolue globalement d’un pole domine par des ecoulements de haute energie (riviere a ecoulement torrentiel, puis ruisseau souterrain), vers un pole domine par le ruissellement puis par l’eboulisation. Dans la partie sommitale de l’accumulation, au sein des eboulis, a ete detecte un hiatus sedimentaire, contemporain d’une phase tres froide du SIO 2. Au cours de cet episode, s’est developpe un cryosol qui s’est notamment traduit par d’importantes deformations des niveaux anterieurs. La sequence se termine par la mise en place d’un plancher stalagmitique au cours de l’Holocene. Les niveaux proto-aurignaciens et aurignaciens qui ont fait l’objet des fouilles sont associes aux depots de ruissellement et aux eboulis de la partie superieure du remplissage. Une etude taphonomique specifique a porte sur ces nappes de vestiges. Elle a montre 1) que le gel n’a eu qu’une incidence mineure sur la preservation des niveaux en comparaison du role joue par le ruissellement, 2) que le materiel archeologique recueilli dans l’unite II resulte de phenomenes de remaniement et 3) que les niveaux identifies dans l’unite III correspondent alternativement soit a des lots de pieces deplacees, soit a des ensembles archeologiques supportant l’hypothese d’une bonne preservation. Les implications de cette etude sont discutees et l’on souligne la necessite de rechercher les remontages d’interet stratigraphique pour valider l’interpretation archeostratigraphique de la sequence.

Les formations quaternaires de la région côtière atlantique de Témara (SO de Rabat, Maroc) forment de longs cordons littoraux allongés, subparallèles au trait de côte. Plusieurs études anciennes ont abordé leur constitution et leur âge, mais leurs conclusions restent contradictoires. Cette étude porte sur l’analyse morpho-litho-stratigraphique du cordon littoral consolidé le plus récent. Il en ressort une structure commune à l’ensemble du cordon, où dominent des calcarénites éoliennes au sein desquelles s’intercale un dépôt supratidal. Les observations stratigraphiques sont complétées par des datations OSL montrant que la totalité des unités constituant ce cordon s’est mise en place au cours du sous-stade isotopique 5c. The Atlantic coastline in the Temara area (SW of Rabat, Morocco) is composed of Quaternary formations that form elongated costal ridges running subparallel to the present shoreline. Several early studies considered its constitution and age, but they led to contradictory conclusions. This study focuses on the morpho-litho-stratigraphic analysis of the last consolidated ridge. The results show a common structure for the ridge with a dominance of coastal aeolianites, in which a supratidal deposit occurs. Stratigraphic observations are completed by OSL dates showing that all the units constituing the ridge were formed in the 5c isotopic sub-stage.

Laugerie-Haute is one of the key sequences of the European Upper Paleolithic. However, the absolute chronologyof the sequence is not well-established, and recently the integrity of the layers has been called into question. Inthis paper, we present new radiocarbon dating results for the entire sedimentary sequence at Laugerie-HauteOuest, which contains important “Aurignacian V” and Solutrean assemblages. Our results show that the entireLaugerie-Haute Ouest sequence was deposited in a period of 8500–0,000 years, dating between 28 and19 cal. kBP.

Des depots holocenes de nature evenementielle ont ete identifies sur le secteur littoral des environs de Rabat-Skhirat (NO du Maroc). A El Harhoura, le massif de calcarenites pleistocenes porte une formation dunaire meuble de 2 m d’epaisseur. Cette formation couvre un depot limono-argileux residuel et elle est constituee par une succession de depots sableux massifs superposes ou emboites pouvant contenir des megablocs. Ces unites attestent de depots evenementiels holocenes, de type tempete ou tsunami. L’âge de cette formation, obtenu par methode 14C, se situe entre 9 680 et 2 200 cal. BP. A Skhirat, la morphologie du cordon littoral recent, les structures sedimentaires et la texture indiquent une dynamique de tempetes. La datation par methode 14C de ce cordon situe son edification entre 8 000 et 4 000 cal. BP. Vers la plage, un epandage de sable peu consolide, de type gres de plage, contient egalement des amas de moules et de galets de differentes tailles, ainsi que des megablocs a mise en place polyphasee. Ces elements signent egalement des depots de haute energie.

International audience; This study presents new information on the diet of Tyto insularis in Dominica, Lesser Antilles. The study of 57 pellets and bulk material collected in 1999 (23) and 2000 (34) contained 517 prey items of relatively high diversity. These included squamates (2 species), rodents (2 species), bats (7 species), birds (17 identified taxa and several unidentified Passeriformes) and insects. Although our inferences stem a few owls, results suggested that the diet of T. insularis in Dominica is similar to the diet of T. glaucops in Hispaniola.

Squamate remains from fossil-bearing deposits are difficult to identify on the basis of their morphology, because their modern relatives lack osteological description. In addition, intraspecific morphological variability of modern taxa is mostly understudied, making taxonomic identification of subfossil bones even more difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate osteological differences between two sympatric gecko species, Thecadactylus rapicauda and Hemidactylus mabouia, both currently occurring in the Lesser Antilles and in the subfossil assemblages of the region. Comparison of several modern museum specimens reveals the intraspecific osteological variability of these lizards and how difficult it is to distinguish between their bones, even though they are from two distant families. This study presents nine osteological characters, allowing for a fully reliable distinction of these two gecko species. These characters are applied to the specific identification of gecko species subfossil r...

International audience; Human evolutionary scholars have long supposed that the earliest stone tools were made by the genus Homo and that this technological development was directly linked to climate change and the spread of savannah grasslands. New fieldwork in West Turkana, Kenya, has identified evidence of much earlier hominin technological behaviour. We report the discovery of Lomekwi 3, a 3.3-million-year-old archaeological site where in situ stone artefacts occur in spatiotemporal association with Pliocene hominin fossils in a wooded palaeoenvironment. The Lomekwi 3 knappers, with a developing understanding of stone’s fracture properties, combined core reduction with battering activities. Given the implications of the Lomekwi 3 assemblage for models aiming to converge environmental change, hominin evolution and technological origins, we propose for it the name ‘Lomekwian’, which predates the Oldowan by 700,000 years and marks a new beginning to the known archaeological record.

International audience; The pelvis of the Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) displays strong sexual dimorphism. Here, we describe osteological criteria for determining the sex of this bat species. These criteria are applied to fossil deposits from the Blanchard Cave on the island of Marie-Galante (French West Indies), which contains abundant bat remains. This cave is currently occupied seasonally by a colony of Antillean fruit-eating bats as a nursery roost. Sex-ratios established for individuals from different fossil layers demonstrate the site to have been home to a nursery roost as early as 27,000 years ago, and probably going back as far as at least 40,000 years. These nursery roots are shown to alternate with periods where faunal assemblages were accumulated by owls.

International audience; The lithological and sequential analysis of the deposits constituting the second coastal ridge of the Rabat-Témara shows that the second coastal ridge is polycyclic and composed of three superimposed or nested regressive sequences. A detailed discussion of the age of these sequences and their relation to eustatic variations is based on radiometric dating on this second ridge as well as on the first ridge and on the prehistoric caves infilling. The identified sequences reflect a progradation of a coastal prism, with evolution of deposits from a marine context towards a continental context. The first sequence is formed during the isotopic stages MIS9 to MIS11. The second sequence is deposited during the isotopic stage MIS7 and the edification of its summit could continue during the MIS6. The third and final sequence is formed during the MIS5.; L’analyse lithologique et séquentielle des dépôts constituant le deuxième cordon littoral de la région de Rabat-Témara montre que ce cordon est polycyclique, composé de trois séquences régressives superposées ou emboîtées. Une discussion détaillée de l’âge de ces séquences et de la relation de leur mise en place vis-àvis des variations eustatiques est menée en se basant sur les datations radiométriques effectuées sur ce cordon, sur le premier cordon et sur le remplissage des grottes préhistoriques. Les séquences identifiées traduisent une progradation d’un prisme littoral, avec évolution de dépôt d’un milieu marin vers un milieu continental. La première séquence (séquence 1) se forme au cours des stades isotopiques marins (MIS) 9 à 11. La deuxième séquence (séquence 2) est déposée pendant le MIS 7 et l’édification de son sommet pourrait se poursuivre lors du MIS 6. La troisième et dernière séquence (séquence 3) se forme durant le MIS 5.

International audience; A database of Pleistocene periglacial features in France has been compiled from a review of academic literature and reports of rescue archaeology, the analysis of aerial photographs and new field surveys. Polygons, soil stripes, ice-wedge pseudomorphs, sand wedges and composite wedge pseudomorphs are included in the database together with their geographic coordinates, geological context, description and associated references. It is hoped that this database, which aim is to be integrated in broader studies, will stimulate further work on past permafrost reconstruction and will favour greater understanding of the climatic events that lead to the formation of the periglacial features. The database is available online on the AFEQ-CNF INQUA website (https://afeqeng.hypotheses.org/487). A folder that contains photographs and sketches of the features is also available on request.

25 pages; International audience; Data on Lesser Antillean Late Quaternary fossil bat assemblages remains limited, leading to their general exclusion from studies focusing on Caribbean bat palaeobiodiversity and palaeobiogeography. Additionally, the role of climatic versus human pressure driving changes in faunal communities remains poorly understood. Here we describe a fossil bat assemblage from Blanchard Cave on Marie-Galante in the Lesser Antilles, which produced numerous bat remains from a well-dated, stratified context. Our study reveals the occurrence of at least 12 bat species during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene on Marie-Galante, whereas only eight species are currently known on the island. Among these 12 species, six are extirpated and one is extinct. Faunal changes within the Blanchard sequence indicate variations in Pleistocene bat species representation in the Lesser Antilles to have been influenced by climatic conditions, with "northern species" (Greater Antilles) favored during glacial conditions and "southern species" (southern Lesser Antilles) during interglacial events. However, few species disappeared at the end of the Late Pleistocene, with most of the extinction/extirpation events occurring during the Holocene. This pattern suggests human activities in the Lesser Antilles to have played a major role in bat turnover during the late Holocene.

International audience; Poitou is located between the Paris and Aquitaine Basins, flanked by the extensions of the Massif Central and the Armorican Massif. Many sites attributed to what in Western Europe has been termed “the Acheulean” are preserved within this region, though research has largely been limited to surface collection of material from fields and open sand quarries situated on alluvial terraces. The discovery of the site of La Grande Vallée in 1995, within the district of Colombiers in Vienne therefore provided the first opportunity to conduct a rigorous scientific examination of a stratified Pleistocene archaeological deposit. The sedimentary sequence preserved at La Grande Vallée itself (U5) has produced five archaeological layers attributable to the Acheulean. The archaeological layers contained abundant lithic remains, reflecting the in situ production of many tools, including the key tool, the biface. The large slabs of flint used gave rise to specific working methods, indicating adaptation to the raw material. Micro-wear studies have revealed that butchery activities, including slicing and chopping of meat and bone, were also carried out in situ. These observations, along with the presence of many burnt flints, suggest that this locale acted as a mixture of habitation site/workshop. Currently, thermoluminescence dates on heated flint support the geomorphological study: unit U5 appears to have been deposited between 500 ka and 400 ka. The site of La Grande Vallée is a key sequence for understanding the Acheulean of the region. The geographical position of the site at the Seuil du Poitou, between the northern and southern regions of Western Europe, makes it a reliable and insightful observation point into Middle Pleistocene settlement in Western Europe.

14 pages; International audience; The European rabbit is a small burrowing mammal that is particularly abundant in Western Europe since the Pleistocene and introduced around the world over the last few centuries. Rabbit bones are regularly recovered from archaeological and palaeontological sites; however, demonstrating their contemporaneity with associated material is often difficult. Additionally, determining the origin of rabbit remains in fossil sites is equally problematic due to the lack of reference collections for natural accumulations. In order to address these issues, we excavated a modern rabbit warren in southwestern France using modern archaeological field methods and techniques. The bone accumulation was analysed using a taphonomic approach in order to determine the most relevant criteria for identifying fossil warrens. The assemblage is heavily fragmented and dominated by individuals less than three months old and, unlike what could be expected, no preserved anatomical connections were documented. Bone concentration is low and connected to occupation duration. Taken together, the criteria we identify aide in better identifying fossil warrens in fossil sites as well as evaluate the integrity of the deposits. Finally, our results also add precision to environmental, biostratigraphic and palaeoethnographic interpretations.

Pit cave 6 on Pointe Gros Rempart (Baie-Mahault, La Désirade, French West Indies) is a stratified fossil-bearing site. While the archaeological material and faunal remains from the oldest assemblage demonstrate it to have formed during the Amerindian period, the second assemblage dates to the first one-hundred years of the island's colonial period (mid-18th to mid-19th centuries). Faunal analysis revealed the presence of 4 now locally extinct or extinct species, three of which have never before been documented on La Désirade (Ameivasp.,Leiocephaluscf.cuneusandAlsophissp.). Changing faunal spectrums (invertebrates and vertebrates) due to environmental destabilisation combined with aspects of the island's colonial economy demonstrate habitat degradation and over-grazing to be the principal causes of extinctions and or extirpations.

International audience; Lithic debris derived from knapping and used tools can be assimilated to simple sedimentary particles that may undergo size sorting when exposed to geomorphic processes such as streamflow or overland flow. Sorting can be identified by comparing the size distribution of archaeological assemblages to that of experimental core reduction sequences. A new database including different types of raw material (mainly flint and quartzite) and Palaeolithic debitage (blade, Levallois, discoid, on anvil, and shaping) has been built for this purpose. Palaeoeskimo data have also been added to illustrate microlithic industries. For all the debitages and raw materials, the particle size of knapping products >2 mm in width fits with a power-law distribution and shows only minor fluctuations, the range of which is always

This work presents the herpetofaunal remains collected from Blanchard Cave (Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe Archipelago). This site has yielded the oldest stratigraphic layers (around 40,000 BP) of the island, along with data concerning the herpetofaunal biodiversity of the island from the Late Pleistocene to pre-Columbian and modern times. The study of these fossil remains reveals the presence of at least 11 amphibian and squamata taxa ( Eleutherodactylus cf. martinicensis , Iguana sp., Anolis ferreus , Leiocephalus cf. cuneus , Thecadactylus cf. rapicauda , cf. Capitellum mariagalantae , Ameiva sp., cf. Antillotyphlops , Boa sp., Alsophis sp. and Colubridae sp. 2) during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene on Marie-Galante Island and provides new evidence concerning extinction times and the introduced or native status of taxa. This study also reveals that this bone assemblage is the result of diverse accumulation processes and provides new morphological data on the past herpetofauna of Marie-Galante.

The taphonomic study of Petit-Bost, Croix-de-Canard and Cantalouette II, three Palaeolithic sites that were recently discovered near Périgueux and Bergerac (Dordogne, France) in a colluvial context, has enlightened the difficulty of adequately appreciating the relative role of cultural and natural processes in site spatial patterning. Periglacial solifluction was thought to have played a significant role in site formation. Because the nature of the modifications induced by solifluction was still poorly understood, a simulation was made using data of soil movement recorded at La Mortice (French Southern Alps, 3100 m in elevation) in a modern periglacial environment. The results show that, for a knapping location, the first steps of deformation are typified both by a downslope translation of the location center and by an anisotropic diffusion of the artifacts. The knapping spot becomes elongated along the slope, with a dense relic concentration of artifacts in the upslope portion. This type of pattern has been obtained after 100 to 200 years of simulated displacement according to the climatic and soil conditions that characterise the La Mortice site. The ultimate stages of deformation show that the artifact distribution tends to homogenise on larger surfaces and resemble a random distribution. The ability of the simulated patterns to closely fit those observed in archaeological contexts is evaluated at three sites from south-western France. At Petit-Bost, the hypothesis of limited solifluction explains accurately the association of both cultural (artifact concentrations) and natural (artifact preferred orientation) features. At Croix-de-Canard, long-term solifluction can be proposed. By contrast, the simulated patterns do not describe the structures observed on the steeper slopes at Cantalouette II, where the knapping spot transforms into distinct solifluction lobes.

Dans une publication récente, Gravina et collaborateurs (2005) admettent qu'une interstratification entre industries châtelperroniennes et aurignaciennes est avérée dans la grotte des Fées, phénomène qui implique une longue contemporanéité entre les populations porteuses de ces deux technocomplexes. Cette interprétation, qui s'appuie essentiellement sur des datations numériques réalisées à partir d'échantillons provenant des fouilles de Delporte, a été vivement critiquée par Zilhao et al. (2006). Elle a cependant été maintenue par les premiers auteurs, qui réfutent l'ensemble des arguments avancés par Zilhao et collaborateurs (Mellars et al. 2007).Dans cet article, nous exposons en détail les informations et les arguments qui nous conduisent à rejeter l'idée d'une interstratification sur le site de la grotte des Fées. Les questions soulevées par Mellars et colaborateurs sont discutées. De nouveaux éléments sontégalement pris en compte. L'historique des travaux conduits sur le site depuis le XIXe siècle, les incohérences concernant la localisation des fouilles, différente selon les sources, la signification des datations 14 C et l'analyse de l'industrie lithique et de la parure recueillie par H. Delporte permettent de montrer que ce site livre en fait un mélange de pièces châtelperroniennes et aurignaciennes sur l'ensemble de sa séquence et qu'il ne peut donc servir à étayer l'hypothèse d'une interstratification culturelle.L'analyse de la faune associée aux industries met en évidence une accumulation par des carnivores. Sur cette base, les différentes possibilités d'association entre vestiges fauniques et lithiques sont discutées. La signification des dates 14 C est également évaluée à partir des différents modes de formation possibles du site.L'interprétation la plus rigoureuse des données recueillies incite à penser que les dépôts fouillés par Delporte correspondent pour l'essentiel à des déblais de fouilles pratiquées au XIXe siècle. Seule une petite partie du site, en particulier à la base de la séquence, pourrait réellement correspondre à des témoins en place. Sur les 13 dates obtenues par Mellars et collaborateurs (2007), 10 ont été réalisées à partir de vestiges provenant de ce témoin. Elles suggèrent une occupation châtelperronienne autour de 39-40 ka 14 C BP et une occupation par les seuls carnivores dans l'intervalle 36,5 ka-34,5 ka 14 C BP. La présence d'objets typiquement aurignaciens, au sein des déblais fouillés par Delporte, atteste d'une fréquentation sporadique du gisement par les porteurs de cette industrie. Ces vestiges aurignaciens sont susceptibles de provenir d'un niveau surmontant les dépôts moustériens et châtelperroniens.

International audience; Experiments have been carried out at two sites in periglacial (MAAT ≈ 0 °C) and alpine (MAAT ≈ 4 °C) contexts in the Pyrenees, including open-air and cave loci, to document in detail the role of site formation processes and taphonomic agents in the degradation of archaeological assemblages. In both sites, the experimental cells have undergone significant changes over the five years of measurements. These are marked by slow downslope creep of lithic artefacts due to solifluction, rain creep, and the impact of debris fallen from the wall in the cave. The behaviour of bone material was significantly different from that of lithics, due to the activity of scavengers. This was responsible for scattering a high proportion of bone remains, and displacements were typically significant. Such activity was also responsible for a high number of bone elements being lost (1/3 to 2/3 of the bones). Weathering, mostly cracking and exfoliation, also affected dry bone material in the open-air cells. The measurements have highlighted the specific nature of the cave context, which plays a protective role for bone remains against meteoric agents. The talus at the entrance of the cavity was also characterized by a strong spatial heterogeneity in sedimentary processes, which may generate a differential preservation of the assemblages.

International audience; The Acheulian is one of the first defined prehistoric technocomplexes and is characterized by shaped bifacial stone tools. It probably originated in Africa, spreading to Europe and Asia perhaps as early as 1 million years (Myr) ago. The origin of the Acheulian is thought to have closely coincided with major changes in human brain evolution, allowing for further technological developments. Nonetheless, the emergence of the Acheulian remains unclear because well-dated sites older than 1.4Myr ago are scarce. Here we report on the lithic assemblage and geological context for the Kokiselei 4 archaeological site fromthe Nachukui formation(West Turkana,Kenya) that bears characteristic early Acheulian tools and pushes the first appearance datumfor this stone-age technology back to 1.76Myr ago. Moreover, co-occurrence of Oldowan and Acheulian artefacts at the Kokiselei site complex indicates that the two technologies are not mutually exclusive time-successive components of an evolving cultural lineage, and suggests that the Acheulian was either imported from another location yet to be identified or originated from Oldowan hominins at this vicinity. In either case, the Acheulian did not accompany the first human dispersal from Africa despite being available at the time. This may indicate that multiple groups of hominins distinguished by separate stone-tool-making behaviours and dispersal strategies coexisted in Africa at 1.76Myr ago.

A set of long-term experiments have been initiated in active periglacial environment. The experimental site is located on the south slope of Taillon Mountain, near Gavarnie, Spain. Experiments address the following points: 1) rate of displacement of archaeological particles and disturbance of archaeological features on solifluction sheet and by creep on rockfall screes; 2) fragmentation of bones and their surface alteration, with emphasis on cutmarks disappearance; 3) the rate of linear fabric acquisition of knapped flint displaced by solifluction or creep. After one year, disturbances are observed. Considering bones, factors responsible for the changes noted are 1) green versus dry nature of items with regard to displacements 2) burnt versus unburnt status in respect of alteration. For lithic assemblage, we observe that initial setting of artifacts - in regimented intervals or replicating knapping spot - controls the rate of displacement. This last point is crucial in the application of experimental data to the application of experimental data to archaeological sites. Previous experiments can be discussed in light of these preliminary results.; Un programme d'archéologie expérimentale a été entrepris en milieu périglaciaire actuel. Le site sélectionné est localisé dans les Pyrénées centrales, sur le versant sud du Massif du Taillon, secteur de Gavarnie. Les expériences entreprises traitent des points suivants : 1) vitesse de déplacement des vestiges et évolution des structures anthropiques - amas de taille - par solifluxion et par reptation sur talus gravitaire ; 2) fragmentation des ossements et altération des états de surface ; 3) vitesse d'acquisition d'une orientation préférentielle des vestiges lithiques déplacés par solifluxion ou reptation. Après un an de fonctionnement, certains paramètres contrôlant la nature et la vitesse des modifications peuvent être identifiés. Pour les ossements, le caractère frais ou sec détermine les déplacements, tandis que le caractère brûlé / non brûlé apparaît prééminent par rapport à leur fragmentation. Dans le cas des vestiges lithiques déposés sur coulées de solifluxion, les déplacements diffèrent selon la disposition initiale des objets - en amas ou dispersés -. Ces premiers résultats permettent de réexaminer la validité des précédentes expériences de taphonomie archéologique en contexte périglaciaire.

The taphonomic study of Petit-Bost and Croix-de-Canard, two Middle Palaeolithic sites that have been recently discovered near Périgueux (Dordogne, France) in a colluvial context, has enlightened the difficulty to adequately appreciate the relative role of cultural and natural processes on their spatial patterning. Solifluction, i.e. a slow soil creep due to repeated freezing and thawing, is thought to have played a significant role in site formation. Since the nature of the modifications induced by solifluction is still poorly understood, a simulation has been made using the data on soil movements recorded at La Mortice (French southern Alps, 3100 m elevation) in a modern periglacial environment. The results show that, for a knapping spot, the first steps of deformation are typified both by a downslope translation of the spot centre and by an anisotropic diffusion of the artefacts. The knapping spot become elongated along the slope, with a dense relic concentration of artefacts in the upslope part. This kind of pattern has been obtained after 100 to 200 years of simulated displacement according to the climatic and soil conditions that characterise the La Mortice site. The ultimate stages of deformation show that the artefact distribution tends to homogenise on larger surfaces and resembles that of a random distribution. These simulated patterns closely fit those observed in archaeological sites. At Petit-Bost, the hypothesis of limited solifluction explains accurately the association of both cultural (artefact concentrations) and natural (artefact preferred orientation) features. At Croix-de-Canard, a long-lasting activity of solifluction can be proposed.; L'étude taphonomique de deux sites Paléolithique moyen, Petit-Bost et Croix-de-Canard, récemment découverts dans des colluvions près de Périgueux (Dordogne, France) à l'occasion de travaux d'archéologie préventive, a mis en lumière la difficulté d'apprécier le rôle respectif des facteurs anthropiques et naturels, en l'occurrence la solifluxion, sur la répartition spatiale des vestiges. De manière à mieux appréhender les transformations occasionnées par la solifluxion périglaciaire, c'est-à-dire par la lente reptation du sol provoquée par les alternances de gel-dégel, une simulation informatique a été réalisée à partir de mesures de déplacement enregistrées dans un milieu actif à La Mortice (Alpes françaises méridionales, 3100 m d'altitude) dans le cadre du programme TRANSIT. Les résultats de la simulation montrent que, pour une concentration d'objets de type amas de débitage, les premiers stades de la déformation se traduisent à la fois par une translation vers l'aval du centre de gravité de la concentration et par une diffusion anisotrope des objets. L'amas prend alors une forme d'ellipse allongée dans la pente, avec une forte densité relique d'objets dans la partie amont. Ce type de configuration est obtenu après 100 à 200 ans de fonctionnement dans les conditions du site expérimental de La Mortice. Dans les stades ultérieurs de la déformation, la répartition du matériel tend à s'homogénéiser et s'apparente à une distribution aléatoire sur une grande surface. La comparaison entre la simulation et les configurations archéologiques rencontrées sur les sites de Petit-Bost et Croix-de-Canard montre une bonne adéquation. En ce qui concerne le premier, l'hypothèse d'un déplacement limité par la solifluxion rend notamment bien compte de la coexistence de traits anthropiques (présence de concentrations d'objets) et de traits manifestement naturels (orientation préférentielle des objets dans la pente). Pour le second site, l'hypothèse d'une action prolongée de la solifluxion ayant conduit à une homogénéisation de la répartition des vestiges peut être proposée.

International audience; During the Last Glaciation, Western Europe witnessed recurrent millennial-scale episodes of periglacial climates, that had significant impact on Palaeolithic site preservation. After a review on the genesis and climatic meaning of sorted patterned grounds, examples of polygons, stripes and stone-banked solifluction lobes taken from archaeological contexts are described. Sorted features in Palaeolithic sites imply that caution should be taken in site patterning analysis for reconstructing past human behaviours, since spatial alteration of the original anthropogenic pattern took place. On low gradients, artefact movements remain limited but may increase dramatically on slopes when solifluction adds to sorting processes. Although these features are widespread in modern periglacial environments, archaeological examples remain scarce. Multiple factors are probably involved, including lack of knowledge of periglacial processes and landforms by archaeologists leading to misinterpretation, but also more or less complete obliteration of surface features by sedimentary processes upon burial. However, it is assumed that scarcity of clear anthropogenic patterning in French Palaeolithic sites before the Late Glacial is due for a large part to post-depositional disturbance by periglacial processes.

International audience; Biostratigraphic and paleoecological analyses of Southeast Asian Pleistocene faunal sites are based on the assumption that paleontological assemblages are homogeneous. This means that the sites formed during a time range shorter than biological evolution range and, above all, without faunal replacement induced by environmental successions. Detailed study of the Cave of the Monk paleontological site, in Thailand, has lead to the conclusion that the complex pattern of this Southeast Asian paleontological site cannot support such an assumption. The Cave of the Monk provides an Ailuropoda-Stegodon assemblage typical of Southeast Asia Pleistocene Fauna. The pluridisciplinary study presented here includes (i) site morphology description, (ii) sedimentological analysis of fossiliferous deposits, (iii) taphonomy study of the bone assemblage, and (iv) electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth samples. This integrated approach demonstrates the existence of a Pleistocene porcupine den inhabited during MIS 3 and 2. The features of this site are commonly reported for other paleontological sites of the area, indicating that this kind of site formation is a very general one in Southeast Asia. ESR dating and porcupine ethological reports are used to question the site time averaging. A time range of a few tens of thousands of years is suggested. The paleoecological value of the site can then be discussed. On one hand, the assemblage is thought to be a valuable paleoenvironmental record considering that the bone accumulation agent is reputed to represent the fauna present in the environment without bias. On the other hand, the time averaging of the site indicates that site formation range likely covered the environmental fluctuations of the last climatic cycle. This last hypothesis is confirmed by the alternating association of species indicated by the stratigraphic distribution of the faunal remains. The research demonstrates the need for integrated and pluridisciplinary taphonomic study of Southeast Asian paleontological sites. It also reveals the utility of a microstratigraphic analysis of a fossiliferous karst deposit in order to disentangle the succession of Pleistocene mammals in response to environmental changes.

New excavations have been undertaken at Diepkloof Rock Shelter (DRS; South Africa) since 1999. It is one of the very few sites where Howiesons Poort and Stillbay assemblages can be collected from the same archaeological sequence. These Middle Stone Age techno-complexes are particularly interesting for their affinities with the much younger Later Stone Age facies, and their association with evidence for symbolic behaviour. Establishing their chronology is therefore particularly important for the understanding of the apparition and the evolution of the so-called ‘‘modern'' behaviours. Data already available suggest ages ranging from 55 to 80 ka for the Howiesons Poort and from 70 to 80 ka for the Stillbay techno-complexes in several South African sites. The thermoluminescence dating undertaken at DRS on 22 stone samples originating from the entire stratigraphic record indicates intervals starting 10–50 ka earlier for these techno-complexes in this site. Possible caveats in the dating process are examined but to the best of our current knowledge must be rejected.

The Châtelperronian is a Neandertal-associated archeological culture featuring ornaments and decorated bone tools. It is often suggested that such symbolic items do not imply that Neandertals had modern cognition and stand instead for influences received from coeval, nearby early modern humans represented by the Aurignacian culture, whose precocity would be proven by stratigraphy and radiocarbon dates. The Grotte des Fées at Châtelperron (France) is the remaining case of such a potential Châtelperronian–Aurignacian contemporaneity, but reanalysis shows that its stratification is poor and unclear, the bone assemblage is carnivore-accumulated, the putative interstratified Aurignacian lens in level B4 is made up for the most part of Châtelperronian material, the upper part of the sequence is entirely disturbed, and the few Aurignacian items in levels B4-5 represent isolated intrusions into otherwise in situ Châtelperronian deposits. As elsewhere in southwestern Europe, this evidence confirms that the Aurignacian postdates the Châtelperronian and that the latter’s cultural innovations are better explained as the Neandertals’ independent development of behavioral modernity.

building-up of the heap is no longer influenced by the slope. Three additional experiments consisted of discharging artefacts stocked in a canvas cover on slopes with gradients of 7°, 14° and 20°. In the resulting artefact concentrations, the blades exhibit a preferred slope-parallel orientation, the intensity of which is strongly correlated with the slope gradient. The experimental fabrics were compared with those measured on Palaeolithic sites. Few (only about a quarter) are similar to the experimental data, suggesting that many sites have undergone modification due to sedimentary processes., De manière à compléter le référentiel actualiste sur la fabrique (c’est-àdire l’orientation et l’inclinaison) des vestiges archéologiques, des expériences concernant différents types d’amas ont été entreprises. Trois débitages laminaires ont été réalisés pour observer l’influence de la pente sur la constitution des amas de taille. Celle-ci atteignait respectivement 20° dans les deux premières expériences et 8° dans la troisième. Les résultats obtenus montrent que la pente ne joue qu’un rôle relativement limité sur l’organisation des amas. Dans tous les cas, la fabrique est comparable et de type planaire: les objets adoptent une position à plat sans orientation préférentielle générale. La forme de l’amas tend cependant à s’allonger dans la pente lorsque celle-ci est élevée, d’autant plus que la rugosité du sol est faible. L’extension maximale de l’amas est acquise rapidement, dès les premières phases du débitage, de nombreux objets roulant ou glissant sur le sol avant de s’immobiliser. Une fois qu’une première couche d’objets s’est mise en place, la distance parcourue par les pièces se réduit et la constitution du tas n’est plus influencée par la pente. Trois autres amas, provenant de produits de débitage stockés dans une bâche et rejetés sur des pentes de 7, 14 et 20°, ont également été réalisés. Dans ces amas, les lames acquièrent une orientation préférentielle d’autant plus forte que la pente est élevée. Les fabriques obtenues expérimentalement ont ensuite été comparées à celles mesurées sur un certain nombre de sites paléolithiques. Seul un quart de ces mesures sont similaires aux données expérimentales. Pour les autres sites, l’hypothèse de modifications liées à des processus sédimentaires postérieurs à l’occupation est formulée., Bertran Pascal, Bordes Jean-Guillaume, Barré Antoine, Lenoble Arnaud, Mourre Vincent. Fabrique d'amas de débitage : données expérimentales. In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 103, n°1, 2006. pp. 33-47.

International audience; Nadung'a 4 is one of the single carcass pachyderm sites recorded in East Africa during the Early Middle Pleistocene. The site has yielded an abundant lithic assemblage in close association with the partial carcass of an elephant. Conjoined pedological, geoarchaeological, spatial, technological and taphonomical analyses have been carried out to address the relationship between hominids and elephant. The resulting data are consistent with a non-fortuitous association between both categories of remains. The lithic artefacts do not match a classical Acheulean tool-kit, as would be expected for the time period ascribed to the site. The implications of the these features are discussed.

International audience; La grotte du Moine de Ban Fa Suai est un site original découvert dans le Nord de la Thaïlande, dans le cadre de la mission paléolithique française en Thaïlande, dont l'objectif est de mettre au jour la présence des premières populations humaines locales. Constitué de trois réseaux superposés – deux réseaux fossiles ayant livré respectivement des restes fauniques appartenant au complexe Stegodon–Ailuropoda et un assemblage lithique se rapportant au Hoabinhien et un réseau actuel actif –, ce site est l'occasion d'illustrer la nécessité de s'intéresser plus en détail aux modalités de remplissage et à la mise en place des restes dans une grotte emblématique de celles nombreuses existant en Asie du Sud-Est. Seize familles, 25 genres et 38 espèces de mammifères ont été identifiés parmi le matériel dentaire accumulé par des porcs-épics. L'analyse technologique du matériel lithique permet de le rapprocher de celui mis au jour en Indonésie.

International audience; Fabric analysis in archaeological contexts, i.e. the study of the orientation and dip of artefacts, has been significantly improved during the last decade, mainly with respect to the statistical treatment of data, the development of a reference base for natural sedimentary processes as well as the increased number of data for Palaeolithic levels. These works show that fabrics are an efficient tool for assessing site formation processes. Fabrics allow discrimination between (i) undisturbed (or minimally disturbed) levels, (ii) levels that have undergone strong pedoturbations due to biological activity or to shrinking and swelling of clayey sediments and (iii) levels that have been significantly reworked by slope processes such as periglacial solifluction or overland flow. However, in the present state of knowledge, fabrics do not allow precise estimation of the degree of perturbation if not associated with other archaeological and geological criteria. From the set of data on French Palaeolithic sites used here, it is demonstrated that slope dynamics and particularly solifluction for sites predating the Late Glacial may have played an important role in site formation.

Diepkloof is a large sandstone shelter containing Late and Middle Stone Age deposits with a good preservation of the organic remains. Since these sediments are extremely loose, this site provides a simple case for estimating of penetrometric techniques in an archaeological context. Mainly used in civil engineering, a dynamic penetrometer is a heavy instrument which allows the measurements of the variations of a cone resistance (in MPa) as a fonction of the depth along a vertical line. These measurements yield about the material compaction. The PANDA which has been used in this shelter is a light-weight (20 kg) dynamic cone penetrometer for soil investigation. It uses variable energy (the blow from a hammer) and can be operated by one person. Measurements have been recorded along two profiles. Two kinds of data are investigated. Firstly, the depth of the is documented which allows the estimation of the volume of the deposits in this cave : between 400 and 500 m3. Secondly, the variability in the sediment compaction is used to characterize the infilling of the shelter. Roof fall blocks are abundant in the entrance whereas rock fragments are scarce in the backfill. It is found that the top of the deposits between the surface and a depth of 1 .5 m contains numerous hard lenses recognized as saltcrusts. In comparison, the bottom of the infilling is extremely loose and, in fact, is not yet reached by the excavations. Finally, this study provides arguments to discuss the site formation processes and makes easy the best choice for future excavations., L' abri-sous-roche de Diepkloof en Afrique du Sud livre des industries du Middle et Late Stone Age. La structure pulvérulente des dépôts et la préservation des restes organiques y sont remarquables. Les fouilles ont été reprises La stratégie d'implantation des zones à fouiller se heurte à l'estimation des volumes des dépôts sédimentaires. Le pénétromètre, instrument habituellement utilisé en Génie Civil, permet une mesure ponctuelle de la compacité d'un terrain en fonction de la profondeur. Ses potentialités sont testées ici en archéologie, dans un cas simple et favorable par rapport à de précédents exemples d'application. Deux types d'informations sont recherchés : la localisation du toit du substratum et l'estimation de l'hétérogénéité des dépôts en termes de compacité. La position du toit du substratum de grès-quartzite est déterminée selon deux directions ; elle permet une estimation du volume du remplissage de l'abri : 400 à 500 m3. Dans l'estimation de l'hétérogénéité des sédiments, trois types de remplissage sont reconnus. Premièrement, des éboulis sont présents à l'entrée de l'abri ; ils sont à l'origine du piège sédimentaire. Deuxièmement, des sédiments cimentés par des sels caractérisent la partie sommitale du remplissage. Ils expriment la stabilité des modes de formation des dépôts depuis le Middle Stone Age. Troisièmement, des sédiments complètement pulvérulents sont reconnus en-dessous. Ils ne sont à ce jour pas documentés par la fouille. Les données ainsi acquises permettent de discuter la dynamique sédimentaire et la représentativité des secteurs de fouille., Lenoble Arnaud, Martinaud Michel. Apports du pénétrométre à la connaissance d'un site préhistorique. Le cas de l'abri de Diepkloof, province du Cap, Afrique du Sud.. In: Revue d'Archéométrie, n°27, 2003. pp. 27-36.

Formation processes of the mousterian site of Champs-de-Bossuet (Gironde, France). Extensive excavations carried out in the lower valley of Isle River allowed to gather a very important Mousterian assemblage. Artifacts were included in the upper part of a little channel infilling due to runoff. Four kinds of methods were used in order to point out site formation processes : study of spatial distribution of archaeological remains, fabric analysis of artifacts, study of artifacts granulometry and refitting analysis. This approach permits to identify several archaeological areas characterized by different levels of preservation., Des fouilles préventives menées dans la basse vallée de l'Isle ont mis au jour un site moustérien fouillé sur une grande surface. Les vestiges sont inclus au sommet du comblement d'un thalweg constitué de colluvions formées par ruissellement diffus. La confrontation des observations sedimentologiques et archéologiques menées lors de la fouille et à partir des premières analyses du matériel (plans, remontages, ...) permet une approche taphonomique. Celle-ci met en évidence une préservation différentielle de l'ensemble archéologique et fixe les limites de l'étude spatiale., Lenoble Arnaud, Ortega Illuminada, Bourguignon Laurence. Processus de formation du site moustérien de Champs-de-Bossuet (Gironde) / Formation processes of the mousterian site of Champs-de-Bossuet (Gironde, France). In: Paléo, n°12,2000. pp. 413-425.