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This paper focuses on new findings from Middle Paleolithic Geula Cave, Israel, located in the northern part of Mt. Carmel. The cave, consists of several small chambers that are remnants of a larger cave system, initially excavated between 1958 and 1964. The occupation at the cave was ascribed to Middle Paleolithic modern humans. In 2016, a salvage excavation was conducted in areas of the cave that were not previously explored. Analyses of the new excavation revealed a consistency in lithic technology throughout the new excavation areas, with an emphasis on Levallois production using mainly bidirectional and centripetal core preparation modes. The faunal study identified intensive hyena and porcupine activities in small chambers, probably at the back part of the cave, while fractured bones in association with flint artifacts were found at what appears as the living area in the cave. Luminescence ages indicated that Geula Cave was occupied as early as 175 ka, but that the major occupation was from 120 to 100 ka. The major occupation at Geula chronologically overlaps with the Skhul and Qafzeh Caves thus reinforcing the notion that Homo sapiens dominated the southern Levant during early MIS 5. This study demonstrates the importance of reinvestigating and reevaluating past excavated prehistoric sites and their contents to enhance our understanding of the regional, cultural and biological history.

This paper presents the results of the analysis of a late Acheulean horizon from the EDAR 135 site, which was discovered in the Eastern Desert, Sudan, in an area heavily transformed by modern mining activity. A lithic assemblage was discovered there, within a layer of gravel sediments formed by a paleostream in a humid period of the Middle Pleistocene. This layer is OSL dated between 220 ± 12 and 145 ± 20 ka (MIS 7a/6). These dates indicate that the assemblage could be the youngest trace of the Acheulean in northeastern Africa. Technological analysis of the lithics reveals different core reduction strategies, including not only ad hoc ones based on multiplatform cores, but also discoidal and prepared cores. The use of prepared core reduction methods has already been confirmed at other Late Acheulean sites in Africa and the Middle East. Microwear traces observed on lithic artifacts could relate to on-site butchering activities. publishedVersion

Before Europeans arrived to Eastern North America, prehistoric, indigenous peoples experienced a number of changes that culminated in the development of sedentary, maize agricultural lifeways of varying complexity. Inherent to these lifeways were several triggers of social stress including population nucleation and increase, intergroup conflict (warfare), and increased territoriality. Here, we examine whether this period of social stress co-varied with deadlier weaponry, specifically, the design of the most commonly found prehistoric archery component in late pre-contact North America: triangular stone arrow tips (TSAT). The examination of modern metal or carbon projectiles, arrows, and arrowheads has demonstrated that smaller arrow tips penetrate deeper into a target than do larger ones. We first experimentally confirm that this relationship applies to arrow tips made from stone hafted onto shafts made from wood. We then statistically assess a large sample (n = 742) of late pre-contact TSAT and show that these specimens are extraordinarily small. Thus, by miniaturizing their arrow tips, prehistoric people in Eastern North America optimized their projectile weaponry for maximum penetration and killing power in warfare and hunting. Finally, we verify that these functional advantages were selected across environmental and cultural boundaries. Thus, while we cannot and should not rule out stochastic, production economizing, or non-adaptive cultural processes as an explanation for TSAT, overall our results are consistent with the hypothesis that broad, socially stressful demographic changes in late pre-contact Eastern North America resulted in the miniaturization–and augmented lethality–of stone tools across the region.

The dispersal processes of anatomically modern humans in Asia during the late Middle to early Upper Paleolithic periods have been a focus of intensive research in recent years through interdisciplinary approaches including genetic, paleoanthropological, and archeological studies. However, sparse datasets, often only available from limited time-space contexts have not produced a satisfactory picture of the vast geographic extension of this continent. This study investigated how the chrono-spatial patterning of lithic technological records, which are widely available across Asia, might contribute to our better understanding of the population dynamics in this period. The study is based on a large database (PaleoAsiaDB) recently developed by the authors to accommodate the relevant datasets, including geographical coordinates of each site and available radiometric dates, for the Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods in Asia. Each of the 895 lithic assemblages was characterized in terms of the presence/absence of 24 lithic modes/submodes that were adapted from the work of John Shea to fit our research objective. The dataset was analyzed using exploratory statistical methods, including principal component analysis. The results revealed marked spatiotemporal patterns in technological variability from the late Middle to early Upper Paleolithic periods. Some can be interpreted as a result of modern human dispersal, whereas others are better explained from ecological and other perspectives rather than authorships. Although this study has obvious limitations due to its reliance on the information sourced from the literature, it provides a global synthesis of lithic variability in the crucial period of the dispersals of modern humans on a continental scale for the first time. The results serve as a guide to be tested with evidence from other research strategies, such as genetics and fossil studies.

Guenfouda cave is located 30 km south of the city of Oujda in the Jbel Metssila belonging to the Oujda Mountains. It was recognized as a site of archaeological interest in 2003. Excavations are scheduled every year, and important archaeological material (lithic, faunal and human) has been brought to light. A first study on the lithic industry was carried out by S. Almisas and M. Souhir (2018) under the title of "New studies on the lithic industry of the Neolithic deposits of the Oujda Mountains. Raw material and technology” (Reg.03“Upper Pleistocene and Holocene cognitive complexity & archaeogenetics in North Africa ”15th PANAF Conférence, Rabat 2018). The study is based on technological techniques, the typology of cut products and also on the origin of the raw material used. The lithic industry is abundant, well preserved in all levels and phases of the operating chain are present, indicating debitage in situ in the cave. The artefacts, are brought back to the Neolithic for the upper levels, then to the final Upper Paleolithic (or Epipaleolithic) for the lower levels, marked by a change in culture with the appearance of back-to-body lamellae. The first analyzes of the raw material used by prehistoric man in this cave, in particular the flint, generally comes from the Swimina area, located to the south of the Oued El Hay basin (Ain Béni Mathar). The limestones come from the surroundings of the mountains of 'Oujda, plains and wadis. As for the basalt, it comes from an ancient Quaternary volcano located near the cave at the top of Jebel Metssila. For quartzites, phtanites, silicified green schist and tuffite, they come from the Paleozoic buttonholes of Glib Naam and jbel boussofane (Province of Jerada). Given the above information, it appears that the man from Guenfouda may have used various rocks for the manufacture of tools, and would have traveled distances of up to 60 km in radius to stock up on raw material, especially flint. Key words: Guenfouda, Prehistoric cave, Oujda mountains, Eastern Morocco, Neolithic, Upper Paleolithic, raw material origin.

The site of Goa Topogaro (Topogaro Caves) on Sulawesi Island in Eastern Indonesia yields numerous osseous and lithic artefacts in association with anatomically modern humans (AMH) from the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Sulawesi is the largest island in Wallacea and could have been located along the early AMH migration routes to Sahul that required sea crossings between the past Sunda and Sahul-continents. AMH utilized both osseous and lithic technologies use during the early stage of their migration to South Asia, Island Southeast Asia (ISEA), and Sahul, a more intensive use and wider expansion of bone-based technologies occurred after the end of the Pleistocene in ISEA and Sulawesi. Our study confirms the emergence and wide use of an variety of osseus technologies, specifically bone points that may have been used as drills, engravers, and projectiles, during the early Holocene in Sulawesi. This is in tandem with a significant shift of lithic technologies and the dramatic increase of retouched tools. Use-wear analysis of bone and lithic materials shows that some specific retouched stone tools were likely used for the production of bone implements. We suggest such a combination in the use of bone and lithic technologies for Sulawesi, and widely across ISEA, may indicate early AMH subsistence strategies and adaptations to the changing island and rainforest environments during the transition from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene.

Recently, several studies have presented quantitative data of lithic assemblages from Islands Southeast Asia (ISEA), based on technological and morphological analyses. While this has led to a better overall understanding of the nature of these assemblages, there is still lack of clarity about the relationship between manufacturing technology and usage. Accordingly, this study collected detailed data of lithic assemblages from Callao Cave in northern Luzon, Philippines. Multifaceted analyses including technological and morphological analysis and use-wear analysis were conducted to clarify the actual nature of lithic technology and tool use in relation to human behavior. Results of the technological and morphological analysis show that several core tools share same types of secondary reduction (retouch) with flake tools, while there are several retouched tools (flake tools and core tools) with several types of secondary reduction (retouch). In addition, there are no major differences between the sizes of the core tools and flake tools. Result of the use-wear analysis indicates that several retouched areas on both the core tools and flake tools were actually used. These stone-tool manufacturing and usage characteristics suggest that the hunter-gatherers who left the assemblages did not clearly distinguish between cores and flakes (or between core tools and flake tools), and did not treat lithic tools as single-function items. That is, it appears that secondary reduction was completed depending on the shapes, thicknesses, and angles of the edges of these lithic artifacts. The users/manufacturers thus placed emphasis on functional edges. It also seems that the core tools were used as both tools and objects for flake production. The characteristics of the assemblages in manufacturing and their usage suggest that lithic artifacts and lithic raw materials were used in Callao Cave efficiently and economically. Furthermore, in terms of their primary and secondary reduction processes, the assemblages from Callao Cave are considerably different from Upper Paleolithic assemblages found in the northern regions of Eurasia. This indicates that the characteristics of stone tool manufacturing and usage in Callao Cave reflect another strategy of early modern humans for using lithic raw material. However, these characteristics of the assemblages may most closely reflect the characteristics of the occupations and activities in the site. Accordingly, similar analyses, including technological and morphological analysis and use-wear analysis, need to be conducted on other lithic assemblages which are composed of many lithic artifacts in ISEA.

The Fayum has been known as the oldest center of cereal cultivation in prehistoric Egypt. How Egypt’s earliest Neolithic farmers lived a life is still a subject of controversy. This article focuses...

The study of raw materials is an essential step in lithic analysis, regardless of the age, provenance, and technology of the assemblages. As in many other contexts of the Paleolithic, researchers of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) in southern Africa have often focused their attention on fine-grained, non-local rock types, such as silcrete. Here, I spotlight raw materials considered to be of lower suitability for knapping and frequently acquired from local sources. Due to their coarse-grained nature, artifacts from rock types such as calcrete, sandstone, and quartzite might show attributes that are different from finer-grained materials. Some of these knapped stones even constitute the substrate of the sites they are from, at times resulting in their neglect or not being recognized as anthropogenic artifacts. Knapped vein quartz features sharp and durable edges, but its complicated fracture mechanics hamper comparative analysis and provide methodological challenges. In this study, raw materials from different transport distances and with different presumed qualities are compared in terms of their roles in MSA lithic technology and settlement patterns. In the first step, the article focuses on the open-air special-purpose camp of Hoedjiespunt 1 (HDP1, Western Cape) and the rockshelter residential site of Sibudu (KwaZulu-Natal), especially on assemblages dated between ~ 130–100 and ~ 58 ka. Subsequently, I review relevant materials for the southern African MSA. At HDP1 and Sibudu, local raw materials of lower knapping suitability assume several roles, from the “staple” material for all manufacturing stages to special-purpose and “add-on” functions. In the broader southern African region, MSA knappers also used these rock types in a flexible manner with gradual differences but also similarities to their use of finer-grained raw material. These differences depend on a complex interaction of raw material availability, differential site use, and the position of the localities in the settlement system.

Triangular non-stemmed points (TNSPs) have been recovered for several decades from early archaeological sites in different regions of South America. We report a synthesis and review of 63 early Hol...

The middle Tanana Valley near Fairbanks, Alaska has been the subject of nearly a century of archaeological research focused on the earliest inhabitants of the region. Recent research at Niidhaayh N...

Kammern-Grubgraben is among the few stratified Upper Palaeolithic sites in Central Europe dating to the Last Glacial Maximum which provided not only substantial amounts of archaeological materials but also extensive preserved occupational structures. Although the site has been known since the last quarter of the 19th century, systematic excavations didn’t start until the 1980’s. These were carried out subsequently by two different teams providing partly incongruent observations and interpretations. Renewed field investigations commenced in 2015 and aim at reassessing stratigraphy and chronology, settlement structures and occupational sequence, as well as mobility and economy. First results provide a robust multimethod chrono-stratigraphic bracket for occupation between Greenland Stadials GS-3 and GS-2.1. Artefact technology and typology point at supra-regional contacts to both the west and east on a more general scale while a high degree of mobility is specifically demonstrated for the hunter-gatherer groups occupying the site by displaying procurement patterns for various raw materials targeting not only local, but also regional and far-distance sources. Furthermore, the new investigations have been able to almost double the previously established site extent, and targeted excavations show that the diversity and complexity of stone constructions considerably exceeds what has previously been observed.

Traditionally, fossil directors have been key elements for the characterization of chrono-cultural series over time. Current research on lithic technology demonstrate extensive and growing variability within technocomplexes, particularly in the Upper Paleolithic, making more complex the previously established chrono-cultural organization. In this article we analyze the lithic technology of level 497C from Cova Gran de Santa Linya, dated to 26.220 ± 220 BP (31260–30580 cal BP). Chronometric data indicates the assemblage is located between MIS 3 and MIS 2, likely placing it within the Gravettian tradition. The level 497C constitutes one of the few archaeological sites in NE Iberia for this period and allows identifying technical traits in core reduction methods, stone tools manufacture and site composition. Reduction strategies through prismatic cores were used to obtain distinct sequences of blades and bladelets. The assemblage of retouched artifacts is mainly composed by “fond commun”, pieces with abrupt retouch, and burins (mostly on oblique truncation). Backed tools, which were common during this period, are notably rare, as are Gravette points and Noailles burins, classic indicators that are not represented here. Nevertheless, a group of partially retouched macro-flakes forms a little-known category of instruments that can provide remarkable information regarding the technical behaviors of human groups. The technological features seen in level 497C may be consistent with the Gravettian technocomplex. However, we suggest the integration of technical-organizational indicators to assist the contextualization of the diversity of responses and technological decisions identified in technocomplexes. In this sense, the characteristics of this assemblage offer keys for evaluating archaeological sequences without fossil directors, thereby expanding our understanding of technological variability in this period in Iberia.

The interest of this paper lies in the analysis of variability detected within the group of splintered pieces, establishing distinctions within this broad category. A technological and traceologica...

Neolithization was a complex, protracted process of domestication, sedentarization, and technology change that occurred in various combinations in various times and places around the world. Understanding the causal relationships among those and other important human behaviors remains an analytical challenge. This study examines Neolithization through the lens of lithic artifact variation in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru. Drawing on previous lithics research, we outline a synthetic model linking changing diet, mobility, and projectile technology to predicted trends in lithic assemblages. The expectations are then compared to two large, well-dated lithic assemblages from the Titicaca Basin—one from the Middle/Late Archaic forager site of Soro Mik’aya Patjxa (8.0–6.5 cal. ka) and the other from the Terminal Archaic horticultural site of Jiskairumoko (5.2–3.4 cal. ka). We find that the strongest signal in lithic technology change is related to the introduction of archery technology. Signals for subsistence change and declining mobility are relatively weak. The results suggest an early but unconfirmed adoption of archery technology in the Terminal Archaic Period with major transitions in mobility and diet likely to have occurred subsequently in the Terminal Archaic or Formative periods. The findings are consistent with a behavioral model in which changes in projectile technology played a prominent role in the evolution of resource intensification and residential sedentism as well as resource privatization and sexual division of labor in the high Andes.

The lithic operational chains at the Mesolithic site of La Una (Leon, N Spain) have been analysed and reconstructed through a joint study of the raw material provenance and technological characteri...

The Johnson site is a Folsom occupation in Larimer County, Colorado. T. Russell Johnson discovered the site in 1935, which led to excavations by the Colorado Museum of Natural History in 1936 and l...

Here we report a newly discovered Fishtail, or Fell 1, projectile-point type, from Coronel Jose Dias, southern Piaui, northeastern Brazil. It is an almost complete bifacial piece on light local sil...

Archaeological research in the Middle Cauca region of west-central Colombia over the past 20 years has produced new information regarding early preceramic archaeology and environmental changes in the Central Cordillera landscapes. Stratigraphic, sedimentological, and geomorphic studies provided important contextual information for locating and interpreting the region's earliest archaeological sites, from a geoarchaeological perspective. This article presents results on the Pereira-Armenia Fluvio-Volcanic Fan studies and surrounding areas, during the Late Pleistocene through Middle Holocene periods. Twenty-five archaeological sites with preceramic deposits were tested and some have been excavated in a region measuring 30 b y 100 km. The region contains data with occupations ranging dates from approximately 13,540 to 3600 14C years BP (Aceituno, 2019; Dickau, 2015). These sites included cultural and natural deposits, within in situ tephras and polygenic soils with buried soil sequences. Cultural materials, sediments and soils from these sites have the potential to yield important data about the processes of site formation, environmental adaptation, early subsistence, depopulation and lithic technology in the Middle Cauca region. Layers of volcanic ashes demonstrated that in areas proximal to the Cerro Bravo-Cerro Machin Volcanic Complex, humans suffered impacts. However, depopulations was not generalized. In some places in the Fluvio-Volcanic Fan, far enough form volcanic impacts, people could stay.

The last hunter-gatherers of the central and western Mediterranean are associated with the Castelnovian technocomplex, which developed during the seventh millennium BC and is characterized mainly by its lithic industries, which reflect important changes that occurred during the Late Mesolithic: debitage from this time is oriented towards blade production by pressure-flaking and the manufacture of special tools, such as trapezes (made by the microburin technique) and notched blades. Although rare, Castelnovian sites have been identified in the wider Adriatic region of south-central Italy, Albania, Montenegro and the Italian and Slovenian Karst. However, it seems that the Croatian coast and its hinterland in the eastern Adriatic lack any traces. No sites were found in Dalmatia and only a few questionable surface finds come from Istria. This study explores whether this absence is due to historical factors, such as depopulation during the Late Mesolithic or the region being outside the Castelnovian expansion route, or whether it is because of a combination of taphonomic causes (such as loss of sites by marine transgression) and lack of previous research. The paper also focuses on the hypothesis that the presence of the last hunter-gatherers can be detected indirectly through the persistence of Castelnovian elements in the oldest Neolithic Impressed Ware assemblages of the eastern Adriatic. I further propose that Castelnovian traits are observable in the Impressed Ware assemblages of Istria. This Mesolithic tradition consists of the use of local flint, blade production by indirect percussion and ‘simpler’ forms of pressure flaking in lithic production, while marine resources remain an important food resource.

The high-resolution tracing of the behavior pattern and lithic technology of the last hunter-gatherers in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has been a rarely worked area. Here we report four Late Mesolithic sites comprised of both base camp and temporary localities in the Donggi-Cona Lake Basin with the elevations exceeding 4000 m above sea level, among which DJCN 3-2-2 was well preserved with organized site structure and dated to ca. 5400-5000 cal BP. We analyze the microblade technology and site structure in the Donggi-Cona Lake Basin and discuss it in the context of the prehistory of China. The Donggi-Cona microblade sites provide significant insights into the technology, behavior, and social organization of the last Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in the TP, and into the human dispersals and interactions in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the Holocene.

O artigo objetiva refletir sobre a tecnologia lítica na Serra Leste Carajás como uma forma de habitar a paisagem conforme a perspectiva ingoldiana. Assim, ao habitar as paisagens, as pessoas realizam diferentes tarefas, que deixam vestígios nos espaços habitados, e, consequentemente, essas atividades realizadas contribuem para a formação das paisagens nas quais essas pessoas estiveram. A partir dessa base teórica, será feita uma breve revisão bibliográfica das pesquisas sobre indústrias líticas realizadas na região de Carajás e, posteriormente, será apresentado o estudo de caso da indústria lítica do sítio Serra Leste 1, localizado na Serra Leste de Carajás, a fim de caracterizar a taskscape lítica existente nesse sítio.

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

The beginning of the Neolithic in the Adriatic region dates back to approximately 6000 cal BC. The appearance of Impressed Ware pottery in an area that roughly covers the Strait of Otranto to the coastal plains of Southern Istria marks its generic development. By combining lithic, economic and paleoenvironmental data we propose a new arrhythmic model for framing Neolithisation in the Adriatic region. One the one hand, the data available suggest that in the south-central part of the basin (Dalmatia and Apulia) the transition to farming was relatively quick, resulting from the colonisation of an open landscape (seemingly linked to the “8, 2 ka event” and the installation of a dry climate). These newcomers settled mostly in the fertile plains of the Dalmatian and Apulian hinterland, basing their subsistence almost exclusively on agriculture and livestock, while the lithic blade production made of cherts from Gargano (southern Italy) testifies to important social aspects and complex management strategies (mining activities, more complex modes of pressure, specialized distribution networks). On the other hand, in the Northern Adriatic (Istria, Karst, Po plain? Marches?) the Neolithic emerged a bit later, possibly as a result of some form of acculturation. Although the data available are still scarce, some evidence suggest that the last Mesolithic groups played an active role in the process of neolithisation in these areas, as the presence of Castelnovian sites is documented and certain Castelnovian traditions are identified in the Impressed Ware lithic production (the use of local flint, lamellar production by indirect percussion and “simpler” forms of pressure flaking) and in the economy e.g. importance of fishing.

Mesolithic pioneers reached Gotland around 9200 cal BP and adopted seal-hunting. The subsistence economy was flexible, and the importance of freshwater fish is reflected in the location of settlements and available stable isotope data. Overgrowing lakes provided an important subsistence base, and marine resources were mainly related to raw material needs. The narrower breadth of resources is reflected in the osseous production, where implements were made from seal bones. The lithic technology exhibits local adaptations over time – in the form of a simplification of the technology – that we relate to sedentism and increases in risk management and external networks.

The applicability of the three stage Paleolithic sequence (Lower, Middle, Upper) in eastern Asia that is used in the western Old World has long been a debated issue. The crux of the discussion is whether a distinct “Middle Paleolithic” (“MP”) is present in the eastern Asian record, especially north China. Recently, the artifacts from the Lingjing site (2005–2016), in northern China, have been argued to be potential representative of a “Chinese Middle Paleolithic” (“CMP”). In this paper, we introduce a thorough analysis on a newly discovered lithic assemblage from the 2017 excavation of the Lingjing site. We found that simple free-hand hard hammer percussion is the dominant core reduction strategy with only a very small frequency of atypical, bi-conical discoidal cores. When considering other contemporary sites in northern China (e.g., Xujiayao and Banjingzi), Lingjing belongs to a small tool tradition that is widespread throughout northern China. The Lingjing artifacts do display some obvious differences in core reduction and lithic retouching techniques from those typical of the Lower/Early Paleolithic (or Mode 1) assemblage pre-40 ka in the Chinese Paleolithic. The diversity of characteristics of lithic technology from Lingjing and other contemporary sites in north China show the complexity of the Chinese Early Paleolithic, rather than a simple monotonous stone tool tradition.

The Tardiglacial of Portugal has been associated with the Magdalenian culture and lithic industries characterized by tool miniaturization, a diversity of microlith types, and the absence of a intentional blade production. The technological characterization, the chronology and the phasing of the Portuguese Magdalenian have been defined based on data recovered from open-air sites of the Estremadura region (Central Portugal). This paper presents an overview of the research undertaken over the last twenty-five years, including results from research and preventive archaeology fieldwork outside this region, namely in the Côa, Sabor and Vouga Valleys (northern Portugal), as well as in the Guadiana Valley and Algarve regions (southern Portugal). Our chronological boundaries are the Greenland Stadial 2-1b and the 8.2 ka event, from Early Magdalenian to Early Mesolithic. Regarding vegetation, deciduous Quercus underwent expansion during the warm phases of the Tardiglacial and retracted during cold ones, when pines increased. After the Solutrean, the faunal assemblages show a decrease in the variability of the represented species and an increase in fish, birds, small mammals and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Concerning the cultural sequence, the Middle Magdalenian remains uncharacterised. After the Upper Magdalenian, and thenceforward, the use of local raw materials and of cores-on-flakes (burin or carinated endscraper type) for bladelet production gradually increased. In terms of lithic armatures typology, a four-stage sequence can be discerned: 1) Upper Magdalenian with axial points rather than backed bladelets, quite common in previous phases; 2) Final Magdalenian with an increase in the diversity of armature types; 3) Azilian with geometric microliths, curved backed points (Azilian points) and Malaurie points, and 4) Early Mesolithic without retouched bladelet tools or at best a persistence of Azilian armature types. There were some changes in the Palaeolithic rock art of the Douro basin between phase 3 (Final Magdalenian) and phase 4 (Late Azilian): figurative animal representations give place to animal depictions characterized by their geometrical bodies, often filled-in, and red deer becomes the best-represented animal. FCT: PTDC/EPH-ARQ/0326/2014 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Fuente Mudarra is on a gentle slope on the left bank of the Pico River, near Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain. A 12−m2 test pit was dug at this large open-air site between 2012 and 2017. Several upper Pleistocene archaeological levels were documented. Results from Fuente Mudarra confirm that Neanderthal groups, little represented at cave sites, occupied Sierra de Atapuerca from the end of the middle Pleistocene and during the upper Pleistocene. The site also provides insight into Neanderthal spatial organization in the Atapuerca area and whether they used the caves in an occasional, non-habitual way like the open-air sites.

Recent excavations at Leang Bulu Bettue, a limestone cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, have yielded a collection of flaked chert and limestone artefacts with cortical surfaces that had been deliberately incised prior to or after the knapping process. The markings engraved on these artefacts, which were recovered from deposits ranging in age between approximately 30–14 thousand years ago (30–14 ka), comprise cross-hatched patterns and other non-figurative imagery. This behaviour is of interest because of the almost total absence of portable art in the Pleistocene record of Island Southeast Asia, and the long-standing idea that the early modern human lithic technology of this region was fundamentally simple and remained so over tens of millennia. Here, we take stock of these incised stone artefacts from methodological and theoretical perspectives. Our findings suggest that unless one is specifically examining cortex on stone artefacts for these fine incisions, they are easily overlooked, and hence, we focus on how to improve detection of these faint engravings. We also consider why the Leang Bulu Bettue inhabitants engraved stone tool cortex, a practice we regard as an enigmatic form of portable lithic art and an apparent example of the creative process being as important as the end product—if not more so. We conclude that otherwise unremarkable lithic assemblages in Island Southeast Asia and beyond may potentially harbour hidden evidence for symbolic content in the form of often barely perceptible markings on remnant cortical surfaces.

In the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, the term cerrito was traditionally used to designate archaeological phenomena that emerge in the form of mounds in different landscapes. Except for recent research developed in the southwestern region of the Patos Lagoon, few advances have occurred since the 1980s in the study of cerritos in Brazil. This article presents an analysis of the lithic industries of sites with mounds in the southwestern region of the Patos Lagoon and in the central region in the current territory of Rio Grande do Sul. The results, along with other data from the sites, suggest that coastal sites were occupied by sedentary fisher-hunter-gatherers, who also possibly domesticated certain plants. Lithic material was scarce there and was mainly produced from pebbles and quartz cobbles using the anvil technique. In contrast, central region formations presented mounds on outcrops, using land, pebbles, and boulders; the area was occupied by a hunter-gatherer group that had projectile points and other instruments carved mainly by façonnage and débitage.

Los conjuntos líticos del Macizo del Deseado correspondientes a la transición Pleistoceno- Holoceno temprano han sido caracterizados por la presencia de artefactos unifaciales, elaborados sobre lascas grandes, generalmente espesas y formatizados mediante retoque marginal. Estas características tecnológicas fueron registradas en diferentes contextos del Macizo del Deseado, como Los Toldos, Piedra Museo, Cueva Maripe, entre otros; como así también en el noroeste santacruceño. En este trabajo evaluamos conjuntos líticos de contextos estratigráficos y de sitios en superficie con el objetivo de identificar indicadores de estas tecnologías tempranas. Observamos que tanto en los conjuntos del Pleistoceno final-Holoceno provenientes de sitios en estratigrafía, como en contextos en superficie sin control cronológico, se repiten ciertas características tecnológicas y morfológicas. Estas características hablan de preferencias tecnológicas (presencia de determinados grupos tipológicos, selección de formas base, técnicas de manufactura y acondicionamiento de las herramientas) que pueden ser tenidas en cuenta a la hora de evaluar conjuntos artefactuales de superficie., The lithic assemblages assigned to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition recovered at the Deseado Massif have been characterized by the presence of unifacial artifacts, made on large and generally thick flakes and involvingmarginal retouch. These technological characteristics have been recorded in different contexts of the region, such as Los Toldos, Piedra Museo and Cueva Maripe, among others, as well as in the northwestern Santa Cruz province. In this work we evaluated lithic assemblages from stratigraphic contexts and from surface sites to identify indicators of these early technologies. We observed that in both Pleistocene-Early Holocene assemblages from stratigraphic sites and in surface assemblages without chronological assignment, some technological and morphological characteristics are repeated. These characteristics inform us about technological preferences (presence of particular typological groups, blank selection, manufacture technics and tool conditioning) that may be taken into account when assessing surface artifact assemblages., Os conjuntos líticos do Maciço do Deseado, correspondentes à transição Pleistoceno- Holoceno inicial foram caracterizados pela presença de artefatos unifaciais, elaborados em lascas grandes, geralmente espessas, e talhados por retoques marginais. Estas características tecnológicas foram registradas em diferentes contextos do Maciço de Deseado, como Los Toldos, Piedra Museo, Cueva Maripe, entre outros, bem como no noroeste de Santa Cruz. Neste trabalho avaliamos conjuntos líticos de contextos estratigráficos e sítios de superfície com o objetivo de identificar indicadores destas tecnologias iniciais. Observamos que tanto nos conjuntos do Pleistoceno final-Holoceno provenientes de sítios em estratigrafia, quanto em contextos de superfície sem controle cronológico, repetem-se certas características tecnológicas e morfológicas. Estas características falam de preferências tecnológicas (presença de certos grupos tipológicos, seleção de formas de base, técnicas de fabricação e acondicionamento das ferramentas) que podem ser levadas em conta no momento de avaliar conjuntos de artefatos de superfície., Dossier: Ocupaciones tempranas en América: voces desde el Cono Sur, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

Comparison of Late Paleoindian sites of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains reveals 36 site components from 28 sites containing ground stone tools, including nine Cody Complex examples. Much of the ground stone use appears related to generalized activity, as few items have functionally specific forms. However, the Cody components have an unexpectedly higher number of grooved abraders as compared to other complexes. We note that Paleoindian examples contain wider u-shaped grooves compared to Late Prehistoric/Protohistoric abraders related to arrow production. We argue that Paleoindian abraders represent shaft abraders, used in the production of dart shafts within weaponry systems. We propose several hypotheses for the emergence of this technology during Cody times. The most parsimonious explanation is that the specific sites containing these abraders represent large camps, occupied for long periods and containing diverse chipped and ground stone assemblages.

This paper presents and discusses the analysis of the lithic assemblage from a newly discovered archaeological site, Cueva Ali Mustafa, located in the eastern sector of the Tandilia Range (Buenos A...

Although anatomically modern humans emerged during the MSA, debates have focused on the timing for the development of cognitive thoughts, planning depth, and profound cultural innovations. While some scholars have attributed these qualities to the LSA population, others have proposed that the evolutionary modern human behaviors developed during the MSA. This paper is a contribution to this debate based on new excavations at Mumba site, Tanzania, occupied at different periods from the last Interglacial Maximum around 128,000 BP through the onset of Holocene ca. 12,000 BP. We use new ESR dates, geochronology of stratigraphic sequences, lithic technology and typological variability in archaeological assemblages to show gradual transformation, steadiness, and shared technological traits between the MSA and LSA occupation levels at Mumba. We concluded that there are no fixed boundaries between the late MSA and early LSA regarding cognitive thought and technological transformation in Africa.

Late Pleistocene witnessed significant changes in lithic technological behaviors, mobility patterns and subsistence strategies in northeastern Eurasia, which are also correlated with paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes. Integrating artifact analysis and paleoenvironmental evidence, Taoshan, a newly excavated archaeological site, provides a crucial case study for evaluating human adaptation in Northeast China. Taoshan site was excavated in 2013–2014, uncovering three prehistoric layers and abundant remains. Here we present the results of a systematic techno-typological analysis of the Late Pleistocene assemblages of the site, and place special emphasis on diachronic cultural developments and underlying dynamics.

The Tacuarembo Department of north-central Uruguay, and especially in the middle portion of the Negro River, has produced a rich and diverse archaeological record, mostly characterized by significant evidence of stone tool remains. The evidence comprises one of the largest collections of artifacts witnessing early human occupation in the region during the terminal Pleistocene about 11,000 - 10,000 uncalibrated radiocarbon years ago. As part of a long-term research program aimed at exploring and understanding diverse aspects of the regional archaeological process, mainly focusing on the earliest people who colonized the New World, as well as to deepen and expand knowledge on diverse aspects of the Late Pleistocene and post-Pleistocene stone tool technologies employed by the prehistoric people living in this part of southeastern South America. Systematic research enabled numerous field and laboratory activities to be conducted. To build a chronostratigraphic framework for the regional archaeological process, various dating methods were used. Furthermore, diverse technological analyses on lithic artifacts facilitated recognition of the existence of unreported techniques and reduction strategies employed by the prehistoric inhabitants. By this way this paper summarizes the observations and results obtained during the most recent field and laboratory investigation carried out in Tacuarembo by offering a glimpse into the use of diverse scientific disciplines and approaches that may help to deepen various topics concerning the regional prehistoric past. The archaeological excavations as well as the variety of dating methods used have allowed us to understand the chronology and certain aspects of the site formation process revealing important depositional gaps and hiatuses of several thousand years in the dated sedimentary deposit. The new technological investigations have permitted more detailed knowledge to be collected regarding diverse topics related to the reduction systems existing in the area since the terminal Pleistocene. Indeed, the Paleoindian remains add new finds to the record of the early colonizers living in Tacuarembo during the last millennium of the Pleistocene. Also, the identification of clear turtle-back Levallois-like cores agrees with earlier finds in other locations in southeastern South America and yielded excellent examples of the employment of the flaking strategy by the prehistoric populations living in Tacuarembo. From the experimental lithic technology perspective, modern reproductions of the stone tools afforded an understanding of various aspects of the reduction sequences and technical features of their analogs from the past.

The central geographical position of the Caspian region plays a key role in understanding the historical processes which took place in the territory of Central Asia. One of the important geological factors that influenced the processes of settlement in this region by ancient populations is the transgressive-regressive variability of the Caspian sea level and access to fresh water. There are dozens of Early Holocene sites on the Krasnovodsk Peninsula (Eastern Caspian), most of them being surface complexes. The interpretation of these complexes has so far been controversial due to the lack of stratigraphic context and absolute dating. Purpose. This paper analyzes the techno-typological characteristics of lithic tool assemblages assigned to Early Holocene industries from Eastern Caspian site Sai Djanurpa. The article also discusses the links of how the dynamics of the ancient shores of the Caspian influenced settlement dynamics in the region. Results. The conducted detailed techno-typological analysis of the lithic collection of Sai Djanurpa allowed to discern two distinct complexes. The two complexes defined by different technological and typological characteristics: types of chips, types of tools and metric indicators. The first complex is characterized by the exploitation of chalcedony flint for the production of blades by soft hammer percussion, by borer, end-scraper and retouched flakes in the toolkit. The second complex is associated with the use of chalcedony, sandstone and flint for the production of microbladelets by the pressure technique, from conical and frontal cores. The toolkit of the second set of complexes is characterized by bifacial narrow points, burins, ventral retouched microblades and micro-scrapers. Conclusion. Based on the analysis of the lithic assemblages, the geomorphological position of the site and the paleogeographic condition of the Caspian region, the authors assume that two different populations with two different material cultures inhabited the Sai Djanurpa site during the final Pleistocene – early Holocene and the middle Holocene.

This study examines the intersection of political, cultural, and linguistic differences in the archaeological study of boundaries. The Late Postclassic and Early Colonial periods (a.d.1350–1525) in the Maya lowlands are known for political instability and the formulation of new identities, especially in the northern region of the Peten Lakes District (Guatemala) to the greater Rio Hondo drainage (Belize). This article approaches the theoretical formulations of archaeological borders from the perspective of lithic technology, focusing on small projectile points recovered from numerous sites in the subregion. Analysis of data suggests differences in resource acquisition, material preference, and production during a time of historically fluid interaction and occasional conflict in the Peten-Belize area. Such information adds to our understandings of political frontiers of Late Postclassic polities from a social and economic perspective that is often ignored.

Here we evaluate the hypothesis that during cold climatic phases, people and resources became increasingly packed along highland Lesotho's riverine corridors as the viability of palatable grasslands for large mammal hunting on the upland plateaus declined. These intensification efforts resulted in increased reliance on lower-ranked aquatic (fish) resources with knock-on effects for lithic technological organization. We compare data on the relative contributing of fishing to the diets of highland hunter-gatherers at Sehonghong rockshelter with a faunal proxy widely argued to correlate with subsistence intensification (faunal assemblage evenness). In addition, we compare these data with two measures of lithic technological intensification (cutting edge production and core reduction intensity) to test whether diet intensification tracks technological intensification. We show that at Sehonghong, aquatic resource exploitation is not always correlated with faunal assemblage evenness. We find that some layers (i.e. RF) show spikes in aquatic resource use irrespective of changes in mammal hunting. Other layers (i.e. layer RBL/CLBRF) were intensively occupied, but they do not have many fish. Our data also demonstrate that aquatic resource use is not associated with lithic technological intensification. These results suggest that while aquatic resource exploitation was a ‘fallback’ option for some of Lesotho's highland hunter-gatherers, there is considerable variability. Our data show that multiple intensification dimensions were variably combined through the Late Pleistocene at Sehonghong as they were elsewhere in southern Africa.

This paper presents the limestone reduction sequences documented in levels M and Ob at Abric Romaní from a technological point of view. At level M, a recurrent knapping system has been identified, resulting in the frequency of pseudo-Levallois blanks. At archaeolevel Ob, the presence of Levallois methods are observed in association with this knapping system. In both cases, retouched tools are rare and dominated by notches and denticulates. Although it is not well-known the degree of similarity and difference between the two levels in relation to occupational patterns is not well understood, Neanderthals employed more opportunistic knapping strategies, investing less time and energy in the procurement of raw materials including for chert. In level Ob, although limestone is still collected in the local fluvial deposits, differences in raw material procurement have been identified for chert. Results show the plasticity and versality that Neanderthals had and how they took advantage of the different abiotic resources they had around them. In this paper, we discuss the limestone technology at Abric Romaní in the context of the Iberian Peninsula., Research carried out for this paper has benefited from the following: “Síntesis del Paleolitico medio y superior en Valencia y Murcia: aspectos cronológicos, paleoambientales, económicos y culturales” (HAR2017-85153-P/MICINN), “El pasado lejano: aproximación a la conducta y la ocupación del territorio en el paleolítico valenciano” (PROMETEO/2017/060), “Neanderthal behaviour and paleoecology in Mediterranean ecosystems” (PID2019-103987GB-C31), “Redefiniendo forma, uso y expresión cultural en el Paleolítico medio” (SI1/PJI/2019-00488) and the Research Group nº 2017 SGR 836 of the Catalan Government. The Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA) has received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the ‘María de Maeztu’ programme for Units of Excellence (CEX2019-000945-M). The research by B.G.d.S, M.V., P.S., E.C., J.V. and M.G.CH is funded by CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. A.E was supported by 2018 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators, BBVA Foundation. A.B. is supported by a European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action grant PREKARN n:702584 and Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación (IJCI-2019-041546-I). Excavations at the Abric Romaní were performed with the support of the Departament de Cultura (Servei d’Arqueologia i Patrimoni) of the Generalitat de Catalunya (CLT009/18/00054), Ajuntament de Capellades, Oficina Patrimoni Cultural- Diputació de Barcelona, ORROEL SL–Romanyà-VallsTallers Gràfics Romanyà-Valls, Bercontres-Centre de Gestió Medioambiental SL and the Constructora de Calaf SAU.

Neanderthal extinction has been a matter of debate for many years. New discoveries, better chronologies and genomic evidence have done much to clarify some of the issues. This evidence suggests that Neanderthals became extinct around 40,000–37,000 years before present (BP), after a period of coexistence with Homo sapiens of several millennia, involving biological and cultural interactions between the two groups. However, the bulk of this evidence relates to Western Eurasia, and recent work in Central Asia and Siberia has shown that there is considerable local variation. Southwestern Asia, despite having a number of significant Neanderthal remains, has not played a major part in the debate over extinction. Here we report a Neanderthal deciduous canine from the site of Bawa Yawan in the West-Central Zagros Mountains of Iran. The tooth is associated with Zagros Mousterian lithics, and its context is preliminary dated to between ~43,600 and ~41,500 years ago.

The Maltese Islands in the central Mediterranean are renowned for their prehistoric archaeological record, particularly the megalithic ‘temples’ and associated ceramics and artwork. The temples were built by a society lacking metal technology, who relied on stone and organic materials. Knapped stone tool (lithic) technology, to produce sharp edged tools for tasks like cutting, hide working, and wood shaping offers insights into human behaviour in Malta, as well as into themes of exchange and connectivity. As well as imported chert and obsidian, local chert was widely used to make stone tools in prehistoric Malta. The local chert has generally been described as low-quality, yet relatively little research has been conducted on its distribution, characteristics, and use. In this paper I report a survey of chert sources, identifying a wider distribution of chert outcrops along the west coast of Malta than previously discussed. Some general macroscopic properties are outlined, as well as aspects of variability in the chert sources. Knapping experiments were then conducted on samples of chert collected, allowing clarification of its characteristics. These observations are used to offer some insights into lithic technology in Neolithic and Temple Period Malta, such as the hypothesis that the high frequencies of multidirectional flake production and subsequent ‘scraper retouch’ reflect adaptations to the characteristics of local chert. Introduction Maltese lithic technology Maltese chert geology and geochemistry Methods Description of chert sources Knapping experiments Discussion and conclusion

A methodology for identifying prehistoric local learning communities is proposed. We wish to test possible relationships among communities based on continuity and variability in lithic reduction sequence technological traits with different visibility and malleability. Quantitative features reflecting different technological traits are measured on 3-D models of flint cores in different scales: the ratio between core thickness and reduction surface width, the angle between subsequent bands of production blank scars to the relative striking platform, and the average curvature of the ridge between each blank scar striking platform pair. Continuity and variability in these features are used to establish the relations among lithic assemblages on different hierarchical levels: local learning communities and geographically widespread cultural lineages. The Late Upper Palaeolithic and the Epipalaeolithic of the Southern Levant (ca. 27,000–15,000 cal BP) provide an opportunity to test our method. A progressive increase in territoriality is hypothesized throughout this timespan, yet the precise timing and modes of this phenomenon need to be defined. The present study analyzes six core assemblages attributed to different cultural entities, representing chronologically separated occupations of the Ein Gev area and the coastal Sharon Plain. Continuity in technological traits between the Atlitian (ca. 27,000–26,000 cal BP) and Nizzanan (ca. 20,000–18,500 cal BP) occupations of the Ein Gev area suggests that the same learning community repeatedly settled there during a long time span. Two geographically separate learning communities were defined in the study areas within the Kebaran cultural entity (ca. 24,000–18,000 cal BP); the group occupying the Ein Gev area possibly continued to settle there during the Geometric Kebaran (ca. 18,000–15,000 cal BP). Continuity in more conservative traits of the reduction sequence allows to tie these two communities to the same cultural lineage. The ability to track prehistoric learning communities based on quantitative features helps increase the objectivity and the resolution in the reconstruction of past cultural dynamics.

DS (David’s site) is one of the new archaeological sites documented in the same paleolandscape in which FLK 22 was deposited at about 1.85 Ma in Olduvai Gorge. Fieldwork in DS has unearthed the largest vertically-discrete archaeological horizon in the African Pleistocene, where a multi-cluster anthropogenic accumulation of fossil bones and stone tools has been identified. In this work we present the results of the techno-economic study of the lithic assemblage recovered from DS. We also explore the spatial magnitude of the technological behaviors documented at this spot using powerful spatial statistical tools to unravel correlations between the spatial distributional patterns of lithic categories. At DS, lavas and quartzite were involved in different technological processes. Volcanic materials, probably transported to this spot from a close source, were introduced in large numbers, including unmodified materials, and used in percussion activities and in a wide variety of reduction strategies. A number of volcanic products were subject to outward fluxes to other parts of the paleolandscape. In contrast, quartzite rocks were introduced in smaller numbers and might have been subject to a significantly more intense exploitation. The intra-site spatial analysis has shown that specialized areas cannot be identified, unmodified materials are not randomly distributed, percussion and knapping categories do not spatially overlap, while bipolar specimens show some sort of spatial correlation with percussion activities.

Tianhuadong is a cave site located in the northwest of Yunnan Province, China. Since 2010, several surveys and one test excavation have yielded more than 1000 stone artifacts. The lithic assemblage shows some features of Levallois and Quina technologies, similar to those found in Middle Paleolithic sites in the Western Hemisphere. In this study, we summarize the lithic industry and propose a reliable chronology for the site using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of individual quartz grains extracted from sediments. We applied the standardized growth curve method to deal with the problem associated with the saturation in natural OSL signals in quartz. Our dating results yielded ages of 90–40 ka, suggesting that the associated lithic assemblage could be assigned to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages 5 and 4 and could potentially represent Middle Paleolithic technologies. Because the number of Middle Paleolithic sites in southwest China is small, this site provides one of the few traces of human occupation in southwest China during the early upper Pleistocene. Thus, it is important for understanding hominin evolution and dispersal in this region.

During road construction work, material attributed to the Final Palaeolithic was discovered at Skovmosen I, near Kongens Lyngby on Zealand, eastern Denmark. Although it is regularly mentioned in reviews of the southern Scandinavian Final Palaeolithic, the Skovmosen I assemblage has hitherto remained poorly described. We here review the site’s discovery history and its context. Aided by a three-dimensional digital recording protocol, this article details the assemblage composition and its technology. The assemblage is comprised of tanged points, scrapers and burins, alongside blades and cores as primary reduction products. Although evidently disturbed by the road construction that led to the site’s discovery, the material likely reflects the remains of a small Final Palaeolithic locale, where diverse activities were carried out During road construction work, material attributed to the Final Palaeolithic was discovered at Skovmosen I, near Kongens Lyngby on Zealand, eastern Denmark. Although it is regularly mentioned in reviews of the southern Scandinavian Final Palaeolithic, the Skovmosen I assemblage has hitherto remained poorly described. We here review the site’s discovery history and its context. Aided by a three-dimensional digital recording protocol, this article details the assemblage composition and its technology. The assemblage is comprised of tanged points, scrapers and burins, alongside blades and cores as primary reduction products. Although evidently disturbed by the road construction that led to the site’s discovery, the material likely reflects the remains of a small Final Palaeolithic locale, where diverse activities were carried out

The Fox site (5WL8848) is a collection of Clovis artifacts from the Kersey Terrace in northern Colorado. In the early 1970s, land-leveling for the construction of a large turkey farm near the town ...