Lithic Refitting

SUMMARY: Chapter 8, in Renfrew & Bahn's textbook (Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice), covers what typically survives, what constitutes an "artifact", interpreting usage, obtaining materials (e.g., quarrying; mining), transporting materials, installing materials, manufacturing items, identifying function, experimental archaeology, etc., regarding stone, bone, antler, shell, leather, wood, plant, metal, faience, glass, and other materials and diverse artifacts.  In my view, this is one of the best college textbooks available, and is invaluable for students, archaeologists, and the public in general, to obtain a top notch overview of approaching and interpreting the archaeological record.  UPDATED May 2023.

Since the 1990s, Stone Age researchers have increasingly shown the great potential chipped stone technologies hold for the study of life in settlements. Based on the existence of culture- specific standards and rules for the production of material culture, comprehensive technological studies have helped identify varying skill levels in flintknapping and the process of an individual becoming a proficient knapper. Increasing interest in the analysis of waste products, tool preforms and cores which can be linked to skills has led to discussions about learning processes and activity areas associated with children. The basis for this paper is the results of recent excavations of an Early Mesolithic settlement complex at Hundvåg, near Stavanger, south-western Norway. An attempt is made to identify the presence of a child based on the analysis of a lithic assemblage, spatial distribution and refitting to reconstruct the reduction sequences in flake axe production, and the context and individual circumstances of this knapping event.

In this article, chipped stone raw materials from the Garrett Allen site are discussed, with emphasis on the stone tools. As indicated by Eckles (2013), who discussed the history of investigations and chronology, this is one of several articles to be presented on various aspects of the site’s artifacts. One of the remarkable aspects of the site is the variety of chipped stone raw materials. There are varieties of flint, chert, agate, jasper, chalcedony, petrified wood, orthoquartzite, metaquartzite, quartz, silicified shale, clinker, non-volcanic glass, obsidian, and basalt from many parts of Wyoming and surrounding states. The diversity of raw material types is present throughout the cultural deposits. There is no knappable tool stone on site; the only rocks are small fragments of drab, buff-gray sandstone. All culturally manipulated lithic materials were therefore brought into the site, many from considerable distances. The site is located on private land in southeastern Carbon County, Wyoming at the northern end of the Medicine Bow Mountains and southern edge of the Hanna-Carbon Basin. It is within a homoclinal valley near the perennial Quealy Spring. Deposits are primarily alluvial, derived from the surrounding geological formations (Hayter 1981:31).

Das Duvenseer Moor gehört zu den wichtigsten mittelsteinzeitlichen Fundarealen. Neue Forschungen an den exzellent erhaltenen »Wohnplätzen« befassen sich mit der Entwicklung des Subsistenzverhaltens am Beginn unserer heutigen Warmzeit. Und führen zu überraschenden Ergebnissen, die auch ein neues Licht auf die Ursprünge unserer heutigen Ernährungsweise werfen. Hochauflösende Rekonstruktionen der Siedlungsvorgänge, Artefaktuntersuchungen und Modellierungen zeigen: die saisonalen Wohnplätze dienten einer äußerst produktiven und nachhaltigen Nusswirtschaft. Sie ist Teil neuer Wirtschaftsstrategien, die dem späteren Neolithikum bereits viele Innovationen vorweg nehmen.

Dispersals of anatomically modern humans out of eastern Africa, are reflected in the fossil record of western and northern Africa and the Levant. These dispersals are supported by genetic studies, but difficult to detect in the archaeological material record. The Multiple Dispersal Model (Lahr and Foley 1998), also known as the Biogeographic Model, is one of the prominent multiple dispersal models, related to the Single Origin and 'Out of Africa' Models. It hypothesizes that throughout the Middle Stone Age (MSA) there were several waves of dispersals out of eastern Africa. Periods of climatic amelioration during the late Pleistocene (End of MIS 6 to MIS 4) over the Sahara, Negev and Arabian deserts blurred geographical boundaries between sub-tropical Africa and the Levant. Thus ecological corridors were created allowing modern human range expansions across environmental gradients and dispersals into neighboring geographical regions. Archaeological research in eastern Africa, the Nile valley and the southern Levant resulted in evidence for lithic variability within the assemblages, although mismatching research methodologies hampered inter-site variability studies.
The explanations for processes and causes underlying lithic variability focus on two main sets of interpretations, functional and social/cultural. The first set assumes a passive interaction between humans and their environment, meaning that they 'react' and 'adapt' to changing environmental conditions mainly (or only) by shifting and redefining subsistence strategies, toward which lithic artifacts are geared. The second set draws on behavioral and social dynamics as the agents behind variability and adaptability to the changing environment. The contribution of each of these sets of explanations to assemblage variability must be assessed through lithic analysis prior to a study of inter-assemblage variability. In this study, the past behavioral strategies of human interaction with their physical as well as social environments are inferred through the chaîne opératoire concept. Once this was done for each of the assemblage an inter-assemblage comparison was conducted and patterns of inter-group contacts were deduced. 
In comparative studies a common language needs to be created. In this study a common set of attributes and measurements were observed and recorded for each assemblage. These variables were then used to analyze the lithic assemblages quantitatively and qualitatively, to infer technological processes. On the premise that technology is a social product, the chaîne opératoire concept was used to interpret behavioral processes and choices made by the knappers. These were inferred from the quantified techno-typological traits of the studied assemblages.
The first article outlines interactions between the Nile valley and Ethiopia. The Khormusan industry is a discrete Nile Valley lithic tradition. The industry has two distinctive characteristics that set it apart from other MP industries within its vicinity. One is the use of a wide variety of raw materials; the second is an apparent correlation between raw material and technology used, suggesting a cultural aspect to raw material management. Other sites which reflect similar raw material variability and technological traditions are the BNS and KHS sites in the Omo Kibish Formation (Ethiopia) dated to ~100 ka and ~190 ka respectively. Based on a lithic comparative study conducted, it is suggested that Khormusan site 1017 can be seen as representing behavioral patterns which are indicative of East African Middle Stone Age (MSA) technology, adding support to the hypothesis that the Nile Valley was an important dispersal route used by modern humans prior to the long cooling and dry trend beginning with the onset of MIS 4.
The second article looks at the Nubian technology as a possible indicator for modern human dispersals during the end of MIS 6 through MIS 5. If archaeological assemblages are used to infer population movements and diffusion of technological knowledge, then “technological packages” need to be identified. These packages consist of distinct technological practices and their particular combinations. The Nubian technology has been recognized in several assemblages from the Negev Highlands, which also have a different “technological package” compared to well-known Middle Paleolithic assemblages from the central Negev (the Avdat/Aqev sites). The Negev Highlands sites seem to have closer ties with the Late Nubian Complex sites from the Nile Valley and to a lesser extent to the Nubian assemblages from Arabia. Identifying the permutations of the technological packages within the Negev Highland assemblages is a step in recognizing past human interactions and networks during MIS 5, between the Nile Valley, the Negev and Arabia.
The third article presents an in-depth study of MSA lithic assemblages from Ethiopia. This has enabled the identification of regional lithic technological packages as well as the diffusion of technological traits between prehistoric groups. Incorporating the technological relations of the Khormusan industry with these MSA industries, as well as the broad geographical span of the Nubian technology has enabled the mapping of 'interaction spheres'. These spheres are thought to reflect social networks and possible movement trajectories across the landscape, and are formulated based on recognized lithic variability. Following the current study across eastern Africa, the Nile Valley, the southern Levant and Arabia several different interaction spheres are recognized, during the late Pleistocene (end of MIS6 to initial MIS4). These spheres are thought to portray complex sets of interactions that allowed for the diffusion of technological traits, both by range expansions and dispersals as well as the maintenance of social networks. It seems that the Nile Valley displays a large amplitude of variability when compared to neighboring areas, adding support to the hypothesis that this region was an important dispersal route used by modern humans prior to the long cooling and dry trend beginning with the onset of MIS 4.

"L’analisi dell’arco e della freccia nelle componenti meccaniche, associata alla
conoscenza delle attitudini venatorie dell’uomo contestualizzate all’ambiente e alla fauna,
possono consentire all’archeologo una valutazione di alcuni aspetti nascosti della
dinamica della caccia preistorica recente, intesa come strategia addattativa. Considerare
l’arciere, il suo mezzo di caccia e il bersaglio nel contesto ecologico come un insieme
indissolubile, le cui variabili sono strettamente collegate a principi di ergonomia e di
efficienza, conduce a discernere sull’aspetto strumentale e materiale per ottenere degli
indicatori archeologici interessanti. Tale aspetto ha infatti i connotati di una alta
specializzazione, necessaria per raggiungere il risultato voluto: la cattura della preda in
modo efficiente e selettivo."

Few intact Middle Archaic sites have been investigated in Southwestern Ontario and attention has focused on large, multicomponent sites, which are difficult to interpret. This thesis focuses on recent work that has been conducted on an undisturbed, single-component Brewerton site in Mount Albert south of Lake Simcoe, where the lithic assemblage presents an unprecedented view of lifeways in the Middle Archaic (ca. 5000-4500 B.P.). Notable is the presence of high numbers of fragmented formal flaked stone tools - moreso than is consistent with solely tool production activities. The thesis evaluates the possibility that the artifacts were intentionally destroyed as part of previously undocumented ceremonial practices in the region. Refitting of the pieces and experimental breakage of reproduction bifaces each offer insights into strategies for the purposeful breakage of stone artifacts.

Abstract: The Federmesser-Gruppen (FMG) (12,000–10,800 calBC;  Riede et al. 2010, 298) is a less well-understood period of the Late Glacial. Few stratified sites are known, and surface finds constitute the
largest contribution to the available material. As is highlighted by recent research, the predominant impression of the FMG thus far is that it represents a sharp contrast to the Hamburgian in terms of raw material acquisition, transport and the general neatness of lithic products (Barton 2010; Jacobi/Higham 2011, 226). For the purpose of increasing the state of knowledge concerning FMG lithic technology, a prominent example of an extant FMG lithic assemblage was consulted.
The present study presents the results following a technological re-analysis of the Lateglacial extant collection from Borneck-Ost, Ahrensburg tunnel valley, Germany. The site is typologically attributed to the FMG, and was excavated by Alfred Rust in the 1940s (Rust 1958). A source-critical perspective on the re-analysis of extant collections is imperative, since these were excavated and studied according to a different analytical paradigm. Prior to detailed study, the interpretation of Borneck-Ost as FMG was found to be reliable according to modern archaeological practice. Following the steps of a traditional chaîne opératoire (Eriksen 2000), the lithic assemblage was technologically re-analysed. Since no detailed description of FMG knapping methods previously exists for Northern Germany, a material study guide was developed (Kotthaus 2013) and adapted from Madsen (1992) and Sørensen (2006). Refitting has supplied additional information.

New information on FMG knapping methods is presented.

Zusammenfassung -Studentlnnen des Instituts für Ur-und Frühgeschichte der Universität zu Köln führten zwischen 1984 und 1988 in den Sommersemesterferien im Abri "Unter den Seewänden" Ausgrabungen durch. Die Fundstelle liegt bei ca. 920 m NN in Weißensee bei Füssen im südlichen Landkreis Ostallgäu (Bayem) am Nordhang des Falkenstemzuges, nur wenige Kilometer vom eigentlichen Alpenfuß entfernt. Die bisherige Untersuchung der Befunde und Funde ergab, daß sich unter dem Felsschutzdach ein allerpdzeitlicher Lagerplatz befunden hat, dort im späten Neolithikum oder der frühen Bronzezeit ein Pfeil verloren worden ist und jemand in der Eisenzeit ein kleines Feuer unterhalten hat. Aufgrund der Datierung von zwei Holzkohleproben (11.600 ± 230 B.P. und 11.400 ± 230 B.P.), der Sedimentabfolge, der Auswertung der Pollenspektren (Beitrag Jutta Meurers-Balke) und der vorhandenen Steingeräte kann man aber davon ausgehen, daß die Hinterlassenschaften nahezu ausschließlich aus dem Spätglazial stammen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung an den spätpaläolithischen Steinartefakten -hier insbesondere der Werkstückanalyse in Bezug auf die evidenten Befunde -läßt auf mehrere kurzfristige Aufenthalte unter dem kleinen Felsschutzdach in dieser Zeit schließen. Der Abri "Unter den Seewänden" ist die bisher einzige absolut datierte spätpaläolithische Siedlungsstelle aus dem deutschen Alpenraum. Die Geschichte der Landschaft am Ende der Eiszeit wird beschrieben und die Funde aus dem Abri werden im Zusammenhang mit den -bisher spärlichen -Hinweisen auf weitere spätglaziale Lagerplätze im südlichen Allgäu diskutiert.

L’assemblage lithique des Maîtreaux (Bossay-sur-Claise, 37) est caractérisée par une surabondance de déchets de taille qui a orienté l’interprétation fonctionnelle du site (ou de l’aire fouillée du site) vers une dominance des opérations de taille. L’organisation spatiale de ces vestiges lithiques peut aussi être a priori interprétée comme le résultat d’une séquence d’occupations courtes par des tailleurs solutréens. Les observations technologiques préalables indiquent un déficit en outils et supports d’outils issus des chaînes opératoires identifiés, démontrant ainsi la production pour exportation et usage différé.
L’analyse technologique et l’analyse spatiale effectuées sont basées sur un programme systématique de remontage des vestiges lithiques permettant une meilleure reconstitution des processus de constitution et évolution post‑dépositionelle des niveaux archéologiques, la définition d’unités spatiales et/ou chronologiques sur le site et la caractérisation technologique des chaînes opératoires présentes et la reconstitution des activités des groupes solutréens.
L’analyse technologique de la totalité des vestiges lithiques vise à la caractérisation des chaînes opératoires (sensu latu) présentes :
Pour la production des supports laminaires et lamellaires, la reconstitution de l’économie de la matière première, de la gestion des volumes à débiter et des procédés de mise en forme et maintien des nucléus, la description des techniques de taille et des objectifs du débitage et l’évaluation des éléments manquants (éventuellement exportés) consistant les objectifs principaux.
Pour le façonnage de pièces foliacées, surtout celles de grand module, l’analyse porte sur les critères de choix de la matière première, la variabilité des schémas de façonnage mis en jeu et leur phasage, les procédés de préparation des enlèvements et la morphotypologie des pièces façonnées.
Les résultats sont des arguments objectifs pour contribuer, d’une part, à la reconstitution de la stratégie d’exploitation d’un territoire par le groupe qui a abandonné les vestiges sur le site et, d’autre part, à la mise en évidence de choix techniques particuliers des tailleurs des Maîtreaux.
En ce qui concerne l’analyse de la répartition spatiale des vestiges, les observations réalisées sur le matériel archéologique sont tributaires des résultats d’un protocole expérimental (orienté par la connaissance préalable du registre archéologique) qui, au-delà de la reconstitution des procédés techniques et méthodologiques de la taille permet l’interprétation de l’organisation des déchets des activités de taille.
Ainsi, la caractérisation et description (technique et spatiale) détaillée des amas de débitage trouvés aux Maîtreaux est le point de départ objectif pour la définition des unités chrono-spatiales présentes, permettant d’établir une chronologie relative des différentes occupations du site, mais aussi l’évaluation exacte du contenu de chacun des amas en termes de volume de travail réalisé, total des outils / supports d’outils produits et total des outils / support d’outils manquants, voire exportés.
Les constances et diversités de l’association d’outillage des différents amas font aussi l’objet d’une analyse, suivie de l’interprétation de la fonctionnalité et des activités réalisées sur le site par les préhistoriques.
Finalement, la discussion et interprétation des remontages à plus longue distance, en terme de mécanisme de déplacement des objets lithiques mis en relation par des remontages, constituent un moment décisif de l’interprétation du site. Cette interprétation qui relève déjà du domaine de la micro-histoire et de la paléoéconomie, intéresse la reconstitution des activités réalisées sur le site (et, pour cela, la discussion au sujet de la constitution du groupe), ainsi que l’analyse des objets taillés en silex allochtones introduits sur le site et l’évaluation des objets (des outils ou bien des supports d’outils pour retouche et usage différé) taillés aux Maîtreaux et exportés.
Cette interprétation intra-site des Maîtreaux constituera le point de départ pour la discussion d’un modèle de compréhension de la stratégie objective d’exploitation d’un territoire et de ses ressources naturelles.
Finalement, l’établissement de ce modèle (y compris la discussion de la contemporanéité des chaînes opératoires de façonnage de grandes pièces foliacées et débitage de supports de pointes à cran et lamelles à dos) ne sera pas sans implications pour une analyse critique de la valeur à accorder aux séquences régionales connues du Solutréen et son intégration dans le schéma classique de l’évolution diachronique interne du Solutréen.

A l’extrême fin du stade isotopique 3a, le Châtelperronien, dernière manifestation des néandertaliens en France et dans le nord de l’Espagne, est un technocomplexe défini comme de transition avec un monde nouveau, celui du Paléolithique supérieur, dont l’artisan est l’Homme anatomiquement moderne. Cette industrie n’est pourtant connue que par un nombre restreint de séries récemment étudiées. Nous en documentons ici la variabilité, par le biais de l'analyse taphonomique et techno-économique de trois séries lithiques aquitaines de plein-air : le Basté (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Bidart (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) et Canaule II (Dordogne).
Intégrés à une synthèse bibliographique mobilisant les autres collections châtelperroniennes pondérées selon leur valeur, ces résultats confirment la forte unité technique du Châtelperronien, probablement symptomatique d’une unité culturelle forte, tant dans les modalités que dans les objectifs de la production lithique, Quasi-exclusivement laminaire, l’équipement lithique est orienté vers l’obtention, à la pierre tendre, de lames plutôt larges et courtes, de profil rectiligne, principalement dévolues à la fabrication de pointes ou couteaux de Châtelperron. En outre, la forte unité morphométrique de ces dernières, ajouté à la remise en cause de la réalité d'une composante moustérienne au sein de l'industrie châtelperronienne, remettent en cause l’idée d'une évolution interne de cette culture au travers de ces arguments classiquement admis.
Le Châtelperronien ne peut donc plus être défini, en l'absence de mixité culturelle dans les chaînes opératoires observées, comme une industrie de "transition" au sens propre du terme.
Toutefois, le processus ayant conduit à sa formation depuis un substrat moustérien local, semble reposer sur la place prépondérante donnée à la recherche de pointes lithiques légères et potentiellement utilisées comme armatures. Ce processus est comparable à celui en action, à la même période et dans le reste de l'Europe occidentale, au sein des autres technocomplexes dits de "transition".
Ces travaux rejoignent ainsi l’idée d’une apparition graduelle des éléments structurants du Paléolithique supérieur, dont certains sont déjà en œuvre bien avant l'émergence de l'Aurignacien (production laminaire, rôle prépondérant des armatures au sein des équipements lithiques, industrie en matière dure animale). Ils tendent donc à estomper l'image de rupture communément admise pour cette période charnière dans l'histoire de l'humanité.

O trabalho que agora se apresenta não teria sido possível se, em meu redor, não tivesse existido um conjunto de pessoas que me ensinasse, me permitisse ter tido condições de trabalho e com quem tivesse podido trocar ideias. A todas elas devo um sincero e profundo agradecimento. As minhas primeiras palavras são para os meus orientadores e amigos Francisco Almeida e Nuno Bicho. A minha gratidão para com ambos não se limita ao facto de me terem aceite enquanto orientando, mas também pela sua permanente disponibilidade (mesmo quando os seus carregadíssimos calendários praticamente não o permitiam), pela segurança que sempre me transmitiram, pelos conselhos, orientações (e por vezes desorientações), pela abertura de horizontes, por me terem permitido estudar sítios sob a sua responsabilidade, mas sobretudo pela confiança depositada na minha pessoa e por me terem envolvido nos seus projectos. A ambos devo muito do que aprendi e do que sou enquanto arqueólogo. Espero não os ter desiludido. Uma palavra especial para Fernando Real, por me ter convidado a desenvolver o meu doutoramento nas instalações do ex-CIPA, mesmo não sendo esta a minha instituição de acolhimento, gesto que ganha maior valor após a extinção do Instituto Português de Arqueologia e a criação do IGESPAR, IP, altura em que os investigadores em situação idêntica foram informados que não poderiam continuar ali a sua actividade dado que gastavam electricidade e água, quando iam à casa de banho. Dentro do mesmo enquadramento um agradecimento especial também a Ana Cristina Araújo por me ter garantido, desde o início, não só as condições mínimas de trabalho (mesa, cadeira, computador, internet e um candeeiro), como também por, desde a mudança de condições, ter lutado diariamente pela nossa permanência naquelas instalações, sob ameaça directa de processos disciplinares. Ainda lhe tenho a agradecer o respeito, muitas horas de (por vezes acessa) discussão, e o envolvimento em diversas escavações. Ainda do IPA, um agradecimento especial a José Paulo Ruas, não só pelas fantásticas fotografias dos materiais do Abrigo do Alecrim mas principalmente por me ter ensinado a fotografar. Ao querido amigo e jamais esquecido Nuno Caldeira por, independentemente da hora, estar sempre disponível para resolver qualquer problema informático 5 real ou aselhice minha. Aos meus amigos e colegas do CIPA Cleia Detry, David Gonçalves, Sónia Gabriel, Carlos Pimenta e Simon Davis pela troca de ideias, artigos e conhecimentos. Aos meus amigos, colegas de trabalho e companheiros de viagem João Cascalheira, João Marreiros, Marina Évora, Carolina Mendonça, Célia Gonçalves e Luís Jesus, pelas horas de discussão, troca de artigos e sugestões. A Rita Dias, João Marreiros, Marina Évora, Célia Gonçalves e João Cascalheira devo ainda o agradecimento pelo acolhimento em suas casas sempre que me tive de deslocar a Faro. Uma palavra especial também à minha amiga e colega Sara Cura, por me ter introduzido nas problemáticas aqui abordadas, bem como à actividade associativa. A João Zilhão, por me ter permitido o estudo de muitas das suas colecções, nomeadamente da Gruta do Caldeirão, mas também pelos conhecimentos, sugestões, alertas, opiniões e ideias. A Marisa Loureiro, agradeço as informações, esclarecimentos e documentação de índole geológica. A Marina Évora pela sua paciente revisão crítica ao texto e imagens. Pelas indicações bibliográficas, artigos, separatas e livros enviados, mesmo quando não solicitados: Araújo, Andrew Peclin, Michael Kunze, entre muito outros que por lapso não foram mencionados; a 7 Resumo O objectivo do presente trabalho é compreender a exploração do quartzito durante o Paleolítico Superior na Faixa Atlântica Peninsular, especialmente no seu troço Sudoeste. Para tal, foram estudados conjuntos provenientes da Estremadura, do Alentejo e do Algarve, através da análise de atributos e do Método das Remontagens. Os resultados foram posteriormente confrontados com os modelos existentes tanto para a exploração desta matéria-prima como para aquilo que terá sido o comportamento geral das comunidades caçadoras-recolectoras em causa. Concluiu-se que, o quartzito foi um pilar essencial da economia destas sociedades, utilizado tendo em vista objectivos concretos e não apenas uma forma de economizar sílex; que essas sociedades desenvolveram conceitos próprios para a exploração desta matériaprima, nomeadamente para a sua circulação na paisagem, não sendo a mesma arbitrária; que as suas características físicas não foram condicionantes desses padrões; e que esses conceitos de exploração variaram diacronicamente, sendo possível distinguir os vários sub-períodos do Paleolítico Superior. Inferiu-se ainda existir a possibilidade de, as características físicas da Península Ibérica associadas à pressão demográfica das populações neanderthais que ocupavam o seu sector Sudoeste, terem forçado os primeiros grupos de Humanos anatomicamente modernos, a mudar de uma economia baseada em sílex, muitas vezes obtida a grandes distâncias, por uma baseada em matérias-primas locais como o quartzito e o quartzo. A boa qualidade, variedade e disponiblidade dos recursos permitiu que este substrato tecnológico se mantivesse até à Idade dos Metais.

Trabajo de investigación de Tercer Ciclo. Universidad de Cantabria. Se presentan los resultados del análisis tecnológico de los niveles A, B, C y D del yacimiento Musteriense de Axlor (DIma, Bizkaia) y los resultados del análisis de huellas de uso del yacimiento Auriñaciense de Barbas III (Creysse, Dordoña)

The intrasite mobility of lithic artifacts is one of the most relevant issues that can be approached from the spatial study of refitting. In many sites, it has been found that some artifacts were abandoned at considerable distance from the place where they were produced. Once natural causes of post-depositional nature are discarded, the most likely hypothesis to explain these movements is intentional displacement by humans. However, the interpretation of such intentional movements is particularly difficult, since the intrasite mobility of lithic artifacts can be related to at least four different factors: a) refuse disposal strategies; b) functional complementarity between different activity areas; c) social relations between different domestic units; and d) recycling. Each of these factors has different implications concerning questions as important as the spatial organization within the campsites or the contemporaneity between activity areas. To address this issue, it is necessary to have a representative sample of transport episodes and to analyze aspects such as the connection length, the directionality of the movements, the kind of transported artifacts and the activities carried out both in the place of origin and in the place of destination. As an example, in this work we are going to analyze the long distance displacements identified in different Middle Paleolithic layers from the Abric Romaní (Capellades, Spain).

La fouille archéologique a été réalisée à l’emplacement
de la future carrière de granulats exploitée par la
Compagnie des Sablières de la Seine (CSS), aux lieuxdits
«Les Diguets» et «La Noé» sur une superficie de
300 m².
La problématique scientifique de l’intervention résulte
de la découverte dans ce même secteur, en 2002, de
deux locus attribuables à la période du Tardiglaciaire.
La fouille des deux locus a permis de mettre en
évidence un atelier de taille lié à la production de lames
et de lamelles et, pour la première fois à Acquigny, une
petite zone d’activité domestique liée au travail de la
peau et de boucherie. Les deux locus sont attribuables
au Paléolithique supérieur final.
D’un point de vue technologique, le débitage est
orienté vers la production de lames et de petites lames
à profil rectiligne au percuteur tendre minéral. Les
produits laminaires sont débités à partir de deux plans
de frappe opposés. Le débitage est parfois alternatif,
parfois successif, selon un mode opératoire semitournant
avec un envahissement des flancs. L’outillage
du locus D est constitué de grattoirs et de lames
‘Favorites’.
La mise en évidence de ces grandes tendances permet
de placer l’industrie étudiée dans les cultures de
l’extrême fin du Paléolithique supérieur « Belloisien ».
Les corrélations faites avec les découvertes antérieures
faites sur la carrière, les dernières découvertes
régionales et les sites du Bassin parisien ou de la
Somme placent le gisement d’Acquigny à la fin du
Dryas récent.

Cette thèse est le fruit de la réunion de notre attrait pour deux domaines de recherche sur l'homme que sont la préhistoire et les sciences cognitives. Elle s'inscrit dans le cadre de la théorie synthétique de l'évolution et cherche à contribuer à notre connaissance des processus évolutifs, et plus modestement à ceux guidant l'évolution des premiers Néandertaliens présents en France septentrionale. Le terme comportement est omniprésent à l'heure actuelle dans les articles français de préhistoire. Si le recours au terme est récurrent, son emploi est souvent abusif ou approximatif et révèle l'indéniable oubli de son sens et des concepts qu'il renferme. Le choix d'étudier le comportement des hommes préhistoriques a nécessité de retourner aux origines du mot et des concepts sous-entendus qui ont mené à sa définition actuelle. Cet enrichissant cheminement débouche sur la proposition de démarche qui a été menée dans ce travail : intégrer et adapter les méthodes et démarches développées dans les sciences du comportement à celle de préhistorien afin d'apporter un autre point de vue et un autre niveau d'interprétation aux données analysées. Cette démarche impose de sélectionner judicieusement la matière première que sont les gisements préhistoriques dans le but de reconstituer le comportement de ses occupants. Notre étude s'est focalisée sur un peu plus de 150 000 ans d'histoire retraçant l'aventure des premiers Néandertaliens du Nord de la France. Pour se faire, deux gisements représentant huit occupations néandertaliennes ont été sélectionnés et étudiés pour la qualité et la diversité des informations qu'ils recelaient en terme comportemental : Biache-Saint‑Vaast et Therdonne.

"This thesis is the result of the meeting of our appeal for two research domains on Human that are Prehistory and cognitive sciences. It joins within the framework of the synthetic theory of Evolution and tries to contribute to our knowledge of evolutionary processes, and more modestly to those guiding the evolution of the first Neanderthals settling northern France. The term «comportement» (behaviour) is now omnipresent in French papers of Prehistory. If the recourse to the term is recurring, its employment is often excessive or approximate and reveals the undeniable forgetting of its underlying meaning and concepts it contains. The choice to study Neanderthal behaviour required to return to the origins of the word and the understood concepts which led to its current definition. This enriching progression results at the suggestion of approach which was led in this work: integrate and adapt the methods and the approaches developed in behaviour sciences in our approach of prehistorian to bring another point of view and another level of interpretation to analyze datas. This approach imposes to select sensibly the raw material that are the prehistoric occupations in order to reconstitute occupants behaviour. Our study focused on a little more than 150 000 years of history redrawing the adventure of the first Neanderthals of northern France. To be made, two sites representing eight Neanderthal occupations were selected and studied for the quality and the diversity of the informations received in behavioural terms: Biache-Saint-Vaast and Therdonne."

The Aurignacian V from Laugerie-Haute, France, has been one of the most problematic assemblages in Paleolithic research because of its typological characteristics and its apparent late chronology. Part of the problem related to the fact that, until
recently, this Aurignacian V was only known at one site. Recent research in France and Portugal has yielded assemblages the chronology and typological characteristics of which parallel the ones from the Laugerie’ Aurignacian V. In Portugal, they are characterized by a dominance of carinated lithic elements, and absolute dates that place them in the
temporal transition from the Gravettian to the Solutrean, that is, c. 21,500 BP. However, the presence of carinated elements in the Portuguese Paleolithic now has no chronological meaning, since this types of implement are found in almost all Upper Paleolithic complexes.
This dissertation provides a definition of the technological variability of Portuguese Estremadura assemblages dating to the period - the Terminal Gravettian. Such a definition is essential to clearly differentiate them from other assemblages with similar typological characteristics, but different chronologies. A technological study wasconducted of three Terminal Gravettian assemblages. For comparative purposes, four other assemblages were studied: Laugerie-Haute East Aurignacian V and Proto-Magdalenian, Quartel dos Bombeiros (Epipaleolithic), and Quinta do Sanguinhal(Gravettian). The methodology implied a combined use of attribute analysis and
refitting, within the theoretical framework of the Châine Opératoire.
The results suggest that in Portuguese Estremadura, the “Aurignacian V” or Terminal Gravettian assemblages are characterized by a varied set of reduction strategies,
dominated by carinated reduction, possibly for barb production. Also, quartz exploitation is almost as important as flint, and parallels its reduction strategies. The technological
variability of these assemblages, when compared with that of the earlier Final Gravettian, does not parallel the apparent typological differences. Thus the “Aurignacian V-like”
Terminal Gravettian seems to be a clear continuity from the Final Gravettian of Portugal. The technological disparities between the two periods seem to be of degree and not of kind. A re-analysis of the Laugerie-Haute sequence suggests a similar pattern. The attribution of these assemblages to the Aurignacian Complex, thus, should be discarded.They probably represent a late chronological facies of the Gravettian.

Antes de comenzar con la presentación de la tesis de master me gustaría agradecer al director de la misma, Javier Baena, todo su apoyo y confianza depositada en mí durante todos estos años de trabajo, así como su formación y consejos que nos han ayudado a seguir adelante aunque el camino pareciese un tanto "oscuro".

Ce travail présente un schéma de production d'éclats courts et normalisés identifiés dans des séries lithiques attribués aux premières phases du Magdalénien et au Badegoulien. Cette production s'effectue au moyen de séquences simples qui ne demandent que peu de mise en forme et qui ne concernent qu'une partie des nucléus. L'agencement de ces séquences indépendantes les unes des autres peur produire, à l'abandon, des nucléus qui ont souvent été dénommés discoïde. Mais une lecture technologique approfondie indique que cette convergence technologique n'est que superficielle et ne correspond pas aux mêmes schémas de production que ceux proposés pour le Paléolithique inférieur et moyen. A la suite d'une présentation générale et méthodologique, ce travail développe une série d'exemples archéologiques français et espagnols

The early archaeological record of Beringia is complicated by the occurrence of several lithic industries. Site assemblages, dating from 14,000 to 12,800 years ago and located from the Yana-Indigirka Lowlands of Siberia to the upper Tanana River basin, contain artifacts characteristic of the Nenana technological complex. After 12,800 years ago, site assemblages contain artifacts diagnostic of the Denali technocomplex. To explain the variation in lithic industries, we first and foremost need well-stratified and well-dated sites with multiple components so we securely know their ages and depositional relationships. We present excavation results of one such site located in interior Alaska, Owl Ridge, with the goal of assessing site stratigraphy, radiocarbon chronology, and natural site formation processes. Owl Ridge was visited three times during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition with a Nenana-complex occupation at 13,380-12,800 years ago followed by two Denali-complex occupations at 12,540-11,430 years ago and 11,270-11,200 years ago. Assemblage change at Owl Ridge was diachronically patterned, as at the nearby Dry Creek archaeological site, and separated by two climatic events, a brief extremely windy Younger Dryas (lasting 300-250 years) and a very brief wetter period (lasting ~160 years). Our results indicate these climate and environmental conditions played a role in settlement of eastern Beringia.

Der Artikel beinhaltet die Grabungsauswertung der Funde und Befunde des auf der sogenannten Gehmlitz gelegen Fundplatzes Golßen Fpl. 1. Auf dem im Jahre 1968 von Bernhard Gramsch ausgegrabenen Fundplatz auf der Talsandinsel Gehmlitz zeigten sich vier Fundkonzentrationen: zwei Schlagplätze, einer davon in einer Behausung mit einer vermutlichen Feuerstelle, sowie zwei kleine Abfallbereiche. Das Formenspektrum des spätpaläolithischen Komplexes der Federmesser- Gruppen umfasst neben Rückenspitzen und -messern, kurzen Kratzern und Sticheln auch einen seltenen Pfeilschaftglätter. Mit der vergleichenden statistischen Auswertung ließen sich einige Zusammenhänge zwischen einzelnen Merkmalen (z. B. Feuereinwirkung, Kantenbeschädigung oder Schlagtechnik) sowie Silexgrundformen und Geräten erkennen. Außerdem wird dem Phänomen der vertikalen Fundverlagerung nachgegangen.

Several recent refitting studies of Early Upper Paleolithic Ahmarian assemblages from the arid margins
of the southern Levant have enabled the systematic investigation of their distinctive technology. The reconstruction of
the Ahmarian chaîne opératoire presented herewith is based on the assemblage from Nahal Nizzana XIII in the western
Negev lowlands. It seems that the method involves the use of a narrow N-fronted "row boat" core preform with a plain,
acute angled platform. The primary focus of knapping was the provision of series of predetermined, distinctive pointed
blade/let blanks for el-Wad points (and perforators). These blanks were produced using platform abrasion and a soft
stone percussor. Secondary blanks for other tool classes mostly derive either from decortication and setting up the core
preform or during core maintenance by means of core tablets, both usually with a harder hammerstone. The elegance of
this integrated method to the knapping concept used at Nahal Nizzana XIII is further demonstrated by comparisons with
other Ahmarian assemblages in the region. Seemingly greater variability is displayed by Ahmarian-related assemblages
in the Mediterranean zone, where an opposed platform technology supplements the distinctive "N-fronted" method
outlined above. Contrary to longstanding and widespread anecdotal claims, there is little evidence for systematic use
of the punch technique in the Ahmarian; rather the knapping mode combined two complementary stone hammer types
according to the knapping stages.
Finally, possible antecedents for the Ahmarian are examined. It seems likely that a poorly documented intermediate
phase probably separates Intermediate (MP/UP) Boker Tachtit-like assemblages from the Ahmarian.