Wear traces of basalt tools - an experimental case for archaeological interpretation (BATEX): a new project on micro-wear studies of basalt tools

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Reality and confusion in the recognition of post-depositional alterations and use-wear: an experimental approach on basalt tools

While many experimental studies have been done on siliceous and metamorphic rocks for both use-wear and post depositional surface modification (PDSM) events, little is known about such experiments on volcanic materials (other than obsidian), and on basalt in particular. Here we present the preliminary results of several experiments related to: a) evidence for basalt use (e.g., butchery and fresh hide scraping) and the subsequent characteristic use-wear patterns that can be seen; and b) post-depositional surface modifications caused by bear (Ursidae) trampling on experimental basalt flakes and subsequent use of these flakes for a tumbling experiment in a special tumbling machine.The results of these experiments were compared to better understand some surface modifications noted on the Middle to Upper Pleistocene lithic assemblages of the Azokh Cave site (Nagorno Karabagh, Lesser Caucasus).Although some aspects of both events (use-wear and PDSM) remain to be studied in depth, the experiments have improved our understanding of the effects of use-wear and post-depositional trampling and tumbling on basalt lithic artefacts. In particular, it has allowed us to recognise mechanical alterations (e.g., cracks, striations, fractures, edge damage) caused by trampling and tumbling and to note differences between these modifications and those caused by use. In particular, the experiments have shown that macroscopic modifications are rarely diagnostic, especially those observed after use. Microscopic wear features such as edge rounding, polish, abrasion and striations were the most evident types of alteration on basalt flakes, although occurring at different times and from different types of use. Distribution and orientation of alterations may be key in distinguishing use-wear from post-depositional alterations on basalt artefacts

The earliest European Acheulean: new insights into the large shaped tools from the late Early Pleistocene site of Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Spain)

peer reviewedSince the oldest known Acheulean lithic techno-typological features in Europe were reported at the site of Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Spain), continuous fieldwork has been conducted there in archeological deposits of the late Early Pleistocene age (0.99–0.78 Ma). As a result, excavations in two of the three open-air localities have significantly expanded the collection of lithic and faunal remains, allowing us to make progress in the interpretation of the hominin behaviors in an open-air fluvial-deltaic sedimentary environment. This includes examples of cumulative palimpsests, such as those found at the locality of La Mina, in which hominins only had a minimal role as modifying agents, as well as the extraordinary mammoth butchery site recorded at the Pit 1 locality. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive update of the collection of large shaped tools and to assess its significance in the framework of the earliest occurrence of the Acheulean in Europe. This cultural entity is increasingly well-documented for the early Middle Pleistocene, but very little is known about its presence in Europe before the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary. Large shaped tools appear in the three localities explored in the Unit II of Barranc de la Boella, including choppers (unifacial and bifacial) and standard Acheulean forms, such as picks, knives, and cleaver-like forms. Techno-typological and morphometrical analyses revealed a basic heavy-duty component obtained through simple shaping sequences coupled with significantly more elaborate tools produced on various large blanks (cobbles, slabs, or flakes). The complete bifacial and bilateral shapings have yet to be documented, but the present specific tool assemblage attests to the Early Acheulean technological threshold. Hence, the archaeological data from Barranc de la Boella provide insights into the first appearance of the Acheulean technology in Europe and add critical information to the debate on the technological variability of the Early Pleistocene hominin occupation of the continent. The results of this study revealed a technological assemblage unique in the known late Early Pleistocene archeological record from Europe, different from the rest of ancient Acheulean sites in this continent, which are dated at the Middle Pleistocene. This lends support to the hypothesis that Barranc de la Boella may represent a previously unrecognized Early Acheulean dispersion out of Africa connected to its first evidence at the gates of Eurasia, potentially moving over the northern Mediterranean coastal road to reach Western Europe

AZOKH CAVE LITHIC ASSEMBLAGES AND THEIR CONTEXTUALIZATION IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER PLEISTOCENE OF SOUTHWEST ASIA

La cova d'Azokh és un jaciment de Plistocè Mitjà a Holocè situada a Nagorno Karabaj (Càucas Sud). La regió geogràfica forma un passadís que connecta Àfrica, Europa i Àsia, i ha estat un àrea important per a l'expansió dels humans i altres animals. Aquest estudi està basat en l'anàlisi detallada i sistemàtica de les matèries primeres, la tecno-tipologia, la funció i les alteracions post-deposicionals dels conjunts lítics trobats en la seqüència sedimentària superior de la cova (nivells V – I) durant les excavacions de 2002 – 2012. Les dades cronològiques indiquen una edat d'entre 293 – 100 ka per a aquests nivells. Els resultats mostren l'explotació de diferents matèries primeres locals i no locals en tots els nivells per a la producció dels artefactes lítics, encara que les matèries primeres són més variades en el Nivell II. L'obsidiana és l'única matèria primera d'origen llunyà. Els conjunts lítics estan compostos principalment per productes de talla, amb pocs nuclis i restes de talla. La cadena operativa està fragmentada en tots els nivells i per a totes les matèries primeres. Les característiques tecno-tipològiques i la cronologia de Nivell V presenten similituds amb l'Acheulo-Yabrudià i el Kudaro-Acheulià del Sud-oest d'Àsia. Es pot caracteritzar com a Acheulià tardà o pre-Musterià sense bifaços. Els conjunts lítics dels nivells IV i III són massa petits i, de moment, no se'ls pot assignar a cap algun grup tecno-tipològic en particular. El conjunt lític de Nivell II, pel el seu clar caràcter Levallois i per la seva cronologia, presenta similituds amb Tabun C, amb el Kudaro-Djruchulià, i parcialment també amb el Musterià de Zagros i Karain. És clarament Mode 3 Levallois Musterià. Algunes peces de diferents nivells tenen evidents traces d'ús, tot i que les col•leccions estan afectades en major o menor mesura per diverses alteracions postdeposicionals, principalment mecàniques i químiques. Els conjunts lítics inclouen eines mòbils, adaptades a un estil de vida mòbil que inclou ocupacions humanes curtes i temporals a la cova d'Azokh, afectades clarament per l'ús de la cova per grans carnívors.La cueva de Azokh es un yacimiento de Pleistoceno Medio a Holoceno situada en Nagorno Karabaj (Cáucaso Sur). La región geográfica forma un pasillo conectando África, Europa y Asia, y ha sido un área importante para la expansión de los humanos y otros animales. Este estudio está basado en el análisis detallado y sistemático de las materias primas, la tecno-tipología, la función y las alteraciones post-deposicionales de los conjuntos líticos hallados en la secuencia sedimentaria superior de la cueva (niveles V – I) durante las excavaciones de 2002 – 2012. Los datos cronológicos indican una edad de entre 293 – 100 ka para estos niveles. Los resultados muestran la explotación de diferentes materias primas locales y no locales en todos los niveles para la producción de los artefactos líticos, aunque las materias primas son más variadas en el Nivel II. La obsidiana es la única materia prima de origen lejano. Los conjuntos líticos están compuestos principalmente por productos de talla, con pocos núcleos y restos de talla. La cadena operativa está fragmentada en todos los niveles y para todas las materias primas. Las características tecno-tipológicas y la cronología de Nivel V presentan similitudes con el Achelo-Yabrudiense y el Kudaro-Achelense en Suroeste de Asia. Se puede caracterizar como Achelense tardío o pre-Musteriense sin bifaces. Los conjuntos líticos de los niveles IV y III son demasiado pequeños y, de momento, no se pueden asignar a ningún grupo tecno-tipológico en particular. El conjunto lítico de Nivel II muestra un claro carácter Levallois, por su cronología tiene similitudes con Tabun C, con el Kudaro-Djruchuliense, y parcialmente también con el Musteriense de Zagros y Karain. Es claramente Modo 3 Levallois Musteriense. Algunas piezas de diferentes niveles tienen evidentes huellas de uso, aunque las colecciones están afectadas en mayor o menor medida por diversas alteraciones postdeposicionales, principalmente mecánicas y químicas. Los conjuntos líticos incluyen herramientas móviles, adaptadas a un estilo de vida móvil que incluye ocupaciones humanas cortas y temporales en la cueva de Azokh, afectadas claramente por el uso de la cueva por grandes carnívoros.Azokh Cave is a Middle Pleistocene to Holocene site in Nagorno Karabagh (Southern Caucasus). The geographic region forms a corridor linking Africa, Europe and Asia, and was important for early hominin and other animal expansion. The study is based on detailed, systematic analyses of raw material, techno-typology, function, and post-depositional alteration of lithic assemblages recovered from the upper sedimentary sequence of the cave (Units V - I) during the 2002 – 2012 excavations. Chronological data indicates an age between 293 – 100 Kyr for these units. Results showed exploitation of different local and non-local raw materials in all units for the production of lithic artefacts, although the range of raw materials is more varied in Unit II. Obsidian is the only raw material originating from distant sources. The lithic assemblages are composed primarily of knapping products with a few cores and some knapping waste. The operative chain is fragmented in all units and for all raw materials. The techno-typological characteristics and chronology of Unit V share similarities with the Acheulo-Yabrudian and Kudaro Acheulean in Southwest Asia. It is Late Acheulean or pre-Mousterian without large-cutting tools. The lithic assemblages of Unit VI and III are too small and cannot be assigned to a particular techno-group at present. The Unit II assemblage with its clear Levallois component and chronology shares similarities with Tabun C, Kudaro-Djruchulian, partly also with the Zagros and Karain Mousterian and is clearly Mode 3 Mousterian of Levallois facies. Some artefacts from different units bear evident use-wear traces, and lithics in all units are affected by different post-depositional alterations, primarily mechanical and chemical. Lithic assemblages included mobile tool kits adapted to a mobile lifestyle indicated by short, seasonal occupations of the cave by hominins, who were nevertheless affected by large carnivore use of the cave

The Azokh Cave complex: Middle Pleistocene to Holocene human occupation in the Caucasus

Azokh Cave is located near the village of the same name in the Nagorno-Karabagh region of the south-eastern part of the Lesser Caucasus (3937.09’ N and 4659.19’ E, 962 metres –a.s.l.). Azokh Cave and other relevant Acheulian sites in the Caucasus (Fig. 1) were described by Lioubine (2002). Together with Mousterian sites (Klein, 1969, 1999; Hoffecker and Cleghorn, 2000; Hoffecker, 2002; Stringer and Andrews, 2005) and sites producing evidence of the Middle-Late Palaeolithic transition (Joris and Adler 2008), the Caucasus region has provided evidence of continuous human settlement of the area throughout the Pleistocene. The geographical location of these sites indicates the persistence of a natural corridor that Lioubine (2002) named the ‘Caucasus isthmus’ and which we describe as the Trans-Caucasian corridor. Based on a geological survey of Quaternary deposits in collaboration with the Armenian Academy of Sciences (Ferna´ndez-Jalvo et al., 2004; King et al., 2003), we observe that the topography of the area has changed considerably due to tectonic compression and periglacial isostasy. This is in agreement with estimations by GPS studies (Mosar, 2006, Mosar et al., 2007) and ESR (Gru¨n et al., 1999) that establishedan uplift rate of12 to14 mm/year or 0.8–1.0 cm/year, respectively. The corridor has changed greatly since the middle Pleistocene, with uplift and erosion altering the landscape, but it is likely that passage through the Caucasian mountains has always been possible. The Trans-Caucasian corridor and other routes via Turkey and towards Asia (Bar-Yosef and Belfer-Cohen, 2001) were migration pathways during the Pleistocene. Fossil humans in the Caucasian area are scarce. The site of Dmanisi in Georgia yielded the earliest known Eurasian hominins (1.7 Ma, Gabunia et al., 2000; Rightmire et al., 2006; Martino´ n- Torres et al., 2008). Late surviving Neanderthals are present at several sites: Mezmaiskaya Cave, in the Northern Caucasus of Russia (30 ka, Skinner et al., 2005), provided remains of late surviving Neanderthals; a mandible of a 2–3 year old Neanderthal child was found at Barakay Cave (North Caucasus; Lubin et al., 2002). Two incisor fragments and one premolar from Kudaro I may be human (Lioubine, 2002). In this context, Azokh Cave fills an important temporal gap. Azokh Cave contains a nearly continuous stratigraphic section from >300 ka to the present, and mandible fragments of Homo heidelbergensis found at the site (Kasimova, 2001) represent the easternmost extent of this species. Here we review the finds of this long forgotten site and present results of our recent work