Contributions and Limitations of a Technomorphometric Approach for Cleavers: The Case of Lanne-Darré (Hautes-Pyrénées)

International audienceResearch relating to cleavers can help to characterize the Middle Pleistocene European technocultural landscape, via a technomorphometric approach that provides insights into this tool’s composite involvement. A sample of 47 cleavers from the Lanne-Darré site were observed through two scales of technomorphometric analyses. When the studied entities are the entire tools, technomorphometric links are rarely perceptible; moreover, attributing them to specific usage is impossible given the current state of knowledge. Edge-scale analysis, however, is able to highlight significant relations between technical choices and shape. The transversal cutting edge specific to cleavers, directly resulting from the blank’s debitage, revealed recurrent morphologic and morphometric similarities, though differences remained in the nature and organization of other cleaver's parts. Four technico-structural tools groups were determined from these heterogeneous organizations, that differ from J. Tixier’s technotypology. Finally, the proposed technomorphometric approach provides new elements for understanding the structural place of cleavers in technical systems

Addressing the ambiguity between debitage and shaping objectives in the European Late Middle Pleistocene industries: a technico structural analysis of cores and macro tools from sub level TD10.1 of Gran Dolina (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)

Certain methods of debitage involving increasing degrees of systematization or even predetermination of products app ear as from the end of the European Middle Pleistocene (Mourre and Colonge, 2007; Oosterbeek et al., 2010; Turq et al., 2010; Rubio Jara et al., 2016; Santonja et al., 2016; Di Modica and Pirson, 2016; Mathias et al., 2020). Among them, centripetal debitag e methods, e.g. Discoid or related, are characterised by the management of two convexities around an intersection plane, whose interchangeable roles alternate between the striking and the debitage platforms (Gouëdo, 1990; Boëda, 1993; Mourre, 2003). These processes involve constant regularisation of the piece circumference with an angle that remains secant. The products of these debitage methods are undeniably desired for their morphologies with various functional potentials (thick butt, peripheral cutting edges, lateral backs, etc.). But the real purpose behind these cores production can be questioned, given the potentially functional morphological properties of the resulting edges. A similar ambiguity exists in t he production patterns of the characteristic associated large cutting tools, that have sometimes been defined as 'combined mixed' shaping, reflecting the simultaneous purposes of shaping and small debitage (Colonge et al., 2014).The industry of the sub level TD10.1 of Gran Dolina in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Castilla y Leon, Spain) associates precisely these dif ferent types of pieces, core tools or tool cores, in significant amount. The remains of this level, attached to MIS 10 9, would reflect a base camp with occupations of varying duration (García Medrano et al., 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018; Terradillos Bern al, 2013; Lombera Hermida et al., 2020). Among the raw materials used, chert is in the majority, but other rocks such as quartzites with more or less fine grains and sandstones are also used for both macro tools and small debitage (Terradillos Bernal and R odríguez Alvarez, 2014, 2017). A technico structural analysis of about 250 pieces of this sub level is conducted according to the techno morpho functional approach that has been developing for several decades in lithic technology (Lepot, 1993; Boëda, 1997; Soriano, 2000; Bonilauri, 2010; Nicoud, 2011; Viallet, 2016; Rocca, 201 6 The resulting technico structural classification aims to gather these artefacts into different groups that are supposed to reflect similar intentions of production, and thus a comm on place within the mental templates of human groups.This preliminary study raises new questions about the overlapping of the debitage and shaping "chaînes opératoires" within the TD10.1 sub level of Gran Dolina, and more broadly of the industries that ma rk the end of the Early Palaeolithic in Southwestern Europe

Le site de la falaise de Chabiague (Biarritz, France) : un témoin du Paléolithique ancien sur la façade atlantque des Pyrénées

International audienceThe Chabiague cliff in Biarritz (France) has been the subject of various investigations since the early 1970s, including a rescue excavation in 1982 by C. Chauchat. The site lies on the left bank of a small coastal creek that has carved out the valley of the same name, between Marbella beach to the north and Milady beach to the south, and faces to the Goureppe Rocks.In this area, the coast is bordered by cliffs with an interstratification of clay and peat deposits, sands and colluvium that record part of the Quaternary. In this context, several works have studied these sedimentary records (Thibault, 1970; Ouadia, 1986; Oldfield, 1964, 1967, 1968) and have established a relative chronostratigraphy. The lithic material from the Chabiague deposit comes from unit A (layer 13) correlated by Ouadia (1986) to the Mindel-Riss interglacial, i.e., likely MIS 11 or 9 (~-310/-440 ka BP). The lithic assemblage is composed of 510 pieces, mostly Flysch flints with a deep white patina, and has been referred by C. Chauchat to an "Early Acheulean" (Chauchat, 1987). The site is no longer accessible and has been severely degraded by the urban planning of the cliff. This article presents a synthesis of the data from this assemblage and in particular an unpublished and original technological study of the lithic series.Indeed, Lower Palaeolithic of the Atlantic Pyrenees has been mainly documented through a few isolated pieces discovered during surveys of fluvial and coastal formations. Recently, however, two preventive excavations on the heights of Bayonne city have revealed levels attributable to the Lower Palaeolithic (Colonge et al., 2015, 2017, 2018; Garon, 2013). According of all this information, it appears that given the regional scarcity of data, theChabiague cliff series may actually offers a unique view of unequivocally Lower Palaeolithic (i.e. pre-MIS 8) industry, in the Basque region. Stills some question needs to be solved concerning the homogeneity and the representativity of the sample, conjointly with its technical characterisation.From the whole of the lithic series, a first techno-typological seriation allowed us to identify the following categories:1/ pieces identified as flakes (n=273)2/ fractured pebbles (n=20) which correspond to pieces with one or more isolated removals whose anthropic nature is doubtful.3/ fragments and debris that come from the exploitation of raw materials in the form of cobbles, pebbles or slabs (n=125).4/ pieces identified as cores (n=35) and fragments of cores (n=14).5/ small flake tools (n=38) which can be raw or retouched.6/ macro tools on pebbles and slabs (n=5).In this perspective, the application of a techno-typological (Dauvois, 1976; Tixier et al., 1980; Inizan et al., 1995) and techno-structural analyses (Boëda, 2001, 2013; Bonilauri, 2010; Bonilauri et Lourdeau, 2023) allowed us to reveal the processes and objectives of the lithic production system and to establish an appropriate reading grid of the assemblage. The data from our study show that the industry of the Chabiague cliff site is dominated by theproduction of small flake tools associated with few macro-tools on slabs and pebbles.First of all, the flaking operating scheme is characterised by the exploitation of small Flysch cobbles and pebbles with a deep white patina in two main modalities: an alternating algorithmic debitage, “S.S.D.A./Clactonian type” (Forestier, 1993; Ashton et al., 1992), and a recurrent centripetal debitage, sometimes bipyramidal. These two debitage operating schemes have in common the search for convexities adjacent to flat surfaces in order to produce flakes and retouched tool supports.Secondly, the shaping process, although discrete in this series, is characterised by a uni or bifacial shaping of tool matrices. The production process is concluded through the concretisation of the functional objectives of the prehistoric knappers illustrated by the following six technotypes of tools:1/ this technotype groups together tools with lateral/transversal rectilinear cutting edge of the scraper type (n=20).2/ this technotype is composed of flake tools with concave cutting edge (n=6).3/ this technotype is made up of tools with lateral/transversal denticulated cutting edge (n=8).4/ this technotype is composed of multiple tools on a flake-support (n=4)5/ this technotype is composed of unifacial macro-tools with lateral/distal cutting edge (n=3)6/ this technotype groups the two bifacial pieces with convex edge/tip cutting.Finally, based on these results, the Chabiague cliff site placed in its regional context shows similarities with the Prissé and Jupiter assemblages.Beyond this, the most important technical relationships seem to be found along the Atlantic shore with the coastal sites of Pointe de Saint-Colomban (SU 5, 6 and 7), Menez-Dregan I (SU 8 and 7b) and Pen Hat (PH4a) dated to MIS 11. In each of these deposits, the technical choices of production are directed towards SSDA knapping system of small marine flint pebbles in order to generate small rough or retouched tools. The toolkit is completed by few macro-tools present in lesser proportions.The data from this study contribute to highlight the variability of the technical systems of the Lower Palaeolithic of the Pyrenean Atlantic coast.Le Paléolithique ancien des Pyrénées Atlantiques a été principalement documenté à travers quelques pièces isolées découvertes à la faveur de prospections menées sur les formations fluviales et littorales ainsi qu'à travers deux fouilles préventives récentes conduites sur les hauteurs de Bayonne. La falaise de Chabiague à Biarritz a fait l'objet de recherches diverses depuis le début des années 1970 et notamment d'une fouille de sauvetage en 1982 effectuée par C. Chauchat. Au cours de ces décennies de recherches, elle a livré un assemblage lithique composé de 510 pièces majoritairement en silex du Flysch à forte patine blanche. L'étude a porté sur cette série provenant de ramassages dans la coupe et en pied de falaise, ainsi que de l'opération archéologique de sauvetage réalisée. Un premier objectif a été de s'assurer de son homogénéité technique, puis une analyse technologique et structurale nous a permis de révéler les processus et les objectifs du système de production lithique à partir d'une grille de lecture adaptée. Les données de notre étude mettent en évidence que l'industrie du site de la falaise de Chabiague est orientée vers la production de petits outils sur éclat. À côté de ces petits outils sont associés à quelques macro-outils sur plaquette et galet. Les données de cette étude replacées dans une perspective locale et étendue contribuent à questionner la singularité de l'enregistrement technique sur la façade atlantique pyrénéenne au Paléolithique ancien

Opportunities and limits of a cleaver’s technomorphometric approach: the cases of Menez-Dregan I (Finistère) and Lanne-Darré (Hautes- Pyrénées)

Researches relating to cleavers can help the characterization of the technocultural landscape of Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. A technomorphometric approach of this tool could bring key elements about the interpretation of its technocultural implication. Opportunities and limits given by this type of analyses are tested here through the study of two series coming from distinct chronological and geographical contexts: the cleavers from Menez-Dregan and Lanne-Darré. When the studied entities are the entire tools, technomorphometric links are rarely perceptible. Attribute them to specific intent to use are moreover impossible in the current state of knowledge. On the edge-scale analysis, significant and recurrent relations between technical choices and shape are highlighted on the cleavers from both sites. Nevertheless, the structural analyses highlight heterogeneous organizations of these technofunctional units, cleavers from Menez-Dregan showing a clear systemic uniformity while four technofunctional groups are identified on those from Lanne-Darré. The technomorphometric convergences observed on cleavers from Menez-Dregan could reflect specific intent to use. However, the anecdotal nature of this production, combined to the low technical constraints required, does not allow us to reject for certain the environmental determinism. The situation is quite different for cleavers from Lanne-Darré: if the transversal cutting edge directly coming from the debitage of the blank, specific to cleavers, clearly shows morphologic and morphometric similarities on all pieces, differences are observed in the other techno-functional units organization. Many questions relating to the relevance of the tested approach in the case of cultural traditions study are raised after those results. Finally, it is clear that the technomorphometric approach provides us to grasp the functional potential of cleavers efficiency, although the criteria defined to measure its techno-functional variability require to be specified

Opportunities and limits of a cleaver’s technomorphometric approach: the cases of Menez-Dregan I (Finistère) and Lanne-Darré (Hautes- Pyrénées)

International audienceResearches relating to cleavers can help the characterization of the technocultural landscape of Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. A technomorphometric approach of this tool could bring key elements about the interpretation of its technocultural implication. Opportunities and limits given by this type of analyses are tested here through the study of two series coming from distinct chronological and geographical contexts: the cleavers from Menez-Dregan and Lanne-Darré. When the studied entities are the entire tools, technomorphometric links are rarely perceptible. Attribute them to specific intent to use are moreover impossible in the current state of knowledge. On the edge-scale analysis, significant and recurrent relations between technical choices and shape are highlighted on the cleavers from both sites. Nevertheless, the structural analyses highlight heterogeneous organizations of these technofunctional units, cleavers from Menez-Dregan showing a clear systemic uniformity while four technofunctional groups are identified on those from Lanne-Darré. The technomorphometric convergences observed on cleavers from Menez-Dregan could reflect specific intent to use. However, the anecdotal nature of this production, combined to the low technical constraints required, does not allow us to reject for certain the environmental determinism. The situation is quite different for cleavers from Lanne-Darré: if the transversal cutting edge directly coming from the debitage of the blank, specific to cleavers, clearly shows morphologic and morphometric similarities on all pieces, differences are observed in the other techno-functional units organization. Many questions relating to the relevance of the tested approach in the case of cultural traditions study are raised after those results. Finally, it is clear that the technomorphometric approach provides us to grasp the functional potential of cleavers efficiency, although the criteria defined to measure its techno-functional variability require to be specified

Opportunities and limits of a cleaver’s technomorphometric approach: the cases of Menez-Dregan I (Finistère) and Lanne-Darré (Hautes- Pyrénées)

Researches relating to cleavers can help the characterization of the technocultural landscape of Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. A technomorphometric approach of this tool could bring key elements about the interpretation of its technocultural implication. Opportunities and limits given by this type of analyses are tested here through the study of two series coming from distinct chronological and geographical contexts: the cleavers from Menez-Dregan and Lanne-Darré. When the studied entities are the entire tools, technomorphometric links are rarely perceptible. Attribute them to specific intent to use are moreover impossible in the current state of knowledge. On the edge-scale analysis, significant and recurrent relations between technical choices and shape are highlighted on the cleavers from both sites. Nevertheless, the structural analyses highlight heterogeneous organizations of these technofunctional units, cleavers from Menez-Dregan showing a clear systemic uniformity while four technofunctional groups are identified on those from Lanne-Darré. The technomorphometric convergences observed on cleavers from Menez-Dregan could reflect specific intent to use. However, the anecdotal nature of this production, combined to the low technical constraints required, does not allow us to reject for certain the environmental determinism. The situation is quite different for cleavers from Lanne-Darré: if the transversal cutting edge directly coming from the debitage of the blank, specific to cleavers, clearly shows morphologic and morphometric similarities on all pieces, differences are observed in the other techno-functional units organization. Many questions relating to the relevance of the tested approach in the case of cultural traditions study are raised after those results. Finally, it is clear that the technomorphometric approach provides us to grasp the functional potential of cleavers efficiency, although the criteria defined to measure its techno-functional variability require to be specified

Le site de la falaise de Chabiague (Biarritz, France) : un témoin du Paléolithique ancien sur la façade atlantique des Pyrénées

Le Paléolithique ancien des Pyrénées Atlantiques a été principalement documenté à travers quelques pièces isolées découvertes à la faveur de prospections menées sur les formations fluviales et littorales ainsi qu’à travers deux fouilles préventives récentes conduites sur les hauteurs de Bayonne. La falaise de Chabiague à Biarritz a fait l’objet de recherches diverses depuis le début des années 1970 et notamment d’une fouille de sauvetage en 1982 effectuée par C. Chauchat. Au cours de ces décennies de recherches, elle a livré un assemblage lithique composé de 510 pièces majoritairement en silex du Flysch à forte patine blanche. L’étude a porté sur cette série provenant de ramassages dans la coupe et en pied de falaise, ainsi que de l’opération archéologique de sauvetage réalisée. Un premier objectif a été de s’assurer de son homogénéité technique, puis une analyse technologique et structurale nous a permis de révéler les processus et les objectifs du système de production lithique à partir d’une grille de lecture adaptée. Les données de notre étude mettent en évidence que l’industrie du site de la falaise de Chabiague est orientée vers la production de petits outils sur éclat. À côté de ces petits outils sont associés à quelques macro-outils sur plaquette et galet. Les données de cette étude replacées dans une perspective locale et étendue contribuent à questionner la singularité de l’enregistrement technique sur la façade atlantique pyrénéenne au Paléolithique ancien