Sistemes de producció lítica en el trànsit Plistocè-Holocè. Estudi de la seqüència arqueològica de Coves de Santa Maira (Castell de Castells, Alacant) i la seua contextualització mediterrània.

A la regió mediterrània ibèrica hi ha una llarga tradició d’estudis referents als últims moments del Tardiglacial i els inicis de l’Holocè. És en este marc espai-temporal en què s’inscriu el nostre treball, en un episodi que percebem com complex per la regionalització dels conjunts industrials. La complexitat d’aquests moments es fa palesa a través de les diferents propostes crono-culturals que hui es troben a la literatura arqueològica, existint un gran nombre de noms per a denominar les diferents entitats arqueològiques regionals identificades (Epipaleolític, Epimagdalenià, Magdalenià superior final...). El trànsit Plistocè-Holocè està caracteritzat per ràpids canvis ecològics lligats a l’escalfament dels inicis de l’interglacial. L’augment de la temperatura i humitat caracteritza els nous paràmetres climàtics que tindran efectes sobre la vegetació, les faunes i fins i tot el perímetre de les terres emergides. Front a un episodi molt dinàmic, des d’un punt de vista paleo-ambiental, la lectura tecnològica es presenta bastant estable. Aquesta visió, aparentment continuista, és el que analitzem amb els nous protocols, atenent a les variacions diacròniques i també a les sincròniques, en una segona fase. Els grups humans i les seues tradicions tecno-econòmiques que es situen entre finals del Paleolític superior i els inicis del Mesolític, presenten forts lligams amb el Magdalenià anterior, però ha resultat complicat establir un quadre cronocultural general que reflectisca les tendències i les variacions del moment. La visió tecno-econòmica de les indústries lítiques contribueix a la identificació dels trets culturals per tal d’emmarcar els diferents episodis. L’objecte d’estudi del treball seran per tant els processos de producció lítica del jaciment de Coves de Santa Maira. Són poques les seqüències conegudes, en particular a les comarques centrals valencianes i en general al País Valencià, que abasten estos moments i moltes menys les que mostren una continuïtat dels dipòsits i un bon estat de conservació dels materials. És per això que el jaciment de Coves de Santa Maira es revela clau en l’estudi d’estos moments. L’estudi que portem endavant ens aproxima a la manera en que es fabricaven les ferramentes lítiques, atenent també a aspectes relacionats amb l’abastiment de matèries primeres. El concepte de cadena operativa resulta clau en els estudis tecnològics, així com en els econòmics i traceològics, ja que suposarà l’eix vertebrador de la reconstrucció del procés físic i mental que s’ha seguit per tal d’obtenir un determinat útil. És a dir, partint d’esta ferramenta metodològica, s’apliquen les diferents anàlisi dels materials, per tal de conèixer les etapes que esdevenen des de la recollida de la matèria primera fins l’abandó de l’útil. Així, este treball contribueix a la definició de les tradicions dels grups del trànsit Plistocè-Holocè a la façana mediterrània peninsular, a través de l’estudi concret del jaciment de Coves de Santa Maira, situat a les comarques centrals valencianes. La perspectiva emprada amb esta finalitat serà la tecno-econòmica, que ens aporta dades sobre els sistemes de producció lítica, definit-se els patrons d’abastiment de la matèria primera, els processos d’explotació i gestió i la configuració final de l’utillatge retocat. L’atenció als sistemes de producció lítica, ha permès definir un model que contempla un procés de transició de llarga duració, en el qual els canviaments no són bruscos, si no que van observant-se certs matisos que dibuixen una tendència cap al canvi, que arribarà de manera clara amb l’inici del Mesolític.In the Iberian Mediterranean region there is a long tradition of studies concerning to the last moments of the Tardiglacial and the beginnings of the Holocene. Our work is related to this context, is an episode that we perceive as complex for the regionalization of industrial groups. The complexity of these moments is seen to us through the different chronocultural proposals that we found in the archaeological literature, with a large number of names to identify the different regional archaeological entities (Epipaleolithic, Epimagdalenian, Upper Magdalenian). The Pleistocene-Holocene transition is characterized by rapid ecological changes linked to the warming of the Interglacial beginnings. The increase in temperature and humidity characterizes the new climatic parameters that will have effects on vegetation, fauna and even the perimeter of emerging lands. In the face of a very dynamic episode, from a paleo-environmental point of view, the technological reading is quite stable. This vision, apparently continuist, is what we analyse with the new protocols, observing the diachronic and also the synchronous variations, in a second phase. The human groups and their techno-economic traditions that are located between the end of the Upper Palaeolithic and the beginnings of the Mesolithic, have strong link with the previous Magdalenian, but it has been complicated to establish a general chronocultural prospect that reflects trends and variations of the moment. The techno-economic vision of the lithic industries contribute to the identification of cultural features in order to identify the different episodes. The objective of the study will be the processes of lithic production of the Coves de Santa Maira site. There are few well-known sequences, in particular in the Valencian central region, which cover these times, much less those that show continuity of the deposits and a good state of preservation of the materials. That is why Coves de Santa Maira is a key site in the study of these moments. The study we carry on brings us to the way in which lithic tools were manufactured, also providing us information related to the supply of raw materials. The concept of operational chain is key in the technological studies, as well as in the economic and traceological studies, because it will be the guide to reconstruction the physical and mental process that has been followed in order to obtain the artefacts. It means, based on this methodological tool, the different analysis of the materials are applied, in order to know the stages that are developed from the collection of the raw material to the abandonment of the tools. Thus, this work contributes to the definition of the traditions of the Pleistocene-Holocene groups in the Mediterranean area, through the specific study of the Coves de Santa Maira site, located in the central Valencian region. The perspective used for this purpose will be the techno-economic, which provides us data on the lithic production systems, defined the supply patterns of the raw material, the operating and management processes and the final configuration of the retouched tools. The attention to the lithic production systems has allowed to define a model that contemplates a process of long-term transition, in which the changes are not abrupt, but there are observed some trends that draw a tendency towards change, which will come in a clear way in the beginning of the Mesolithic

Les valls del Serpis: campanya de prospecció 2011

Troballes més importants de la campanya de 2011

The Early and Middle Holocene Lithic Industries of Ifri n’Etsedda (Eastern Rif, Morocco)

Archaeological research has been carried out in the Eastern Rif (Morocco) since 1995 by a collaborative Moroccan-German research team. A major topic of the project is the transition from hunting-gathering to food production and related cultural developments. Innovations such as pottery and domesticated species appeared around 7.6 ka calBP. The cultivation of cereals and pulses is evident at that time. Two of the most important sites in the area are Ifri Oudadane and Ifri n’Etsedda. Both provide Epipaleolithic as well as Neolithic deposits. While innovative technologies such as pottery production and cultivation indicate external influences, lithic artifacts demonstrate local technological and behavioral traditions. Therefore, the study of lithic industries is crucial to understanding the nature of cultural continuity and discontinuity between the hunting-gathering and agricultural populations in the Eastern Rif. Ifri n’Etsedda provides two distinct Epipaleolithic deposits and thus offers the opportunity to study possible changes throughout the Epipalaeolithic and relationship to the later Early Neolithic (ENC). In combination with the earlier phases of Early Neolithic assemblages (ENA, ENB) at Ifri Oudadane, we are now in a better position to understand the development of early-to-mid Holocene lithic technology in the Eastern Rif. We show that the lithic record of Ifri n’Etsedda does not indicate any significant change in raw material supply, blank production, and tool distribution from the Early Epipaleolithic to the Early Neolithic B. Therefore, we argue for behavioral continuity from the Epipaleolithic to the Neolithic period. In contrast, the assemblages of the Early Neolithic C show changes in lithic technology

Study of the use-wear and application of non-destructive chemical analysis on a macro-tool from the Hort de Cortés-Volcán del Faro site (Cullera, València)

Los macroútiles han sido habitualmente marginados de los estudios, debido al peso que ha tenido la industria lítica tallada para la observación de los cambios y continuidades cronológicos y culturales. Sin embargo, estos elementos aparecen en yacimientos arqueológicos asociados a diferentes contextos geográficos y cronológicos, lo cual les confiere un valor como marcadores de la adaptación y de la evolución técnica desarrollada por los grupos humanos. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados del análisis detallado de un objeto procedente del yacimiento de Hort de Cortés-Volcán del Faro (València), asociado a niveles gravetienses. La singularidad de su morfología, de la materia prima y la presencia de huellas de uso apreciables a nivel macroscópico motivaron la aplicación de diferentes metodologías de estudio sobre la pieza para su comprensión. El análisis de las huellas de uso apunta a que esta roca carbonatada fue utilizada en actividades asociadas con el tratamiento de la piel. La diferenciación de dos grupos de huellas de uso ha determinado la distinción de dos tareas desarrolladas con el objeto. La presencia de residuos que se pueden correlacionar con el uso de la pieza se ha evaluado aplicando una aproximación multianalítica y no destructiva. Además, se han aplicado técnicas de espectroscopía atómica y molecular junto con estadística multivariante, con el objetivo de identificar la potencial fuente de materia prima. El interés de este estudio reside en la combinación de aproximaciones para el estudio de un macroútil. Todo ello ha permitido ampliar la limitada información que se tiene sobre este tipo de materiales, y abrir el debate sobre el conocimiento del nivel tecnológico alcanzado por los grupos humanos.Macro-lithic tools have usually been marginalised from studies, due to the importance that the flaked lithic industry has had for the observation of chronological and cultural changes and continuities. However, these elements appear in archaeological sites associated with different geographical and chronological contexts, which gives them value as markers of the adaptation and technical evolution developed by human groups. This paper presents the results of the detailed analysis of an object from the site of Hort de Cortés-Volcán del Faro (València), associated with Gravettian levels. The singularity of its morphology, the raw material and the presence of use-wear appreciable at a macroscopic level, motivated the application of different methodologies of study on the piece in order to understand it. The analysis of the use-wear suggests that this carbonate rock was used in activities associated with the treatment of the leather. The differentiation of two different groups of use-wear has determined the distinction of two different tasks carried out on the object. The presence of residues that can be correlated with the use of the piece has been evaluated by applying a multi-analytical and non-destructive approach. In addition, atomic and molecular spectroscopy techniques together with multivariate statistics have been applied in order to identify the potential source of raw material. The interest of this study lies in the combination of approaches to the study of a macro-lithic tool. All of this has allowed us to expand the limited information we have on this type of material, and to open the debate on the knowledge of the technological level reached by human groups.Este proyecto se ha llevado a cabo gracias a la Consellería de Educación, Cultura y Deporte de la Generalitat Valenciana, a través de los proyectos: «Smartphone y química analítica verde» (PROMETEO 2019-056) y «The Great Deglaciation: climate change and social dynamics in the Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic period in the Iberian Mediterranean region» (Prometeo 2022, CIPROM/2021-036). Gianni Gallello agradece el apoyo económico de la ayuda Beatriz Galindo (2018) financiada por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y el Ministerio de Universidades de España (Proyecto BEAGAL18/00110: «Desarrollo de métodos analíticos aplicados a la arqueología» y al Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España por la financiación del proyecto EvolMED «Evolutionary cultural patterns in the contexts of the neolithisation process in the Western Mediterranean» (PID2021-127731NB-C21)

Maritime-oriented foragers during the Late Pleistocene on the eastern costa del sol (Southeast Iberia): Cueva Victoria (Málaga, Spain)

The Mediterranean coast of Spain is marked by several clusters of Palaeolithic sites: to the south of the Pyrenees, in the area around the Ebro River, in the central part, and on the south coast, one of the southernmost regions in Europe. The number of sites is small compared with northern Iberia, but like that region, the Palaeolithic occupations are accompanied by several rock art ensembles. The archaeological material (both biotic and abiotic resources) and radiocarbon dates presented here were obtained during archaeological fieldwork of professor J. Fortea in the Late Pleistocene deposits in Cueva Victoria, located near the modern coastline and about 150 km north of the Strait of Gibraltar. In the three occupation phases, marine resources were acquired by shell-fishing (focusing almost exclusively on the clam Ruditapes decussatus), fishing, and the use of beached marine mammals. This contrasts with the limited data about the exploitation of terrestrial resources by hunting and gathering animals and plants. The study is completed by the study of artefacts (lithic and bone industry and objects of adornment) that help to understand the subsistence strategies of the cave occupants and enable a comparison with other groups inhabiting the Mediterranean coasts of the Iberian Peninsula during Greenland Interstadial 1, between ca. 15.1 and 13.6 cal BP.This work was supported by the University of Salamanca GIR PREHUSAL, the Ministry of Science and Innovation-Spanish Government (PaleontheMove-PID2020-114462GB-I00), the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Madrid) and Dirección General de Universitat, Investigacio i Ciencia of the Valencian Regional Government (Project Aico/2020/97).Peer reviewe

From the hypothesis of a cultural isolation to that of the cultural crosswords: new perspectives about the recent Paleolithic in South-eastern France from techno-economic study of the site of la Bouverie (Var)

COM_INT₁10International audienceFrom the hypothesis of a cultural isolation to that of the cultural crosswords: new perspectives about the recent Paleolithic in South-eastern France from techno-economic study of the site of la Bouverie (Var

Epipalaeolithic pebbles from caves of Santa Maira site (Alicante): a functional study from the use-wear and the experimentation

In the Iberian Mediterranean region it is difficult to find studies dedicated to the percutors-touchers used in the lithic production of the Epipalaeolithic. This work presents the study of 11 small pebbles located in caves of Santa Maira (Castell de Castells, Alicante), which were recovered in the Epipaleolithic levels, dated between 13445 and 10195 years bp. These are rounded, flattened and elongated pebbles, in which various marks have been identified. They are associated with a numerous lithic industry, dominated by blades and little bladelets, which allows us to relate the hammerstones and the production systems. Parallel to the study of the use marks, an experimental programme has been carried out with the aim of identifying the different gestures used during the carving and configuration of retouched tools. The comparison between the archaeological and experimental pebbles shows coincidences in the marks, in their position and association. These results suggest that the most likely hypothesis of use was its use in different phases of lithic production: from carving to retouching. The parallels found in other peninsular and western Mediterranean sites indicate that they could also have been involved in other tasks, and could even have been used in combined activities.En la Región Mediterránea ibérica resulta difícil encontrar estudios dedicados a los percutores-retocadores empleados en la producción lítica del Epipaleolítico. En este trabajo se presenta el estudio de 11 pequeños cantos localizados en coves de Santa Maira (Castell de Castells, Alicante), que fueron recuperados en los niveles epipaleolíticos, datados entre 13445 y 10195 años cal bp. Se trata de cantos rodados, aplanados y de tendencia alargada, en los que se han identificado diversas marcas. Están asociados a una numerosa industria lítica, dominada por láminas y laminitas, que permite relacionar los percutores y los sistemas de producción. En paralelo al estudio de las marcas de uso, se ha realizado un programa experimental cuyo objetivo era identificar los diferentes gestos empleados durante la talla y configuración de útiles retocados. La comparación entre los cantos arqueológicos y los experimentales muestra coincidencias en las marcas, en su posición y asociación. Estos resultados plantean que la hipótesis más probable de uso fue su empleo en diferentes fases de la producción lítica: desde la talla al retoque. Los paralelos encontrados en otros yacimientos peninsulares y del Mediterráneo occidental señalan que también pudieron intervenir en otras tareas, e incluso podrían haberse utilizado en actividades combinadas

Archaeological and Experimental Data from the Bipolar-on-Anvil Debitage in the Middle Paleolithic Site of Los Aljezares (Aspe, Alicante, Spain)

Bipolar debitage has been documented in different chronocultural and geographical contexts. In this paper, we analyze the implications of this type of exploitation in a Middle Paleolithic context where it has rarely been recognized. The observation of the archaeological materials is combined with a geological characterization, which has made it possible to determine the qualities and original morphology of the exploited volumes. These aspects are linked to the type of exploitation carried out. These studies are also combined with experimentation, the results of which show the difficulty of identifying and evaluating this technology in the lithic assemblages.The research carried out for this paper has benefited from the following: Generalitat Valenciana “Caracterización tecnológica y funcional de los elementos líticos apuntados durante el Paleolítico medio en la región central del mediterráneo ibérico” (GV/2021/054) and MCIN/AEI/PID2021-122308NA-I00 “Estrategias de ocupación y gestión del territorio de las poblaciones neandertales en la zona central del mediterráneo ibérico”

The Early and Middle Holocene Lithic Industries of Ifri n’Etsedda (Eastern Rif, Morocco)

[EN] Archaeological research has been carried out in the Eastern Rif (Morocco) since 1995 by a collaborative Moroccan-German research team. A major topic of the project is the transition from hunting-gathering to food production and related cultural developments. Innovations such as pottery and domesticated species appeared around 7.6 ka calBP. The cultivation of cereals and pulses is evident at that time. Two of the most important sites in the area are Ifri Oudadane and Ifri n’Etsedda. Both provide Epipaleolithic as well as Neolithic deposits. While innovative technologies such as pottery production and cultivation indicate external influences, lithic artifacts demonstrate local technological and behavioral traditions. Therefore, the study of lithic industries is crucial to understanding the nature of cultural continuity and discontinuity between the hunting-gathering and agricultural populations in the Eastern Rif. Ifri n’Etsedda provides two distinct Epipaleolithic deposits and thus offers the opportunity to study possible changes throughout the Epipalaeolithic and relationship to the later Early Neolithic (ENC). In combination with the earlier phases of Early Neolithic assemblages (ENA, ENB) at Ifri Oudadane, we are now in a better position to understand the development of early-to-mid Holocene lithic technology in the Eastern Rif. We show that the lithic record of Ifri n’Etsedda does not indicate any significant change in raw material supply, blank production, and tool distribution from the Early Epipaleolithic to the Early Neolithic B. Therefore, we argue for behavioral continuity from the Epipaleolithic to the Neolithic period. In contrast, the assemblages of the Early Neolithic C show changes in lithic technology.[FR] Depuis 1995, des recherches archéologiques sont effectuées dans le Rif oriental (Maroc) par une équipe de chercheurs marocains-allemands. Un des sujets principaux du projet sera la transition des chasseurs-cueilleurs à la production alimentaire et aux développements reliés. Les innovations néolithiques telles que la poterie et les espèces domestiques apparaissent autour de 7.6 ka calBP, à l’époque où la culture des plantes est clairement documentée pour les céréales et les légumineuses. L’Ifri Oudadane et l’Ifri n’Etsedda sont les deux sites les plus importants de la région. Les deux fournissent des couches épipaléolithiques et néolithiques. Tandis que des technologies innovantes telles que la production de la poterie ou l’agriculture témoignent des influences externes, les artefacts lithiques pourront porter la preuve de traditions technologiques et comportementales. Par conséquent, l’étude des industries lithiques est cruciale pour discuter de la continuité ou de la discontinuité de le peuplement humaine. L’Ifri n’Etsedda fournit deux couches épipaléolithiques bien séparées et nous donnera ainsi l’occasion d’étudier les changements possibles tout au long de l’ère épipaléolithique elle-même, ainsi que des couches du néolithique ancien C (ENC). Avec les assemblages du site Ifri Oudadane (ENA, ENB), le développement de la technologie lithique holocène dans le Rif oriental pourra désormais être étudié. Nous montrons que l’assemblage lithique de l’Ifri n’Etsedda n’indique aucun changement significatif en termes d’approvisionnement en matières premières, de débitage et de distribution d’outils du début de l’épipaléolithique au debut du néolithique B (ENB). Pour cette raison, nous supposons une continuité comportementale de l’épipaléolithique au néolithique. Contrairement, l’assemblage de la couche du Néolithique ancien C (ENC) montre les changements de la technologie lithique.Open Access funding provided by Projekt DEAL. The fieldwork and analysis of the lithic material have been funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation—Grant number 57444011) in the framework of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 806 “Our way to Europe” project C2. The use-wear analysis was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Grant number HAR2016-75201-P).Peer reviewe