Considérations sur le Gravettien et l’Épigravettien ancien des Balkans de l’ouest

Les questions considérées ci-dessous traitent des études du Gravettien et de l’Epigravettien final dans les régions de l’ouest des Balkans. Nous avons présenté les résultats de l’analyse de l’industrie lithique livrée par la couche 4 de Salitrena Pecina et la couche X de Crvena Stijena. L’hypothèse avancée est que Salitrena Pecina pourrait très probablement être apparentée au Gravettien final. D’une part, l’industrie provenant de ce site peut être mise en parallèle avec les industries gravettiennes d’Europe centrale (Willendorf II, couche 9) et du nord-ouest de la Bulgarie (Temnata, Kozarnika). D’autre part, l’industrie livrée par la couche X de Crvena Stijena appartient probablement à la première phase des industries à outils à dos abattu provenant du littoral oriental de l’Adriatique. On a également souligné différentes interprétations possibles des liens entre les cultures de l’Est et de l’Ouest des Balkans, et celles d’Europe centrale et des régions méditerranéennes.In this article the new results of research of the Gravettian and Early Epigravettian in the region of the western Balkans are considered. Results are presented from the analysis of the chipped stone industries from layer 4 at Salitrena Pecina and layer X at Crvena Stijena. The industry from Salitrena Pecina is most likely Late Gravettian. There are parallels in the Salitrena Pecina chipped stone industry with both the gravettian industries in central Europe (Willendorf II, layer 9) and in northwest Bulgaria (Temnata, Kozarnika). On the other hand, the chipped stone industry from layer X at Crvena Stijena probably belongs to the early phases of the backed point industries from the eastern Adriatic coast. It is demonstrated that there are various possible interpretations for cultural connections between the east and west Balkans, central Europe and the Mediterranean

The Chronometric Dating and Subsistence of Late Neanderthals and Early Anatomically Modern Humans in the Central Balkans: Insights from Šalitrena Pecina (Mionica, Serbia)

ABSTRACT: Eastern Europe, particularly the Balkans, played a major role as a likely cul-de-sac for late Neanderthal survival and as a gateway to Europe for Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition. Despite the importance of the region, the known archaeological record during this period is still very limited, with little available site information. The recently excavated site of Šalitrena Pe?ina (Mionica, Serbia), south of the Danube River, contains archaeological evidence of late Mousterian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian occupations and presents an opportunity for understanding the behavior of both human populations in this eastern European region. Here we present the first radiocarbon dates for Neanderthal and AMH occupations in Serbia, as well as preliminary evidence on subsistence strategies obtained from the Mousterian and Aurignacian macrofaunal assemblages in Šalitrena Pe?ina. Radiocarbon dates indicate that Neanderthal and AMH groups may not have coexisted and interacted in this site. Nevertheless, zooarchaeological and taphonomic results show that both human populations were the main depositional agents of macrofaunal accumulation at the cave. The general compositions of the faunal assemblages reflect subtle differences between both human types and point to the necessity of further multidisciplinary research in southeastern Europe to increase our knowledge about human behavior and the causes of the demise of the Neanderthals in the Balkans.This research has been supported by a British Academy PDF (2011) and a Small Research Grant (SG102618) and by funds from the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research in Cambridge during 2010/11. Currently, the research is involved in projects funded by the European Commission through FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG (Ref.N 322112) and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (HAR2012-33956). Since 2004, excavation in Šalitrena Pećina has been financed by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia

Crvena Stijena excavations 2004 - 2006, preliminary report

The excavations and geological studies made in 2004-2006 at the Paleolithic site of Crvena Stijena in Montenegro are described in preliminary form. Earlier exca vations hadre moved virtually all of the layers later than the Middle Paleolithic, as well as a large part of the Mid dle Paleolithic, leaving a 9 m tall profile through these deposits. A small deposit of in tact Mesolithic layersr emained, however, and the Mesolithic materials recov ered in 2004-2006 are pre sented in some detail, along with accompanying 14C dates. Geological in vestigations were made of the entire remaining section of Middle Paleolithic deposits. These studies demon strated that the numerous charcoal- and ash-rich layers visible in section are in situ hearths. Lying directly on top of the Middle Paleolithic layers is a layer of volcanicash, which was identified as the Y5 tephra, or Campanian Ignimbrite, dated to 39,000-41,000 BP. The 2004-2006 excavations did not reach the Middle Paleolithic layers, but access has been pre pared for future excavations in these lay ers. So far, only a few Middle Paleolithic tools and a single Neanderthal tooth have been recovered from the cleaning of the profile of these layers

A human mandible (BH-1) from the Pleistocene deposits of Mala Balanica cave (Sićevo Gorge, Niš, Serbia)

Neandertals and their immediate predecessors are commonly considered to be the only humans inhabiting Europe in the Middle and early Late Pleistocene. Most Middle Pleistocene western European specimens show evidence of a developing Neandertal morphology, supporting the notion that these traits evolved at the extreme West of the continent due, at least partially, to the isolation produced by glacial events. The recent discovery of a mandible, BH-1, from Mala Balanica (Serbia), with primitive character states comparable with Early Pleistocene mandibular specimens, is associated with a minimum radiometric date of 113 + 72 − 43 ka. Given the fragmented nature of the hemi-mandible and the fact that primitive character states preclude assignment to a species, the taxonomic status of the specimen is best described as an archaic Homo sp. The combination of primitive traits and a possible Late Pleistocene date suggests that a more primitive morphology, one that does not show Neandertal traits, could have persisted in the region. Different hominin morphologies could have survived and coexisted in the Balkans, the hotspot of biodiversity. This first hominin specimen to come from a secure stratigraphic context in the Central Balkans indicates a potentially important role for the region in understanding human evolution in Europe that will only be resolved with more concentrated research efforts in the area