西方旧石器文化中的勒瓦娄技术

在石片打制技术的发展史上,勒瓦娄技术的发明无疑是一个重大的进步,本文将就西方旧石器文化中的勒瓦娄技术的内容、意义及其起源等问题作一概要的综述。在此基础上,笔者将另行撰文就中外旧石器文化在这一方面的异同作一比较的研究和讨论。     

关于中西方旧石器文化中的软锤技术

关于中西方旧石器文化中的软锤技术林圣龙（中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所．北京１０００４４）软锤技术是旧石器时代早期石器打制技术进步的主要标志之一．在西方,从阿舍利文化开始,软锤技术即已逐渐得到较普遍的使用,而在中国旧石器文化中,是否广泛使用过软锤...     

水洞沟旧石器考古研究的新进展与新认识

水洞沟遗址在中国旧石器考古学研究中倍受关注的同时也倍受争议。争议的核心是其旧石器遗存的技术特点、文化属性、来龙去脉和与西方旧石器文化的关系。争议缘起于对核心遗址——第1地点地层、时代和文化演替了解与认识的局限性与模糊性。本文在近年来对遗址区系统调查和多个地点系统发掘与研究的基础上, 对水洞沟遗址群的旧石器时代文化及相关问题提出一系列新的认识,包括水洞沟是一个由多处地点构成的大型露天遗址群; 先民生存活动不局限在一个时期, 文化遗存至少分属7个时段, 据此可建立4万年来区域人群演化序列; 遗址保留的人类文化遗产丰富多样, 除不同技术体系的石制品, 还有骨器、装饰品、复杂用火遗存, 以及对居址复杂利用、对石料热处理和采食植物性食材的诸多信息, 反映古人群具有很强的生存能力和特定的行为方式; 该地区在旧石器时代晚期不同时段存在不同技术体系的考古学文化组合, 出现过勒瓦娄哇+石叶的技术体系与小石片技术体系的交替, 反映末次冰期期间东北亚人群复杂、能动的适应、迁徙、交流过程; 该地区的勒瓦娄哇+石叶的技术体系与本土传统石器工业不存在渊源关系, 应是从西方—西北方向迁移过来的古人群的遗留, 其出现的时间可能早于原先的认定, 而且在消失后没有对本土文化产生明显的影响; 石叶技术组合固然代表一支来自西方的早期现代人群的迁徙和扩散, 但移居者没有对本土人群实现整体替代, 反而被后者取代; 后者在石器技术上保持固有的传统, 但文化遗存中出现小型精制石器、装饰品、石料热处理等早期现代人的行为表征, 反映出这里的现代人起源与扩散模式不是简单的外来移民替代,相反, 本土人群连续演化是主旋律。因而, \"连续进化附带杂 交\"理论在该地区有着更坚实的考古学基础。     

河北迁安县爪村地点发现的旧石器

本文记述了河北迁安县爪村旧石器时代文化地点发现的21件石制品。通过对1958年发现的标本的研究和1973年的野外工作,对1958年发现的7件石质标本提出了自己的看法,肯定其人工性质;在1973年,在该地点还找到一些新的石制品。其时代为旧石器时代晚期,依陈铁梅等用同层出土的牛化石(1973年采)做铀系法年代测定,其年代为距今4.8±0.2万年或4.4土0.2万年。     

日本旧石器文化研究的进展与争论

1947年本州群马县的一个年轻考古学业余爱好者相泽忠洋在岩宿零层的红色垆坶层中发现了旧石器。1949年7月间,他又在岩宿地区发现了旧石器。相泽的发现促使了明治大学杉原庄介率领专业考古队,在当年九、十月间,对岩宿地区进行了发掘。在9月11日傍晚,杉原从暗褐色的垆坶层中挖到了一件人工打制的椭圆形斧状器。这一发现证明了更新世期间日本列岛确实存在着古人类。目睹这一重大发现的还有杉原的学生芹泽长介和相泽忠洋。在此之前日本考古学界对日本人的起源问题一直流行着一种朦胧的说法, 认为距今数千年前,乘着独木舟的新石器时代人群,不知从何处来到了日本列岛,从此他们繁衍成今天的日本民族。这种说法久久流传,无人怀疑。岩宿的发现鼓起人们向古老地层探求的信心,犹如 “开闸之洪水” ,在各地纷纷发现了为数甚多的旧石器文化遗迹。日本的旧石 器文化研究就这样蓬勃开展起来了,在短短四十年间的发展过程中,一直相伴着激烈的学术争论。     

河南汝州温泉遗址的发现与初步研究

2021年11月,河南省文物考古研究院等单位在河南汝州地区开展旧石器考古调查,新发现汝州温泉遗址,地层厚约3 m,发现石制品148件,分为石核、石片、石锤和石器。原料以石英岩、安山岩为主;石核以简单剥片石核为主,存在盘状石核;石片中以大、中型为主;石器类型包括手斧、薄刃斧、手镐、大型石刀、石球、刮削器、尖状器、钻器、砍砸器等。整体石制品面貌既有简单石核-石片石器工业的特点,又有手斧、薄刃斧等阿舍利石器工业常见器类,年代属晚更新世。温泉遗址的发现是北汝河流域存在阿舍利技术的证据,河南北汝河流域或将成为国内又一处阿舍利技术表现较为集中的区域,将为研究阿舍利技术在我国的出现和扩散等提供新的线索和区域视角。     

日本旧石器早、中期文化研究新进展及其与邻近地区旧石器对比

本文扼要介绍近年来日本旧石器早、中期考古的新发现,以及在年代学、文化分期、技术与类型学方面的研究工作的新进展。作者在此基础上探讨了日本旧石器中期向晚期的过渡,以及日本列岛旧石器早、中期文化与东北亚大陆同期文化的对比。     

河南南召余坪旧石器地点的发现与研究

余坪地点位于河南省南召县汉水中游支流松河南岸第二级阶地前缘,于2021年3月由吉林大学考古学院、南阳市文物考古研究所调查发现。地表采集石制品38件,包括石核4件、石片3件、断块4件、使用石片5件、石器22件。个体多为小型与中型。原料皆河漫滩砾石,岩性以石英为主。石核剥片采用硬锤锤击,偶见砸击法。剥片方法属普通石核石片技术。使用石片分为刮削刃、尖刃者两类。石器包括刮削器、尖刃器、钻器、砍砸器、砍伐器和手锛。毛坯多为石片与断块,未见砾石毛坯。根据地貌与石制品特征,时代应属旧石器时代晚期。文化属性为石片石器技术系统。该地点对于探讨南北方过渡地区旧石器时代晚期的文化特点具有重要意义。     

灵峰洞——福建省首次发现的旧石器时代早期遗址

灵峰洞是福建省首次发现的旧石器时代早期遗址。从其第 3层中出土石制品 75件。共生的哺乳动物化石有已绝灭的中国犀和巨貘 ,铀系测年结果距今 2 0万年左右 ,应属旧石器时代早期的后段 ,文化上以粗大石制品为其特征 ,比较接近南方的砾石石器文化传统     

Archaeological horizons and fluvial processes at the Lower Paleolithic open-air site of Revadim (Israel)

In this paper we present new data pertaining to the paleo-landscape characteristics at the Acheulian site of Revadim, on the southern coastal plain of Israel. Sedimentological, isotopic, granulometric and micromorphological studies showed that the archaeological remains accumulated in an active fluvial environment where channel action, overbank flooding and episodic inundation occurred. Measurements of total organic matter and its carbon isotopic composition indicate that the hominin activity at the site started at a period of relatively drier conditions, which coincided with erosion of the preceding soil sequence. This process led to the formation of a gently-undulating topography, as reconstructed by a GIS model. Later deposition documents relatively wetter conditions, as indicated by carbon isotopic composition. Formation processes identified at the site include fluvial processes, inundation episodes that resulted in anaerobic conditions and formation of oxide nodules, as well as small-scale bioturbation and later infiltration of carbonate-rich solutions that resulted in the formation of calcite nodules and crusts. The combination of micro-habitats created favorable conditions that repeatedly drew hominins to the area, as seen by a series of super-imposed archaeological horizons. This study shows that site-specific paleo-landscape reconstructions should play an important role in understanding regional variation among hominin occupations and in extrapolating long-term behavioral patterns during the Middle Pleistocene.     

An Early Ordovician Trilobite assemblage from the Lashkarak Formation, Damghan area, northern Iran

A low diversity Lower Ordovician trilobite assemblage is described from the middle part of the Lashkarak Formation at Simeh-Kuh, northwest of Damghan, northern Iran. Co-occurrence with conodonts of the lowermost Paroistodusproteus Biozone suggests an uppermost Tremadocian age. This assemblage includes four taxa, including one new genus and two new species, Damghanampyxginteri nov. gen. nov. sp. and Asaphellusfecundus nov. sp. The third diagnosable species from the formation is Taihungshaniamiqueli (Bergeron, 1894) which has previously been reported from southern France and the Turkish Taurides, suggesting north Gondwanan faunal affinities.     

Les plus anciennes industries paléolithiques en Russie

Early Paleolithic sites (Oldowan and Acheulian) in the European part of Russia are concentrated in the southern part of the Russian plain, in the piedmont of the Caucasus and in the North Caucasus, south from 50 N latitude. The Taman Paleolithic complex (sites of Bogatyri/Sinyaya Balka, Rodniki 1 and 2, Kermek; and localities of Tsymbal, Lisy and Peresyp), Akushin Paleolithic complex in Central Dagestan (sites of Aynikab 1, Mukhkay 1 and 2) and complex of sites in Maritime Dagestan (sites of Rubas 1, Darvagchay 1, Darvagchay-Zaliv 1 and 4) are discovered and studied. The initial human settlement of southern Russia began about 2 Ma and went through the Caucasian isthmus along the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The most ancient Homo of the first wave of settlement from the African ancestral homeland was able to reach the Caucasus and the southern part of the Russian plain by 2 Ma, as confirmed by the Liventsovka locality in the city of Rostov-on-Don. The Acheulian is represented by stratified sites of the Early Acheulian on the territory of Dagestan. At present, it can be argued that the territory of southern Russia was part of the area of initial human settlement from Africa. It is more difficult to estimate the time and ways of the initial human settlement of Northern Asia. The few sites attributed to the Lower Paleolithic are, for the most part, geologically unconnected or are questioned as to the authenticity of the artifacts. The only clearly stratified Middle Pleistocene site, Karama in the Altai, delivered a pebble tool industry. In addition, the finds of bifaces in Tuva, near the Mongolian border mark the northern limit of the distribution of the Acheulian in Asia.     

The birthrate drop in Iran

The recent steep decline in Iran's birthrate poses methodological and interpretive challenges insofar as statistical information on demographic factors cannot satisfactorily establish causalities or delineate processes of change. Our research suggests that this decline rests on the interplay of socio-cultural “idea” variables that augment factors of the developmental paradigm commonly used in population studies. Especially modernist ideas labeled “progress” in Iran have influenced reproductive behavior. Aiming to demonstrate the usefulness of idea-oriented qualitative research for understanding demographic dynamics represented quantitatively in the literature, we contribute to an explanation of a particular case as well as to demographic research methods.     

A new type of anvil in the Acheulian of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov,Israel

We report here on the identification and characterization of thin basalt anvils, a newly discovered component of the Acheulian lithic inventory of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov (GBY). These tools are an addition to the array of percussive tools (percussors, pitted stones and anvils) made of basalt, flint and limestone. The thin anvils were selected from particularly compact, horizontally fissured zones of basalt flows. This type of fissuring produces a natural geometry of thick and thin slabs. Hominins at GBY had multiple acquisition strategies, including the selection of thick slabs for the production of giant cores and cobbles for percussors. The selection of thin slabs was carried out according to yet another independent and targeted plan. The thinness of the anvils dictated a particular range of functions. The use of the anvils is well documented on their surfaces and edges. Two main types of damage are identified: those resulting from activities carried out on the surfaces of the anvils and those resulting from unintentional forceful blows (accidents de travaille). Percussive activities that may have been associated with the thin anvils include nut cracking and the processing of meat and bones, as well as plants.     

Toward an understanding of the economics of pastoralism: The balance of exchange between pastoralists and nonpastoralists in Western Iran, 1815–1975

It has become a theoretical commonplace among students of southwest Asian pastoralism that the balance of exchange between pastoralists and their settled neighbors has had a profound effect on pastoralists, strongly influencing household viability and, indeed, the viability of pastoralism as an adaptation. However, little attempt has been made to examine historical variation in the balance of exchange. Attempts to use transformations in the balance of exchange as a means of accounting for change among pastoralists thus remain largely impressionistic and underspecified. This paper examines variations in the balance of exchange between Iranian pastoralists and non-pastoralists from 1815 to 1977. It demonstrates that to the degree that there were long term shifts in the balance of exchange, they favored pastoralists, and it argues that this trend became stronger, rather than weaker in the 20th century. This suggests that pressures on pastoralists over this period were not directly economic and that variation in the balance of exchange itself cannot account for outcomes such as the increased settlement of Iranian pastoralists.