La Lloseta : une grotte importante et presque méconnue dans l'ensemble de Ardines, Ribadesella

This summary on The Lloseta shows us a much richer reality that it had been presented through the precedent publications. To begin it is presented as an shelter environment decorated in all their extension whose decoration and parallel they find real sense if we put them in connection with the neigh boring Tito Bustillo. It possesses a prevalence of signs and old representations, a bad general conservation and an own and original internal organization. None of the caves of Ardines, including their main protagonist, she makes isolated significant sense, but rather they are and were supplemented in the past, for activities, occupation and use. We try to know the meaning of all and each one of the caves in connection with the other ones, because we think that their function should be collective and complementary.     

L'Aurignacien et le Gravettien ancien de la grotte Paglicci au Mont Gargano

The author illustrates, in a very synthetical way, Aurignacian and early Gravettian lithic industry from Paglicci Cave (Mount Gargano, South Italy), found during excavations carried out by University of Siena in the Eighties-Nineties. Layer 24 contains Aurignacian industries and is constituted by a fine silty-sandy sediment. The faunal remains from layer 24, dominated by Equus asinus, indicate a dry-temperate phase which on the basis of ¹⁴C dates, would be identified with the Arcy. Lithic industry contains numerous marginally backed bladelets and microbladelets Dufour like that, in the higher level evolve into a special type (denominated “PA 24 A1”). The early Gravettian occupies the overlying layers 23 and 22 that are rich in rough stones and blocks and contain more or less cold faunal remains (at first dominated by Capra ibex, subsequently Bos primigenius becomes abundant): the ¹⁴C dating insert them in a phase between Arcy and Tursac. Lithic industry includes a great number of La Gravette backed points and especially microgravette backed points. Some probable fléchettes are also present but unfortunately they are fragmented.     

Zaozer'e, un nouveau site du Paléolithique supérieur ancien dans le nord-est de l'Europe. Rapport préliminaire

This paper presents preliminary archaeological and chronostratigraphical data obtained during pilot excavations of one of the northernmost European Early Upper Palaeolithic sites, Zaozer'e, situated on the western slope of the Middle Urals.     

Relations entre les représentations figuratives et les signes dans trois grottes magdaléniennes : Les Combarelles I, Rouffignac (Périgord, France) et Altxerri (Pays basque, Espagne)

Magdalenian signs are more numerous and more varied than ones of another periods in the Upper Palaeolithic. In the 3986 signs studied in 28 caves, 2364 signs, or 59,3% of signs are associated with figurative representations. For the question about the relations between the figurative representations and the signs associated, we chose four parameters: thematic analysis, interior analysis, chronological analysis and external analysis. Especially in three caves like Les Combarelles I, Rouffignac (Périgord, France) and Altxerri (Spanish Basque), we got interesting results by those analyses. The thematic analysis let find whether the themes are associated with specific signs. In the many caves, the most numerous figurative representations are often associated with signs. About the interior analysis, many signs are located on the flank of the animal figures. And, the chronological analysis show that the signs were made before the figurative representations the same times that after. The anteriority of making signs and the posterity depends on the place (external analysis) in the three caves. So, our analysis methods with those varied parameters make the signs characterized by type, by cave or by region.     

Paléogéographie des chasseurs de l’Europe du Paléolithique supérieur : répartition et spécialisation des sites

During the Upper Paleolithic, Europe was occupied by human populations mainly living from hunting of big terrestrial mammals. A repartition of fauna and of archeological sites was done with a database: a repartition of Upper Paleolithic sites in central and western Europe. This study shows that the european space was structured following several factors; climate, environment, cynegetic behaviours… We observe a partition of Europe with a mediterranean area with mainly deer, and ibex and an atlantic area with reindeer. Equally, most of the occupations are localized in the “aquitano-cantabric horn” around the Gulf of Gascony. The occupation of Europe undergone a pulsation with a retreat of occupations toward the west and the south during the glacial maximum, then a colonization of North Europe during the Tardiglacial climatic amelioration.     

Stress physiologique et état de santé des plus anciens Hommes anatomiquement modernes du sud-est de l’Europe (données dentaires,couche 6-1, Buran-Kaya III,Crimée)

Buran-Kaya III site, in Crimea, provides an exceptional stratigraphic sequence, extending from Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic. Among the archaeological layers allocated to the Gravettian (sensu lato), more than 170 anthropological remains have been discovered in the layer 6-1. They represent the oldest Upper Paleolithic modern humans from Eastern Europe in a well-documented archaeological context. The aim of this article, based on dental remains and enamel dental hypoplasias in particular, is to evaluate the health of the modern humans, which lived more than 32,000 years BP ago in Crimea. This study puts into the light the low frequency of hypoplasias (occurring in the two youngest individuals). This article complete the rare studies concerning the presence of this physiological stress during the Early Upper Paleolithic and confirm the scarcity of enamel dental hypoplasias and dental pathologies, such as caries, at this period.     

Les éléments de parure au Paléolithique supérieur en Belgique

Considering that body ornaments are, through the choice of the elements, good cultural markers, along with the transitional geographical position of Belgium in the Palaeolithic, an up-to-date study of the body ornaments has been undertaken to catch the diffusion and contact phenomenon next to the influences in the lithic industries between regions. Despite the fact that the observations made take cultural value once they are considered in a broader frame than the actual political boarders of the country, cultural and chronological tendencies in terms of “fashions” within the Belgian material have nevertheless confirmed their informational potential.     

Hommes et environnements au Paléolithique supérieur en Ukraine continentale et en Crimée : introduction

Research, conducted under the ANR project “Mammouths”, on “the end of the mammoth steppe: Man/Environment relationship during late Pleniglacial in Eastern Europe”, is the subject of several contributions, a part of them is published in this volume, under the heading “Humans and environments during Upper Paleolithic in mainland Ukraine and Crimea”, in the French journal L’anthropologie.     

Paléolithique supérieur et Mésolithique en Méditerranée : cadre culturel

The origin of the Upper Palaeolithic around the Mediterranean was the result of the local evolution, particularly in the Near East and in the Lower Nile basin, and of the migration from this zone to South-Eastern and Central Europe. The Initial Upper Palaeolithic in the Near East belt was the effect of local evolution from the industries based on Levallois concept to the industries which developed leptolithic blade technologies. This evolution is well registered in multi-layer sites in the Syro-Palestinian belt (Emirian/Ahmarian), which was the starting point of the diffusion of these “transitional” industries in South-Eastern and Central Europe. This diffusion could be identified with the migration of first anatomically Modern Humans. The Early Upper Palaeolithic in Europe — dated to the second half of the Interpleniglacial — was, at least partially, based on these “transitional” industries and manifested by the appearance of the Aurignacian, contrasted with local cultures such as the Uluzzian in Mediterranean Europe. During whole the Interpleniglacial Europe was separated from Northern Africa dominated by local evolution of Middle Palaeolithic (Middle Stone Age) cultures (mostly expressed by the Aterian), and by specific “transitional” industries on the southern Mediterranean coast (Early Dabbian) and in the Lower Nile basin. The Last Glacial Maximum and the corresponding sea level recession opened new possibilities of contacts between the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula in both directions (Aterian-Solutrean and Gravettian-Early Iberomaurusian), which are still difficult to be proved before new chronostratigraphic correlations are made. At the same time we register links between south-eastern Europe and western Anatolia; the real border between Near Eastern and European Mediterranean cultural zones was marked, in the Late Glacial, by the Taurus chain. During the Late Glacial the cultural separation between Europe and Africa was particularly marked. Only in the Aegean basin the first sea navigation facilitated contacts which become widespread as late as in the Early Holocene with neolithization trough maritime contacts.     

C et style: La chronologie de l’art pariétal à l’heure actuelle

The chronology of the Paleolithic art proposed by A. Leroi-Gourhan had a strong installation among the specialists until his death, in the years 1980s of the last century. After that the system SMA of direct dating began to be applied producing some disagreements and a supposed revolution against the chronological-stylistic procedure that has been overvalued. There are not so many disagreements and when they appear, they can tinge the French author's procedure and to improve it partly. If we take it with enough flexibility and aperture, it continues being a non perfect model, but useful and valid to organize the graphs of the Upper Paleolithic whose systematic should continue based on the material documentation, in the represented forms and in all the technical procedures that allow to specify and to improve our chronological arguments.     

Stratégie de débitage et mode de façonnage des industries du Paléolithique inférieur en Chine et en Europe entre 1 Ma et 400 000 ans: Ressemblances et différences de la culture de l’homme de Yunxian et Acheuléen européen

These stone tools from Yunxian with other Lower Paleolithic sites in South China, for example, the site Lantian (Shanxi, China) and the site Bose (Guangxi, China), indicates that there are many common characteristics among these industries. There are choppers, chopping-tools, picks, hand-axes, cleavers and scrapers. Long ago we thought that there are not hand-axes in China. In fact, there are lots of hand-axes in China and these hand-axes existed more earlier than those in Europe. The hand-axe appeared in China before 800,000 years old and it barely arrived in Europe before 600,000 years old. The quaternary deposits of the site of Yunxian Hominid (Hubei, China) are at least dated to 800,000 years old. A large quantity of lower Paleolithic material was discovered. The types of the tools are choppers, picks, scrapers, hand-axes and cleavers. The pebbles tools make up the majority of the implements. Small flake tools are relatively rare. The lithic industries comparison of the two regions has help us to know the cultural evolution in China and Europe.     

L’industrie du site néandertalien de la grotte de Vindija (Croatie) : une révision des matières premières lithiques

The new analysis of the Middle Paleolithic industry from the cave Vindija (Croatia), showed a necessity of revision of the previous obtained data especially considering the use and origin of the raw materials (Kurtanjek and Marci, 1990). The results presented in this study pointed out some new aspects of interpretation. First, the significance of quartz in the Middle Paleolithic was underestimated. At the same time it is obvious that the major change in the use of the raw material was at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic and of the Epigravettian, especially in the use of chert. The second change is registered in the use of chert between Middle and Upper Paleolithic: the chalky nodules of chert are more frequent in the Upper Paleolithic then the river pebbles used in the production of Middle Paleolithic artefacts. Still, the origin of this new raw material is at the moment unknown.     

Prospections sur les plateaux désertiques du désert libyque égyptien (Abydos, Moyenne Égypte). Quelques exemples de technologies lithiques

Recent work in the high desert west of the historic site of Abydos has revealed a number of technologies that date from the Middle Paleolithic through later periods. The earliest of these include both Nubian and classical Levallois technologies, which are abundant and demonstrate virtually all stages of production. Presumed later technologies include both large blade production technologies as well as more expedient reduction methods. Although results are still preliminary, the lack of significant taphonomic disturbance, the abundance of refits (including many discrete flintknapping episodes), and the high visibility of the archaeological remains make this an ideal area to reconstruct the techniques of lithic reduction in use.     

L'Azilien ancien de Cueva Oscura de Ania (Las Regueras, Asturias, Espagne)

Recent definition of the Cantabrian Lower Azilian has turned the Late Upper Magdalenian/Azilian transition into one of the most interesting archaeological ages in the area. This period is considered representing the earliest Azilian groups in Asturias. Critic review of Cueva Oscura de Ania record, in the center of Asturias, has allowed us to give full details of the Lower Azilian archaeological characteristics. Cueva Oscura de Ania archaeological collection shows archaic traits, close to those from Cueva de Los Azules and Cueva de La Riera, two eastern asturian sites. These likenesses suggest a high stylistic and technical uniformity in distant areas during a critical period, when Palaeolithic groups changed their subsistence strategies. Cueva Oscura de Ania archaeological and polinic records suggest that this deposit was built at the beginning of the paleoclimatic phase known as Alleröd/Cantabrian VIII (12 000-10?800 BP), when numerous cantabrian sites suffered high erosion processes. All these circumstances convert Cueva Oscura de Ania in a fundamental site to get a best knowledge of the origin and development of the Cantabrian Azilian. The study of its bone collection allows us outline new hypothesis about this archaeological period.     

Analyse du débitage laminaire du site de Mezhyrich : habitations n 1, 2 et 3

This article presents the results of technological analyses of the laminar products from three bone dwelling structures from the Mezhyrich site (dated to Upper Palaeolithic; 15,000–14,500 years BP). More than 2500 blades and bladelets were studied from technological point of view. We find close similarity between the three dwellings, which reflects similar ways of preparation of core fracture zone (overhang reduction, butt abrading, and flaking surface isolation), as well as in the organization of the negative of the dorsal surfaces of the blades. The comparison with materials from the Kostenki 1 layer 1 site (upper layer, 22,000–24,000 years BP) shows some differences with the artefacts from Mezhyrich site, despite same technological methods. This could be explained by differences in cultural tradition and large time gap between these two sites. The complexes from Mezhyrich to follow the Kostenki 1/1 tradition but with their own particularities.     

Pontecosi : un site aurignacien en Toscane (Italie)

Three excavation campaigns at the Tuscan open air site of Pontecosi, near Lucca (Tuscany, Italy) have yielded a rich artefact series signing the presence of Aurignacian populations in this part of peninsular Italy. Abruptly backed points associated with typical carinated or “à museau” end scrapers most probably indicate the recent character of this Tuscan Aurignacian.     

Les premiers Anguilliformes : I. Révision des genres cénomaniens Anguillavus HAY, 1903 et Luenchelys nov. gen.

New specimens from Cenomanian outcrops of Lebanon permit redescribtion of the first eel-like fossil fishes. Anguillavus bathshebaeHay, 1903 becomes synonymous with the type species A. quadripinnisHay, 1903. A new fossil eel with pelvic fins, Anguillavus mazeni nov. sp., is furthermore proposed. In the same way, the revision of Luenchelys minimus nov. gen., nov. sp., reveals some morphological variations at the specific level and a widespread biogeographical repartition which potentially can be important. This whole anatomical revision is a necessary basis for integrating these fossils into the Anguilliformes (Teleostei, Elopomorpha) and gives an idea of the plesiomorphic structural pattern of the order, in which the modern forms are particularly specialised.     

L’utilisation des reliefs pariétaux dans la réalisation des signes au Paléolithique supérieur

For a long time, the images of the Upper Paleolithic were represented in a way that emphasized their aesthetic qualities and ignored the specific characteristics of their natural supports. It is more damageable as the architecture of the decorated caves plays a real part, at different levels, in the elaboration of the parietal devices. As omnipresent elements of these devices, the signs play a determining part in this architecture. Analysing the links between the signs and their direct supports brings to light the various ways in which parietal devices can be used and also the integration and research for the volumes and frame. A study led inside the caves on a sample of 692 signs, distributed in the franco-cantabric paleolithic space, makes apparent the variety of the graphic choices left to the artists standing in front of the wall.     

L’Aurignacien archaïque de la grotte El Castillo (Espagne) : caractérisation technologique et typologique

In this paper, we present the techno-typological study of level 16 of El Castillo cave (Archaic Aurignacian). In this level, we can identify an important bladelet production from schémas opératoires of unipolar prismatic cores, carinated endscraper and carinated burins types. Besides, we find a specific production of Discoid conception. The retouched blanks, though scanty, are dominated by the Dufour bladelets. Level 16 is in relation with the Archaic Aurignacian at the Cantabrian Iberia, which is present in sites like Cueva Morín, Labeko Koba, Gatzarria, or Isturitz and it also is in relation with the Mediterranean Archaic Aurignacian. Finally, we analyse the different hypotheses about the Initial Upper Paleolithic origin in Europe. The mosaic hypothesis is acceptable for us.     

Une dent humaine perforée découverte en contexte Gravettien ancien à l’abri Pataud (Dordogne, France)

The existence of an Early Gravettian perforated human tooth at the abri Pataud came to light thanks to the reexamination of the osseous artefacts from the level 5. Even if the method of perforation of this tooth is analogous to the one used to pierce the animal teeth discovered in the same level, this pendant would have a particular meaning.