Les industries du Paléolithique inférieur dans le Caucase méridional

Acheulean sites are located in almost every areas of Georgia. Most of the time, in Western Georgia, there are few bifaces; these are more common in Eastern Georgia (except in the basins of the Iori and Alazani rivers). In general, the Acheulean of the Southern Caucasus looses rapidly the bifacial shapes and develops into the Typical Mousterian, the Levalloisian and the Charentian.     

Pléistocène moyen et inférieur dans le Latium (Italie centrale)

Explorations and diggings of the Italian Institute of Human Palaeontology in Latium from 1950 to 2005, have brought out the following composite sequence: (1) for upper-middle Pleistocene of northern Latium: Travertine, gravels Acheulian-Mousterian transition, Riss. Homo (femur), Elephas antiquus, Hippopotamus, Bubalus murrensis, with upper Acheulian artefacts. (2) In middle Latium, middle Pleistocene: Volcanoclastic K-Ar 360 Ky. Below: Lower Acheulian complex and bone artefacts. Homo, Inuus, Elephas antiquus, Ursus deningeri, Dama clactoniana. Volcanic ash with Zelkowa, Buxus: caucasian flora. Hot pyroclastic flow about 15 m (50 feet) thick between 520 and 530 Ky. Limno-tuffite with Taxodiacea flora Lower-middle Pleistocene choppers artefacts below volcanic limit of 700 Ky. Southern Latium, lower Pleistocene: travertine reed Phragmites fragments. Ceprano hominid calvarium 800-900 Ky old. Gravel with chopper artefacts. Red sand with Unio shells. Lower palaeolithic gravelly sand, with very rough choppers artefacts, at Arce, Colle Marino, Colle Pece localities; at Castro dei Volsci chopper, assemblage is more evolved. Unconformity. Yellow sand layer with middle Villafranchian Anancus arvernensis and Mammuthus meridionalis fauna.     

Le paléolithique supérieur au sud du Portugal : le site de Vale Boi

Before the 90s, data on Paleolithic human occupation of southern Portugal was very scarce. During the last decade, the knowledge of the Upper Paleolithic of Algarve increased substantially due to the work of a research team based at the University of Algarve. The present paper is a report on the recent results from Algarve, focusing specially on the site of Vale Boi. It will present the chronology and stratigraphy of different human occupations from the early Upper Paleolithic up to the early Neolithic. It will focus on aspects of zooarchaeology and the exploitation of large and medium mammals as well as on marine fauna. In addition, we will present new data on stone and bone tools. Finally, we will also refer to the social and symbolic aspects present at the site, base on shell and teeth pendants and to an engraved plaquette with animal motifs.     

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.     

Recherches physico-chimiques sur le milieu intérieur de quelques parasites

Sans résumé     

Nouveaux repères biostratigraphiques à terebratulidés (Brachiopodes) dans le Tithonien inférieur ouest-européen

The discovery of a new species of Terebratulid (Xestosina sera nov. sp.) in the Lower Tithonian allows to specify the biostratigraphical subdivision of the Gigas Zone. This also allows to improve the correlations, when ammonites are lacking, among the Tithonian deposits of Aquitaine, the northern Jura and the eastern border of the Paris Basin. The critical revision of the Xestosina genus gives a nomenclatural setting argued to the index-species of biozones. It constitutes a brachiopods based parallel scale for the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian Stages.     

Réévaluation de la présence humaine au Pléistocène inférieur dans le Sud de l'Espagne

The Early Pleistocene locality at Venta Micena (Orce, Guadix-Baza basin, province of Granada, Spain) has provided four fossil remains - skull fragment VM-0, and long bone diaphyses VM-1960, VM-3691, and VM-12000 - which have been tentatively attributed to the hominids. Although several methodologies have been used to ascertain the human affinities of these specimens - including anatomical, morphometric and immunological analyses - the results obtained have not been conclusive, instigating a persistent debate. A taphonomic approach is used here for estimating the probability that a taxon the size of Homo sp. (~ 50 kg) could be represented in the fossil assemblage by four bone fragments and no tooth remain. A least-squares regression analysis between the percentage of teeth and the body mass estimated for each taxon of large mammals (N = 20) predicts a raw abundance of six teeth for Homo sp. in the assemblage. Given that up to the present moment no tooth remains attributable to the hominids has been unearthed during systematic excavations in the Venta Micena quarry, which has provided more than 15,000 fossils of large mammals, this argues strongly against the possibility that the three bone specimens could belong to Homo sp. The phalanx CV-0 from the Early Pleistocene site of Cueva Victoria (Cartagena, Spain) has also been attributed to the genus Homo. The taxonomic assignment of this specimen is biased, however, because it was not compared with Theropithecus oswaldi, the only primate species actually recorded from this karstic locality. A comparative anatomical and morphometric analysis of fossil and modern specimens of Theropithecus suggests that CV-0 can be attributed to T. oswaldi. As a result, Cueva Victoria does not contribute additional information concerning the first human settlements in Europe. By these reasons, apart from the paleoanthropological and archaeological findings from Atapuerca (TD lower levels and Sima del Elefante), the rich archaeological assemblages from Barranco León and Fuente Nueva-3 in Orce, dated 1.3-1.2 Myrs, which include fourteen hundred stone tools of Oldowan technology, constitute at present the only unequivocal evidence of human presence in Southeast Spain during Early Pleistocene times.     

Les gisements de Galería,Gran Dolina TD10 et Ambrona (le Complexe Inférieur) : trois modèles technologiques dans le deuxième tiers du Pléistocène moyen

In Europe, the second third of the middle Pleistocene is a key period in which the human settlement is increased, the occupied habitat multiplies, the use of fire begins, the Mode 2 generalizes, Mode 3 begins and the method of exploitation levallois develops. At this moment the occupations of Galería, Gran Dolina and Ambrona are developing. These three deposits of the north Plateau have a very complete archaeological record and a very long development in time, thus they represent three technological different models. These sites represent three technological different models that are determined by the quality of the raw materials that were used, the control and the safety of the sites, how many time it was spend in the knapping, the characteristics of the edges, they functionality and the cultural traditions.     

Techniques et activités des hommes du Paléolithique supérieur sur le site de Wangfujing - Oriental Plaza, Pékin, Chine

More than 2000 pieces of cultural relics were unearthed from the Oriental Plaza site, including stone artifacts, bone artifacts, fossils, hematite powder, fire use remains and plant root and foliage. By analyzing these remains in refitting stone and bone artifacts, in experimentally producing some artifacts, and comparing with ethnologic data, it is concluded that the Oriental Plaza site is a seasonal human activity site, that humans had been making a life of hunting and collecting food, can make stone artifacts, bone artifacts to kill their quarries, use fire to cook their food, and at the same time they also conducted some religion activities.     

Des Miliolacea aux Alveolinacea (grands foraminifères): la faune du Crétacé supérieur et du Tertiaire inférieur du Chiapas (S.E. Mexique)

Found in Chiapas (South-East of Mexico), Praealveolina michaudi nov. sp. and Chubbina jamaicensis (of Campanian-Maestrichtian age) are described, both evolved from Nummoloculina sp. while Raadshoovenia guatemalensis (upper Paleocene-lower Eocene) arises from Quinqueloculina. We precisely analyze and modelize the nepionic coiling during the evolutionary change from Miliolacea to Alveolinacea. During ontogenesis as well as during phylogenesis, quinqueloculine coiling progresses to streptospiral and then to planispiral chamber arrangement with the increase of volume of embryo and of chambers. Appearance of these large foraminifers are understood as a consequence of the rise of K-strategies in their mode of life, following the development of photosynthetic symbioses.     

Sur l'origine du genre Microceratina Swanson, 1980 (Ostracoda, Eucytherurinae) et sa présence téthysienne dès le Jurassique supérieur

The discovery in the uppermost Jurassic of Lebanon of a species of the ostracod genus Microceratina Swanson, 1980 (Eucytherurinae), of which the oldest known species was until now of Maastrichtian age, confirms the Tethyan origin of this genus. Two new species are created: Microceratina bhannesensis nov. sp. from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of Lebanon, and Microceratina azazoulensis nov. sp. from the Cenomanian of Morocco. The genera Chapmanicytherura Weaver, 1982 and Erratacytheridea Herrig et al., 1997, are considered as probable junior synonyms of Microceratina. An exhaustive bibliographical analysis allowed to identifying several other Cretaceous species susceptible to be assigned to the genus Microceratina.     

Tchernobyl : le vrai, le probable et le faux

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami drew attention worldwide to nuclear power plant accidents and associated health risks. Since Chernobyl 25 years ago, several studies were published and we now have precise information concerning the long-term health of the population living near nuclear power plants and also in different European countries. The authors hope to bring some answers to the key questions from the public concerning radioactive units used and their significance, the evaluation of the number of radio-induced cancers within the different countries of Europe, other eventual health effects and the problem of possible congenital anomalies. Finally, French public perception on nuclear risk is examined and the feedback of the Japanese experience is evoked.     

Échanges trophallactiques chez un termite supérieur. Contamination par le phosphore radio-actif de la population d'un nid deCubitermes fungifaber

Résumé Des nids deCubitermes fungifaber sont mis en élevage sur de l'humus contaminé (P³²). La radio-activité des Insectes, mesurée après un temps de contact variable, permet de séparer deux catégories d'échanges trophallactiques: les échanges d'aliment régurgité, décelables dès les premières expériences, et les échanges de liquide salivaire apparaissant plus tardivement, 25 à 30 heures après la mise en contact du nid avec l'humus marqué.On n'observe pas de différence significative dans la répartition du P³² selon la zone de prélèvement des échantillons de population, sauf chez des soldats des nids isolés un temps court sur l'humus. La contamination des ouvriers est très rapide et la distribution du phosphore, dans cette caste, hétérogène. Certains ouvriers ne se nourrissent pas directement d'humus pendant le temps de l'expérience; ils reçoivent, ainsi que les soldats, de l'aliment régurgité (stomodéal). La reine est la première contaminée par le liquide salivaire des ouvriers, et sa radio-activité prouve une absorption constante de nourriture. Les ailés proches du vol nuptial sont gavés de salive, ainsi que les soldats blancs. Le couvain, les nymphes de l'avant-dernier stade et le roi ne reçoivent qu'une faible quantité de salive; le roi a un rythme d'alimentation lent et peu de besoins; les nymphes ont, sans doute, recours à un autre mode d'alimentation pendant l'avant-dernier stade.Ces données seront complétées par l'étude particulière des différentes castes.

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Summary Nests ofCubitermes fungifaber were reared on labelled humus (P³²) The radioactivity of the insects measured after varying periods of contact enabled two categories of trophallactic exchanges to be discerned: an exchange of regurgitated food that is percieved at the early stage of the experiment, and an exchange of salivary fluid that appears much later, 25 to 30 hours after nest is placed in contact with the marked humus.There was no significant difference in the distribution of P³² according to the zone from which samples of the population were taken, exept in the case of the soldiers from nests set apart for a short time in the humus.Workers are very rapidly contaminated, and the distribution of phosphorus in this cast is heterogenous. Certain workers did not feed directly on the humus during the period of the experiment; they received, along whith the soldiers, regurgitated food (stomodeal). The queens is the first to be contaminated by salivary liquid from workers, and her radioactivity indicates a constant absorption of nourishment. The alates, close to nuptial flight, as well as white soldiers are heavily loaded with saliva. The hatch, nymphs of the last but one stage and the king, receive only a poor quantity of saliva. The king has few needs and a slow rate of feeding. The nymphs indoubtedly resort to another mode of feeding during the penultimate stage.These data will be completed by a specialized study of the different casts.