Contribution of ESR/U-series dating to the chronology of late Middle Palaeolithic sites in the middle Rhône valley, southeastern France

Richard, Maïlys; Falguères, Christophe; Pons‐Branchu, Edwige; Bahain, Jean‐Jacques; Voinchet, Pierre; Lebon, Matthieu; Valladas, Hélène; Dolo, Jean‐Michel; Puaud, Simon; Rué, Mathieu; Daujeard, Camille; Moncel, M-H.; Raynal, Jean‐Paul

doi:10.1016/j.quageo.2015.06.002

Cited by 36 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Several numerical dating methods, such as thermoluminescence (TL, Huxtable and Aitken, 1991), uncalibrated radiocarbon ( 14 C, Bastin & Gewelt, 1986) and Uranium-series (U-series) in caves and river terrace calcrete were also used (Ambert & Ambert, 1995). Advances in numerical dating methods during the last two decades have allowed more robust chronologies to be developed (Couchoud, 2008;Richard et al, 2015;Rixhon et al, 2016). Calibrated radiocarbon ages (cal 14 C), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL, e. g. Vernet et al, 2008), and electron spin resonance (ESR, e. g. Moreno et al, 2012) techniques have become more widely applied.…”

Section: Dating Methods In Karstic Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between fluvial evolution and karstification related to climatic, tectonic and eustatic forcing in temperate regions

Harmand

Adamson

Rixhon

et al. 2017

Quaternary Science Reviews

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Section: Dating Methods In Karstic Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between fluvial evolution and karstification related to climatic, tectonic and eustatic forcing in temperate regions

Harmand

Adamson

Rixhon

et al. 2017

Quaternary Science Reviews

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“…Unit 5 is dated to the end of the MIS 5/beginning of MIS 4 at 90 thousand years (ka). Level 4.1 is dated to between 40 ± 3 ka and 46 ± 3 ka (MIS 3), while samples from Level 4.2 provided ages ranging from 41 ± 2 ka, 46 ± 5 ka to 52 ± 2 ka (MIS 3) 10 . The cordage remains are from Level 4.2.…”

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confidence: 99%

Direct evidence of Neanderthal fibre technology and its cognitive and behavioral implications

Hardy

Moncel

Kerfant

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Neanderthals are often considered as less technologically advanced than modern humans. However, we typically only find faunal remains or stone tools at Paleolithic sites. Perishable materials, comprising the vast majority of material culture items, are typically missing. Individual twisted fibres on stone tools from the Abri du Maras led to the hypothesis of Neanderthal string production in the past, but conclusive evidence was lacking. Here we show direct evidence of fibre technology in the form of a 3-ply cord fragment made from inner bark fibres on a stone tool recovered in situ from the same site. Twisted fibres provide the basis for clothing, rope, bags, nets, mats, boats, etc. which, once discovered, would have become an indispensable part of daily life. Understanding and use of twisted fibres implies the use of complex multi-component technology as well as a mathematical understanding of pairs, sets, and numbers. Added to recent evidence of birch bark tar, art, and shell beads, the idea that Neanderthals were cognitively inferior to modern humans is becoming increasingly untenable.

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“…The site was studied from a multidisciplinary point of view for over ten years (Daujeard et al, 2019;Hardy et al, 2020Hardy et al, , 2013Moncel et al, 2014Moncel et al, , 2010Puaud et al, 2015;Richard et al, 2015;Vettese et al, 2017). In this paper, we present the zooarchaeological analysis of the faunal assemblage from level 5 of Abri du Maras, recovered during fieldwork carried out from 2006-2018.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neanderthal faunal exploitation and settlement dynamics at the Abri du Maras, level 5 (south-eastern France)

Marín

Daujeard

Saladié

et al. 2020

Quaternary Science Reviews

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Over the past two decades, taphonomic and zooarchaeological studies have focused on Neanderthal settlement patterns and subsistence strategies. The south-eastern margins of the Massif Central constitute one of the regions with the most abundant archaeological evidence of Neanderthal occupations in France. The faunal record of level 5 of Abri du Maras is a unique source of information for analysing Neanderthal behaviour at the end of the MIS5. The assemblage is divided into three levels 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3, which correspond to the three main phases of human occupation of the shelter in level 5. Through the taphonomic and zooarchaeological analysis of the faunal remains, we define the characteristics of human occupation developed in the rock shelter. In this paper, we show that Neanderthal groups used the Abri du Maras as a residential campsite for long-term occupation events during a whole season, mainly summer. The intensive exploitation of the faunal resources is typical of a residential campsite, and the selective seasonal hunting strategy of medium and large ungulates, centred on prime adults, indicates different Neanderthal subsistence patterns to the upper levels of the sequence. Here, our results document the chronological changes in occupation patterns in one of the reference sites in south-eastern France and address questions related to cultural choices and environmental constraints.

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Contribution of ESR/U-series dating to the chronology of late Middle Palaeolithic sites in the middle Rhône valley, southeastern France

Cited by 36 publications

References 32 publications

Relationships between fluvial evolution and karstification related to climatic, tectonic and eustatic forcing in temperate regions

Relationships between fluvial evolution and karstification related to climatic, tectonic and eustatic forcing in temperate regions

Direct evidence of Neanderthal fibre technology and its cognitive and behavioral implications

Neanderthal faunal exploitation and settlement dynamics at the Abri du Maras, level 5 (south-eastern France)

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