On the Quina side: A Neanderthal bone industry at Chez-Pinaud site, France

Abstract

Did Neanderthal produce a bone industry? The recent discovery of a large bone tool assemblage at the Neanderthal site of Chagyrskaya (Altai, Siberia, Russia) and the increasing discoveries of isolated finds of bone tools in various Mousterian sites across Eurasia stimulate the debate. Assuming that the isolate finds may be the tip of the iceberg and that the Siberian occurrence did not result from a local adaptation of easternmost Neanderthals, we looked for evidence of a similar industry in the Western side of their spread area. We assessed the bone tool potential of the Quina bone-bed level currently under excavation at chez Pinaud site (Jonzac, Charente-Maritime, France) and found as many bone tools as flint ones: not only the well-known retouchers but also beveled tools, retouched artifacts and a smooth-ended rib. Their diversity opens a window on a range of activities not expected in a butchering site and not documented by the flint tools, all involved in the carcass processing. The re-use of 20% of the bone blanks, which are mainly from large ungulates among faunal remains largely dominated by reindeer, raises the question of blank procurement and management. From the Altai to the Atlantic shore, through a multitude of sites where only a few objects have been reported so far, evidence of a Neanderthal bone industry is emerging which provides new insights on Middle Paleolithic subsistence strategies.

Neanderthal use of animal bones as retouchers at the Level XV of the Sopeña rock shelter (Asturias, northern Spain)

“…On the other hand, the combination of different pits, scores, and active areas types (Mallye et al, 2012) suggests that there was a reuse of those retouchers that were most suited to the production of different lithic tools. In the literature, the presence of retouchers is associated either with the presence of tools with Quina-type retouch (Baumann et al, 2023;Mozota, 2012) or with discoid-type tools (Martellotta et al, 2020). Experimental work (Mallye et al, 2012) has…”

“…It is a very expeditious technological appliance usually discarded after use, and more frequently associated with the Middle Palaeolithic (Barandiarán, 1987;Baumann et al, 2023;Hutson et al, 2018;Mozota, 2012Mozota, , 2015Romandini et al, 2015;Vincent, 1993), although some have also been recorded in the African Middle Stone Age (MSA), and are a recurring object in a variety of epochs and contexts (e.g., Doyon et al, 2018;Mallye et al, 2012;Martellotta et al, 2021;Rosell et al, 2015;Tejero et al, 2016). Commonly shaft fragments of ungulates are used, but there are other instances including even the use of human remains (Verna & D'Errico, 2011).…”

Bone tools, carnivore chewing and heavy percussion: assessing conflicting interpretations of Lower and Upper Palaeolithic bone assemblages

“…[48,[56][57][58][59][60]). As an example, the bone assemblage from the Quina Mousterian levels within the collapsed rock shelter at Chez-Pinaud (Charente-Maratime, France) provides a useful illustration of the characteristics of Mousterian knapping tools [61].…”

“…These visits were primarily focused on butchering hunted reindeer at the site. In addition to the 510 retouchers previously studied from earlier excavations, Baumann et al [61] undertook a comprehensive analysis of an additional 83 retouchers, primarily consisting of diaphyseal splinters, from a recent excavation of the Quina levels. Baumann observed that bone retouchers were made equally from medium-and large-sized ungulates, suggesting that Neanderthals at the site royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsos R. Soc.…”

“…In addition to the 510 retouchers previously studied from earlier excavations, Baumann et al . [ 61 ] undertook a comprehensive analysis of an additional 83 retouchers, primarily consisting of diaphyseal splinters, from a recent excavation of the Quina levels. Baumann observed that bone retouchers were made equally from medium- and large-sized ungulates, suggesting that Neanderthals at the site deliberately selected the more robust bones from bone waste largely dominated by fragmentary bones of smaller-sized ungulates.…”