Im Rahmen eines von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft geförderten interdisziplinären Projekts ... more Im Rahmen eines von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft geförderten interdisziplinären Projekts konnten erstmals Seesedimente aus den Zentren der großen Schwarzwaldseen (Titisee, Schluchsee, Feldsee und Bergsee) archäobotanisch und geochemisch untersucht werden. Parallel dazu wurden archäologische (Begehungen, Grabungen) und archäopedologische Prospektionen im und am Rand des Südschwarzwalds durchgeführt. Die grundsätzliche Frage war, wann, auf welche Art und mit welcher Intensität die Menschen den klassischen 'Ungunstraum' von der Steinzeit bis in die frühe Neuzeit nutzten. Die archäologischen Begehungen erbrachten zahlreiche neue Silexartefakte. Vorgeschichtliche Keramik war sehr selten, ab der Merowingerzeit häufen sich jedoch die Funde. Am Rand des Schwarzwalds konnten zahlreiche neue Fundstellen entdeckt werden, die eine intensivere Nutzung dieses Raums nahelegen. Die Ausgrabung mehrerer sog. Steinhügel belegte, dass diese als Zeugnisse spätmittelalterlicher und neuzei...
Abstract In the Mâconnais, southern Burgundy, a number of paleolithic sites are concentrated alon... more Abstract In the Mâconnais, southern Burgundy, a number of paleolithic sites are concentrated along the river Saone. One of these is the prehistoric open-air site La Senetriere. This contribution gives an overview of recently conducted research and its results, focusing on stone artifacts from surface finds attributed to the Upper Paleolithic, including a considerable amount of blade cores. This paper summarizes the results of a master's thesis on the site's Upper Paleolithic core technology completed last year. For this purpose, these cores were divided into seven individual categories in order to be able to trace the respective core and blank production. Therefore, working stage analyses were carried out on ten cores. In addition, a comparison was conducted in which further sites with a similar technological component and possible identical core categories were compared with the cores from La Senetriere. In combination with a classical attribute analysis, information could be obtained about a possible chronological classification and function of the site, to interpret La Senetriere more precisely. In the past, the Upper Paleolithic component of the lithic artifacts was dated to the Perigordian V. However, our analyses show that Aurignacian artifacts are also present. Thus, the site was inhabited for a longer time than previously assumed. The dating of the confirmed Gravettian artifacts was reduced to an age of 33,000–28,000 calBP by comparing the sites, their diagnostic artifacts and core categories.
Basic resources of paleolithic hunter and gatherers are water, game and lithic raw material suita... more Basic resources of paleolithic hunter and gatherers are water, game and lithic raw material suitable for the production of sharp cutting edges. The physical constraints of the lithic raw material (i.e., grain size, homogeneity, elasticity or brittleness) influence its knapping properties (i.e., Braun et al., 2009; Eren et al., 2011; Goodman, 1944; Inzian et al., 1995). Thus, the CURSE could be seen as the subsistential dependency on lithic raw material, while the BLESSING would lie in its low cost availability within the habitat.
Vor ca. 40.000 Jahren begegnen wir erstmals einem der faszinierendsten Phanomene der Menschheitsg... more Vor ca. 40.000 Jahren begegnen wir erstmals einem der faszinierendsten Phanomene der Menschheitsgeschichte – der Kunst. Der Beitrag versucht, die anthropologischen Voraussetzungen, vor allem aber auch die gesellschaftlichen und religiosen Umstande herauszuarbeiten, aus denen vor langer Zeit Objekte und komplexe Befunde hervorgegangen sind, die wir heute der Kategorie „Kunst“ zuordnen. Ausgehend von den Elfenbeinfiguren aus vier Hohlen der Schwabischen Alb, die seit Kurzem Teil des UNESCO-Weltkulturerbes sind, geht der Beitrag insbesondere auf das ambivalente Verhaltnis zwischen Mensch und Tier ein. In den offenen Steppen des Eiszeitalters hatte sich zwischen Jagd und Ahnenverehrung offenbar ein besonderes Seinsgefuge zwischen diesen Lebewesen etabliert, das mit Konflikten verbunden war, die nur im Ritual gelost werden konnten. Die Figuren und Hohlenbilder des Aurignacien erinnern uns an diese weitgehend im Dunkeln liegenden Vorgange und zeigen uns, dass Kunst und Musik in der Fruhzeit des Homo sapiens nicht nur asthetischen Prinzipien folgen, sondern einer gesellschaftlichen Notwendigkeit entsprangen.
Im Rahmen eines von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft geförderten interdisziplinären Projekts ... more Im Rahmen eines von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft geförderten interdisziplinären Projekts konnten erstmals Seesedimente aus den Zentren der großen Schwarzwaldseen (Titisee, Schluchsee, Feldsee und Bergsee) archäobotanisch und geochemisch untersucht werden. Parallel dazu wurden archäologische (Begehungen, Grabungen) und archäopedologische Prospektionen im und am Rand des Südschwarzwalds durchgeführt. Die grundsätzliche Frage war, wann, auf welche Art und mit welcher Intensität die Menschen den klassischen 'Ungunstraum' von der Steinzeit bis in die frühe Neuzeit nutzten. Die archäologischen Begehungen erbrachten zahlreiche neue Silexartefakte. Vorgeschichtliche Keramik war sehr selten, ab der Merowingerzeit häufen sich jedoch die Funde. Am Rand des Schwarzwalds konnten zahlreiche neue Fundstellen entdeckt werden, die eine intensivere Nutzung dieses Raums nahelegen. Die Ausgrabung mehrerer sog. Steinhügel belegte, dass diese als Zeugnisse spätmittelalterlicher und neuzei...
Abstract In the Mâconnais, southern Burgundy, a number of paleolithic sites are concentrated alon... more Abstract In the Mâconnais, southern Burgundy, a number of paleolithic sites are concentrated along the river Saone. One of these is the prehistoric open-air site La Senetriere. This contribution gives an overview of recently conducted research and its results, focusing on stone artifacts from surface finds attributed to the Upper Paleolithic, including a considerable amount of blade cores. This paper summarizes the results of a master's thesis on the site's Upper Paleolithic core technology completed last year. For this purpose, these cores were divided into seven individual categories in order to be able to trace the respective core and blank production. Therefore, working stage analyses were carried out on ten cores. In addition, a comparison was conducted in which further sites with a similar technological component and possible identical core categories were compared with the cores from La Senetriere. In combination with a classical attribute analysis, information could be obtained about a possible chronological classification and function of the site, to interpret La Senetriere more precisely. In the past, the Upper Paleolithic component of the lithic artifacts was dated to the Perigordian V. However, our analyses show that Aurignacian artifacts are also present. Thus, the site was inhabited for a longer time than previously assumed. The dating of the confirmed Gravettian artifacts was reduced to an age of 33,000–28,000 calBP by comparing the sites, their diagnostic artifacts and core categories.
Basic resources of paleolithic hunter and gatherers are water, game and lithic raw material suita... more Basic resources of paleolithic hunter and gatherers are water, game and lithic raw material suitable for the production of sharp cutting edges. The physical constraints of the lithic raw material (i.e., grain size, homogeneity, elasticity or brittleness) influence its knapping properties (i.e., Braun et al., 2009; Eren et al., 2011; Goodman, 1944; Inzian et al., 1995). Thus, the CURSE could be seen as the subsistential dependency on lithic raw material, while the BLESSING would lie in its low cost availability within the habitat.
Vor ca. 40.000 Jahren begegnen wir erstmals einem der faszinierendsten Phanomene der Menschheitsg... more Vor ca. 40.000 Jahren begegnen wir erstmals einem der faszinierendsten Phanomene der Menschheitsgeschichte – der Kunst. Der Beitrag versucht, die anthropologischen Voraussetzungen, vor allem aber auch die gesellschaftlichen und religiosen Umstande herauszuarbeiten, aus denen vor langer Zeit Objekte und komplexe Befunde hervorgegangen sind, die wir heute der Kategorie „Kunst“ zuordnen. Ausgehend von den Elfenbeinfiguren aus vier Hohlen der Schwabischen Alb, die seit Kurzem Teil des UNESCO-Weltkulturerbes sind, geht der Beitrag insbesondere auf das ambivalente Verhaltnis zwischen Mensch und Tier ein. In den offenen Steppen des Eiszeitalters hatte sich zwischen Jagd und Ahnenverehrung offenbar ein besonderes Seinsgefuge zwischen diesen Lebewesen etabliert, das mit Konflikten verbunden war, die nur im Ritual gelost werden konnten. Die Figuren und Hohlenbilder des Aurignacien erinnern uns an diese weitgehend im Dunkeln liegenden Vorgange und zeigen uns, dass Kunst und Musik in der Fruhzeit des Homo sapiens nicht nur asthetischen Prinzipien folgen, sondern einer gesellschaftlichen Notwendigkeit entsprangen.
Detailed, cutting-edge studies of late Middle Paleolithic sites are rare in Eastern France. Ongoi... more Detailed, cutting-edge studies of late Middle Paleolithic sites are rare in Eastern France. Ongoing research at the Grotte de la Verpillière II has the potential to fill in this gap, along with concurrent work at the sites of Germolles-en-Roche and Saint-Sulpice (Germolles, France) and Château Beau and La Roche (Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu, France). In this paper, we give an overview of the geomorphological context of the archaeological layers at the site. Although it is called a cave (fr. grotte), the site is better described as a cave-like karst tunnel that forms a rock shelter (fr. abri) that was filled with sediments during Middle Paleo- lithic occupation and collapsed very soon after these occupations. The sediment deposits just above the rock collapse (likely derived from the overlying plateau) contain archaeo- logical material attributable to the Middle Paleolithic, Early Upper Paleolithic (Chatelper- ronian and Aurignacian), the Neolithic, modern material (medieval to 21st-century) as well as notable bioturbation in the form of rodent and badger dens. A team led by H. Floss discovered the site in 2006 during excavation at the Grotte de la Verpillière I (50 m to the south) and intact sediments were identified in 2009 beneath the talus and roof collapse blocks. Excavation has continued annually since that time. The area of excavated intact sediments includes 25 m2, but several lines of evidence, including GPR sur-vey, the size of the rock collapse, small test pits, and geomorphological analysis suggest that the cavity actually holds around 100 m2 of intact sediments. Analyses of archeological finds are ongoing, and suggest spatial differentiation of site use during the Middle Paleo- lithic occu-pations. Up to this point, we have not been able to identify specific hearths or fireplaces, however more than 8700 charcoal fragments and 200 burnt lithics confirm the presence of fire in the stratified, intact sediments. In the near future, detailed lithic analyses of the intact assemblages (Levallois reduction strategies with the presence of bifacial elements) will be presented. At this time, we focus on the stratigraphic sequence of the cave, and the regional context of this rich and promising site. Work at this site and at the other sites listed above is part of international collaborative research projects in the region (PCR „Le Paleolithic superieur ancien en Bourgogne méridiona-le“; DFG project FL 244/5-1 „Die Côte Chalonnaise (Burgund) im späten Mittel- und frühen Jungpaläo- lithikum als Schnittstelle zwischen West- und Mitteleuropa: Diachrone und räumliche Analysen neu erschlossener archäologischer und umweltgeschichtlicher Archive des Oxygen Iso-tope Stage 3“ and SFB 1070 B01 „Variabilität der Ressourcennutzung. Raumerschließung durch späte Neandertaler und frühe anatomisch moderne Menschen in Europa“).
This volume provides an insight into the current state of archaeological research
in Southeast Eu... more This volume provides an insight into the current state of archaeological research in Southeast Europe and its adjacent regions, spanning chronologically from the Aurignacian to the beginning of the Neolithic period. In ten contributions by leading experts in this field, specific topics in regions ranging from the Aegean Sea, the Carpathians, and Western Anatolia to the Apennine Peninsula and Central Europe are presented. This book represents the proceedings of an international workshop, held in May 2014 in Tübingen as a part of the work of the Collaborative Research Centre 1070 ResourceCultures.
Analyzing the procurement strategies of lithic raw materials from both the late Neanderthals and ... more Analyzing the procurement strategies of lithic raw materials from both the late Neanderthals and the early Anatomical modern humans is the subject of a small workgroup in the CRC 1070 ResourceCultures at the University of Tuebingen. One of the case studies is located in the Côte Chalonnaise in Southern Burgundy. Many open air and cave sites are located in this area, surrounding the two main sites Grottes de la Verpillière I & II near Germolles. The aim of the research is a better understanding of the strategies of how and where the prehistoric human groups got their lithic raw materials and weather there are differences between the two hominids or not. As usual many local and regional raw materials had been used by both of them. But to determine long distance movements the Paleogene lacustrine or freshwater silex can help. Paleogene (lately named Tertiary) silex is often bound to single outcrops and has a distinguish habit. In old collections and in the new excavations or surveys a couple of artefacts knapped from freshwater silex could be documented. The results of the analyses and the re-construction of possible movements shall be presented here.
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Papers by Harald Floss
A team led by H. Floss discovered the site in 2006 during excavation at the Grotte de la Verpillière I (50 m to the south) and intact sediments were identified in 2009 beneath the talus and roof collapse blocks. Excavation has continued annually since that time. The area of excavated intact sediments includes 25 m2, but several lines of evidence, including GPR sur-vey, the size of the rock collapse, small test pits, and geomorphological analysis suggest that the cavity actually holds around 100 m2 of intact sediments. Analyses of archeological finds are ongoing, and suggest spatial differentiation of site use during the Middle Paleo- lithic occu-pations. Up to this point, we have not been able to identify specific hearths or fireplaces, however more than 8700 charcoal fragments and 200 burnt lithics confirm the presence of fire in the stratified, intact sediments. In the near future, detailed lithic analyses of the intact assemblages (Levallois reduction strategies with the presence of bifacial elements) will be presented. At this time, we focus on the stratigraphic sequence of the cave, and the regional context of this rich and promising site.
Work at this site and at the other sites listed above is part of international collaborative research projects in the region (PCR „Le Paleolithic superieur ancien en Bourgogne méridiona-le“; DFG project FL 244/5-1 „Die Côte Chalonnaise (Burgund) im späten Mittel- und frühen Jungpaläo- lithikum als Schnittstelle zwischen West- und Mitteleuropa: Diachrone und räumliche Analysen neu erschlossener archäologischer und umweltgeschichtlicher Archive des Oxygen Iso-tope Stage 3“ and SFB 1070 B01 „Variabilität der Ressourcennutzung. Raumerschließung durch späte Neandertaler und frühe anatomisch moderne Menschen in Europa“).
in Southeast Europe and its adjacent regions, spanning chronologically from the
Aurignacian to the beginning of the Neolithic period. In ten contributions by leading
experts in this field, specific topics in regions ranging from the Aegean Sea, the
Carpathians, and Western Anatolia to the Apennine Peninsula and Central Europe are
presented. This book represents the proceedings of an international workshop, held in
May 2014 in Tübingen as a part of the work of the Collaborative Research Centre 1070
ResourceCultures.
The aim of the research is a better understanding of the strategies of how and where the prehistoric human groups got their lithic raw materials and weather there are differences between the two hominids or not. As usual many local and regional raw materials had been used by both of them. But to determine long distance movements the Paleogene lacustrine or freshwater silex can help. Paleogene (lately named Tertiary) silex is often bound to single outcrops and has a distinguish habit. In old collections and in the new excavations or surveys a couple of artefacts knapped from freshwater silex could be documented. The results of the analyses and the re-construction of possible movements shall be presented here.