Paleolilthic Lithic Technology

The site of Ficoncella, in northern Latium (Italy), represents a great opportunity to investigate the
modalities of a short occupation in a fluvial context during Lower Palaeolithic. From the results of
radiometric dating, geological study and bio-chronological analyses, it emerged that the human
occupation at the site, an ancient riverbank, occurred 0.5 Ma (MIS 13). This period can be considered as
a key moment in the Lower Palaeolithic, with the first Acheulean, or mode 2 sites in Europe. The lithic
assemblage of Ficoncella, without handaxes, is characterized by an overall small tool size, representing
a very original reduction sequence and tool management. In order to investigate the human behaviour
characterizing the site, we analyse the lithic industries, using a classical technological analysis, combined
with a techno-functional approach and a use-wear analysis. The study of the lithic assemblage of
Ficoncella may contribute to renew our image of the lithic industries without handaxes, too often
ignored.

Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar overlooking the Río Quípar, a Río Segura tributary, is an upland rock-shelter 75 km north of the Mediterranean coast and 110 km west of the Segura river-mouth. It contains undisturbed sediment 5 m deep assigned by magnetostratigraphy to >0.78 Ma (Matuyama mag-netochron). Optically stimulated sediment luminescence dating implies ≥0.5 Ma and mammalian biochronology (notably, of Arvicolid rodents) indicates >0.7-<1 Ma. Remains include an “Acheulian” limestone “hand-axe,” and small chert, limestone or quartzite artifacts, knapped on site, often by bipolar reduction or repetitive centripetal flaking of small discoidal cores. Secondarily-flaked (“retouched”) artifacts include small irregular chert fragments, resembling chert at an adjacent conglom-erate outcrop according to laserablation inductively-coupled  plasma mass-spectrometry of 19 lanthanide elements, though some chert may have been obtained from up to 30 km away. Faunal remains and pollen are compatible with mild (plausibly MIS-21), damp, pluviolacustrine environments. Evidence of fire in a deep, sealed layer includes thermally-altered, lustreless and shattered chert, and both charred and white calcined frag-ments of bone. Taphonomical analysis and electron microscopy of bone fragments attribute discolouration to burning, not to  post-depositional mineral staining. Sediment geochemistry and thin-section micromorphology have been undertaken. FTIRS, TL and ESR analysis of chert and bone imply during temperatures of about 500ºC at least. Drawing on foundings from Cueva  Negra, the purpose of this paper is to offer an interpretation of Palaeolithic activity from the perspective of hominin cogni-tive versatility, techno-manual dexterity, and palaeoeconomic extractive behaviour in long-vanished Western European pal-aeoecological and palaeobiogeographical contexts.

In this paper, the authors report results of a detailed technological and typological analysis of the Epipalaeolithic assemblages from three stratified sites in the North Caucasus that were excavated in recent years at a modern scientific level with application of sediment water screening, which allowed to obtain numerous microlithic artefacts. The lithic analysis of the assemblages indicates a gradual development in the knapping technology, which resulted in the first application of the pressure flaking technique in the final Epipalaeolithic, and innovations in the tool set, particularly in the assortment of geometric microliths. The authors consider the stone industry transformations at the edge of Pleistocene and Holocene in the context of cultural continuity during the final Epipalaeolithic and up to the beginning of the Holocene in the region.

Аннотация. Отмечается проблема, что в настоящее время все большее количе-ство данных указывает на то, что переход от раннего к среднему палеолиту был слож-ным процессом социокультурных преобразований, который охватывает длительный период от конца кислородно-изотопной стадии 8 до конца стадии 6 (между 250-150 тыс. л. н.), и имеет свои особенности в разных регионах. В результате начало эпохи среднего палеолита на Северо-Западном Кавказе сейчас датируется периодом КИС 5 (130-75 тыс. л. н.). Авторы предполагают, что в период теплого межледниковья неан-дертальцы, носители индустрий с листовидными бифасами, значительно расширяют свой ареал обитания и появляются на Северо-Западном Кавказе. Таким образом, мустьерские индустрии с листовидными бифасами формируют древнейший хроноло-гический пласт среднего палеолита от Центральной Европы до Северного Кавказа. Ключевые слова: средний палеолит, каменные индустрии, датирование, Северо-Западный Кавказ. ВВЕДЕНИЕ В настоящее время все большее количество данных указывает на то, что переход от раннего к среднему палеолиту был сложным процессом социокультурных преобразований, который охватывает длительный пе-риод от конца кислородно-изотопной стадии 8 до конца стадии 6 (между 250-150 тыс. л. н.) и имеет свои особенности в разных регионах. Начало эпохи среднего палеолита на Северо-Западном Кавказе сейчас можно достаточно уверенно датировать периодом КИС 5 (130-75 тыс. л. н.), которая начинается микулинским межледниковьем. Мустьерские инду-стрии с листовидными бифасами и отщеповой техникой расщепления формируют древнейший хронологический пласт среднего палеолита.

We are pleased to announce the next  "International Symposium on Knappable Materials: From toolstone to stone tools", previously held in Romania and Barcelona. It will take place between November 7th and 12th. Presentations should be either in person or online.
The Symposium will take place in Buenos Aires, with an optional fieldwork to the outcrops of Necochea, where the nearest lithic raw material sources have been located. The field trip will be organized by local researchers. 
Web page:  www.imhicihu-conicet.gob.ar/iskm2017/
E-mail: iskm2017@conicet.gov.ar
New announcements are coming soon!!
Organizing Committee

Nos es grato anunciar el próximo "International Symposium on Knappable Materials: From toolstone to stone tools", cuyas dos últimas sedes fueron Rumania y Barcelona. Tendrá lugar entre el 7 y 12 de noviembre del 2017, siendo la participación presencial o virtual.
El Simposio se desarrollará en Buenos Aires y contará con una salida opcional a recorrer las canteras próximas a Necochea, que son las más cercanas. El viaje de campo estará organizado por investigadores de la localidad.
Página Web del Simposio: www.imhicihu-conicet.gob.ar/iskm2017/
Correo de contacto: iskm2017@conicet.gov.ar
Habrá más anuncios pronto!
Comité Organizador

Initial Upper Palaeolithic industries of South Siberia and Central Asia are dated to 35,000—50,000 14C years BP. They have been identified in Russian Altai, Eastern Kazakhstan, Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Dzungaria and Ordos in the north of China. This paper deals with the materials from Mountain Altai (Kara-Bom and Ust-Karakol 1), Eastern Kazakhstan (Ushbulak-1) and Northern Mongolia (Tolbor 4). The traceological analysis and the stydy of core platform morphologies have shown that the technology of large blade production included a combination of several methods of fracture zone preparation. The preparation of striking platforms and flaking surfaces was done by means of consequtive overhang removal and/or reverse plarform reduction and picketage. This technique is characteristic of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic industries of South Siberia and Central Asia and can be regarded as a feature specific for this cultural unity.

The task of identifying and analyzing the signs of intentional processing non-siliceous raw materials became relevant in European Palaeolithic studies only in recent years with the discovery of numerous sites, where such materials were widely used. This led to the need for experimental work focused on the study of the physical principles of knapping of non-siliceous raw materials and on the identification of its flaking capabilities. This article deals with the above range of issues in connection with numerous findings of artefacts prepared on non-siliceous raw materials in the lower layers of Medzhybizh A. The number of limestone findings on the area of 1,0 m2 in these layers constitutes, on average, 150—200 pieces. An abnormally large number of lime stone items were recorded in the 3D square at the level of the 2nd horizon of the V layer. Here, on an area of about 0.25 m2, 477 pieces were found, among which 56 complete and segmented pebbles (different in shape and size of individual fragments of limestone with eroded surface), 106 flakes and segments of such pebbles, as well as 304 amorphous fragments. Part of the objects in each of these groups can be attributed to the artefacts with varying degrees of confidence: 23, 81 and 5, respectively. The large number of artefacts and probable artefacts on local lime stones identified in layers V and VI of Medzhybizh A makes the task of searching for the objective definition of artefact-diagnostic criteria and, in general, studying the general regularities of knapping of the given kind of rock very urgent. The presence of refits allows studying technical and morphological features of archaeological items made of limestone. In this article the refitting with the greatest number of elements (nine) is analyzed in detail.
At the same time a series of experiments was conducted on the processing of local limestones using various techniques, namely: anvil technique, bipolar on anvil technique, freehand. The raw materials base for experiments is consisted of objects without any signs of transformation found in the deposits containing artefacts of the V and VI layers, as well as pieces from the nearest exposed pebble conglomerate in the valley of the Vovk River at a distance of no more than 15 km from the site.
Experiments on knapping local limestone have confirmed the splitting properties of the material. The ability of the local limestone to produce flakes with sharp edges will increase as the hardness and density of the material increases. Typically, flakes have sharp edges that are suitable for wood and bone processing.
Experiments have shown that signs of intentional processing of lithic raw materials in freehand, bipolar on anvil and anvil techniques that are easily recognizable on siliceous rocks can also be used to identify anthropogenic modifications of limestone. However, since limestone has a relatively low level of isotropy, an anisotropic fracture, an uneven surface of negatives, insofar as these signs are less expressed.
Observations during the experiments as well as analysis of flakes of the experimental series revealed a number of common mandatory signs typical for this rock type. A comparison of the technical and morphological analysis of experimental products and archaeological artefacts suggests the artefact nature of the limestone pebble refitting from the V layer of Medzhybizh A. It is most likely that the freehand technique was used to process the pebble, but some elements could be obtained by anvil technique. The probability of applying bipolar on anvil technology is minimal.
In general, the applied approach of combined use of experimental, technical-typological and technological-dynamic methods demonstrated significant informative possibilities in the study of materials of the Lower Palaeolithic.

The article reviews data on the use of the method of raw material units in the study of Palaeolithic industries. In scientific literature, this method is also called transformation analysis (TA) or minimum analytical nodule analysis (MANA). This approach is aimed at the identification from a broad technological context of industry groups of lithics produced from the same raw material blocks on the basis of their color, texture and another macro- and microscopically seen petrographic attributes. The method of raw material unit analysis finds application within the framework of several directions​ in the study of archaeological complexes. The first of them is the study of the structure and taphonomy of cultural deposits. The second one deals with the reconstruction of human mobility and subsistence systems on the basis of raw material transportation and transformation patterns.