2015 # 7

2015-05-FLAS

THE CHRONOCULTURAL SEQUENCE OF BELGIAN COMPLEXES
IN THE EUROPEAN AURIGNACIAN CONTEXT

Damien FLAS

Icone pdf   Download

Abstract

The study of Aurignacian collections from the Meuse Basin, associated with recent fieldwork data, has led to a new overview of the Aurignacian in this region. This work discredits some of the hypotheses advanced for the earliest Aurignacian occupations in north-western Europe and proposes a hypothetical chronocultural sequence based on the most reliable data for this period. The Meuse Basin presents an important concentration of Aurignacian occupations, some of them very rich and this zone is therefore conducive to large scale comparisons, in particular with regions with a better defined chronostratigraphic framework. The existence of technical and artistic similarities between these different European regions also highlights the strong links binding the Aurignacian complex, and is probably an important element for understanding the transition from the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic in Europe.

To cite this article

Flas D., 2015 – The Chronocultural Sequence of Belgian Complexes in the European Aurignacian Context, in White R., Bourrillon R. (eds.) with the collaboration of Bon F., Aurignacian Genius: Art, Technology and Society of the First Modern Humans in Europe, Proceedings of the International Symposium, April 08-10 2013, New York University, P@lethnology, 7, 56-75.