What Occupation Type in the Unit F
at Payre (Ardèche, France)?
A Specialised Hunting Stop or a Short-term Camp?
An Example of a Multidisciplinary Approach
Camille DAUJEARD, Marie-Hélène MONCEL, Florent RIVALS,
Philippe FERNANDEZ, Daniele AURELI, Patrick AUGUSTE,
Hervé BOCHERENS, Évelyne CRÉGUT-BONNOURE,
Évelyne DEBARD, Marie LIOUVILLE
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Abstract
The middle Rhône Valley in the south east of France offers an opportunity to address the question of Neandertal mobility and the status of their occupations by comparing a broad corpus of sites in a limited chronological and geographic context. The combined study of occupation levels from ten deposits has revealed three occupation types defined based on the management and use of animal resources (Daujeard, 2008). This diversity is represented by technical choices and diverse tool assemblages. In addition to faunal criteria, this work compares other parameters, such as archaeostratigraphy, lithic artefacts and dental microwear to determine site function and occupation duration. We present the example of unit F at the site of Payre, dated to MIS 8/7 and defined as a recurring short -term camp.
To cite this article
Daujeard C., Moncel M.-H., Rivals F., Fernandez P., Aureli D., Auguste P., Bocherens H., Crégut-Bonnoure É., Debard É., Liouville M., 2011 – What Occupation Type in the Unit F at Payre (Ardèche, France)? A Specialised Hunting Stop or a Short-term Camp? An Example of a Multidisciplinary Approach, in Bon F., Costamagno S., Valdeyron N. (eds.), Hunting Camps in Prehistory. Current Archaeological Approaches, Proceedings of the International Symposium, May 13-15 2009, University Toulouse II – Le Mirail, P@lethnology, 3, 77-101.
The Mesolithic Site of Les Fieux (Miers, Lot):
a Hunting Camp on the Gramat Karst Plateau?
Nicolas VALDEYRON, Thomas BRIAND, Laurent BOUBY,
Auréade HENRY, Rym KHEDHAIER, Benjamin MARQUEBIELLE,
Hélène MARTIN, Anna THIBEAU, Bruno BOSC-ZANARDO
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Abstract
The Mesolithic site located in the western entrance of the cave of Les Fieux (Miers, Lot), excavated in the 1970’s by F. Champagne, has often been interpreted as a hunting camp. This hypothesis is mostly based on features of the lithic industry, which is largely dominated by weapon elements. The results of a multidisciplinary study of the Mesolithic assemblages now provide an opportunity to question the validity of this hypothesis. While the data collected (in the fields of anthracology, zooarchaeology, carpology, lithic technology and usewear, bone technology, sedimentology, etc.), do not completely invalidate it, they do suggest a few nuances. The activities identified are more varied than would be expected for a simple hunting camp, as are the animal carcass exploitation strategies, indicating an in situ consumption of animal products and thus a functional complexity that is not fully compatible with this interpretation.
To cite this article
Valdeyron N., Briand T., Bouby L., Henry A., Khedhaier R., Marquebielle B., Martin H., Thibeau A., Bosc-Zanardo B., 2011 – The Mesolithic Site of Les Fieux (Miers, Lot): a Hunting Camp on the Gramat Karst Plateau?, in Bon F., Costamagno S., Valdeyron N. (eds.), Hunting Camps in Prehistory. Current Archaeological Approaches, Proceedings of the International Symposium, May 13-15 2009, University Toulouse II – Le Mirail, P@lethnology, 3, 331-341.
Taphonomic implications of the use
of bone as fuel
Eugène MORIN
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Abstract
This paper explores the effects of the use of bone as fuel on archaeological skeletal part representation. Faunal data from the Paleolithic site of Saint-Césaire show that this activity may present an archaeological signature similar to that of differential preservation. The bones most frequently burned at Saint-Césaire are also those that are the least dense and that contain the most grease. The analysis of faunal remains from Saint-Césaire also suggests that spongy bone fragments from small-bodied and large-bodied taxa are subject to differential identification.
To cite this article
Morin E., 2010 – Taphonomic Implications of the Use of Bone as Fuel, in Théry-Parisot I., Chabal L., Costamagno S., The taphonomy of Burned Organic Residues and Combustion Features in Archaeological Contexts, Proceedings of the round table, May 27-29 2008, CEPAM, P@lethnology, 2, 209-217.
What are these barbs for?
Preliminary Study on the Function
of the Upper Magdalenian Barbed Weapon Tips
Jean-Marc PÉTILLON
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Abstract
Based on previous works by M. Julien (1982) and G.C. Weniger (1995), this paper presents some preliminary hypotheses on the possible functions of the osseous barbed points from the Upper Magdalenian (ca. 13 500-12 000 cal BC). Taking as a starting point the statement that their appearance and development coincide with an increased interest in small animal hunting (fish, birds, lagomorphs), we attempted to correlate the relative abundance of barbed points with the representation of small game, but the data from our test area (Northern Pyrenees) did not provide conclusive results. A survey of the barbed points of Northern American hunter-gatherers known by ethnography shows a clear functional trend: “simple” barbed points are mostly used for fowling, for hunting big and small land game, and for war; while “true” harpoons are mostly used for fishing and hunting sea mammals and aquatic mammals. However, when based on a rigorous operational definition of harpoons, the morphology of the Magdalenian barbed points appears not to allow their positive classification as harpoon heads. Thus, their function remains largely undetermined. We therefore suggest several possible directions for future research on this topic.
To cite this article
Pétillon J.-M., 2009 – What are these Barbs for? Preliminary Study on the Function of the Upper Magdalenian Barbed Weapon Tips, in Pétillon J.-M., Dias-Meirinho M.-H., Cattelain P., Honegger M., Normand C., Valdeyron N., Projectile Weapon Elements from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic, Proceedings of session C83, XVth UISPP World Congress, Lisbon, September 4-9, 2006, P@lethnology, 1, 66-97.
Archéologie et Sciences humaines
