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.
Sauveterrian microliths:
Evidence of the Hunting Weapons
of the Last Hunter-gatherers of the Northern Alps
Lorène CHESNAUX
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Abstract
In this paper, I present interpretations of the stigmata of fabrication (observation of retouch methods) and use (observation of impact traces and hafting glue residues) of microliths and hyper-microliths (arrowheads) of the Middle Mesolithic Sauveterrian period. Based on the first results obtained from the sites of Grande Rivoire, Pas de la Charmate (Vercors, Isère) and Sinard (Trièves, Isère), a reconstruction of the hafting modes of these tools is proposed. The results of a first experimental test are also presented.
To cite this article
Chesnaux L., 2009 – Sauveterrian Microliths: Evidence of the Hunting Weapons of the last Hunter-gatherers of the Northern Alps, 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, 133-146.
Archéologie et Sciences humaines
