The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Res... more The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Research Centre of Human Evolution of Spain (CENIEH), Burgos. This dataset or online lithotheque consists of 73 archaeological and geological samples obtained in different projects in which the CENIEH has been involved in the last 15 years. Most of the samples described here were collected from the Iberian Peninsula, while a few others were chosen from Eastern Africa. The samples have been petrographically described using thin section, stereomicroscopy and de visu petrographic observations and they have been characterised according to their petrogenesis. This dataset consists of a comprehensive report, an alphanumeric dataset with relevant features and an extensive picture archive. The dataset collection is stored at the CENIEH and it is open for researchers who want to use it for establishing their reference collection and describing quartzites in archaeological contexts.
En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediend... more En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediendo con los periodos postpaleolíticos, el desarrollo a lo largo del último siglo ha atendido más a la esfera metodológica que al cuerpo teórico de la disciplina (con las correspondientes salvedades). Los motivos para ello trascienden al marco cantábrico o peninsular, y entre ellos deberíamos anotar la escasez de referentes etnoarqueológicos para comprender a los grupos de cazadores-recolectores, la escala cronológica (para estas fases, de rango más geológico que histórico), el relativo bajo peso de las corrientes de investigación anglosajona o el asentamiento muy temprano de un estado de opinión que mimetizaba modelos importados del sur de Francia, sin demasiadas adaptaciones. En efecto, desde hace aproximadamente cien años nuestra visión del Paleolítico cantábrico se ha construido sobre la base de la excavación interdisciplinar en yacimientos bajo cueva, con secuencias más o menos prolongadas y la publicación de sus resultados en formato de monografías. Una tradición tan larga ha dado lugar al espejismo de continuidad en el hábitat y de establecimientos muy prolongados en el tiempo, casi estables, con un innegable impacto en el pensamiento. Si queremos avanzar en el conocimiento de aquellas sociedades, debemos superar estas inercias, abriendo la puerta a un nuevo marco teórico, con una visión más dinámica de la movilidad de los cazadores-recolectores, de su noción de territorialidad y de los constructos culturales a los que los pretendemos adscribir.
espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas camp... more espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas campanas de excavacion en Bolinkoba. EuskaraAtal honetan, Bolinkobako indusketa ekinaldi berrietan lortutako informazioa laburbiltzen dugu. EnglishIn this chapter we summarize the information obtained during new excavation seasons in Bolinkoba
La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Prim... more La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Primer Encuentro Arqueológico «Oñatiko Unibertsitatea»: Las materias primas líticas en la Prehistoria del Pirineo y la Región Cantábrica, bajo el marco del convenio de colaboración entre la Universidad del País Vasco /Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea y el Ayuntamiento de Oñati. Este encuentro arqueológico se celebró entre el 25 y el 27 de mayo de 2022, gestionado por el Grupo Consolidado de Investigación en Prehistoria (GIZAPRE-IT1435-22). El encuentro se desarrolló en el Aula Magna de la Universidad de Oñati, el primer espacio universitario con el que contamos en el País Vasco, desde mediados del siglo XVI. Fruto de aquellas discusiones nace esta monografía. La lista de publicaciones aquí presentadas es de doce y las hemos organizado en tres bloques, atendiendo a la naturaleza de las mismas. El primer bloque lo ocupan aquellos trabajos que tienen más presentes las perspectivas arqueológicas. Esta sección, compuesta por cinco trabajos explica la relación de las poblaciones prehistóricas desde los yacimientos arqueológicos. Temas como la movilidad o la relación tecno-tipológica y de materias primas son una constante en estos trabajos, si bien, cada uno aporta peculiaridades teóricas de especial relevancia. Para obtener la monografía completa en papel: https://web- argitalpena.adm.ehu.es/listaproductos.asp?IdProducts=UVIPA236176&titulo=Las%20materias%20primas%20l%EDticas%20en%20la%20prehistoria%20del%20Pirineo%20y%20la%20regi%F3n%20cant%E1brica%20%96%20Lithic%20raw%20materials%20during%20the%20Prehistory%20of%20Cantabrian%20and%20Pyrenean%20regions
Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent eu... more Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent européen et c’est une ressource fondamentale dans les circuits économiques et sociaux des groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs pendant le Paléolithique supérieur de la région cantabrique (nord de l’Espagne). Sa préférence incontestable par rapport aux autres ressources repose sur une série de qualités telles qu’une disponibilité facile du fait de sa grande abondance, de la grande dispersion des affleurements, ainsi que les excellentes qualités pour sa taille. Dans cet article, nous présentons une synthèse des informations disponibles à partir des études sur le silex et d’autres matières premières utilisées par les groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs. Cette révision a été abordée dans le cadre des occupations archéologiques de la région cantabrique datées du Paléolithique supérieur. D’une part, il s’agit des études relatives à la provenance des différents types de silex trouvés, leur représentation quantitative dans chacun des gisements révisées, préférence, si c’est le cas, par rapport aux autres matières premières documentées, ainsi que leur modèle de diffusion sur le territoire. D’autre part, d’autres ressources sont traitées, comme le quartzite, l’ocre et différentes roches métamorphiques, sédimentaires et ignées, ainsi que quelques matériaux d’origine biologique, comme l’ambre, le jais/lignite et les fossiles d’origine animale. Les informations disponibles concernant l’utilisation de ces matières premières dans le contexte du Paléolithique supérieur cantabrique sont assez rares et leurs études de caractérisation sont récentes.
The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bu... more The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bustillo Cave (Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage (flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered. The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume (for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally). This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of temporary occupations.
The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological natu... more The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological nature of rocks found in archaeological contexts is changing our perspectives about social and economic territories articulated by Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region. Practically the only raw material researched in a solid geoarchaeological approach in this area is flint. This paper addresses how the near absence of in-depth geoarchaeological research into raw materials other than flint is modifying our perception of the procurement and management mechanism of raw material in the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic. To consider this matter in depth, we present the bibliographic and quantitative analysis of 30 representative archaeological sites from the Cantabrian Region whose assemblages were described lithologically using basic and primary categories. The state of play depicts a geographic distribution of raw material in the Cantabrian Region where quartzite is associate...
The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of thi... more The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of this raw material in favour of such other rocks as flint or obsidian. The latter two are the most researched raw materials because of the information derived from their study: long-distance transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, information obtained from research into quartzite generally supported near-site procurement areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. Together with the wide range of rocks called quartzite by archaeologists, this has influenced the poverty of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome this narrow perspective, it is necessary to put quartzite in the centre of the debate as a raw material, using an inductive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies. This issue is approached by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observati...
This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolut... more This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolution of the study of prehistoric lithic raw materials in the Basque Crossroads (in the north of the Iberian Peninsula) during the last three decades. The second section explains the currently available information about geological outcrops of flint in the eastern end of the Cantabrian Mountain range (the Basque-Cantabrian Basin), the upper Ebro valley and both sides of the western Pyrenees, in the central part of the northern Iberian Peninsula, as that was the main raw material used by hunter-gatherer groups in the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Finally, the last section describes the way in which progress in both aspects of research have enabled the introduction of new concepts and perspectives in the reconstruction of the social and economic dynamics of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers. This has given rise to an innovative methodology that is able to address and solve important issues, par...
Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by... more Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by applying two different methodological approaches. The first one is based on non-destructive characterisation, aiming to understand human procurement and management of quartzite, without solid geoarchaeological criteria. The second characterised the material from archaeological sites using only petrographic or geochemical perspectives of a limited sample. Currently, both perspectives are unconnected, creating a methodological gap that needs to be solved to study the procurement and management of quartzite in greater depth. The present study, mainly methodological, will explore the gap between petrographic analysis and non-destructive characterisation. Doing so, we could fill this vacuum of information and generate a solid geoarchaeological basis to characterise not only a sample but complete assemblages. To this end, we analyse the lithic assemblages at El Arteu and El Habario, two Middl...
Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western P... more Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western Pyrenees have significantly increased during the past decades. These studies usually focus on identifying outcrops and characterising the different varieties found at archaeological sites. However, the understanding of mobility and territorial management patterns based on raw materials is still very limited and has only been tackled in terms of lineal distance.This paper proposes a methodological approach for the territorial analysis of flint distribution with the three following aims: 1) to determine the expansion ranges of each variety of flint from its outcrop; 2) to spatially relate these outcrops with archaeological sites; and 3) to improve our knowledge on the catchment strategies of Upper Palaeolithic groups.The methodological tool chosen to fulfil these objectives is the Geographic Information System (GIS), because it allows to relate spatially the flint outcrops and flint varieti...
The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Res... more The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Research Centre of Human Evolution of Spain (CENIEH), Burgos. This dataset or online lithotheque consists of 73 archaeological and geological samples obtained in different projects in which the CENIEH has been involved in the last 15 years. Most of the samples described here were collected from the Iberian Peninsula, while a few others were chosen from Eastern Africa. The samples have been petrographically described using thin section, stereomicroscopy and de visu petrographic observations and they have been characterised according to their petrogenesis. This dataset consists of a comprehensive report, an alphanumeric dataset with relevant features and an extensive picture archive. The dataset collection is stored at the CENIEH and it is open for researchers who want to use it for establishing their reference collection and describing quartzites in archaeological contexts.
En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediend... more En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediendo con los periodos postpaleolíticos, el desarrollo a lo largo del último siglo ha atendido más a la esfera metodológica que al cuerpo teórico de la disciplina (con las correspondientes salvedades). Los motivos para ello trascienden al marco cantábrico o peninsular, y entre ellos deberíamos anotar la escasez de referentes etnoarqueológicos para comprender a los grupos de cazadores-recolectores, la escala cronológica (para estas fases, de rango más geológico que histórico), el relativo bajo peso de las corrientes de investigación anglosajona o el asentamiento muy temprano de un estado de opinión que mimetizaba modelos importados del sur de Francia, sin demasiadas adaptaciones. En efecto, desde hace aproximadamente cien años nuestra visión del Paleolítico cantábrico se ha construido sobre la base de la excavación interdisciplinar en yacimientos bajo cueva, con secuencias más o menos prolongadas y la publicación de sus resultados en formato de monografías. Una tradición tan larga ha dado lugar al espejismo de continuidad en el hábitat y de establecimientos muy prolongados en el tiempo, casi estables, con un innegable impacto en el pensamiento. Si queremos avanzar en el conocimiento de aquellas sociedades, debemos superar estas inercias, abriendo la puerta a un nuevo marco teórico, con una visión más dinámica de la movilidad de los cazadores-recolectores, de su noción de territorialidad y de los constructos culturales a los que los pretendemos adscribir.
espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas camp... more espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas campanas de excavacion en Bolinkoba. EuskaraAtal honetan, Bolinkobako indusketa ekinaldi berrietan lortutako informazioa laburbiltzen dugu. EnglishIn this chapter we summarize the information obtained during new excavation seasons in Bolinkoba
La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Prim... more La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Primer Encuentro Arqueológico «Oñatiko Unibertsitatea»: Las materias primas líticas en la Prehistoria del Pirineo y la Región Cantábrica, bajo el marco del convenio de colaboración entre la Universidad del País Vasco /Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea y el Ayuntamiento de Oñati. Este encuentro arqueológico se celebró entre el 25 y el 27 de mayo de 2022, gestionado por el Grupo Consolidado de Investigación en Prehistoria (GIZAPRE-IT1435-22). El encuentro se desarrolló en el Aula Magna de la Universidad de Oñati, el primer espacio universitario con el que contamos en el País Vasco, desde mediados del siglo XVI. Fruto de aquellas discusiones nace esta monografía. La lista de publicaciones aquí presentadas es de doce y las hemos organizado en tres bloques, atendiendo a la naturaleza de las mismas. El primer bloque lo ocupan aquellos trabajos que tienen más presentes las perspectivas arqueológicas. Esta sección, compuesta por cinco trabajos explica la relación de las poblaciones prehistóricas desde los yacimientos arqueológicos. Temas como la movilidad o la relación tecno-tipológica y de materias primas son una constante en estos trabajos, si bien, cada uno aporta peculiaridades teóricas de especial relevancia. Para obtener la monografía completa en papel: https://web- argitalpena.adm.ehu.es/listaproductos.asp?IdProducts=UVIPA236176&titulo=Las%20materias%20primas%20l%EDticas%20en%20la%20prehistoria%20del%20Pirineo%20y%20la%20regi%F3n%20cant%E1brica%20%96%20Lithic%20raw%20materials%20during%20the%20Prehistory%20of%20Cantabrian%20and%20Pyrenean%20regions
Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent eu... more Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent européen et c’est une ressource fondamentale dans les circuits économiques et sociaux des groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs pendant le Paléolithique supérieur de la région cantabrique (nord de l’Espagne). Sa préférence incontestable par rapport aux autres ressources repose sur une série de qualités telles qu’une disponibilité facile du fait de sa grande abondance, de la grande dispersion des affleurements, ainsi que les excellentes qualités pour sa taille. Dans cet article, nous présentons une synthèse des informations disponibles à partir des études sur le silex et d’autres matières premières utilisées par les groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs. Cette révision a été abordée dans le cadre des occupations archéologiques de la région cantabrique datées du Paléolithique supérieur. D’une part, il s’agit des études relatives à la provenance des différents types de silex trouvés, leur représentation quantitative dans chacun des gisements révisées, préférence, si c’est le cas, par rapport aux autres matières premières documentées, ainsi que leur modèle de diffusion sur le territoire. D’autre part, d’autres ressources sont traitées, comme le quartzite, l’ocre et différentes roches métamorphiques, sédimentaires et ignées, ainsi que quelques matériaux d’origine biologique, comme l’ambre, le jais/lignite et les fossiles d’origine animale. Les informations disponibles concernant l’utilisation de ces matières premières dans le contexte du Paléolithique supérieur cantabrique sont assez rares et leurs études de caractérisation sont récentes.
The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bu... more The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bustillo Cave (Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage (flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered. The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume (for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally). This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of temporary occupations.
The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological natu... more The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological nature of rocks found in archaeological contexts is changing our perspectives about social and economic territories articulated by Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region. Practically the only raw material researched in a solid geoarchaeological approach in this area is flint. This paper addresses how the near absence of in-depth geoarchaeological research into raw materials other than flint is modifying our perception of the procurement and management mechanism of raw material in the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic. To consider this matter in depth, we present the bibliographic and quantitative analysis of 30 representative archaeological sites from the Cantabrian Region whose assemblages were described lithologically using basic and primary categories. The state of play depicts a geographic distribution of raw material in the Cantabrian Region where quartzite is associate...
The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of thi... more The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of this raw material in favour of such other rocks as flint or obsidian. The latter two are the most researched raw materials because of the information derived from their study: long-distance transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, information obtained from research into quartzite generally supported near-site procurement areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. Together with the wide range of rocks called quartzite by archaeologists, this has influenced the poverty of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome this narrow perspective, it is necessary to put quartzite in the centre of the debate as a raw material, using an inductive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies. This issue is approached by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observati...
This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolut... more This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolution of the study of prehistoric lithic raw materials in the Basque Crossroads (in the north of the Iberian Peninsula) during the last three decades. The second section explains the currently available information about geological outcrops of flint in the eastern end of the Cantabrian Mountain range (the Basque-Cantabrian Basin), the upper Ebro valley and both sides of the western Pyrenees, in the central part of the northern Iberian Peninsula, as that was the main raw material used by hunter-gatherer groups in the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Finally, the last section describes the way in which progress in both aspects of research have enabled the introduction of new concepts and perspectives in the reconstruction of the social and economic dynamics of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers. This has given rise to an innovative methodology that is able to address and solve important issues, par...
Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by... more Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by applying two different methodological approaches. The first one is based on non-destructive characterisation, aiming to understand human procurement and management of quartzite, without solid geoarchaeological criteria. The second characterised the material from archaeological sites using only petrographic or geochemical perspectives of a limited sample. Currently, both perspectives are unconnected, creating a methodological gap that needs to be solved to study the procurement and management of quartzite in greater depth. The present study, mainly methodological, will explore the gap between petrographic analysis and non-destructive characterisation. Doing so, we could fill this vacuum of information and generate a solid geoarchaeological basis to characterise not only a sample but complete assemblages. To this end, we analyse the lithic assemblages at El Arteu and El Habario, two Middl...
Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western P... more Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western Pyrenees have significantly increased during the past decades. These studies usually focus on identifying outcrops and characterising the different varieties found at archaeological sites. However, the understanding of mobility and territorial management patterns based on raw materials is still very limited and has only been tackled in terms of lineal distance.This paper proposes a methodological approach for the territorial analysis of flint distribution with the three following aims: 1) to determine the expansion ranges of each variety of flint from its outcrop; 2) to spatially relate these outcrops with archaeological sites; and 3) to improve our knowledge on the catchment strategies of Upper Palaeolithic groups.The methodological tool chosen to fulfil these objectives is the Geographic Information System (GIS), because it allows to relate spatially the flint outcrops and flint varieti...
Quartzite was the second most frequently used lithic raw material in Europe in the Palaeolithic. ... more Quartzite was the second most frequently used lithic raw material in Europe in the Palaeolithic. However, this rock has not been fully characterised from the geoarchaeological point of view. Nevertheless, the characterisation of quartzite from petrological perspectives has been attempted by diverse geologists in the last decades. These researches offer a solid base for the characterisation of this material that could be potentially used in archaeological contexts. Isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective applying two different methodological approaches. The first one is based on non-destructive characterisation, aiming to understand human procurement and management of quartzite. The second one characterised the material from a petrographic perspective, in order to understand quartzites from archaeological sites or from potential catchment areas. Currently, both perspectives are unconnected, creating a methodological gap that needs to be solved to deepen into the catchment and management strategies of quartzites practised by prehistoric societies. The aim of this communication, which will be mainly methodological, is to expose the characterisation and the quartzite type determination of seventeen quartzite samples from the lithic assemblages of El Arteu and El Habario (Cantabrian Region, Spain), using petrography and geochemical analyses. In addition, we also characterised the complete quartzite assemblage using non-destructive characterisation techniques based on textural analysis, grain size characterisation, and non-siliceous mineral detection. The high variability of quartzites in both lithic collections allows us to understand the formative conditions of quartzites and to determine seven coherent petrogenetic types (from sedimentary to pure metamorphic rocks). In addition, their recognition in the complete lithic collection using non-destructive techniques lets us to understand preferential catchment and management of specific quartzites. Abstract book ISBN 978-80-907270-3-8 (European Association of Archaeologists) 978-84-9168-140-3 (Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, vol. 1) 978-84-9168-143-4 (Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, vol. 2)
The cave of Lezetxiki (Arrasate) has been excavated in two
series of seasons. Between 1956 and 19... more The cave of Lezetxiki (Arrasate) has been excavated in two series of seasons. Between 1956 and 1968, José Miguel de Barandiarán, together with a number of collaborators, excavated a large area of the deposit (some 100m2), and since 1996 a new series of fieldwork has been carried out under the direction of Alvaro Arrizabalaga, in a much smaller area. Owing to the taphonomic circumstances of this deposit, the difficulties in obtaining a consistent geochronological framework for it, and the complex nature of the lithic assemblage, great confusion has arisen about the stratigraphic units that should be included in a discussion about the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at Lezetxiki. Strictly speaking, the only level that can be attributed to this period is Level III, which is sub-divided into IIIa and IIIb, separated by an erosional contact. Sublevel IIIa, with abundant industrial remains, is dated in the Aurignacian, whereas Sublevel IIIB, in which hardly any lithic industry or remains of fauna associated with human activity were found, corresponds to a very late phase of the Mousterian. As a result of the circumstances in the initial series of excavations, mixing of some materials between the two sublevels may have taken place, although their original differentiation was made by José Miguel de Barandiarán, and these possible cases should be regarded as few in number.
It has traditionally been thought that movement of
human groups across the Pyrenees would have be... more It has traditionally been thought that movement of human groups across the Pyrenees would have been difficult in the Palaeolithic, although there are data contradicting this view. It may even be proposed that a Pyrenean region existed in the Palaeolithic with specific cultural traits and a series of sites, especially in the Magdalenian. The existence of routes across the central parts of the Pyrenees is not incompatible, however, with a preference for the western and eastern routes between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. With this hypothesis, we propose to explore the western route for the movement of populations, the one that crosses the Basque Country, through different kinds of record: the location of the archaeological sites themselves, the distribution of lithic raw materials, the technocomplexes, and the similarities and differences in the cultural and subsistence behaviour of the human groups.
Introduction
The both qualitative and quantitative increase of studies on raw materials in the Ca... more Introduction The both qualitative and quantitative increase of studies on raw materials in the Cantabrian Region is changing the view on the management of the territory by prehistoric societies. Most of the studies about the lithological varieties in the archaeological and geological record focus on flint, a sedimentary rock of clastic origin. This is due to two reasons: On one hand, the preferential use of this stone by Palaeolithic societies and, on the other, the existence of a corpus of geoarchaeological studies on which allow to characterize this material. This situation has generated a biased picture about the management of raw materials by prehistoric groups, because quartzite, a metamorphic rock containing almost exclusively quartz, is the second type of stone more used in the Cantabrian Palaeolithic. This study is a reflection on the need of deeper knowledge about quartzite, as this will modify the current paradigm on territorial management by Palaeolithic societies. Materials and methods The basis of this work is a selection of the most representative sites of the Palaeolithic along different areas and chronologies whose lithic tools have been studied at raw material level. The information about the main raw materials (flint and quartzite) has been broken down for each archaeological level and it has been chronologically and geographically contextualised. Finally, we reflect about the relationship between both raw materials and their geographical and chronological context through dual and dialectic understanding and dialectic reasoning. Results The results of this work show general trends in the use of each type of raw material. In addition, they are a reflection about the chronological and geographical relationship between quartzite and flint based on the concepts coming from the catchment of these lithic resources. The most innovative results are the geographical relationship of quartzite with the Western Cantabrian Region and that of flint with the Eastern area, the chronological analogy of quartzite with the earlier phases of Palaeolithic and flint with the more recent ones, and the association of the concepts of recurrent and occasional mobility with each type of lithic raw material. Conclusion This work offers a wide perspective on lithic resource exploitation by the societies who populated the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic and demonstrate an unequal state of the art for each raw material. As a solution, we propose to intensify the methodological studies to characterize quartzite and its different types.
Las actas que aquí reseñamos, suponen la materialización del encuentro científico titulado “Seis ... more Las actas que aquí reseñamos, suponen la materialización del encuentro científico titulado “Seis décadas de Tipología Analítica. Simposio en Homenaje a Georges Laplace”; organizado por el Grupo de Investigación en Tipología Analítica (GITA) en la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) entre los días 13 y 15 de noviembre de 2012.
Abstract book: 61st Annual Meeting of the Hugo Obermaier-Society: New Perspectives on Neanderthal Behaviour (23-27 Abril 2019, Erkrath and Mettmann, 2019
Here we present the first results provided from the geo-archaeological characterisation of the qu... more Here we present the first results provided from the geo-archaeological characterisation of the quartzites from the site of Ravensberg-Troisdorf. This location is an open-air site situated in the village of Troisdorf, in the North Rhine-Westfalia. The site was excavated in one campaign during the summer of 2015 and preliminary techno-typological results point that this site was used as workshop of quartzite by Middle Palaeolithic societies. The geo-archaeological analysis performance here only includes the characterisation and identification of a sample of the complete assemblage. This research constitutes a descriptive analysis of eleven artefacts of quartzite sampled from the complete collection. These items of rocks were prepared for thin section analysis and X-Ray Fluorescence to understand the different types of quartzites potentially exploited at the site. These protocols have help us to understand their textures, grain size and morphological distribution, mineral characterisation and geo-chemical composition. Additionally, these artefacts and another 49 items were described under binocular microscopy to guide the procedures of following research. We have described two different types of quartzite, according to the methodology recently proposed by our team (Prieto, 2018, Prieto, et al., 2019). These types are Clastic and Cemented quartz-arenite (CC) and Syntaxially Overgrown Orthoquartzite (OO). Moreover, two clear varieties or facies were distinguish based on the composition of the cement and matrix, the CC type with clayey matrix (CC_CM) and the CC type with microcrystalline quartz (CC_MQC). The analysis performed in the site of Ravensberg concludes that the properties of the CC_MQC variety make it optimal for knapping and use. Then, its massive exploitation could be the main reason for human activity in this site. We propose that use and acquisition of the OO type would be secondary and derived from the main product, the CC_MQC type. The CC_CM variety could not be used for knapping due to its friable properties. Then, its usefulness is reduced and it was probably considered a waste product. This research constitutes the first step to understand catchment, management, and distribution of quartzite in the Rin Valley but also the foundation stone for the post-doctoral research of the first author.
Abstract book: Conference: 61st Annual Meeting of the Hugo Obermaier-Society: New Perspectives on Neanderthal Behaviour (23-27 Abril 2019, Erkrath and Mettmann, 2019
The development of raw material characterisation in Palaeolithic Archaeology in the last fifty ye... more The development of raw material characterisation in Palaeolithic Archaeology in the last fifty years has widened our knowledge about the societies who inhabited Europe in the past. The characterisation of raw material, specially flint, has allowed defining the mobility of stones and people, selective processes to obtain specific varieties and proto-mining or mining activities. It also enables the researchers to a better understand knapping or use properties of specific raw materials. Quartzite was the second most-often used lithic raw material in Europe in the Palaeolithic. However, this rock has not been characterized fully from the geo-archaeological point of view. The main aim of this presentation is present partial results of my recently defended PhD, focussed in the understanding of acquisition, distribution and management mechanisms implemented by Middle-Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region (Asturias and Cantabria communities, NW Spain) to exploit quartzite. To do so, we are going to present the data of two middle-Palaeolithic archaeological sites: El Habario and El Arteu. We also present through a comprehensive way, the quartzite distribution in the area: The Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys. Finally, and due to the scarcity of previous research on the properties of this raw material, we also present the characteristics of these quartzites from a geo-archaeological point of view. The methodology used for this research combines three different approaches: microscopic, macroscopic and regional scales. The first one is based on petrographic, geochemical and binocular characterisation. The second, is the macroscopic approach and it is founded on the analysis of lithic assemblages based on technological, typological, petrological and metric criteria. The same macroscopic approach is used to characterise the potential raw material acquisition areas through the geological survey of the geological strata and deposits where quartzites are present. Finally, the regional scale is based on the geographic, geologic and archaeological analysis of landscape, mainly using Geographic Information Systems. The application of this comprehensive methodology to a narrow area, the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys, allow us to understand quartzite from geological and archaeological perspectives. On one hand, we surveyed the source area of the sediment which formed the “archaeological quartzites”, their transformations due to sedimentary and metamorphic forces, and the mineralogy of these rocks according to the different geological environments where quartzites were formed. The understanding of all these phenomena allows us to classify quartzite into seven petrogenetic types and varieties, according to grain size and mineralogy. We also describe the geological strata where quartzite is present, characterising both their arrangement and its dispersion based on the types and varieties defined. On the other hand, we inferred the acquisition, management, and mobility patterns of Prehistoric societies in the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys during the Middle Palaeolithic based on the analysis of the lithic assemblages from the archaeological sites of El Habario and El Arteu. This allowed us to understand the different strategies of landscape management of such a heterogeneous and mountainous area as the central Cantabrian Region is. The exploitation of quartzites in the sites of El Habario and El Arteu allow us to understand the dialectical territorial management of this mountainous area through the combination of selective processes and mobility mechanisms in lower and middle altitudes. These perspectives let us to understand this mountainous region not as a barrier but as an environmental-mosaic managed and optimised by Middle Palaeolithic societies. In addition, the recognition of the quartzite types using non-destructive methods in both complete assemblages through comprehensive analysis, lets us to understand preferential catchment and management of specific quartzites and different behaviours. Among others, a) adaptable mobility patterns and selection of specific types of quartzites; b) Complex management of lithic mass based on stock creation; or c) tool-kit maintenance on certain quartzite types and the dismissal of others.
The development of raw material characterisation in Palaeolithic Archaeology in the last fifty ye... more The development of raw material characterisation in Palaeolithic Archaeology in the last fifty years has widened our knowledge about the societies that inhabited Europe in the past. The characterisation of raw material, specially flint, has allowed defining the mobility of stones and people, selective processes to obtain specific varieties and proto-mining or mining activities. It also enables the researcher to better understand knapping or use properties of specific raw materials. The analysis of quartzite, the second most frequently used lithic raw material in the Palaeolithic, has developed in the recent years, offering us new information about past societies and environment. This contribution intends to follow with the characterisation of quartzite in the mountainous region of Picos de Europa, with the aim of understanding better the procurement strategies of this material during the Middle Palaeolithic. To this end, we present the comprehensive characterisation of massive outcrops, conglomerates, and river deposits, the three main types of environments where quartzite could be caught. The exploitation of quartzites in the sites of El Habario and El Arteu allow us to understand the dialectical territorial management of this mountainous area through the combination of selective processes and mobility mechanisms in lower and middle altitudes. These perspectives let us to understand this mountainous region not as a barrier but as an environmental-mosaic managed and optimised by Middle Palaeolithic societies. The methodology used for this research combines Geographic Information Systems, geo-archaeological fieldwork, macroscopic description of material, binocular characterisation, petrography, and X-Ray Fluorescence. Abstract book ISBN 978-80-907270-3-8 (European Association of Archaeologists) 978-84-9168-140-3 (Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, vol. 1) 978-84-9168-143-4 (Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, vol. 2)
En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediend... more En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediendo con los periodos postpaleolíticos, el desarrollo a lo largo del último siglo ha atendido más a la esfera metodológica que al cuerpo teórico de la disciplina (con las correspondientes salvedades). Los motivos para ello trascienden al marco cantábrico o peninsular, y entre ellos deberíamos anotar la escasez de referentes etnoarqueológicos para comprender a los grupos de cazadores-recolectores, la escala cronológica (para estas fases, de rango más geológico que histórico), el relativo bajo peso de las corrientes de investigación anglosajona o el asentamiento muy temprano de un estado de opinión que mimetizaba modelos importados del sur de Francia, sin demasiadas adaptaciones. En efecto, desde hace aproximadamente cien años nuestra visión del Paleolítico cantábrico se ha construido sobre la base de la excavación interdisciplinar en yacimientos bajo cueva, con secuencias más o menos prolongadas y la publicación de sus resultados en formato de monografías. Una tradición tan larga ha dado lugar al espejismo de continuidad en el hábitat y de establecimientos muy prolongados en el tiempo, casi estables, con un innegable impacto en el pensamiento. Si queremos avanzar en el conocimiento de aquellas sociedades, debemos superar estas inercias, abriendo la puerta a un nuevo marco teórico, con una visión más dinámica de la movilidad de los cazadores-recolectores, de su noción de territorialidad y de los constructos culturales a los que los pretendemos adscribir.
Bolinkoba (Abadiño) y su yacimiento arqueológico: Arqueología de la Arqueología para la puesta en valor de su depósito, a la luz de las excavaciones antiguas y recientes, 2015
En este capítulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas campañas de... more En este capítulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas campañas de excavación en Bolinkoba
12th International Symposium on Knappable Materials Abstract book, 2019
studied raw materials because of the information derived from its study:
long-transport of rocks ... more studied raw materials because of the information derived from its study: long-transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, the information derived from researches that took into account quartzite generally proposed near to the site catchment areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. This idea, together with the variability of rocks named as quartzite by archaeologist, influences the absence of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome these narrow perspectives, it is necessary to put in the centre of the debate the quartzite as raw material using an inducive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies. This presentation tries to tackle this question by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observation, and XRay Fluorescence compositional analysis of the quartzites from the layer-XXII-R from El Esquilleu. In this work, we also present the characterisation of potential areas where quartzite could be caught, especially river beaches. The results show complex mechanisms of quartzite catchment on river deposits based on intensive and selective searching, not only in near river deposits, but also in more distance fluvial deposits and conglomerate formations. Finally, and through the combination with techno-typological criteria, we proposed complex mechanisms of exploitation depending on each quartzite type. All these data open new perspectives to the characterisation of the second better represented raw material in Europe, but also to deep into catchment mechanism on fluvial deposits and quartzitic conglomerate formations.
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(Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the
Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with
abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative
because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer
groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage
(flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement
strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered.
The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of
exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume
(for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally).
This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region
with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials
based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of
use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of
temporary occupations.
(Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the
Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with
abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative
because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer
groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage
(flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement
strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered.
The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of
exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume
(for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally).
This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region
with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials
based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of
use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of
temporary occupations.
series of seasons. Between 1956 and 1968, José Miguel
de Barandiarán, together with a number of collaborators,
excavated a large area of the deposit (some 100m2), and
since 1996 a new series of fieldwork has been carried
out under the direction of Alvaro Arrizabalaga, in a much
smaller area. Owing to the taphonomic circumstances
of this deposit, the difficulties in obtaining a consistent
geochronological framework for it, and the complex nature
of the lithic assemblage, great confusion has arisen
about the stratigraphic units that should be included in a
discussion about the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition
at Lezetxiki. Strictly speaking, the only level that can
be attributed to this period is Level III, which is sub-divided
into IIIa and IIIb, separated by an erosional contact.
Sublevel IIIa, with abundant industrial remains, is dated
in the Aurignacian, whereas Sublevel IIIB, in which hardly
any lithic industry or remains of fauna associated with
human activity were found, corresponds to a very late
phase of the Mousterian. As a result of the circumstances
in the initial series of excavations, mixing of some materials
between the two sublevels may have taken place,
although their original differentiation was made by José
Miguel de Barandiarán, and these possible cases should
be regarded as few in number.
human groups across the Pyrenees would have been
difficult in the Palaeolithic, although there are data
contradicting this view. It may even be proposed that
a Pyrenean region existed in the Palaeolithic with specific
cultural traits and a series of sites, especially in the
Magdalenian. The existence of routes across the central
parts of the Pyrenees is not incompatible, however, with
a preference for the western and eastern routes between
the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. With this
hypothesis, we propose to explore the western route
for the movement of populations, the one that crosses
the Basque Country, through different kinds of record:
the location of the archaeological sites themselves, the
distribution of lithic raw materials, the technocomplexes,
and the similarities and differences in the cultural and
subsistence behaviour of the human groups.
The both qualitative and quantitative increase of studies on raw materials in the Cantabrian Region is changing the view on the management of the territory by prehistoric societies. Most of the studies about the lithological varieties in the archaeological and geological record focus on flint, a sedimentary rock of clastic origin. This is due to two reasons: On one hand, the preferential use of this stone by Palaeolithic societies and, on the other, the existence of a corpus of geoarchaeological studies on which allow to characterize this material. This situation has generated a biased picture about the management of raw materials by prehistoric groups, because quartzite, a metamorphic rock containing almost exclusively quartz, is the second type of stone more used in the Cantabrian Palaeolithic. This study is a reflection on the need of deeper knowledge about quartzite, as this will modify the current paradigm on territorial management by Palaeolithic societies.
Materials and methods
The basis of this work is a selection of the most representative sites of the Palaeolithic along different areas and chronologies whose lithic tools have been studied at raw material level. The information about the main raw materials (flint and quartzite) has been broken down for each archaeological level and it has been chronologically and geographically contextualised. Finally, we reflect about the relationship between both raw materials and their geographical and chronological context through dual and dialectic understanding and dialectic reasoning.
Results
The results of this work show general trends in the use of each type of raw material. In addition, they are a reflection about the chronological and geographical relationship between quartzite and flint based on the concepts coming from the catchment of these lithic resources. The most innovative results are the geographical relationship of quartzite with the Western Cantabrian Region and that of flint with the Eastern area, the chronological analogy of quartzite with the earlier phases of Palaeolithic and flint with the more recent ones, and the association of the concepts of recurrent and occasional mobility with each type of lithic raw material.
Conclusion
This work offers a wide perspective on lithic resource exploitation by the societies who populated the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic and demonstrate an unequal state of the art for each raw material. As a solution, we propose to intensify the methodological studies to characterize quartzite and its different types.
The geo-archaeological analysis performance here only includes the characterisation and identification of a sample of the complete assemblage. This research constitutes a descriptive analysis of eleven artefacts of quartzite sampled from the complete collection. These items of rocks were prepared for thin section analysis and X-Ray Fluorescence to understand the different types of quartzites potentially exploited at the site. These protocols have help us to understand their textures, grain size and morphological distribution, mineral characterisation and geo-chemical composition. Additionally, these artefacts and another 49 items were described under binocular microscopy to guide the procedures of following research.
We have described two different types of quartzite, according to the methodology recently proposed by our team (Prieto, 2018, Prieto, et al., 2019). These types are Clastic and Cemented quartz-arenite (CC) and Syntaxially Overgrown Orthoquartzite (OO). Moreover, two clear varieties or facies were distinguish based on the composition of the cement and matrix, the CC type with clayey matrix (CC_CM) and the CC type with microcrystalline quartz (CC_MQC).
The analysis performed in the site of Ravensberg concludes that the properties of the CC_MQC variety make it optimal for knapping and use. Then, its massive exploitation could be the main reason for human activity in this site. We propose that use and acquisition of the OO type would be secondary and derived from the main product, the CC_MQC type. The CC_CM variety could not be used for knapping due to its friable properties. Then, its usefulness is reduced and it was probably considered a waste product.
This research constitutes the first step to understand catchment, management, and distribution of quartzite in the Rin Valley but also the foundation stone for the post-doctoral research of the first author.
The main aim of this presentation is present partial results of my recently defended PhD, focussed in the understanding of acquisition, distribution and management mechanisms implemented by Middle-Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region (Asturias and Cantabria communities, NW Spain) to exploit quartzite. To do so, we are going to present the data of two middle-Palaeolithic archaeological sites: El Habario and El Arteu. We also present through a comprehensive way, the quartzite distribution in the area: The Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys. Finally, and due to the scarcity of previous research on the properties of this raw material, we also present the characteristics of these quartzites from a geo-archaeological point of view.
The methodology used for this research combines three different approaches: microscopic, macroscopic and regional scales. The first one is based on petrographic, geochemical and binocular characterisation. The second, is the macroscopic approach and it is founded on the analysis of lithic assemblages based on technological, typological, petrological and metric criteria. The same macroscopic approach is used to characterise the potential raw material acquisition areas through the geological survey of the geological strata and deposits where quartzites are present. Finally, the regional scale is based on the geographic, geologic and archaeological analysis of landscape, mainly using Geographic Information Systems.
The application of this comprehensive methodology to a narrow area, the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys, allow us to understand quartzite from geological and archaeological perspectives.
On one hand, we surveyed the source area of the sediment which formed the “archaeological quartzites”, their transformations due to sedimentary and metamorphic forces, and the mineralogy of these rocks according to the different geological environments where quartzites were formed. The understanding of all these phenomena allows us to classify quartzite into seven petrogenetic types and varieties, according to grain size and mineralogy. We also describe the geological strata where quartzite is present, characterising both their arrangement and its dispersion based on the types and varieties defined.
On the other hand, we inferred the acquisition, management, and mobility patterns of Prehistoric societies in the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys during the Middle Palaeolithic based on the analysis of the lithic assemblages from the archaeological sites of El Habario and El Arteu. This allowed us to understand the different strategies of landscape management of such a heterogeneous and mountainous area as the central Cantabrian Region is.
The exploitation of quartzites in the sites of El Habario and El Arteu allow us to understand the dialectical territorial management of this mountainous area through the combination of selective processes and mobility mechanisms in lower and middle altitudes. These perspectives let us to understand this mountainous region not as a barrier but as an environmental-mosaic managed and optimised by Middle Palaeolithic societies. In addition, the recognition of the quartzite types using non-destructive methods in both complete assemblages through comprehensive analysis, lets us to understand preferential catchment and management of specific quartzites and different behaviours. Among others, a) adaptable mobility patterns and selection of specific types of quartzites; b) Complex management of lithic mass based on stock creation; or c) tool-kit maintenance on certain quartzite types and the dismissal of others.
long-transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, the information derived from researches that took into account quartzite generally proposed near to the site catchment areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. This idea, together with the variability of
rocks named as quartzite by archaeologist, influences the absence of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome these narrow perspectives, it is necessary to put in the centre of the debate the quartzite as raw material using an inducive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies.
This presentation tries to tackle this question by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observation, and XRay Fluorescence compositional analysis of the quartzites from the layer-XXII-R from El Esquilleu. In this work, we also present the characterisation of potential areas where
quartzite could be caught, especially river beaches. The results show complex mechanisms of quartzite catchment on river deposits based on intensive and selective searching, not only in near river deposits, but also in more distance fluvial deposits and conglomerate formations. Finally, and through the combination with techno-typological criteria, we
proposed complex mechanisms of exploitation depending on each quartzite type. All these data open new perspectives to the characterisation of the second better represented raw material in Europe, but also to deep into catchment mechanism on fluvial deposits and quartzitic conglomerate formations.