- UMR 7194 CNRS
Musee de Prehistoire de Tourrette-Levens
171 montee du Chateau
06690 Tourrette-Levens
France
Patricia Valensi
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Departement de Prehistoire, Department Member
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Statistical U-Th Dating Results of speleothem from South Europ
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International audienc
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Six Middle Palaeolithic sites (Lazaret, Madonna dell'Arma, Caverna delle Fate, Arma delle Manie, Santa Lucia Superiore and San Francesco), dated from Oxygen Isotopic Stages 6 to 3 (OIS 6 to 3), have been studied from a... more
Six Middle Palaeolithic sites (Lazaret, Madonna dell'Arma, Caverna delle Fate, Arma delle Manie, Santa Lucia Superiore and San Francesco), dated from Oxygen Isotopic Stages 6 to 3 (OIS 6 to 3), have been studied from a zooarchaeological and palaeoecological point of view. The sites have yielded faunal assemblages rich in cervids, generally dominated by Cervus elaphus. The frequency of other ungulate taxa is inextricably linked to the topography of each site, as well as to climatic and environmental conditions. Taphonomic analysis indicates that humans were the main agents of accumulation of the large mammal remains. Mortality and seasonality data show various patterns of age distribution of the ungulate species, and suggest that there is no relation between the occupation season of these sites and the hunting of a particular species. The dominance of red deer can be explained by their natural abundance and by their high rendering in terms of hunting transport, meat quantity, and other useful materials like skins, tendons, and soon. Neanderthal subsistence strategies do not show any evolution in the studied area during the period of Oxygen Isotopic Stages 6 to 3. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Les restes de Cervus elaphus de différents sites pléistocènes des Alpes-Maritimes et de Ligurie (Lazaret, Madonna dell'Arma, Fate, Manie, Santa Lucia Superiore) ont été étudiés, sous un angle paléontologique et taphonomique.... more
Les restes de Cervus elaphus de différents sites pléistocènes des Alpes-Maritimes et de Ligurie (Lazaret, Madonna dell'Arma, Fate, Manie, Santa Lucia Superiore) ont été étudiés, sous un angle paléontologique et taphonomique. L'analyse morphométrique des dents ...
Research Interests: Geography and Humanities
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Cannibalism was shown to have existed in Europe during the Lower Paleolithic at Gran Dolina cave in Spain, in the Middle Paleolithic Moula-Guercy cave and the Neolithic Fontbrégoua cave in France. One of the characteristics of Upper... more
Cannibalism was shown to have existed in Europe during the Lower Paleolithic at Gran Dolina cave in Spain, in the Middle Paleolithic Moula-Guercy cave and the Neolithic Fontbrégoua cave in France. One of the characteristics of Upper Paleolithic populations is to have buried their deads. However, fragmented human bones with cutmarks were observed within several Upper Paleolithic French caves. We present a new case study, that of La Salpétrière (Gard) in Southeastern France.
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Valensi P., Bailon S., El Guennouni K., Hanquet C., Khatib S., Lartigot-Campin A.-S., Manzano A., Roger T., Rousseau L., Thino M., Lumley H. de. In M.-A. de Lumley dir. "Les restes humains fossiles de la grotte du Lazaret, Nice,... more
Valensi P., Bailon S., El Guennouni K., Hanquet C., Khatib S., Lartigot-Campin A.-S., Manzano A., Roger T., Rousseau L., Thino M., Lumley H. de. In M.-A. de Lumley dir. "Les restes humains fossiles de la grotte du Lazaret, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France".
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The interglacial period, known as Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11, 428-397 thousand years ago), is often consideredas a potential analogue for future climate projection because of the similar patterns of insolation variability.However,... more
The interglacial period, known as Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11, 428-397 thousand years ago), is often consideredas a potential analogue for future climate projection because of the similar patterns of insolation variability.However, studies on mechanisms of the onset of MIS 11 (called Termination V, T-V) in response to insolationincrease is still hampered by a lack of good dating materials in paleoclimate archives, despite a stack of East Asianmonsoon records with precise U-Th dates has been proposed. Previous studies suggested the 18O value registeredin speleothems in Mediterranean realm can be a good bridge connecting the U-Th-based age model of speleothemto marine cores from Mediterranean sea, which opens a new possibility to detect ocean-atmosphere/internalexternalforcing interaction beyond 14C dating limitation. Here we present a new speleothem 18O record fromnorthern Italy covering 500-300 thousand years ago. The results show a similar pattern with 18O records ofmarine cores around Mediterranean. The age model of the speleothem hence provides an opportunity for tuningthe marine cores, which could improve our understanding of relationship between global atmosphere and oceancirculations
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The variability of the northern westerlies has been considered as one of the key elements for modern and past climate evolution. Their multiscale behavior and underlying control mechanisms, however, are incompletely understood, owing to... more
The variability of the northern westerlies has been considered as one of the key elements for modern and past climate evolution. Their multiscale behavior and underlying control mechanisms, however, are incompletely understood, owing to the complex dynamics of Atlantic sea-level pressures. Here, we present a multi-annually resolved record of the westerly drift over the past 6,500 years from northern Italy. In combination with more than 20 other westerly-sensitive records, our results depict the non-stationary westerly-affected regions over mainland Europe on multi-decadal to multi-centennial time scales, showing that the direction of the westerlies has changed with respect to the migrations of the North Atlantic centers of action since the middle Holocene. Our findings suggest the crucial role of the migrations of the North Atlantic dipole in modulating the westerly-affected domain over Europe, possibly modulated by Atlantic Ocean variability.
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The Little Ice Age (LIA; ca. 1450–1850 C.E.) is the best documented cold period of the past millennium, characterized by high-frequency volcanism, low solar activity, and high variability of Arctic sea-ice cover. Past studies of LIA... more
The Little Ice Age (LIA; ca. 1450–1850 C.E.) is the best documented cold period of the past millennium, characterized by high-frequency volcanism, low solar activity, and high variability of Arctic sea-ice cover. Past studies of LIA Atlantic circulation changes have referenced the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), but recent studies have noted that LIA climate patterns appear to possess complexity not captured by an NAO analogue. Here, we present a new precipitation-sensitive stalagmite record from northern Italy that covers the past 800 years. We show that in the early LIA (1470–1610 C.E.), increased atmospheric ridging over northern Europe split the climatological westerlies away from central and northern Europe, possibly caused by concurrent Artic sea-ice reduction. With ongoing ice melting in the northern high latitudes and decreasing solar irradiance in the coming years, the early LIA may potentially serve as an analogue for European hydroclimatic conditions in the coming decades.
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Résumé.– Les fouilles systématiques entreprises depuis plusieurs années (1967‑2017) sous la direction d’Henry de Lumley ont permis d’individualiser 29 niveaux d’occupation humaine documentant la transition culturelle entre Acheuléen et... more
Résumé.– Les fouilles systématiques entreprises depuis plusieurs années (1967‑2017) sous la direction d’Henry de Lumley ont permis d’individualiser 29 niveaux d’occupation humaine documentant la transition culturelle entre Acheuléen et Moustérien. Dans chaque niveau ou unité archéostratigraphique, le matériel archéologique et paléontologique est très abondant et parfois associé à quelques restes humains. Le cortège faunique de grands mammifères, riche de 25 espèces, varie peu d’une unité à l’autre. Cette association et les stades évolutifs de certaines espèces (Canis lupus, Ursus spelaeus, Cervus elaphus, Capra ibex) conduisent à rat‑
tacher l’ensemble des dépôts archéologiques à la dernière période glaciaire du Pléistocène moyen, soit au MIS 6. La région particulière en terme géo‑topographique et sous impact climatique modéré a été une zone refuge pour les espèces tempérées au cours des phases glaciaires et a conduit au maintien d’espèces archaïques. Aussi, l’association faunique du Lazaret est originale puisqu’elle est principalement représentée par des espèces tempérées avec comme éléments dominants le cerf (Cervus elaphus) le bouquetin (Capra ibex) et l’aurochs (Bos primigenius). L’éléphant antique (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) se maintient également dans la région au cours de cette phase froide. Seuls quelques rares éléments de climat froid, comme le renne (Rangifer tarandus), le rhinocéros laineux (Coelodonta antiquitatis) et le glouton (Gulo gulo), ont été identifiés. Les analyses archéozoologiques soulignent des activités anthropiques très diversifiées selon les unités archéostratigraphiques. Une attention particulière est portée sur l’étude des populations animales, en s’appuyant à la fois sur des méthodes classiques d’estimation de l’âge et du sexe des animaux abattus et sur des analyses cémentochronologiques. Les données obtenues permettent d’affiner les saisons d’occupation du site et ainsi, de mieux comprendre les comportements de subsistance de ces acheuléens et leur gestion vis‑à‑vis de la faune chassée. Les résultats obtenus sur les faunes du Lazaret s’inscrivent dans un contexte plus régional et permettent de mieux appréhender le mode de vie des Acheuléens du Lazaret et de leurs successeurs, les Néandertaliens de la zone liguro‑provençale.
The last Acheuleans of south-eastern France. New overview of the Middle Pleistocene fauna of large mammals from Lazaret Cave (Nice, France).
Abstract.– Systematic excavations in Lazaret Cave over several decades (1967-2017), directed by Henry de Lumley, identified 29 levels of human occupation recording the cultural transition between the Acheulean and the Mousterian. Each level or archaeostratigraphic unit contained abundant archaeological and palaeontological material, sometimes associated with several human remains. The large mammal faunal spectrum includes 25 species and varies little from one unit to another. This faunal association and the evolutionary stages of certain species (Canis lupus, Ursus spelaeus, Cervus elaphus, Capra ibex) indicate that the archaeological deposits are correlated with the last Middle Pleistocene glacial period, MIS 6. On account of a specific geo-topography and moderate climatic impact, this region was a refuge zone for temperate species during glacial phases, resulting in the continuity of archaic species. The original faunal association of Lazaret Cave comprises temperate species with prevalent red deer (Cervus elaphus), ibex (Capra ibex) and aurochs (Bos primigenius). The antique elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) also continued to live in the region during this cold phase. Relatively rare cold-climate mammals have been identified, such as the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), the woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and the wolverine (Gulo gulo). Archaeozoological analyses brought to light very diversified anthropic activities in the different archaeostratigraphic units. Here, we focus on the study of animal populations, combining classical methods to estimate the age and sex of slaughtered animals with cementochronological analyses. The results highlight and refine the seasonality of site occupations, and enhance our understanding of Acheulean subsistence and hunting strategies. In a regional context, these faunal data from Lazaret Cave broaden our knowledge of behavioural aspects of the Acheulean occupants of Lazaret Cave and their successors, Neanderthals from the Ligurian‑Provencal zone.
tacher l’ensemble des dépôts archéologiques à la dernière période glaciaire du Pléistocène moyen, soit au MIS 6. La région particulière en terme géo‑topographique et sous impact climatique modéré a été une zone refuge pour les espèces tempérées au cours des phases glaciaires et a conduit au maintien d’espèces archaïques. Aussi, l’association faunique du Lazaret est originale puisqu’elle est principalement représentée par des espèces tempérées avec comme éléments dominants le cerf (Cervus elaphus) le bouquetin (Capra ibex) et l’aurochs (Bos primigenius). L’éléphant antique (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) se maintient également dans la région au cours de cette phase froide. Seuls quelques rares éléments de climat froid, comme le renne (Rangifer tarandus), le rhinocéros laineux (Coelodonta antiquitatis) et le glouton (Gulo gulo), ont été identifiés. Les analyses archéozoologiques soulignent des activités anthropiques très diversifiées selon les unités archéostratigraphiques. Une attention particulière est portée sur l’étude des populations animales, en s’appuyant à la fois sur des méthodes classiques d’estimation de l’âge et du sexe des animaux abattus et sur des analyses cémentochronologiques. Les données obtenues permettent d’affiner les saisons d’occupation du site et ainsi, de mieux comprendre les comportements de subsistance de ces acheuléens et leur gestion vis‑à‑vis de la faune chassée. Les résultats obtenus sur les faunes du Lazaret s’inscrivent dans un contexte plus régional et permettent de mieux appréhender le mode de vie des Acheuléens du Lazaret et de leurs successeurs, les Néandertaliens de la zone liguro‑provençale.
The last Acheuleans of south-eastern France. New overview of the Middle Pleistocene fauna of large mammals from Lazaret Cave (Nice, France).
Abstract.– Systematic excavations in Lazaret Cave over several decades (1967-2017), directed by Henry de Lumley, identified 29 levels of human occupation recording the cultural transition between the Acheulean and the Mousterian. Each level or archaeostratigraphic unit contained abundant archaeological and palaeontological material, sometimes associated with several human remains. The large mammal faunal spectrum includes 25 species and varies little from one unit to another. This faunal association and the evolutionary stages of certain species (Canis lupus, Ursus spelaeus, Cervus elaphus, Capra ibex) indicate that the archaeological deposits are correlated with the last Middle Pleistocene glacial period, MIS 6. On account of a specific geo-topography and moderate climatic impact, this region was a refuge zone for temperate species during glacial phases, resulting in the continuity of archaic species. The original faunal association of Lazaret Cave comprises temperate species with prevalent red deer (Cervus elaphus), ibex (Capra ibex) and aurochs (Bos primigenius). The antique elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) also continued to live in the region during this cold phase. Relatively rare cold-climate mammals have been identified, such as the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), the woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and the wolverine (Gulo gulo). Archaeozoological analyses brought to light very diversified anthropic activities in the different archaeostratigraphic units. Here, we focus on the study of animal populations, combining classical methods to estimate the age and sex of slaughtered animals with cementochronological analyses. The results highlight and refine the seasonality of site occupations, and enhance our understanding of Acheulean subsistence and hunting strategies. In a regional context, these faunal data from Lazaret Cave broaden our knowledge of behavioural aspects of the Acheulean occupants of Lazaret Cave and their successors, Neanderthals from the Ligurian‑Provencal zone.
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Southern Europe climate oscillations at marine isotope stage 5
Research Interests: Oceanography, Climate, Europe, Marine, Oscillations, and 4 moreMarine Isotope Stage, Isotope, Stage, and Southern
International audienc
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Cadre climatique et environnemental des acheuléens de la grotte du Lazaret, à Nice. Données paléontologiques, biogéochimiques et radiométriques établies sur les faunes de vertébrés et d'invertébrés Climatic and environmental conditions of the Acheuleans from Lazaret Cave in Nice. Paleontologic, b...more
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Tropical Pacific forcing on decadal-to-centennial NAO-dominated precipitation variability in northern Mediterranean over the past 6500 year
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Speleothem-inferred sea level records from northern Italy during Termination
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International audienc
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Le Vallonnet, Terra Amata, le Lazare
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Research Interests: Art and Archeologia
Nice - grotte du Lazaret (Alpes-Maritimes). Rapport de synthèse d'opération archéologique 2009-201
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Multi-scale seasonal temperature variability and asynchronous regional hydrodynamics in Mediterranean since the middle Holocen
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The circum-Mediterranean region is the cradle of ancient civilizations that had their roots in the Holocene. Climate change has been considered a key element that contributed to their rise or fall. The Roman Warm Period (RWP), 200 B.C. to... more
The circum-Mediterranean region is the cradle of ancient civilizations that had their roots in the Holocene. Climate change has been considered a key element that contributed to their rise or fall. The Roman Warm Period (RWP), 200 B.C. to 400 A.D., was the warmest period in Europe during the last two thousand years. Hydroclimatic change at the end of the RWP has been suggested as a possible influence on the stability of the Roman political regime and the eventual collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. A lack of precise proxy records hampers our understanding of hydroclimatic variability over the RWP. Here we present a stalagmite-based climate record from 550 ± 10 B.C. to 950 ± 7 A.D. (2σ) from northern Italy, which reveals a climatic trend of warming and increased humidity throughout the RWP. By comparison with other proxy records in Europe and the circum-Mediterranean region, we argue that the warm, humid climate in southern Europe could be linked to the multi-centennial warming ...
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Hsun-Ming Hu, Chuan-Chou Shen, Xiuyang Jiang, Fucai Duan, Yongjin Wang, Horng-Sheng Mii, Véronique Michel, Patricia Valensi, Yu-Min Chou, Chung-Che Wu and Elisabetta Starnini Abstract: Mediterranean, known as " climate change hot... more
Hsun-Ming Hu, Chuan-Chou Shen, Xiuyang Jiang, Fucai Duan, Yongjin Wang, Horng-Sheng Mii, Véronique Michel, Patricia Valensi, Yu-Min Chou, Chung-Che Wu and Elisabetta Starnini Abstract: Mediterranean, known as " climate change hot spot " , has been expected to experience sensible hydroclimate variability in the twenty-first century. Severe floods and droughts are in particular of concern due to the prolonged influence on water resources, agricultural production and economic activity. Here, we present a new high-resolved and absolutely-dated stalagmite δ 18 O record from Toirano Cave, northern Italy, which reveals important hydroclimate evolution in the north Mediterranean. The results show dramatic instability of the hydroclimatic dynamics in northern Italy, characterized by abrupt changes of dry/wet conditions in <50 year with amplitude of ~50 mm/month in rainfall amount. The timing of regional culture demise, such as the Hittite Kingdom, Mycenaean Greece, Akkadian Empire, Egyptian Old Kingdom, and Uruk, occurred at stalagmite-inferred dry periods. Solar activities Two-phase relationship between this stalagmite δ 18 O and paleo-North Atlantic Oscillation index records is found, from an anti-phased condition at 6-2 ka to a in-phased condition after 2 ka, probably attributed to a southward shift of westerlies in the late Holocene
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Cadres stratigraphique, geochronologique et biochronologique du site acheuleen de Terra Amata
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In southeastern France, many Final Acheulean/Early Middle Palaeolithic and Middle Palaeolithic assemblages have yielded bone retouchers. The oldest are dated to the Middle Pleistocene: from MIS 11 at Terra Amata; MIS 9 at Orgnac 3; and... more
In southeastern France, many Final Acheulean/Early Middle Palaeolithic and Middle Palaeolithic assemblages have yielded bone retouchers. The oldest are dated to the Middle Pleistocene: from MIS 11 at Terra Amata; MIS 9 at Orgnac 3; and MIS 6-7 at Payre F, Sainte-Anne I and Le Lazaret. However, this early evidence of bone tool use only concerns a few dozen pieces among thousands of faunal and lithic remains. These re-touchers indicate behavioural changes from MIS 11-9 onwards in southeastern France, associated with a mosaic of technological and subsistence changes that became more common during the Middle Palaeolithic. The frequency of these bone artefacts increases during MIS 7, becoming much more numerous after MIS 5, sometimes totaling more than a hundred items at one site, such as Saint-Marcel Cave. Bone retoucher frequency is still highly variable throughout the Middle Palaeolithic and seems to be determined by the type of occupation and activities rather than the associated lit...
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Resume - La grotte du Lazaret renferme des depots archeologiques contemporains du passage de la culture acheuleenne au mousterien, rapportes au stade isotopique marin 6 (MIS 6). Les fouilles archeologiques ont permis d’individualiser... more
Resume - La grotte du Lazaret renferme des depots archeologiques contemporains du passage de la culture acheuleenne au mousterien, rapportes au stade isotopique marin 6 (MIS 6). Les fouilles archeologiques ont permis d’individualiser vingt-neuf unites archeostratigraphiques qui temoignent d’installations recurrentes, de plus ou moins longue duree, par des groupes d’ Homo heidelbergensis . Ces hommes chassaient preferentiellement le cerf et le bouquetin, retrouves en abondance dans toutes les unites. En comparaison, certaines especes, comme le chamois et le chevreuil, sont faiblement representees. Nous presentons dans cet article les resultats des analyses archeozoologiques et taphonomiques conduites sur les ossements de ces petits ongules afin de determiner leur origine dans la grotte. Dans certaines unites, une chasse anthropique de type opportuniste est mise en evidence, expliquant la faible proportion de ces especes sur le site qui presentent peu d’apports nutritifs pour subvenir aux besoins du groupe. Un approvisionnement par les carnivores est egalement observe ; il est effectue essentiellement par le loup, dont les restes sont abondants dans les unites superieures.
Abstract
Lazaret Cave contains archaeological deposits contemporaneous with Acheulean and Mousterian cultures, corresponding to marine isotopic stage 6 (MIS 6). Archaeological excavations at the site revealed twenty-nine archaeostratigraphic units with recurring, relatively long occupations by Homo heidelbergensis groups. These groups preferentially hunted red deer and ibex, which were abundant in all the units. In contrast, other species, such as the chamois and the roe deer, are poorly represented. In this article, we present the results of the archaeozoological and taphonomic analyses of small ungulate bones in order to determine how these remains were deposited in the cave. Opportunistic anthropogenic hunting is brought to light in some units, explaining the low proportion of these species at the site. In addition, these species only provide low nutrient levels for the needs of the group. The accumulation of remains by carnivores is also observed, mainly by the wolf, which is abundant in the upper units.
Abstract
Lazaret Cave contains archaeological deposits contemporaneous with Acheulean and Mousterian cultures, corresponding to marine isotopic stage 6 (MIS 6). Archaeological excavations at the site revealed twenty-nine archaeostratigraphic units with recurring, relatively long occupations by Homo heidelbergensis groups. These groups preferentially hunted red deer and ibex, which were abundant in all the units. In contrast, other species, such as the chamois and the roe deer, are poorly represented. In this article, we present the results of the archaeozoological and taphonomic analyses of small ungulate bones in order to determine how these remains were deposited in the cave. Opportunistic anthropogenic hunting is brought to light in some units, explaining the low proportion of these species at the site. In addition, these species only provide low nutrient levels for the needs of the group. The accumulation of remains by carnivores is also observed, mainly by the wolf, which is abundant in the upper units.
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The first "Out of Africa" migrations represent a seminal event in the history of humankind. At the gates of Europe, the first appearance of Hominins is recorded in Georgia, 1.8 million years ago (Ma); however, the picture of... more
The first "Out of Africa" migrations represent a seminal event in the history of humankind. At the gates of Europe, the first appearance of Hominins is recorded in Georgia, 1.8 million years ago (Ma); however, the picture of migration across the continent remains incomplete. Vallonnet Cave (France) is a Lower Paleolithic prehistoric site with traces of hominin activities including lithic remains and cut-marks on mammal bones. Here, we apply the uranium-lead (U-Pb) methods to two flowstones to date the intervening archaeological levels. The U-Pb data, coupled with paleomagnetic constraints, provide an age range from 1.2 to 1.1 Ma. The results conclusively demonstrate that Vallonnet Cave is one of the oldest European prehistoric sites in France with early hominin occupations associated with an Epivillafranchian fauna. Combined with data from other archaeological sites, the new precise chronology suggests a widespread occupation the Northern Mediterranean to Southwestern Euro...
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Mots-clés.– Mammuthus primigenius, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, Moustérien, biostratigraphie, Pléistocène supérieur. Résumé.– Les grottes de Balzi Rossi ou grottes de Grimaldi ont livré plusieurs restes de Proboscidiens. Dans certains niveaux... more
Mots-clés.– Mammuthus primigenius, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, Moustérien, biostratigraphie, Pléistocène supérieur. Résumé.– Les grottes de Balzi Rossi ou grottes de Grimaldi ont livré plusieurs restes de Proboscidiens. Dans certains niveaux moustériens de la grotte du Prince et de la grotte du Cavillon, ils ne sont représentés que par des fragments de défenses très incomplètes ce qui rend leur attribution taxinomique délicate. Seule la méthode des lignes de Schreger appliquée sur ce type de matériel a permis de les déterminer. Les résultats permettent de préciser la biostratigraphie des sites. L’éléphant antique Palaeoloxodon antiquus est présent dans les dépôts du MIS 5 au MIS 3, ce qui correspond aux dernières occurrences de l’espèce sur le continent d’Europe occidentale. D’autre part, la présence du mammouth laineux Mammuthus primigenius est attestée pour la première fois dans le Moustérien de Ligurie, dans des dépôts du MIS 4. Identification of Proboscidean ivory from the Balzi Ros...
Les faunes de grands mammifères de Terra Amata, mises au jour lors des fouilles de sauvetage de 1966, ont fait l'objet d'une étude paléontologique et archéozoologique. La liste faunique de grands mammifères comprend Ursus arctos,... more
Les faunes de grands mammifères de Terra Amata, mises au jour lors des fouilles de sauvetage de 1966, ont fait l'objet d'une étude paléontologique et archéozoologique. La liste faunique de grands mammifères comprend Ursus arctos, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, Stephanorhinus hemitoechus, Sus scrofa, Bos primigenius, Hemitragus bonali, Cervus elaphus et Dama dama clactoniana. L’étude paléontologique attribue ces faunes à une période tempérée du Pléistocène moyen, stade isotopique 11, ou stade isotopique 9. Mais c’est par l’intercalibration des données multidisciplinaires (cf. tome I, chapitre 11, de cette monographie, « Datation des formations pléistocènes du site acheuléen de Terra Amata ») que l’association faunique peut être rapportée au MIS11. L’approche archéozoologique souligne l’importance du rôle joué par l’homme dans l’accumulation du matériel faunique et dans sa composition. Les différentes unités archéoostratigraphiques traduisent des niveaux d’habitat successifs. Les ong...
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Marie Liouville , Patricia Valensi , Eleni Pasthi In order to characterize the morphological variations of the red deer during middle and upper Pleistocene, we intend to establish a link between biometrical data and a palaeological... more
Marie Liouville , Patricia Valensi , Eleni Pasthi
In order to characterize the morphological variations of the red deer during middle and upper Pleistocene, we intend to establish a link between biometrical data and a palaeological approach.
In order to characterize the morphological variations of the red deer during middle and upper Pleistocene, we intend to establish a link between biometrical data and a palaeological approach.
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Hsun-Ming Hu, Chuan-Chou Shen, Xiuyang Jiang, Fucai Duan, Yongjin Wang, Horng-Sheng Mii, Véronique Michel, Patricia Valensi, Yu-Min Chou, Chung-Che Wu and Elisabetta Starnini Abstract: Mediterranean, known as " climate change hot spot " ,... more
Hsun-Ming Hu, Chuan-Chou Shen, Xiuyang Jiang, Fucai Duan, Yongjin Wang, Horng-Sheng Mii, Véronique Michel, Patricia Valensi, Yu-Min Chou, Chung-Che Wu and Elisabetta Starnini
Abstract: Mediterranean, known as " climate change hot spot " , has been expected to experience sensible hydroclimate variability in the twenty-first century. Severe floods and droughts are in particular of concern due to the prolonged influence on water resources, agricultural production and economic activity. Here, we present a new high-resolved and absolutely-dated stalagmite δ 18 O record from Toirano Cave, northern Italy, which reveals important hydroclimate evolution in the north Mediterranean. The results show dramatic instability of the hydroclimatic dynamics in northern Italy, characterized by abrupt changes of dry/wet conditions in <50 year with amplitude of ~50 mm/month in rainfall amount. The timing of regional culture demise, such as the Hittite Kingdom, Mycenaean Greece, Akkadian Empire, Egyptian Old Kingdom, and Uruk, occurred at stalagmite-inferred dry periods. Solar activities Two-phase relationship between this stalagmite δ 18 O and paleo-North Atlantic Oscillation index records is found, from an anti-phased condition at 6-2 ka to a in-phased condition after 2 ka, probably attributed to a southward shift of westerlies in the late Holocene
Abstract: Mediterranean, known as " climate change hot spot " , has been expected to experience sensible hydroclimate variability in the twenty-first century. Severe floods and droughts are in particular of concern due to the prolonged influence on water resources, agricultural production and economic activity. Here, we present a new high-resolved and absolutely-dated stalagmite δ 18 O record from Toirano Cave, northern Italy, which reveals important hydroclimate evolution in the north Mediterranean. The results show dramatic instability of the hydroclimatic dynamics in northern Italy, characterized by abrupt changes of dry/wet conditions in <50 year with amplitude of ~50 mm/month in rainfall amount. The timing of regional culture demise, such as the Hittite Kingdom, Mycenaean Greece, Akkadian Empire, Egyptian Old Kingdom, and Uruk, occurred at stalagmite-inferred dry periods. Solar activities Two-phase relationship between this stalagmite δ 18 O and paleo-North Atlantic Oscillation index records is found, from an anti-phased condition at 6-2 ka to a in-phased condition after 2 ka, probably attributed to a southward shift of westerlies in the late Holocene
Ongoing research at the Bois-de-Riquet site (Lézignanla- Cèbe, l’Hérault, France) has significantly increased the archeological data available for this exceptional Lower Pleistocene occurrence. Since its discovery in the 1990’s, the rich... more
Ongoing research at the Bois-de-Riquet site (Lézignanla-
Cèbe, l’Hérault, France) has significantly increased the
archeological data available for this exceptional Lower
Pleistocene occurrence. Since its discovery in the 1990’s,
the rich paleontological level situated within a basalt
flowstone radiometrically dated to 1.57 Ma (archeostratigraphical
unit: ‘US2’) has yielded a well preserved large
and small mammal assemblage. New biochronological
evaluations based on the entire faunal assemblage
allow an age evaluation of around 1.3-1.2 Ma for this
level (late-Early Pleistocene). A small lithic assemblage
in basalt is attributed to anthropic intrusion.
Cèbe, l’Hérault, France) has significantly increased the
archeological data available for this exceptional Lower
Pleistocene occurrence. Since its discovery in the 1990’s,
the rich paleontological level situated within a basalt
flowstone radiometrically dated to 1.57 Ma (archeostratigraphical
unit: ‘US2’) has yielded a well preserved large
and small mammal assemblage. New biochronological
evaluations based on the entire faunal assemblage
allow an age evaluation of around 1.3-1.2 Ma for this
level (late-Early Pleistocene). A small lithic assemblage
in basalt is attributed to anthropic intrusion.
Research Interests:
Contrariamente a quanto riscontrato in altre aree europee, i manufatti in avorio sono estremamente rari nel Paleolitico superiore italiano e limitati a siti della Liguria di Ponente: le grotte dei Balzi Rossi e la Caverna delle Arene... more
Contrariamente a quanto riscontrato in altre aree europee, i manufatti in avorio sono estremamente rari nel Paleolitico superiore italiano e limitati a siti della Liguria di Ponente: le grotte dei Balzi Rossi e la Caverna delle Arene Candide. Questa rarità è da mettere in relazione con l’assenza (o quasi) in Italia, in questo periodo, del mammouth, fonte prioritaria se non unica − per quei tempi e per quei luoghi − della materia prima.
Research Interests:
Valensi P., Bailon S., El Guennouni K., Hanquet C., Khatib S., Lartigot-Campin A.-S., Manzano A., Roger T., Rousseau L., Thino M., Lumley H. de. In M.-A. de Lumley dir. "Les restes humains fossiles de la grotte du Lazaret, Nice,... more
Valensi P., Bailon S., El Guennouni K., Hanquet C., Khatib S., Lartigot-Campin A.-S., Manzano A., Roger T., Rousseau L., Thino M., Lumley H. de. In M.-A. de Lumley dir. "Les restes humains fossiles de la grotte du Lazaret, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France".
Patricia Valensi . Guides archéologiques de France. Editions du Patrimoine
Research Interests:
Cecilio Barroso Ruiz, Marie-Antoinette de Luley, Anne-Marie Moigne, José Antonio Riquelme Cantal, Anna Echassoux, Patricia Valensi Palaeoethnological signification of Neanderthal and Sapiens remains from the Boquete of Zafarraya cave:... more
Cecilio Barroso Ruiz, Marie-Antoinette de Luley, Anne-Marie Moigne, José Antonio Riquelme Cantal, Anna Echassoux, Patricia Valensi
Palaeoethnological signification of Neanderthal and Sapiens remains from the Boquete of Zafarraya cave: taphonomy, fractures, cutmaks and combustion. The human bones from the Boquete de Zafarraya cave number 16 and represent a minimal number of 9 individuals. The bones are well preserved. Several types of event modified them before their fossilization: breaking, burning, cut marks and carnivore tooth marks have been identified. The post-depositionnalphenomenons are also analyzed. Each bone is sharply analyzed and in some case, a chronology of the events can be reconstructed exactly. The succession of human and carnivore actions on bones allows to suggest possible behaviours of the Neanderthals from the Boquete de Zafarraya cave towards their peers.
Palaeoethnological signification of Neanderthal and Sapiens remains from the Boquete of Zafarraya cave: taphonomy, fractures, cutmaks and combustion. The human bones from the Boquete de Zafarraya cave number 16 and represent a minimal number of 9 individuals. The bones are well preserved. Several types of event modified them before their fossilization: breaking, burning, cut marks and carnivore tooth marks have been identified. The post-depositionnalphenomenons are also analyzed. Each bone is sharply analyzed and in some case, a chronology of the events can be reconstructed exactly. The succession of human and carnivore actions on bones allows to suggest possible behaviours of the Neanderthals from the Boquete de Zafarraya cave towards their peers.