Conference Presentations by Karen Ruebens
UKAS poster, 2024
Across the Palaeolithic, humans and carnivores repeatedly occupied the same caves and rock shelte... more Across the Palaeolithic, humans and carnivores repeatedly occupied the same caves and rock shelters. Identifying bone fragments from these dual occupation contexts through Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) can provide additional insights into both carnivore and human behaviour.
Here, we apply ZooMS to all morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments larger than 2 cm (n = 817) recovered from the 2012-2013 excavated Châtelperronian layer at Cassenade (Dordogne, France). Collagen was extracted using the ammonium-bicarbonate (AmBic) extraction method and over 99% of the sampled bone fragments could be taxonomically identified. While the proportion of Equidae is similar in the ZooMS and zooarchaeological collections, Bos/Bison is represented at a threefold increase in the ZooMS fraction (50.8 vs 16.7%). Conversely, Ursidae, the dominant taxa in the morphologically identifiable remains (36.6%), only formed 7.3% of the ZooMS fragments. While large proportions of the Rhinocerotidae (63.79%), Elephantidae (52%), Equidae (48%) and Bos/Bison (45%) remains have been digested by carnivores, this is only the case for 1.7% of the Ursidae ZooMS fragments. Three-dimensional data is available for all the ZooMS-identified fragments and confirm the near-exclusive presence of cave bear in the lower part of the sequence. Further, the ZooMS spatial data identified a restricted presence of mammoth in the middle part of the sequence and a diverging presence of reindeer and Cervid/saiga remains at the bottom and top.
Overall, this study illustrates the added value of integrating zooarchaeological and ZooMS datasets to obtain additional insights into past ecologies, changing site use, carnivore diet and human subsistence practices.
Stone-tipped hunting weapons are an important marker of the technical and cognitive capacities of... more Stone-tipped hunting weapons are an important marker of the technical and cognitive capacities of Palaeolithic hominins and represent a crucial tipping point in human behavioural evolution. Neanderthals were skilled hunters, as indicated by zooarchaeological and isotope analyses, but preserved remains of organic spears are sparse and potential lithic weapon tips are not ubiquitously present during the Middle Palaeolithic (MP, ca. 300,000 - 40,000BP). Unravelling this enigma and reconstructing the technology underlying MP hunting events is one of the key challenges in studies of Neanderthal behaviour.
Securely identifying hafted weapon tips is complex and past analyses of MP points have mainly focused on individual artefacts, their morphometric characteristics, use-wear and residue traces. Conversely, studies that contextualise MP points at an assemblage level, cross comparing various blank and tool types, are sparse, especially for the European record, even though they are key to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of point shapes in the Neanderthal tool kit.
This poster presents two sets of initial results of this Marie Curie-Sklodawska funded project. Firstly, at the regional scale, it outlines the occurrence and typo-technological characteristics of point shapes across MP assemblages in Western Europe. Results indicate the low presence of triangular forms in many Middle Palaeolithic assemblages but also their more common occurrence in certain specific spatio-temporal entities (e.g. MIS-5 northern France or MIS-3 southeastern France).
Secondly, initial results from an assemblage level study of the lithic material from layer 1 of the Abri du Maras rockshelter (MIS-3, Southeastern France) are presented. Focus was on the material from the 1946-1950 excavation by R. Gilles which resulted in a lithic collection of around 3,000 artefacts. Past studies have pointed out the presence of several pointed flakes with convergent ventral retouch, assigning the assemblage to the so-called Neronian, a late Middle Paleolithic entity only known from the Rhone valley. A detailed attribute analysis focused on the recording across all blanks of a series of features which have been linked to projectile use or hafting (e.g. diagnostic impact fracture, lateral crushing, basal modifications). Results indicate a large variability in the convergent tools, both in terms of blank type (Levallois, discoidal and laminar flaking) as well as retouch extent and location. This poster will further present and cross compare these points within the context of the rest of the assemblage.
Teaching Documents by Karen Ruebens
This activity pack is aimed at children between 3 and 6 years old (preliteracy, Early Years Found... more This activity pack is aimed at children between 3 and 6 years old (preliteracy, Early Years Foundation Stage up to Early Years 3). It can be used in the classroom as well as at home.
It aims to introduce kids to the lifeways and hunting strategies of
Neanderthals based on the most recent scientific discoveries through a series of hands on activities (colouring, cutting, connect the dots, memory game).
Papers by Karen Ruebens
nature ecology & evolution , 2024
Recent excavations at Ranis (Germany) identified an early dispersal of Homo sapiens into the high... more Recent excavations at Ranis (Germany) identified an early dispersal of Homo sapiens into the higher latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years ago. Here we integrate results from zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA and stable isotopes to characterize the ecology, subsistence and diet of these early H. sapiens. We assessed all bone remains (n = 1,754) from the 2016–2022 excavations through morphology (n = 1,218) or palaeoproteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (n = 536) and species by proteome investigation (n = 212)). Dominant taxa include reindeer, cave bear, woolly rhinoceros and horse, indicating cold climatic conditions. Numerous carnivore modifications, alongside sparse cut-marked and burnt bones, illustrate a predominant use of the site by hibernating cave bears and denning hyaenas, coupled with a fluctuating human presence. Faunal diversity and high carnivore input were further supported by ancient mammalian DNA recovered from 26 sediment samples. Bulk collagen carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data from 52 animal and 10 human remains confirm a cold steppe/tundra setting and indicate a homogenous human diet based on large terrestrial mammals. This lower-density archaeological signature matches other Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician sites and is best explained by expedient visits of short duration by small, mobile groups of pioneer H. sapiens.
Journal of Quaternary Science, 2023
Pleistocene faunal assemblages are often highly fragmented, hindering taxonomic identifications a... more Pleistocene faunal assemblages are often highly fragmented, hindering taxonomic identifications and interpretive potentials. In this paper, we apply four different methodologies to morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments from the Neanderthal open-air site of Salzgitter-Lebenstedt (Germany). First, we recorded zooarchaeological attributes for all 1362 unidentifiable bones recovered in 1977. Second, we applied zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) to 761 fragments, and calculated glutamine deamidation values. Third, we assessed the collagen preservation of 30 fragments by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and, finally, we pretreated 10 bones with high predicted collagen values for radiocarbon dating. All returned dates at, or beyond, the limit of radiocarbon dating, indicating an age of older than 51 000 years ago. The ZooMS faunal spectrum confirms a cold environment, dominated by reindeer, alongside mammoth, horse and bison. The low occurrence of carnivore modifications (1%) contrasts with an abundance of human modifications (23%). Cut marks and marrow fractures were observed across reindeer, horse and bison. The mammoth remains are less well preserved and show a lower degree of human modifications, indicating, perhaps, a different taphonomic history. Overall, this study illustrates the importance of retaining, studying and incorporating the unidentifiable bone fraction to optimize interpretations of site formation and subsistence behaviour at Palaeolithic sites.
Journal of Palaeolithic Archaeology, 2022
The exact strategies and technologies underlying Neanderthal hunting events remain open for debat... more The exact strategies and technologies underlying Neanderthal hunting events remain open for debate with lithic points being sparse across the European Middle Palaeolithic. An exception is the Neronian entity in southeast France, defined by ventrally retouched Soyons points. This study contextualises one of the largest Neronian assemblages, layer 1 at Abri du Maras. Our lithic analyses focussed on attributes described as indicative of projectile use or hafting to contextualise the morphometric and technological characteristics of the pointed implements at an assemblage level. We found that retouched points were made on a variety of blank types (including Levallois, laminar and discoidal flaking techniques) and ventral retouch is present across different artefact types (including points, scrapers and denticulates). Next, these lithic data were compared to similar typo-technological data recorded on a sample from the recently excavated and well-contextualised point-rich layer 4.1 of Abri du Maras (MIS-3). Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) was applied to 280 faunal remains from layer 1 and indicated significant proportions of equids, bovids, cervids and reindeer. Carnivore remains and carnivore modifications are absent, while human bone surface modifications are present across a variety of species. Five bones had sufficient collagen for radiocarbon dating but returned dates younger than expected (ca. 41-31 ka cal BP). Finally, we place Abri du Maras layer 1 in its broader regional context and discuss its relation to other Neronian assemblages and more general problematics inherent to studying material from old excavations.
Journal of Human Evolution, 2019
The African Middle Pleistocene (781e126 ka) is a key period for human evolution, witnessing both ... more The African Middle Pleistocene (781e126 ka) is a key period for human evolution, witnessing both the origin of the modern human lineage and the lithic turnover from Earlier Stone Age (ESA) Acheulean bifacial tools to Middle Stone Age (MSA) prepared core and point technologies. This ESA/MSA transition is interpreted as representing changing landscape use with greater foraging distances and more active hunting strategies. So far, these behavioral inferences are mainly based on the extensive stone tool record , with only a minor role for site-based and regional faunal studies. To provide additional insights into these behavioral changes, this paper details a pan-African metastudy of 63 Middle Pleistocene faunal assemblages from 40 sites. A hierarchical classification system identified 26 well-contextualized assemblages with quantitative paleontological and/or zooarcheological data available for detailed comparative analyses and generalized linear mixed modeling. Modeling of ungulate body size classes structured around three dimensions (context, antiquity and technology) illustrates no one-to-one correlation between changes in lithic technology (Acheulean vs. MSA) and changes in prey representation. All assessed faunal assemblages are dominated by medium-sized bovids, and variations between smaller and larger body size classes are linked to site context (cave vs. open-air), with an increase in cave sites during the Middle Pleistocene. Current data do not signal a broadening of the hominin dietary niche during the Middle Pleistocene; no meaningful variation was visible in the exploitation of smaller-sized bovids or dangerous game, with coastal resources exploited when available. Proportions of anthropo-genic bone surface modifications, and hence carcass processing intensity, do increase over time although more zooarcheological data is crucial before making behavioral inferences. Overall, this paper illustrates the potential of broad scale comparative faunal analyses to provide additional insights into processes of human behavioral evolution and the mechanisms underlying patterns of technological, chronological and contextual change.
Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, 2020
The ongoing refinement of archaeological excavation and recording methods over the last decades h... more The ongoing refinement of archaeological excavation and recording methods over the last decades has led to a significant increase in quantitative Middle Palaeolithic datasets that provide a record of past Neanderthal behaviour. Stone tools and butchered animal remains are the two main categories of Middle Palaeolithic archaeological remains and both provide distinctive insights into site formation and Neanderthal behaviour. However, the integration of these quantitative lithic and zooarchaeological datasets is key for achieving a full understanding of both site-specific and broader-scale patterns of Middle Palaeolithic subsistence. To explore novel ways to enhance the incorporation of these datasets, we organised a session at the 82nd annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Vancouver. An underlying theme was the problem of linking lithic and faunal variability. Are variations in subsistence strategies reflected by changes in tool-making decisions? This paper will briefly introduce the possible ways these Middle Palaeolithic datasets can be integrated, illustrated with the papers included in this special volume, and discuss its potential for understanding the variability and interconnectedness of Neanderthal technologies and subsistence strategies.
Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, 2020
Recent zooarchaeological and isotope analyses have largely settled the debate surrounding Neander... more Recent zooarchaeological and isotope analyses have largely settled the debate surrounding Neanderthal hunting capacities, repeatedly demonstrating their successful acquisition of large ungulates. Nevertheless, the functional identification of individual tools as hunting weapons remains a methodological challenge. In-depth studies have focussed mainly on small subsets of lithic artefacts from selected assemblages assessing features of breakage patterns, retouch, shape and use wear. Studies focussing on associated hunting lesions are rarer and often focus on reconstructing very specific bone surface marks encountered in the archaeological record. This study aims to add to our understanding of the formation and characteristics of projectile impact marks (PIMs) on bone through a series of highly monitored, replicative experiments, using thrusting and throwing spears with replica Levallois points into two wild pig carcasses. In total, 152 shots were made, and for each a series of attributes was recorded, including velocity and location of impact. Subsequent quantitative analyses focussed on understanding the various factors underlying the formation of different types of projectile impact marks. These experiments demonstrate that PIM formation results from the properties of both the impacting projectile and bone element. PIMs can signal impacts caused by different delivery methods but only on some parts of the skeleton. These results are contextualised in relation to the occurrence and recognition of Palaeolithic PIMs and patterns of Neanderthal behaviour. These experiments are only a first step in improving the recognition of these signatures in the archaeological record and providing better insights into understanding of the mechanisms of Neanderthal hunting.
Across Europe the period 45–40 ka (thousands of years ago) is associated with several technologic... more Across Europe the period 45–40 ka (thousands of years ago) is associated with several technological changes, including the emergence of the Châtelperronian technocomplex in France and northern Spain. The Châtelperronian, stratigraphically located between the Mousterian and Aurignacian, is characterized by Upper Palaeolithic features, such as volumetric blade reduction, curved backed blades, end-scrapers, bladelets, bone tools and ornaments. Concurrently, repeated, though debated, associations with Neanderthal remains and Mousterian elements suggest a local technological development. Following recent critiques and cumulating technological studies, this paper provides data-driven contextualisations of the Châtelperronian and late Mousterian archaeological records and a primary comparative assessment of a major linking element, backed knives, to re-assess the origin of the Châtelperronian.
The results demonstrate the challenging nature of the 50–35 ka record, with many interpretive problems caused by poorly recorded excavations, resulting in only 25 well-contextualised assemblages from the claimed 143 Châtelperronian find spots. These 25 assemblages facilitate more detailed chronostratigraphic and typo-technological assessments and show that the Châtelperronian has a homogenous set of technologies and tools. A similar evaluation of the late Mousterian indicates a wide-ranging late Neanderthal skill set, commonly including laminar blank production and backing. Further, conceptual similarities were noted both in blank selection and edge modification between Mousterian and Châtelperronian backed knives, alongside their near-absence in other, contemporaneous technocomplexes.
A Europe-wide contextualisation shows that while the current coarse-grained record still allows for several potential scenarios, the data throughout this paper point towards a most parsimonious model of a Châtelperronian made by Neanderthals, with roots in the late Middle Palaeolithic technological skill set. However, this change seems triggered by early arrivals of modern humans either indirectly, through stimulus diffusion, or directly, after ca. 42 ka. Fully testing this model requires an ongoing focus on site formation and assemblage integrity, alongside in-depth analyses of recently excavated assemblages and existing collections.
doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.011
Recent broad-scale comparative studies of Neanderthal lithic assemblages have contrasted previous... more Recent broad-scale comparative studies of Neanderthal lithic assemblages have contrasted previous views of the Middle Palaeolithic as a period of stasis. Throughout the Middle Palaeolithic, ca. 300,000–35,000 years ago, typo-technological changes can be observed in the Neanderthal behavioural repertoire, including trends that are restricted in time and/or space. Such spatio-temporal diversity seems especially apparent in the late Middle Palaeolithic (MIS 5e–3; ca. 125–35 ka BP) and is widely, though not exclusively, expressed through differing bifacial tool types. An often-quoted example is the restricted distribution of bout coupé or flat-butted cordate handaxes in MIS-3 Britain. This paper provides a broader contextualisation of this bout coupé phenomenon; first, in relation to the general reoccurrence of handaxes in late Middle Palaeolithic Western Europe, including comparisons with the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA); and second, as a case study to explore behavioural implications of such spatio-temporal variation. Different explanatory factors for the observed patterns are investigated together with potential links to Neanderthal population dynamics. It is concluded that bout coupés represent a genuinely distinct biface form, which was sometimes maintained through the stages of use, and is most parsimoniously explained by regionalised socio-cultural behaviour, implying specific lines of cultural transmission among late Neanderthal groups.
"Despite a rich archaeological record, northwest Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, western, north... more "Despite a rich archaeological record, northwest Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, western, northern and eastern France) is often not included in detailed debates on Middle Palaeolithic lithic variability. This is, in part, related to a lack of contextual information for some assemblages, but also to a scarcity of widely accessible publications, especially in relation to early 20th century excavations. However, it is clear that across Europe, including in this northwest region, the late Middle Palaeolithic (here MIS 5d–3, ∼115–35 ka) is characterised by an increase in the use of bifacial technologies, and this paper provides a wider, integrative perspective on late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tool variability in northwest Europe.
Primary data from seven key assemblages (Oosthoven, Grotte du Docteur, Sint-Geertruid, Saint-Just en Chaussée, Saint-Julien de la Liègue, Bois-du-Rocher and Champlost) is integrated with published data from an additional 45 assemblages, allowing for an extensive assessment of the characteristics of these biface-rich assemblages. Results suggest a large amount of typo-technological variability, as expressed through the varying nature of several technological attributes (raw material, blank type, cortex remnant, cross section and edge angles), as well as through the presence of different bifacial tool concepts and bifacial tool types.
The limited chronostratigraphic information available suggests the presence of bifacial tools in northwest Europe throughout the warm phases of both MIS 5 and MIS 3. Furthermore, a detailed regional overview identifies common ground within many of these northwest European late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages. Rather than a series of region-specific entities, this research proposes that a larger-scale distinction can be made between assemblages dominated by classic handaxes, and assemblages characterised by the generalised application of bifacial retouch. The latter contain a wider variety of bifacial tools and it is, therefore, suggested to group these assemblages under the overarching label of ‘Mousterian with Bifacial Tools’ (MBT). Detailed studies of new, well-contextualised assemblages are needed to fully unravel the causal factors and behavioural intricacies underlying this bifacial tool variability and the MBT entity."
Population dynamics between and within Pleistocene groups are vital to understanding wider behavi... more Population dynamics between and within Pleistocene groups are vital to understanding wider behavioural processes like social transmission and cultural variation. The late Middle Palaeolithic (MIS 5d-3, ca. 115,000–35,000 BP [years before present]) permits a novel, data-driven assessment of these concepts through a unique record: bifacial tools made by classic Neanderthals. Previously, studies of late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools were hampered by a convoluted plethora of competing terms, types and regional entities. This paper presents a large-scale intercomparison of this tool type, and bridges typo-technological and spatio-temporal data from across Western Europe (Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany).
Results indicate a high level of variation among individual bifacial tools and assemblages. Each bifacial tool concept is correlated with various methods of production, resulting in large degrees of morphological variation. Despite such variation, a distinct three-fold, macro-regional pattern was identified: the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) in the southwest dominated by handaxes, the Keilmessergruppen (KMG) in the northeast typified by backed and leaf-shaped bifacial tools, and, finally a new unit, the Mousterian with Bifacial Tools (MBT), geographically situated between these two major entities, and characterised by a wider variety of bifacial tools.
Differing local conditions, such as raw material or function, are not sufficient to explain this observed macro-regional tripartite. Instead, the MTA and KMG can be viewed as two distinct cultural traditions, where the production of a specific bifacial tool concept was passed on over generations. Conversely, the MBT is interpreted as a border zone where highly mobile groups of Neanderthals from both the east (KMG) and west (MTA) interacted.
Principally, this study presents an archaeological contribution to behavioural concepts such as regionality, culture, social transmission and population dynamics. It illustrates the interpretive potential of large-scale lithic studies, and more specifically the presence of regionalised cultural behaviour amongst late Neanderthal groups in Western Europe.
This paper presents a summary of the first season of fieldwork and archive assessment undertaken ... more This paper presents a summary of the first season of fieldwork and archive assessment undertaken in 2010 as part of the Quaternary Archaeology and Environments of Jersey Project. The principle aim of the project is to provide a reassessment of the early prehistoric record of Jersey, through targeted sampling and key-hole excavation of poorly understood find spots, as well as a major reassessment of La Cotte de St Brelade. This paper presents the successful results of two weeks of intensive fieldwork at three localities, demonstrating the rich potential for early prehistoric archaeology on the island. Furthermore, the value of the island’s record in further understanding the long term record of human occupation in the English Channel region is discussed.
Les Néandertaliens ont occupé la totalité du territoire belge, ce qui se traduit aujourd’hui par ... more Les Néandertaliens ont occupé la totalité du territoire belge, ce qui se traduit aujourd’hui par 441 points de découvertes d’éléments lithiques. Les instruments bifaciaux y abondent, puisque 184 de ces sites en ont livré, et permettent d’identifier diverses influences régionales. Le bref aperçu que nous en avons donné illustre toute la complexité liée à cette documentation. Des pièces bifaciales typiquement rapportables tantôt au M.T.A., tantôt au K.M.G. sont représentées, ainsi que des « modèles intermédiaires ». La position du territoire belge n’est pas étrangère à cette situation. Situé à la marge septentrionale des régions à forte tradition M.T.A. et à la marge occidentale du K.M.G., il constitue—au même titre que l’est et le nord de la France — une zone tampon où influences occidentales et orientales se mêlent et s’entremêlent jusqu’à constituer des industries atypiques.
At Oosthoven (Oud-Turnhout, prov. Antwerp) several lithic artefacts were collected during amateur... more At Oosthoven (Oud-Turnhout, prov. Antwerp) several lithic artefacts were collected during amateur surveys on a field at the locality Heieinde. These finds included several small bifaces and consequently a small-scale excavation was undertaken at the location in 1993 by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven to contextualise these artefacts (Van Peer & Verbeek, 1994). This paper will give an overview of the results of this excavation campaign, the characteristics of the lithic assemblage, the wider
European context of the finds and the potential for further work at the site.
In this paper the bifacial tool types from the last glacial cycle (MIS 5d–3) in continental North... more In this paper the bifacial tool types from the last glacial cycle (MIS 5d–3) in continental Northwestern Europe are analysed. Firstly, a framework in which the different bifacial elements are defined is created. This is done in order to anticipate any epistemological problems related to the studied assemblages being described by different academic traditions and methods. Secondly, it is established which taxonomic entities are present in Western and Central Europe and if they are characterised by specific bifacial elements. It is demonstrated that at least three technocomplexes can be distinguished: Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (small, symmetric cordiform and triangular handaxes), Micoquian or Keilmessergruppe (asymmetric, non-covering retouched and sometimes rather thick bifaces, often with backing, e.g. Keilmesser, Faustkeilblätter, Halbkeile and Fäustel), and a leaf point industry. Subsequently, it is shown that bifacial elements, including typical Micoquian types, are more common in continental Northwestern Europe than previously thought. At several sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Western and Northern France both typical Micoquian and Mousterian bifacial elements occur, leaving a typological dilemma as to which technocomplex they should be assigned. Finally, these mixed assemblages are defined, and statistical analyses prove they differ from the Mousterian and Micoquian.
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Conference Presentations by Karen Ruebens
Here, we apply ZooMS to all morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments larger than 2 cm (n = 817) recovered from the 2012-2013 excavated Châtelperronian layer at Cassenade (Dordogne, France). Collagen was extracted using the ammonium-bicarbonate (AmBic) extraction method and over 99% of the sampled bone fragments could be taxonomically identified. While the proportion of Equidae is similar in the ZooMS and zooarchaeological collections, Bos/Bison is represented at a threefold increase in the ZooMS fraction (50.8 vs 16.7%). Conversely, Ursidae, the dominant taxa in the morphologically identifiable remains (36.6%), only formed 7.3% of the ZooMS fragments. While large proportions of the Rhinocerotidae (63.79%), Elephantidae (52%), Equidae (48%) and Bos/Bison (45%) remains have been digested by carnivores, this is only the case for 1.7% of the Ursidae ZooMS fragments. Three-dimensional data is available for all the ZooMS-identified fragments and confirm the near-exclusive presence of cave bear in the lower part of the sequence. Further, the ZooMS spatial data identified a restricted presence of mammoth in the middle part of the sequence and a diverging presence of reindeer and Cervid/saiga remains at the bottom and top.
Overall, this study illustrates the added value of integrating zooarchaeological and ZooMS datasets to obtain additional insights into past ecologies, changing site use, carnivore diet and human subsistence practices.
Securely identifying hafted weapon tips is complex and past analyses of MP points have mainly focused on individual artefacts, their morphometric characteristics, use-wear and residue traces. Conversely, studies that contextualise MP points at an assemblage level, cross comparing various blank and tool types, are sparse, especially for the European record, even though they are key to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of point shapes in the Neanderthal tool kit.
This poster presents two sets of initial results of this Marie Curie-Sklodawska funded project. Firstly, at the regional scale, it outlines the occurrence and typo-technological characteristics of point shapes across MP assemblages in Western Europe. Results indicate the low presence of triangular forms in many Middle Palaeolithic assemblages but also their more common occurrence in certain specific spatio-temporal entities (e.g. MIS-5 northern France or MIS-3 southeastern France).
Secondly, initial results from an assemblage level study of the lithic material from layer 1 of the Abri du Maras rockshelter (MIS-3, Southeastern France) are presented. Focus was on the material from the 1946-1950 excavation by R. Gilles which resulted in a lithic collection of around 3,000 artefacts. Past studies have pointed out the presence of several pointed flakes with convergent ventral retouch, assigning the assemblage to the so-called Neronian, a late Middle Paleolithic entity only known from the Rhone valley. A detailed attribute analysis focused on the recording across all blanks of a series of features which have been linked to projectile use or hafting (e.g. diagnostic impact fracture, lateral crushing, basal modifications). Results indicate a large variability in the convergent tools, both in terms of blank type (Levallois, discoidal and laminar flaking) as well as retouch extent and location. This poster will further present and cross compare these points within the context of the rest of the assemblage.
Teaching Documents by Karen Ruebens
It aims to introduce kids to the lifeways and hunting strategies of
Neanderthals based on the most recent scientific discoveries through a series of hands on activities (colouring, cutting, connect the dots, memory game).
Papers by Karen Ruebens
The results demonstrate the challenging nature of the 50–35 ka record, with many interpretive problems caused by poorly recorded excavations, resulting in only 25 well-contextualised assemblages from the claimed 143 Châtelperronian find spots. These 25 assemblages facilitate more detailed chronostratigraphic and typo-technological assessments and show that the Châtelperronian has a homogenous set of technologies and tools. A similar evaluation of the late Mousterian indicates a wide-ranging late Neanderthal skill set, commonly including laminar blank production and backing. Further, conceptual similarities were noted both in blank selection and edge modification between Mousterian and Châtelperronian backed knives, alongside their near-absence in other, contemporaneous technocomplexes.
A Europe-wide contextualisation shows that while the current coarse-grained record still allows for several potential scenarios, the data throughout this paper point towards a most parsimonious model of a Châtelperronian made by Neanderthals, with roots in the late Middle Palaeolithic technological skill set. However, this change seems triggered by early arrivals of modern humans either indirectly, through stimulus diffusion, or directly, after ca. 42 ka. Fully testing this model requires an ongoing focus on site formation and assemblage integrity, alongside in-depth analyses of recently excavated assemblages and existing collections.
doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.011
Primary data from seven key assemblages (Oosthoven, Grotte du Docteur, Sint-Geertruid, Saint-Just en Chaussée, Saint-Julien de la Liègue, Bois-du-Rocher and Champlost) is integrated with published data from an additional 45 assemblages, allowing for an extensive assessment of the characteristics of these biface-rich assemblages. Results suggest a large amount of typo-technological variability, as expressed through the varying nature of several technological attributes (raw material, blank type, cortex remnant, cross section and edge angles), as well as through the presence of different bifacial tool concepts and bifacial tool types.
The limited chronostratigraphic information available suggests the presence of bifacial tools in northwest Europe throughout the warm phases of both MIS 5 and MIS 3. Furthermore, a detailed regional overview identifies common ground within many of these northwest European late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages. Rather than a series of region-specific entities, this research proposes that a larger-scale distinction can be made between assemblages dominated by classic handaxes, and assemblages characterised by the generalised application of bifacial retouch. The latter contain a wider variety of bifacial tools and it is, therefore, suggested to group these assemblages under the overarching label of ‘Mousterian with Bifacial Tools’ (MBT). Detailed studies of new, well-contextualised assemblages are needed to fully unravel the causal factors and behavioural intricacies underlying this bifacial tool variability and the MBT entity."
Results indicate a high level of variation among individual bifacial tools and assemblages. Each bifacial tool concept is correlated with various methods of production, resulting in large degrees of morphological variation. Despite such variation, a distinct three-fold, macro-regional pattern was identified: the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) in the southwest dominated by handaxes, the Keilmessergruppen (KMG) in the northeast typified by backed and leaf-shaped bifacial tools, and, finally a new unit, the Mousterian with Bifacial Tools (MBT), geographically situated between these two major entities, and characterised by a wider variety of bifacial tools.
Differing local conditions, such as raw material or function, are not sufficient to explain this observed macro-regional tripartite. Instead, the MTA and KMG can be viewed as two distinct cultural traditions, where the production of a specific bifacial tool concept was passed on over generations. Conversely, the MBT is interpreted as a border zone where highly mobile groups of Neanderthals from both the east (KMG) and west (MTA) interacted.
Principally, this study presents an archaeological contribution to behavioural concepts such as regionality, culture, social transmission and population dynamics. It illustrates the interpretive potential of large-scale lithic studies, and more specifically the presence of regionalised cultural behaviour amongst late Neanderthal groups in Western Europe.
European context of the finds and the potential for further work at the site.
Here, we apply ZooMS to all morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments larger than 2 cm (n = 817) recovered from the 2012-2013 excavated Châtelperronian layer at Cassenade (Dordogne, France). Collagen was extracted using the ammonium-bicarbonate (AmBic) extraction method and over 99% of the sampled bone fragments could be taxonomically identified. While the proportion of Equidae is similar in the ZooMS and zooarchaeological collections, Bos/Bison is represented at a threefold increase in the ZooMS fraction (50.8 vs 16.7%). Conversely, Ursidae, the dominant taxa in the morphologically identifiable remains (36.6%), only formed 7.3% of the ZooMS fragments. While large proportions of the Rhinocerotidae (63.79%), Elephantidae (52%), Equidae (48%) and Bos/Bison (45%) remains have been digested by carnivores, this is only the case for 1.7% of the Ursidae ZooMS fragments. Three-dimensional data is available for all the ZooMS-identified fragments and confirm the near-exclusive presence of cave bear in the lower part of the sequence. Further, the ZooMS spatial data identified a restricted presence of mammoth in the middle part of the sequence and a diverging presence of reindeer and Cervid/saiga remains at the bottom and top.
Overall, this study illustrates the added value of integrating zooarchaeological and ZooMS datasets to obtain additional insights into past ecologies, changing site use, carnivore diet and human subsistence practices.
Securely identifying hafted weapon tips is complex and past analyses of MP points have mainly focused on individual artefacts, their morphometric characteristics, use-wear and residue traces. Conversely, studies that contextualise MP points at an assemblage level, cross comparing various blank and tool types, are sparse, especially for the European record, even though they are key to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of point shapes in the Neanderthal tool kit.
This poster presents two sets of initial results of this Marie Curie-Sklodawska funded project. Firstly, at the regional scale, it outlines the occurrence and typo-technological characteristics of point shapes across MP assemblages in Western Europe. Results indicate the low presence of triangular forms in many Middle Palaeolithic assemblages but also their more common occurrence in certain specific spatio-temporal entities (e.g. MIS-5 northern France or MIS-3 southeastern France).
Secondly, initial results from an assemblage level study of the lithic material from layer 1 of the Abri du Maras rockshelter (MIS-3, Southeastern France) are presented. Focus was on the material from the 1946-1950 excavation by R. Gilles which resulted in a lithic collection of around 3,000 artefacts. Past studies have pointed out the presence of several pointed flakes with convergent ventral retouch, assigning the assemblage to the so-called Neronian, a late Middle Paleolithic entity only known from the Rhone valley. A detailed attribute analysis focused on the recording across all blanks of a series of features which have been linked to projectile use or hafting (e.g. diagnostic impact fracture, lateral crushing, basal modifications). Results indicate a large variability in the convergent tools, both in terms of blank type (Levallois, discoidal and laminar flaking) as well as retouch extent and location. This poster will further present and cross compare these points within the context of the rest of the assemblage.
It aims to introduce kids to the lifeways and hunting strategies of
Neanderthals based on the most recent scientific discoveries through a series of hands on activities (colouring, cutting, connect the dots, memory game).
The results demonstrate the challenging nature of the 50–35 ka record, with many interpretive problems caused by poorly recorded excavations, resulting in only 25 well-contextualised assemblages from the claimed 143 Châtelperronian find spots. These 25 assemblages facilitate more detailed chronostratigraphic and typo-technological assessments and show that the Châtelperronian has a homogenous set of technologies and tools. A similar evaluation of the late Mousterian indicates a wide-ranging late Neanderthal skill set, commonly including laminar blank production and backing. Further, conceptual similarities were noted both in blank selection and edge modification between Mousterian and Châtelperronian backed knives, alongside their near-absence in other, contemporaneous technocomplexes.
A Europe-wide contextualisation shows that while the current coarse-grained record still allows for several potential scenarios, the data throughout this paper point towards a most parsimonious model of a Châtelperronian made by Neanderthals, with roots in the late Middle Palaeolithic technological skill set. However, this change seems triggered by early arrivals of modern humans either indirectly, through stimulus diffusion, or directly, after ca. 42 ka. Fully testing this model requires an ongoing focus on site formation and assemblage integrity, alongside in-depth analyses of recently excavated assemblages and existing collections.
doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.011
Primary data from seven key assemblages (Oosthoven, Grotte du Docteur, Sint-Geertruid, Saint-Just en Chaussée, Saint-Julien de la Liègue, Bois-du-Rocher and Champlost) is integrated with published data from an additional 45 assemblages, allowing for an extensive assessment of the characteristics of these biface-rich assemblages. Results suggest a large amount of typo-technological variability, as expressed through the varying nature of several technological attributes (raw material, blank type, cortex remnant, cross section and edge angles), as well as through the presence of different bifacial tool concepts and bifacial tool types.
The limited chronostratigraphic information available suggests the presence of bifacial tools in northwest Europe throughout the warm phases of both MIS 5 and MIS 3. Furthermore, a detailed regional overview identifies common ground within many of these northwest European late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages. Rather than a series of region-specific entities, this research proposes that a larger-scale distinction can be made between assemblages dominated by classic handaxes, and assemblages characterised by the generalised application of bifacial retouch. The latter contain a wider variety of bifacial tools and it is, therefore, suggested to group these assemblages under the overarching label of ‘Mousterian with Bifacial Tools’ (MBT). Detailed studies of new, well-contextualised assemblages are needed to fully unravel the causal factors and behavioural intricacies underlying this bifacial tool variability and the MBT entity."
Results indicate a high level of variation among individual bifacial tools and assemblages. Each bifacial tool concept is correlated with various methods of production, resulting in large degrees of morphological variation. Despite such variation, a distinct three-fold, macro-regional pattern was identified: the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) in the southwest dominated by handaxes, the Keilmessergruppen (KMG) in the northeast typified by backed and leaf-shaped bifacial tools, and, finally a new unit, the Mousterian with Bifacial Tools (MBT), geographically situated between these two major entities, and characterised by a wider variety of bifacial tools.
Differing local conditions, such as raw material or function, are not sufficient to explain this observed macro-regional tripartite. Instead, the MTA and KMG can be viewed as two distinct cultural traditions, where the production of a specific bifacial tool concept was passed on over generations. Conversely, the MBT is interpreted as a border zone where highly mobile groups of Neanderthals from both the east (KMG) and west (MTA) interacted.
Principally, this study presents an archaeological contribution to behavioural concepts such as regionality, culture, social transmission and population dynamics. It illustrates the interpretive potential of large-scale lithic studies, and more specifically the presence of regionalised cultural behaviour amongst late Neanderthal groups in Western Europe.
European context of the finds and the potential for further work at the site.
Moreover, the analyses show that some lithic assemblages in continental northwestern Europe do not fit into this current framework of Middle Palaeolithic industries. More specifically assemblages that contain a contemporary presence of Micoquian and Mousterian bifacial elements occur regularly, leaving a typological dilemma to assign them to one of these two technocomplexes. This leads to the question: do Micoquian and Mousterian industries represent behaviourally discrete entities and how do ‘mixed’ assemblages fit into this?
After exploring the techno-typological characteristics of these ‘mixed’ assemblages, possible reasons for the variability in bifacial elements and the causes for the occurrence of mixed assemblages, including the relationship between the Micoquian and Mousterian, are presented. Interpreting this phenomenon is preliminary since the evidence is coarse-grained due to many old excavations and a lack of chronostratigraphic information. Most likely the mixed occurrences can be explained in relation to population migrations caused by climate change.
Currently, in Western Europe distinct types of Late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools are associated with two macro-regional entities, the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) and the Keilmessergruppe (KMG). These two entities, centred in Southwestern France and Germany, also link to two different research traditions which use a variety of competing terms, typologies and definitions. This study uses a new classificatory approach to overcome these epistemological issues and facilitates for the first time wider-scale comparisons, incorporating the regions located in between the MTA and KMG core areas.
Bifacial tools from 14 key assemblages were analysed through an extensive attribute analysis, creating a database with primary data for 1,303 bifacial tools. This data was then incorporated with other published site information allowing for a detailed assessment of both the typo-technological characteristics of the bifacial tools and their variability.
Firstly, the results indicate that genuine differences exist among Late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tool assemblages regardless of the classificatory framework. Secondly, exploration of the data using three different scales of analysis allowed for the recognition of different variation patterns and interpretations. At a micro-scale, it is clear that a large amount of typo-technological variability exists among Late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools, which can mainly be attributed to differences in local conditions, such as raw material and function.
At a macro-scale the MTA/KMG dichotomy was confirmed by a distinct divide between classic handaxes and backed bifacial tools west and east of the Rhine. Additionally, a third entity, the Mousterian with bifacial tools (MBT), is located in between the MTA and KMG core areas and contains a wide variety of bifacial tools, including MTA and KMG types. At a meso-scale, several previously identified regional entities were merged into the MTA and MBT, but specific spatio-temporal units do exist, e.g. bout-coupé handaxes in MIS3 Britain.
At both this meso- and macro-scale the observed patterns cannot be explained merely by referring to differences in local settings, but require an additional sphere of interpretation, argued here to be culture. The MTA and KMG can be seen as two distinct cultural traditions, reflecting different lines of learned behavior, as expressed by different ways of making bifacial tools. The sporadic spread of KMG elements across Western Europe is indicative of Neanderthal population dynamics and the MBT is interpreted as the results of MTA-KMG interactions in an overlap zone where foreign influences were more easily absorbed. Finally, the distinct presence and absence of certain bifacial tool types in specific regions allow to argue for the presence of a collective cultural capacity among Neanderthals. "
Iza Romanowska - Lower Palaeolithic of Central and Eastern Europe: Critical Re-evaluation of the Current State of Knowledge.............................................1
David Underhill - The Earliest Middle Stone Age of Northern South Africa: The Cave of Hearths and Bushman Rock Shelter...................................................13
Matt Pope, Martin Bates, James Cole, Chantal Conneller, Karen Ruebens, Beccy Scott, Andrew Shaw, Geoff Smith, Dave Underhill and Rebecca Wragg Sykes - Quaternary Environments and Archaeology of Jersey: A New Multidisciplinary project looking at the early prehistoric occupation of the English Channel Region....................................................................................27
Rachel Bynoe - Interglacial Neanderthal Ecology: evidence of absence?......39
Jean-Paul Raynal, Marie-Hélène Moncel, Camille Daujeard, Paul Fernandes, Ivana Fiore, Antonio Tagliacozzo, Muriel Lecorre-Le Beux, Gemma Chacon Navarro and Angeliki Theodoropoulou - Neanderthal land-use and related tool-kits at the MIS 5/4 boundary in the South-East portion of the French Massif Central..............................................................................................................53
Rebecca Wragg Sykes - Creating Country: Late Middle Palaeolithic Landscape Enculturation ....................................................................................................73
Theodora Moutsiou - Changing Scales of Obsidian Movement and Social Networking.......................................................................................................85
Jessica Cooney - Analyzing the Child Burials of Upper Palaeolithic Europe..............................................................................................................97
Audrey Lafarge, Vincent Delvigne, Delphine Rémy, Paul Fernandes and Jean-Paul Raynal. - Ancient Magdalenian of the French Massif Central revisited: a reappraisal of unit F2 of the Rond du Barry cave (Polignac, Haute-Loire, France)..........................................................................................................109
Liliane Janik - The social contexts of Palaeolithic Figural Art: Performativity,
Materialisation and Fragmentation..................................................................131
Rebecca Farbstein - Differentiating French Magdalenian portable art
assemblages: new analyses of low-relief technologies on antler ...............141
Matt Grove - Scatters, Patches, and Palimpsests: Solving the Contemporaneity Problem...............................................................................153
Fotini Kofidou - People, places and things: understanding Lateglacial personhood through mobility and exchange .................................................165
CAHO 10 Closing words by Dr John McNabb and Dr William Davies.............177
Pages 1-23
John McNabb
The Identity Model: A Theory to access Visual Display and Hominin Cognition within the Palaeolithic
Pages 24-40
James Cole
Hominin Tool Production, Neural Integration and the Social Brain
Pages 41-64
Derek Hodgson
Rethinking Phylogeny and Ontogeny in Hominin Brain Evolution
Pages 65-91
Fiona Coward and Matt Grove
Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany;
Abstract:
Recent, detailed analyses of key individual Châtelperronian (CP) assemblages [1,2] stress the distinct Upper Palaeolithic nature of this entity, which occurred in France and northern Spain between ca. 44 and 39 ka cal BP. A blade technology with a focus on backed elements and the co-occurrence of bone tools, personal ornaments and pigments characterise the Châtelperronian. This fully Upper Palaeolithic nature more than ever raises questions about the origins of this industry and its links with the local Mousterian.
Since the early 20th century the presence of retouched backed knives in both the CP and Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) has been used to argue for an evolutionary link between these two entities. More recently, this link has been supported further by technological studies, arguing for a unique shared focus on elongated and backed blanks [3]. Conversely, other studies have stressed the role of taphonomic disturbance, questioning these typo-technological links and the Mousterian origin of the CP in general [4, 5]. However, fully comprehending the origins of the CP requires a wider, data-driven perspective, re-assessing the integrity, chrono-stratigraphic and typo-technological characteristics of both the Châtelperronian and the various French late Mousterian assemblages.
This presentation will focus down on detailing the typo-technological characteristics of the Châtelperronian and its Mousterian substrate. It firstly reassesses the contextual quality of the 143 assemblages that over the years have been assigned to the Châtelperronian. It is clear that many face severe interpretive limitations, mainly related to poor excavation and recording techniques, non-diagnostic lithic characteristics or small assemblage size, and/or taphonomic disturbance. Subsequent further analyses will then focus on the 25 well-contextualised assemblages and their typo-technological composition. Secondly, the various late Mousterian entities present in France between ca. 50 and 40 ka cal BP, including the MTA type A, MTA type B and the discoidal-denticulate Mousterian, are discussed, with a specific focus on the characteristics of the Mousterian assemblages underlying the CP and differences in lithic density, assemblage size and typo-technological composition. Finally, the evidence both in favour and against a Mousterian origin for the Châtelperronian is debated, alongside its potential behavioural implications.
1) the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA)
core in Southwestern France; cordiform and triangular handaxes
2) the recent Micoquian or Keilmessergruppe (KMG)
centred in Germany; backed (Keilmesser) and leafshaped (Faustkeilblatter) bifacial tools
Additionally several more local types and entities have been defined and as a result a dense cloud of different terminologies (in a variety of languages) and different typologies is currently in use; this severely hinders a wider pan-European comparison. The research presented here provides a new perspective on the techno-typological and territorial characteristics of these Late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools by:
- Unravelling this epistemological confusion and creating a simplified typological framework that incorporates all the existing local terms and types
- taking a macro-regional approach and incorporating the regions in between the MTA and KMG core areas
The results of the reanalysis of 14 key assemblages from 5 countries (France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Britain and Germany) will be presented. Are the currently identified types and territorial trends a genuine occurrence in the archaeological record or merely an artificial creation caused by the application of different classificatory frameworks by different research traditions
Unravelling these epistemological/terminological issues is a must to be able to come to a better understanding of the presence of bifacial tools during the recent phase of the Middle Palaeolithic (MIS 5d-3). This poster will propose a new simplified typological framework and present some preliminary results of the application of this simple typology to the actual archaeological record. Are there genuine regional trends recognisable within late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools or are these merely the result of the presence of different academic traditions?