Epipaleolitico

В статье представлены результаты технологического и экспериментально-трасологического анализов персональных украшений многослойной археологической стоянки Обишир-5 – ключевого объекта позднего плейстоцена – раннего голоцена в западной части Центральной Азии. Изучаемые артефакты из раннеголоценового комплекса памятника (литологические слои 2 и 3) – три подвески овальной, подтреугольной и подпрямоугольной формы, украшение-«лабретка» и заготовка подвески – составляют наиболее раннюю и многочисленную для данного региона серию каменных шлифованных украшений. Все изделия обнаружены в надежных стратиграфических условиях, для вмещающих культурных отложений получена серия радиоуглеродных дат. В результате комплексного петрографического, экспериментально-трасологического и технологического исследования реконструированы операционные последовательности изготовления украшений. Установлено, что в эпоху раннего голоцена их делали из местного сырья – талькита и серпентинита, источник которого находился в 4,5 км от стоянки. Заготовками подвесок служили мелкие гальки, обломки и сколы с более крупных отдельностей сырья. Процесс изготовления включал обработку поверхностей изделий шлифовкой и строганием, биконическое сверление и полировку. Выдвигается предположение о существовании традиции изготовления персональных украшений из мягких пород камня в западной части Центральной Азии 10,700–8,200 кал. л.н. Сопоставление изделий рассматриваемого типа из археологических комплексов финального плейстоцена – раннего голоцена западной части Центральной Азии, Среднего и Ближнего Востока позволило считать их одним из ярких индикаторов развития этих комплексов в одном направлении.

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The stratified site of Obishir-5 is one of the most important Final Pleistocene to Early Holocene sites in western Central Asia. In the Early Holocene component (10,700–8200 cal BP) of this site (layers 2 and 3), we discovered one of the oldest and largest assemblages of soft stone ornaments known from the region. It includes 5 items: three oval, sub-triangular, and sub-rectangular pendants, one “labret”-like ornament, and one ornament blank. All specimens come from stratified and well-dated contexts. As a result of the petrographic, experimental, use-wear, and technological analysis, we reconstructed the chaîne opératoire of these artifacts. To produce them, local raw materials (talcite and serpentinite) were transported from a source located 4.5 km away from the site. Small pebbles, shatters, and spalls split from nodules were used as blanks. The surface of the blank was first prepared using grinders and burins, then biconical drilling and polishing were used to finish the artifact. Our results point to an established tradition of personal ornament production from soft stone in western Central Asia during the Early Holocene. Comparison of these nonutilitarian artifacts with those from other Final Pleistocene to Early Holocene archaeological complexes across Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Near East suggests that personal ornament manufacture may be an important hallmark of social developments across a broad geographic region.

THE HOLOCENE COASTAL SITE OF SHM-1 (HERGLA, TUNISIA): CAPSIAN TRADITION AND EARLY
SEAFARING - A multidisciplinary study of the prehistoric settlements in eastern Tunisia was initiated in 2002 in the coastal environment of the Hergla territory. Several archaeological surveys, mainly around the Sebkhet Halk el Menjel lagoon, resulted in the identification of many sites, among which the Holocene rammadiya (Maghrebian open air site) of SHM-1. The anthropic stratigraphy of this site was established from several test-pits, one trench and an extensive excavation. A comparative study of the different sections and excavated surfaces revealed several major occupational horizons dated by 14C dating to between the second half of the 7th millennium and the second half of the 6th millennium cal. BC. The economy of the site was still epipalaeolithic, linked to hunting, fishing and gathering activities. The material culture is characterized by a strong Capsian substratum. Changes in material culture occurred throughout the occupation of the site, possibly as a result of the establishment of contacts with distant communities, as can be surmised by the appearance of obsidian from the island of
Pantelleria.

The stratified site of Obishir-5 is one of the most important Final Pleistocene to Early Holocene sites in western Central Asia. In the Early Holocene component (10,700–8,200 cal BP) of this site (layers 2 and 3), we discovered one of the oldest and largest assemblages of soft stone ornaments known from the region. It includes 5 items: three oval, sub-triangular, and sub-rectangular pendants, one " labret "-like ornament, and one ornament blank. All specimens come from stratified and well-dated contexts. As a result of the petrographic, experimental, use-wear, and technological analysis, we reconstructed the chaîne opératoire of these artifacts. To produce them, local raw materials (talcite and serpentinite) were from a source located 4.5 km away from the site. Small pebbles, shatters, and spalls split from nodules were used as blanks. The surface of the blank was first prepared using grinders and burins, then biconical drilling and polishing were used to finish the artifact. Our results point to an established tradition of personal ornament production from soft stone in western Central Asia during the Early Holocene. Comparison of these nonutilitarian artifacts with those from other Final Pleistocene to Early Holocene archaeological complexes across Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Near East suggests that personal ornament manufacture may be an important hallmark of social developments across a broad geographic region.

Les recerques en el jaciment de les coves de Santa Maira (Castell de Castells) han permès documentar una àmplia seqüència cronostratigràfica, arqueològica i paleoambiental, amb ocupacions humanes des de l'últim Pleniglacial fins al Neolític (aproximadament entre fa 20.000 i 5.500 anys abans del present) i materials puntuals que arriben a temps històrics recents. La informació extreta, per la qualitat del registre arqueològic, constitueix una referència de primer ordre en la discussió del trànsit Plistocè-Holocè a la regió mediterrània peninsular. Però a banda d'això la cavitat també ens ha ofert dades importants sobre els processos de canvi cultural , sobre les relacions entre la mitja muntanya i la costa i una de les poques mostres evidents de canibalisme en un context mesolític (8.500-8.000 anys abans del present). Finalment, un plafó d'art rupestre llevantí (declarat patrimoni mundial per la UNESCO el 1998) ens parla d'un altre tipus de manifestacions vinculades a aquest jaciment.

The site of Balma de la Massana is located in the town of Sant Esteve de la Sarga, in Pallars Jussà. The archaeological research conducted at this site was carried out in three excavation campaigns conducted in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The reason for this excavation project was based on establishing the cronocultural framework of the occupation and assessing the potential of the site. Three archaeological levels were documented during the project. In addition, the presence of four structures were also documented that we have interpreted as silos, which provide the profile of these
archaeological levels. These silos were excavated by removing all the filling that corresponded basically to sediment and debris from level 1. Datings carried out in the oldest level (level 3) situate the occupation during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.