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Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2017

Experimental approach of shell bead manufacturing technique during Epigravettian : efficiency and variability

Résumé

Throughout the Upper Palaeolithic, shell beads experienced few modifications as the only manufacturing stage is reduced to the perforation of the shell. In epigravettian contexts, whereas raw material identification is systematic, the characterisation of perforation techniques is still rarely considered. The few studies which take in account this aspect show that technical choices vary much more than raw material choices ; therefore bringing to light new information regarding cultural differentiation in epigravettian groups. It seems therefore necessary today to characterise precisely the traces specific to each perforation technique to define the technical choices adopted by different prehistoric groups. Nevertheless, some factors might modify the traces and efficiency of the techniques. The shell thickness can vary according to the species and to environmental conditions, which can change significantly from one area to another within the same body of water. Thus we made an experimentation using three species, commonly discovered in epigravettian contexts: Tritia pellucida, Tritia neritea and Columbella rustica. Eight perforations (direct and indirect percussion, pressure, sawing, manual rotation, scratching, grinding, and inside-out bipolar percussion techniques were tested to identify their traces and variability depending on the species tested and the origin of the shell. The drills used during the experimentation were replica of drills discovered in the epigravettian site of Riparo Tagliente. This site was chosen because one of the levels (level 13a alfa) revealed lithic drills and perfored shells. This association could be interpreted as traces of shell bead manufacturing activity. These experimentations and the traceological analysis of the archaeological shells and drills, should enable us to understand the link between the techniques involved, the species exploited and the visible traces on shells.
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Dates et versions

hal-02079951 , version 1 (26-03-2019)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-02079951 , version 1

Citer

Leïla Hoareau, Chiara Zen, Federica Fontana, Sylvie Beyries. Experimental approach of shell bead manufacturing technique during Epigravettian : efficiency and variability. Building Bridges, 23rd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists, 2017, Maastricht, Netherlands. ⟨hal-02079951⟩
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