STUDYING SPATIAL PATTERNS AT THE ABRI DU MARAS (SOUTH-EAST FRANCE, MIS 3): A GIS ANALYSIS AND 3D PALAEOTOPOGRAPHIC RECONSTRUCTION
Résumé
Intra-site spatial analysis of Middle Palaeolithic sites is among current debates regarding
the complexity of the social organisation and the cognition of Neanderthals. These
approaches make it possible to characterise how prehistoric groups occupied their living
space and how they organised their activity areas, thus to describe their cultural and
social behaviours. The Abri du Maras in South-East France is a major Middle Paleolithic
site and has already shown its potential to characterise the cognitive and technological
behaviours of Neanderthals. In this study, we carry out a high-resolution spatial analysis
focused primarily on the lithic assemblages of levels 4.1 and 4.2, dated to MIS 3. The
methodology combines two approaches: the use of innovative GIS tools from the free
and open-source QGIS software, and palaeosurface reconstructions, using 3D software,
allowing us to integrate palaeotopographic data to the spatial analysis. The results show
a similar use of space for both levels, that is to say a structured spatial organisation, with
main and peripheral activity zones. The densest areas were probably the remains of
intense knapping activities while some specific artefacts are used in the periphery. These
spatial patterns are similar to those described by ethnoarchaeological studies and
usually attributed to modern humans. They indicate a structured management of the
space. Our analysis confirms previous results from other Middle Palaeolithic sites,
attesting a complex spatial organisation and a social behaviour for Neanderthals. We
also highlight the relevance of our methodology, both the used of GIS tools and the
method of palaeotopographic reconstruction, as well as the complementarity of the 2D-
3D tools, to perform high-resolution spatial analysis of Palaeolithic sites