From the function to the structure of tools: going backwards in the lithic chaîne opératoire to investigate the diversity of lithic assemblages of the European Lower Palaeolithic - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Poster De Conférence Année : 2022

From the function to the structure of tools: going backwards in the lithic chaîne opératoire to investigate the diversity of lithic assemblages of the European Lower Palaeolithic

Résumé

European Lower Palaeolithic assemblages are characterized by a wide range of diversity (bifaces, flakes industries, pebbles, small tools…). This variability is accepted but still misunderstood, which constitutes an obstacle to identify the socio-economic behaviors of human groups in this period. Differences in assemblage composition are often explained only by cultural factors, without taking into account the influence of the raw material, tools function or the palaeoenvironmental context. As tools are produced to meet a need, we choose to participate in their characterization by focusing on their function. In this perspective, through a combined functional and techno-morpho-functional analysis, we first identified the modes of use of the tools, then we went backwards in the chaîne opératoire to identify the structuring elements of the tools (active part, prehensive part and energy transmitting part; Boëda, 1997). This approach gives the opportunity to comprehend the tool at different levels: at the individual scale and within its lithic assemblage. The structural and functional requirements conditioning the tools being then defined, the other factors influencing tool production, such as cultural trends or raw materials availability, could be perceived. The study focuses on nine archaeological lithic assemblages, which are representative of the typo-technological diversity that characterizes the period and from varied occupation modalities and paleoclimatic contexts: Soucy (France; MIS 9), Marathousa 1 (Greece; MIS 12) and Valle Giumentina (Italy; MIS 15-12). These sites are well-dated, well-preserved and well-documented, to build a solid chronostratigraphic and contextual framework. The results show that the tools are used in a brief and gentle way for a diverse range of activities. They are frequently structured around an active and a prehensile part (cortex, back, abrupt and/or irregular retouch) regardless of the tool support. The adaptation to the local raw material and the desire to obtain a cutting edge and a non-cutting edge could be the reason for the diversity of the ancient artifacts. It suggests that the composition of the lithic assemblages reflects the flexibility of human groups and their adaptation to immediate needs, to diversified local raw materials and to varied paleoenvironmental contexts. Other elements such as weight or ergonomy should be considered now to continue this re-evaluation of the lithic assemblages.
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Dates et versions

hal-04421414 , version 1 (27-01-2024)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-04421414 , version 1

Citer

Juliette Guibert-Cardin, Vincent Lhomme, Vangelis Tourloukis, Elisa Nicoud, Sylvie Beyries. From the function to the structure of tools: going backwards in the lithic chaîne opératoire to investigate the diversity of lithic assemblages of the European Lower Palaeolithic. European Society for the study of Human Evolution, Sep 2022, Tübingen, Germany, France. ⟨hal-04421414⟩
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