porraz guillaume | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique / French National Centre for Scientific Research (original) (raw)

Papers by porraz guillaume

Lesedi, 2020

Guillaume Porraz est chargé de recherche au CNRS au laboratoire LAMPEA de l'UMR 7269 à l'universi... more Guillaume Porraz est chargé de recherche au CNRS au laboratoire LAMPEA de l'UMR 7269 à l'université Aix-Marseille et chercheur associé à l'université de Witwatersrand, à Johannesburg. Il travaille en Afrique australe depuis 2006, et participe et codirige plusieurs projets de recherche dans les provinces du Limpopo, duW estern Cape et du Kwazulu-Natal en Afrique du Sud, mais aussi dans le massif des Matobo au Zimbabwe. Ses travaux se concentrent sur l'étude des sociétés humaines du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur et l'engagent sur la question des techniques de leur histoire et de leur évolution.

PCI ARCHAEOLOGY, 2020

In southern Africa, key technologies and symbolic behaviors develop as early as the later Middle ... more In southern Africa, key technologies and symbolic behaviors develop as early as the later Middle Stone Age in MIS5. These innovations arise independently in various places, contexts and forms, until their full expression during the Still Bay and the Howiesons Poort. The Middle Stone Age sequence from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, on the West Coast of the region, preserves archaeological proxies that help unravelling the cultural processes at work. This unit yields one of the oldest abstract engraving so far discovered in Africa, in the form of a rhomboid marking on the cortical surface of an ungulate long bone shaft. The comprehensive analysis of the lithic artefacts and ochre pieces found in association with the engraved bone documents the transport of rocks over long distance (>20km), the heat treatment of silcrete, the coexistence of seven lithic reduction strategies (including the production of bladelets and the manufacture of unifacial and bifacial points), the use of adhesives and the processing of ochre. At Diepkloof, the appearance of engraving practices take place in a context that demonstrates a shift in rock procurement and a diversification in lithic reduction strategies, suggesting that these behavioral practices acted as a cultural answer to cope with new environmental and/or socioeconomic circumstances. We argue that the innovations later found during the Still Bay and the Howiesons Poort were already in the making during the MIS5 pre-Still Bay, though not all the benefits were yet taken advantage of by the populations.

Edge convergence, which is typical for pointed tools, is a major morphological feature contributi... more Edge convergence, which is typical for pointed tools, is a major morphological feature contributing to the definition of the African Middle Stone Age (MSA). The multifaceted character of points might be the key to their success and for their recurrent adoption by prehistoric populations. Whether MSA points represent a good proxy to identify populations and to discuss their interconnectedness is a question to address at several scales of observation. In this paper, we develop an approach on technological point production based on the collections from Bushman Rock Shelter (Limpopo Province, South Africa), relying on a combined study of technology and tool use. The large-scale comparison of our results with other MIS 5 occurrences in southern African show similar technological and use-wear patterns, indicating regionally-specific features. We emphasize the limits of current knowledge and the future research goals to be developed in order to better serve the interpretation of cultural contacts or convergent evolutions between ancient groups during this period of the MSA.

Microbiome, 2020

Background: The archaeological incidence of ancient human faecal material provides a rare opportu... more Background: The archaeological incidence of ancient human faecal material provides a rare opportunity to explore the taxonomic composition and metabolic capacity of the ancestral human intestinal microbiome (IM). Here, we report the results of the shotgun metagenomic analyses of an ancient South African palaeo-faecal specimen. Methods: Following the recovery of a single desiccated palaeo-faecal specimen from Bushman Rock Shelter in Limpopo Province, South Africa, we applied a multi-proxy analytical protocol to the sample. The extraction of ancient DNA from the specimen and its subsequent shotgun metagenomic sequencing facilitated the taxonomic and metabolic characterisation of this ancient human IM. Results: Our results indicate that the distal IM of the Neolithic 'Middle Iron Age' (c. AD 1460) Bantu-speaking individual exhibits features indicative of a largely mixed forager-agro-pastoralist diet. Subsequent comparison with the IMs of the Tyrolean Iceman (Ötzi) and contemporary Hadza hunter-gatherers, Malawian agro-pastoralists and Italians reveals that this IM precedes recent adaptation to 'Western' diets, including the consumption of coffee, tea, chocolate, citrus and soy, and the use of antibiotics, analgesics and also exposure to various toxic environmental pollutants.

Within the animal kingdom, carnivores occupied a unique place in prehistoric societies. At times ... more Within the animal kingdom, carnivores occupied a unique place in prehistoric societies. At times predators or competitors for resources and shelters, anthropogenic traces of their exploitation, often for non-nutritional purposes, permeate the archaeological record. Scarce but spectacular depictions in Palaeolithic art confirm peoples' fascination with carnivores. In contrast with the European record, research on hominin/carnivore interactions in Africa has primarily revolved around the hunting or scavenging debate amongst early hominins. As such, the available information on the role of carnivores in Anatomically Modern Humans' economic and cultural systems is limited. Here, we illustrate a particular relationship between humans and carnivores during the MIS5-4 Still Bay and Howiesons Poort techno-complexes at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa. The recovery of numerous felid remains, including cut-marked phalanges, tarsals and metapodials, constitutes direct evidence for carnivore skinning and, presumably, pelt use in the southern African Middle Stone Age. Carnivore exploitation at the site seems to have focused specifically on nocturnal, solitary and dangerous felines. the lines of evidence presented here suggest the capture and fur use of those felines in the context of highly codified and symbolically loaded cultural traditions. Interactions with felids are deeply rooted in the evolutionary trajectory of hominins; they manifest themselves in terms of competition, predation and/or exploitation (e.g. 1-7). In Europe, the identification of carnivore tooth marks on hominin bones points towards a predominantly predator/prey type of relationship between felids and Middle Palaeolithic populations (e.g. 6). A rare case of Middle Pleistocene hominin exploitation of a large felid (Panthera leo fossilis) is documented at the Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, in Spain 2. Coinciding with the cultural bourgeoning associated with the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe, these interactions seem to take on a new form, with felids occupying a significant role within symbolic practices of modern human groups. Exploitation of medium (lynx Lynx lynx) and large (cave lion Panthera spelaea) felids by Upper Palaeolithic people is well documented across Western Europe: canines, either perforated and worn as personal ornaments 8-11 or used as retouchers 7 , have been recovered from several archaeological assemblages. Felid bones exhibiting cut-marks consistent with skinning and possible fur use are also known from various sites in that region (e.g. 5,11,12). Felid representations attest to the symbolic value attributed to these predators by Upper Palaeolithic societies. Remarkable examples include the magnificent felid depictions from Chauvet Cave in France 13 and the therianthropic Löwenmenschen ivory figurines recovered from sites in the Swabian Jura 4,14,15. At La Garma in Spain, the recovery of cut-marked distal phalanges of cave lion Panthera spelaea illustrates the use of pelts from this dangerous animal, interpreted in the light of ritual activities during the Magdalenian 5 .

Southern African Humanities, 2019

Microlithic Wilton scrapers are widespread stone tools of the southern African Holocene Later Sto... more Microlithic Wilton scrapers are widespread stone tools of the southern African Holocene Later Stone Age. Though they have been studied and classified in various ways, there are still many uncertainties regarding their fabrication, function and hafting, which ultimately produce one question: are all these scrapers the same tool? The scraper variability in one site, Balerno Main Shelter in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, is investigated through a morpho-functional analysis of the Late Holocene (end-)scraper assemblage. The results of our analysis led us to individualise three types of tool that vary primarily with regard to the characteristics of their passive units (the assumed prehensile part). This classification is accompanied by hypotheses about the hafting and functioning of these scrapers, and carries implications for the categorisation of Wilton scrapers throughout southern Africa.

Heuningneskrans was briefly excavated in 1968 by Peter Beaumont who exposed a 6.35 m deep archaeo... more Heuningneskrans was briefly excavated in 1968 by Peter Beaumont who exposed a 6.35 m deep archaeological sequence. However, as with other sites in the former Transvaal Province, Heuningneskrans has since played a minimal role in subsequent Stone Age research. The site was drawn to our attention while elaborating our research programme at Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS). The sites are approximately 4 km from each other and located in the Ohrigstad Valley, near the Blyde River catchment. This area, on the eastern margin of the Great Escarp-ment, connects the interior plateau of southern Africa (Highveld) with the Lowveld and the Mozambican coastal plain. In 2018, we reopened Heuningneskrans to expose and sample the profiles, contextualise Beaumont's data, evaluate the site's potential, and its complementa-rity with BRS. The excavation exposed a finely stratified sequence illustrating the action of various sedimentary agents. The last use of the site is associated with Iron Age groups, but most of the sequence documents human occupations that predate 27 000 cal. BP, and last until 8000 cal. BP (calibration OxCal 4.3 SHCal 13). The results of this first excavation campaign, together with ongoing investigations at BRS, highlight that this area is instrumental for the study of Middle and Later Stone Age developments in southern Africa.

Lithic Technology, 2019

Blade technology, long associated solely with the Upper Paleolithic (UP) as an indicator of moder... more Blade technology, long associated solely with the Upper Paleolithic (UP) as an indicator of modern behavior, appears as early as the Middle Pleistocene and is present during the Middle Paleolithic (MP) and the Middle Stone Age (MSA). The nature behind the appearance of early laminar assemblages remains poorly understood. Yet current excavations at Sibudu Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) have yielded MIS 5 lithic assemblages that contribute to the understanding of the diversity of blade technologies during the MSA.
Following the chaîne opératoire approach, we explain how the knappers at Sibudu developed a laminar reduction strategy characterized by unidirectional cores with a lateral crest opposite a flat surface. The core configuration facilitated the production of blades with different intended morphological characteristics. Our results highlight the distinctiveness of the laminar reduction system of the D-A layers and foster the discussion on the role of this technological choice within the Southern African MSA.

In the past few decades, a diverse array of research has emphasized the precocity of technically ... more In the past few decades, a diverse array of research has emphasized the precocity of technically advanced and symbolic practices occurring during the southern African Middle Stone Age. However, uncertainties regarding the regional chrono-cultural framework constrain models and identification of the cultural and ecological mechanisms triggering the development of such early innovative behaviours. Here, we present new results and a refined chronology for the Pietersburg, a techno-complex initially defined in the late 1920's, which has disappeared from the literature since the 1980's. We base our revision of this techno-complex on ongoing excavations at Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS) in Limpopo Province, South Africa, where two Pietersburg phases (an upper phase called '21' and a lower phase called '28') are recognized. Our analysis focuses on the '28' phase, characterized by a knapping strategy based on Levallois and semi-prismatic laminar reduction systems and typified by the presence of end-scrapers. Luminescence chronology provides two sets of ages for the upper and lower Pietersburg of BRS, dated respectively to 73±6ka and 75±6ka on quartz and to 91±10ka and 97±10ka on feldspar, firmly positioning this industry within MIS5. Comparisons with other published lithic assemblages show technological differences between the Pietersburg from BRS and other southern African MIS5 traditions, especially those from the Western and Eastern Cape. We argue that, at least for part of MIS5, human populations in South Africa were regionally differentiated, a process that most likely impacted the way groups were territorially and socially organized. Nonetheless, comparisons between MIS5 assemblages also indicate some typological similarities, suggesting some degree of connection between human groups, which shared similar innovations but manipulated them in different ways. We pay particular attention to the end-scrapers from BRS, which represent thus far the earliest documented wide adoption of such tool-type and provide further

Understanding hunting technology is pivotal in the study of adaptive and innovative forces that i... more Understanding hunting technology is pivotal in the study of adaptive and innovative forces that influenced the evolution of prehistoric societies. The manufacture, design and use of hunting weapons involve technical processes such as those of tool miniaturization, blank standardization and projection modes, but also influence broader demographic structures such as human subsistence strategies, territorial organization and socio-economic structures. Here we present a unique discovery from a newly discovered site at Les Prés de Laure (Var, France). Excavations revealed a multi-stratified open-air site with archaeological units that were rapidly buried by the alluvium of the Jabron River. In a Gravettian layer dated between 25 and 23.5 ka cal BP, within an area apparently dedicated to horse carcasses processing and consumption, 11 backed points were discovered in direct association with altered bone remains. Wear and residue analysis of the lithic backed points in combination with complementary experimental data converge to indicate that the find represents a bone point armed with lithic barbs and used as hunting weapon. This discovery provides new evidence for the manufacture and use of hunting weaponry in a Gravettian context and stimulates discussion on Paleolithic weapon function and design, offering a unique window into the characterization of prehistoric hunting strategies.

mots-clés.– Paléolithique moyen, technologie lithique, techno-économie, moyenne montagne, Sud-Est... more mots-clés.– Paléolithique moyen, technologie lithique, techno-économie, moyenne montagne, Sud-Est, France.

L'étude du site de surface de la Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille se situe dans le contexte d'une recherche large qui porte sur les modalités d'occupations de l'Arc Liguro-Provençal (ALP) au cours du Paléolithique moyen. Sur ce site, la découverte de matériel lithique en surface, appuyée par des observations stratigraphiques et une première étude géoarchéologique, renseigne le premier témoin direct d'une occupation moustérienne dans la région des Préalpes nord-varoises. L'étude de la collection montre une exploitation de matières premières essentiellement locales, dans le cadre d'une production dominée par un concept Levallois dans une modalité unipolaire. L'ouverture vers les sites du littoral, au sein desquels les silex nord-varois sont régulièrement retrouvés, ouvre finalement une discussion sur la nature des organisations territoriales et des structures techno-économiques au Paléolithique moyen dans cette région.

The site of « Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille » (Bargème, France), presence of a mousterian settlement within the north-Var Prealps abstract.– This study is part of a broader research perspective dealing with the question of Middle Palaeolithic settlement patterns within the Liguro-Provençal Arc. The discovery of surface lithic material at the site of La Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille (Bargème, Var), together with in situ artefacts and a preliminary geoarchaeological study, provide first direct evidences of Mousterian occupations within the north-Var Prealps. The study of the lithic collection shows that Mousterian groups mostly exploited local flints following an unipolar Levallois reduction sequence. The integration of coastal sites, wherein north-Var flints are regularly found, opens a broader discussion on the nature of the territorial organization and of the techno-economic structures during the Middle Palaeolithic in this region.

Beads and pigments represent compelling evidence that humans decorated their bodies and used them... more Beads and pigments represent compelling evidence that humans decorated their bodies and used them to convey complex social messages. While the manufacturing process of ostrich eggshell and marine shell beads is firmly established, their common association with pigment residues still remains poorly understood. Here, we focus on various types of beads from the early Holocene of Bushman Rock Shelter (Limpopo, South Africa), namely ostrich eggshell, giant land snail (Achatina sp.) shell and marine shell (Nassarius kraussianus) beads. We propose a new approach combining a technological and use-wear study of the beads with chemical analyses (SEM-EDS and Raman analyses) of the coloured residues they bear. Together with the discovery of marine beads, of particular interest since they originate more than 240 km away from the site, our detailed study of the beads and associated pigment residues demonstrates a complex system of ornamental representation. We identified a minimum of two types of red compound 'recipes', with evidence that one was employed as adhesive while the other one might be consistent with the production of a pigment. Non-local minerals were recognised in adhesive recipes, namely chromite and ilmenite in one case, and graphite in the other. We further discuss ornamental traditions, their social implications and their increasing importance at the onset of the Holocene in southern Africa.

Projectile technology is considered to appear early in the southern African Middle Stone Age (MSA... more Projectile technology is considered to appear early in the southern African Middle Stone Age (MSA) and the rich and high resolution MSA sequence of Sibudu Cave in KwaZulu-Natal has provided many new insights about the use and hafting of various projectile forms. We present the results of a functional and technological analysis on a series of unpublished serrated bifacial points recently recovered from the basal deposits of Sibudu Cave. These serrated tools, which only find equivalents in the neighbouring site of Umhlatuzana, precede the Still Bay techno-complex and are older than 77 ka BP. Independent residue and use-wear analyses were performed in a phased procedure involving two separate analysts, which allowed the engagement between two separate lines of functional evidence. Thanks to the excellent preservation at Sibudu Cave, a wide range of animal, plant and mineral residues were observed in direct relation with diagnostic wear patterns. The combination of technological, wear and residue evidence allowed us to confirm that the serration was manufactured with bone compressors and that the serrated points were mounted with a composite adhesive as the tips of projectiles used in hunting activities. The suite of technological and functional data pushes back the evidence for the use of pressure flaking during the MSA and highlights the diversity of the technical innovations adopted by southern African MSA populations. We suggest the serrated points from the stratigraphic units Adam to Darya of Sibudu illustrate one important technological adaptation of the southern African MSA and provide another example of the variability of MSA bifacial technologies.

Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is one of the key sites for the analysis of the Late Pleistocene/Holocene r... more Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is one of the key sites for the analysis of the Late Pleistocene/Holocene record in southern Africa. It typifies an area of study, the West Coast of South Africa, which benefits from a long history of research, from the 1960s until today. The 2011 project of EBC was initiated within the framework of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) research at Diepkloof Rock Shelter (DRS). The objective was to build a local synthesis and a complementary picture on the basis of these two sites located 14 km apart from one another, on the left bank of the Verlorenvlei. The excavation at EBC took place during May 2011 with the aim of clarifying the site formation processes, the chronology of the Late Pleistocene occupations as well as the nature of the technological sequence. Our excavation focused on a 1.2 m deep profile that records two main occupational phases separated by a significant hiatus: (1) the initial phase represents an early MSA technology (previously called 'MSA 1' by T. Volman 1981) within deposits that started accumulating ca. 250 ka years ago; (2) the second phase documents (late) MSA, Early Later Stone Age (ELSA) and Robberg occupations. The present synthesis is part of a series of several papers that take a multidisciplinary perspective. In this paper, we introduce our 2011 excavation, present our main results and discuss the succession from the late MSA to the LSA at EBC. In an epilogue, we provide a comparison between the archaeological records of EBC and DRS and further explore the reasons why these two sites do not represent similar occupational sequences.

The Early Middle Stone Age (EMSA) of southern Africa represents a poorly defined period in terms ... more The Early Middle Stone Age (EMSA) of southern Africa represents a poorly defined period in terms of chronology, palaeoenvironments, subsistence strategies and technological traditions. This lack of understanding is directly related to the low number of EMSA deposits that have been excavated, but concomitantly, it also reflects the poor interest accorded by most of the recent archaeological projects. In this context, the excavation that we undertook at Elands Bay Cave (EBC) in the West Coast of South Africa in 2011 provides a good opportunity to discuss the oldest occupations at the site, which have been assigned to the 'MSA 1' by T. Volman (1981) and which purportedly belong to the earliest MSA traditions of southern Africa. In the present paper, we provide a technological study of the 'MSA 1' lithic assemblage. Our results demonstrate the near-exclusive use of local quartzite by the inhabitants of EBC. This raw material was preferentially selected in the form of slabs and large flakes to produce blanks that were used without further retouching. We identified various reduction sequences that we unify under a concept referred to as 'POL-reduction strategy'. Furthermore, we perform intersite technological comparisons and conclude that on technological grounds the 'MSA 1' of Elands Bay Cave dates back to MIS 6, in agreement with the luminescence dating. We acknowledge current difficulties in building a chrono-cultural framework at a subcontinental scale. Thus, we discuss the relevance of the term 'MSA 1' and instead advocate a more neutral and generic label of 'EMSA' (understood here as late Middle Pleistocene MSA technologies). The analysis of the EMSA of EBC sheds new light on the patterns and changes that characterise behaviours and organisations of Anatomically Modern Humans over the last 200 ka.

Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is a key South African site allowing discussion of technological change and... more Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is a key South African site allowing discussion of technological change and adaptations that occurred from the Upper Pleniglacial to the Holocene. In 2011, we set out a new field campaign aiming to clarify the nature and chronology of the earliest Robberg occupations at the site, a technocomplex whose appearance closely relates to the Last Glacial Maximum. Our results document the appearance of the Robberg technology at ca. 19 398–18 790 cal BP, succeeding a phase commonly referred to as the Early Later Stone Age. In this paper, we further develop the definition of the Robberg by providing a technological and functional study of the MOS1 lithic assemblage at EBC, dated to 14 605–14 278 cal BP. Our results show that EBC occupants dominantly selected local quartz in addition to heat-treated silcrete that was introduced from distances greater than 30 km. Robberg inhabitants applied different reduction strategies combining bipolar/anvil and soft stone hammer percussion. Reduction sequences were oriented toward the production of a set of small artefacts (< 25 mm long) that can be generically classified as bladelets. The low incidence of retouched forms and the absence of geometrics, together with our functional study, testify to a flexible composite microlithic technology. We also discuss the raw material provisioning strategies of EBC Robberg inhabitants and develop the question of the intra-and inter-assemblages variability. Finally, we attempt to discuss its temporal trends and conclude on the originality of the Robberg technology within the context of other Late Pleistocene microlithic traditions.

Elands Bay Cave provides the opportunity to characterize Holocene technologies and hunter-gathere... more Elands Bay Cave provides the opportunity to characterize Holocene technologies and hunter-gatherers adaptations in the West Coast of South Africa. In this paper, we discuss the question of adhesives uses and manufactures by applying a biomolecular and technological analysis to three unpublished organic artefacts recovered from the 1970s excavation. The first piece is a large handle made of adhesive and with a tear-drop shape (the 'handle'), the second piece is a kind of pencil grip wrapping a microlithic quartz segment (the 'grip'), and the last piece takes the form of a macro-residue likely sealing the perforation of an ostrich eggshell flask (the 'sealant'). The results of our study document the selection and transformation of Podocarpus resin, mixed with quartz sand to produce adhesive. One case study (the sealant) suggests that fat was added to the recipe in order to modify the adhesive's properties. The paper provides a unique insight into Holocene organic technologies and fuels ideas on how hunter-gatherers adapted and took benefit from local natural resources. We suggest that Podocarpus, in South Africa, has been specifically chosen for adhesive manufacture since, at least, the MIS4.

Since the early 1980s, the sourcing of lithic raw materials has become central to studies of the ... more Since the early 1980s, the sourcing of lithic raw materials has become central to studies of the territorial range and mobility strategies of Pleistocene foraging societies. Results have been fruitful but somehow repetitive. We will discuss the embedded procurement strategy, which presumes that raw material acquisition was part of other subsistence activities rather than an autonomous technological task. We argue that this theoretical assumption, when taken as dogma, restricts the role of technology in human history and also underestimates the way some lithic resources may have affected the organization of past hunter-gatherers. We base our discussion on the Upper Paleolithic (UP) from the Liguro-Provenc¸al arc, with examples from the Proto-Aurignacian and the Epigravettian. Our regional record shows that in this context the movement of rocks over distances greater than 100 km was the norm rather than the exception. We argue that these long-distance procurements mirror technical needs that were oriented toward the selection of high-quality flints. We support the hypothesis that indirect procurement was an important component of regional socioeconomic networks.

Lesedi, 2020

Guillaume Porraz est chargé de recherche au CNRS au laboratoire LAMPEA de l'UMR 7269 à l'universi... more Guillaume Porraz est chargé de recherche au CNRS au laboratoire LAMPEA de l'UMR 7269 à l'université Aix-Marseille et chercheur associé à l'université de Witwatersrand, à Johannesburg. Il travaille en Afrique australe depuis 2006, et participe et codirige plusieurs projets de recherche dans les provinces du Limpopo, duW estern Cape et du Kwazulu-Natal en Afrique du Sud, mais aussi dans le massif des Matobo au Zimbabwe. Ses travaux se concentrent sur l'étude des sociétés humaines du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur et l'engagent sur la question des techniques de leur histoire et de leur évolution.

PCI ARCHAEOLOGY, 2020

In southern Africa, key technologies and symbolic behaviors develop as early as the later Middle ... more In southern Africa, key technologies and symbolic behaviors develop as early as the later Middle Stone Age in MIS5. These innovations arise independently in various places, contexts and forms, until their full expression during the Still Bay and the Howiesons Poort. The Middle Stone Age sequence from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, on the West Coast of the region, preserves archaeological proxies that help unravelling the cultural processes at work. This unit yields one of the oldest abstract engraving so far discovered in Africa, in the form of a rhomboid marking on the cortical surface of an ungulate long bone shaft. The comprehensive analysis of the lithic artefacts and ochre pieces found in association with the engraved bone documents the transport of rocks over long distance (>20km), the heat treatment of silcrete, the coexistence of seven lithic reduction strategies (including the production of bladelets and the manufacture of unifacial and bifacial points), the use of adhesives and the processing of ochre. At Diepkloof, the appearance of engraving practices take place in a context that demonstrates a shift in rock procurement and a diversification in lithic reduction strategies, suggesting that these behavioral practices acted as a cultural answer to cope with new environmental and/or socioeconomic circumstances. We argue that the innovations later found during the Still Bay and the Howiesons Poort were already in the making during the MIS5 pre-Still Bay, though not all the benefits were yet taken advantage of by the populations.

Edge convergence, which is typical for pointed tools, is a major morphological feature contributi... more Edge convergence, which is typical for pointed tools, is a major morphological feature contributing to the definition of the African Middle Stone Age (MSA). The multifaceted character of points might be the key to their success and for their recurrent adoption by prehistoric populations. Whether MSA points represent a good proxy to identify populations and to discuss their interconnectedness is a question to address at several scales of observation. In this paper, we develop an approach on technological point production based on the collections from Bushman Rock Shelter (Limpopo Province, South Africa), relying on a combined study of technology and tool use. The large-scale comparison of our results with other MIS 5 occurrences in southern African show similar technological and use-wear patterns, indicating regionally-specific features. We emphasize the limits of current knowledge and the future research goals to be developed in order to better serve the interpretation of cultural contacts or convergent evolutions between ancient groups during this period of the MSA.

Microbiome, 2020

Background: The archaeological incidence of ancient human faecal material provides a rare opportu... more Background: The archaeological incidence of ancient human faecal material provides a rare opportunity to explore the taxonomic composition and metabolic capacity of the ancestral human intestinal microbiome (IM). Here, we report the results of the shotgun metagenomic analyses of an ancient South African palaeo-faecal specimen. Methods: Following the recovery of a single desiccated palaeo-faecal specimen from Bushman Rock Shelter in Limpopo Province, South Africa, we applied a multi-proxy analytical protocol to the sample. The extraction of ancient DNA from the specimen and its subsequent shotgun metagenomic sequencing facilitated the taxonomic and metabolic characterisation of this ancient human IM. Results: Our results indicate that the distal IM of the Neolithic 'Middle Iron Age' (c. AD 1460) Bantu-speaking individual exhibits features indicative of a largely mixed forager-agro-pastoralist diet. Subsequent comparison with the IMs of the Tyrolean Iceman (Ötzi) and contemporary Hadza hunter-gatherers, Malawian agro-pastoralists and Italians reveals that this IM precedes recent adaptation to 'Western' diets, including the consumption of coffee, tea, chocolate, citrus and soy, and the use of antibiotics, analgesics and also exposure to various toxic environmental pollutants.

Within the animal kingdom, carnivores occupied a unique place in prehistoric societies. At times ... more Within the animal kingdom, carnivores occupied a unique place in prehistoric societies. At times predators or competitors for resources and shelters, anthropogenic traces of their exploitation, often for non-nutritional purposes, permeate the archaeological record. Scarce but spectacular depictions in Palaeolithic art confirm peoples' fascination with carnivores. In contrast with the European record, research on hominin/carnivore interactions in Africa has primarily revolved around the hunting or scavenging debate amongst early hominins. As such, the available information on the role of carnivores in Anatomically Modern Humans' economic and cultural systems is limited. Here, we illustrate a particular relationship between humans and carnivores during the MIS5-4 Still Bay and Howiesons Poort techno-complexes at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa. The recovery of numerous felid remains, including cut-marked phalanges, tarsals and metapodials, constitutes direct evidence for carnivore skinning and, presumably, pelt use in the southern African Middle Stone Age. Carnivore exploitation at the site seems to have focused specifically on nocturnal, solitary and dangerous felines. the lines of evidence presented here suggest the capture and fur use of those felines in the context of highly codified and symbolically loaded cultural traditions. Interactions with felids are deeply rooted in the evolutionary trajectory of hominins; they manifest themselves in terms of competition, predation and/or exploitation (e.g. 1-7). In Europe, the identification of carnivore tooth marks on hominin bones points towards a predominantly predator/prey type of relationship between felids and Middle Palaeolithic populations (e.g. 6). A rare case of Middle Pleistocene hominin exploitation of a large felid (Panthera leo fossilis) is documented at the Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, in Spain 2. Coinciding with the cultural bourgeoning associated with the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe, these interactions seem to take on a new form, with felids occupying a significant role within symbolic practices of modern human groups. Exploitation of medium (lynx Lynx lynx) and large (cave lion Panthera spelaea) felids by Upper Palaeolithic people is well documented across Western Europe: canines, either perforated and worn as personal ornaments 8-11 or used as retouchers 7 , have been recovered from several archaeological assemblages. Felid bones exhibiting cut-marks consistent with skinning and possible fur use are also known from various sites in that region (e.g. 5,11,12). Felid representations attest to the symbolic value attributed to these predators by Upper Palaeolithic societies. Remarkable examples include the magnificent felid depictions from Chauvet Cave in France 13 and the therianthropic Löwenmenschen ivory figurines recovered from sites in the Swabian Jura 4,14,15. At La Garma in Spain, the recovery of cut-marked distal phalanges of cave lion Panthera spelaea illustrates the use of pelts from this dangerous animal, interpreted in the light of ritual activities during the Magdalenian 5 .

Southern African Humanities, 2019

Microlithic Wilton scrapers are widespread stone tools of the southern African Holocene Later Sto... more Microlithic Wilton scrapers are widespread stone tools of the southern African Holocene Later Stone Age. Though they have been studied and classified in various ways, there are still many uncertainties regarding their fabrication, function and hafting, which ultimately produce one question: are all these scrapers the same tool? The scraper variability in one site, Balerno Main Shelter in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, is investigated through a morpho-functional analysis of the Late Holocene (end-)scraper assemblage. The results of our analysis led us to individualise three types of tool that vary primarily with regard to the characteristics of their passive units (the assumed prehensile part). This classification is accompanied by hypotheses about the hafting and functioning of these scrapers, and carries implications for the categorisation of Wilton scrapers throughout southern Africa.

Heuningneskrans was briefly excavated in 1968 by Peter Beaumont who exposed a 6.35 m deep archaeo... more Heuningneskrans was briefly excavated in 1968 by Peter Beaumont who exposed a 6.35 m deep archaeological sequence. However, as with other sites in the former Transvaal Province, Heuningneskrans has since played a minimal role in subsequent Stone Age research. The site was drawn to our attention while elaborating our research programme at Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS). The sites are approximately 4 km from each other and located in the Ohrigstad Valley, near the Blyde River catchment. This area, on the eastern margin of the Great Escarp-ment, connects the interior plateau of southern Africa (Highveld) with the Lowveld and the Mozambican coastal plain. In 2018, we reopened Heuningneskrans to expose and sample the profiles, contextualise Beaumont's data, evaluate the site's potential, and its complementa-rity with BRS. The excavation exposed a finely stratified sequence illustrating the action of various sedimentary agents. The last use of the site is associated with Iron Age groups, but most of the sequence documents human occupations that predate 27 000 cal. BP, and last until 8000 cal. BP (calibration OxCal 4.3 SHCal 13). The results of this first excavation campaign, together with ongoing investigations at BRS, highlight that this area is instrumental for the study of Middle and Later Stone Age developments in southern Africa.

Lithic Technology, 2019

Blade technology, long associated solely with the Upper Paleolithic (UP) as an indicator of moder... more Blade technology, long associated solely with the Upper Paleolithic (UP) as an indicator of modern behavior, appears as early as the Middle Pleistocene and is present during the Middle Paleolithic (MP) and the Middle Stone Age (MSA). The nature behind the appearance of early laminar assemblages remains poorly understood. Yet current excavations at Sibudu Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) have yielded MIS 5 lithic assemblages that contribute to the understanding of the diversity of blade technologies during the MSA.
Following the chaîne opératoire approach, we explain how the knappers at Sibudu developed a laminar reduction strategy characterized by unidirectional cores with a lateral crest opposite a flat surface. The core configuration facilitated the production of blades with different intended morphological characteristics. Our results highlight the distinctiveness of the laminar reduction system of the D-A layers and foster the discussion on the role of this technological choice within the Southern African MSA.

In the past few decades, a diverse array of research has emphasized the precocity of technically ... more In the past few decades, a diverse array of research has emphasized the precocity of technically advanced and symbolic practices occurring during the southern African Middle Stone Age. However, uncertainties regarding the regional chrono-cultural framework constrain models and identification of the cultural and ecological mechanisms triggering the development of such early innovative behaviours. Here, we present new results and a refined chronology for the Pietersburg, a techno-complex initially defined in the late 1920's, which has disappeared from the literature since the 1980's. We base our revision of this techno-complex on ongoing excavations at Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS) in Limpopo Province, South Africa, where two Pietersburg phases (an upper phase called '21' and a lower phase called '28') are recognized. Our analysis focuses on the '28' phase, characterized by a knapping strategy based on Levallois and semi-prismatic laminar reduction systems and typified by the presence of end-scrapers. Luminescence chronology provides two sets of ages for the upper and lower Pietersburg of BRS, dated respectively to 73±6ka and 75±6ka on quartz and to 91±10ka and 97±10ka on feldspar, firmly positioning this industry within MIS5. Comparisons with other published lithic assemblages show technological differences between the Pietersburg from BRS and other southern African MIS5 traditions, especially those from the Western and Eastern Cape. We argue that, at least for part of MIS5, human populations in South Africa were regionally differentiated, a process that most likely impacted the way groups were territorially and socially organized. Nonetheless, comparisons between MIS5 assemblages also indicate some typological similarities, suggesting some degree of connection between human groups, which shared similar innovations but manipulated them in different ways. We pay particular attention to the end-scrapers from BRS, which represent thus far the earliest documented wide adoption of such tool-type and provide further

Understanding hunting technology is pivotal in the study of adaptive and innovative forces that i... more Understanding hunting technology is pivotal in the study of adaptive and innovative forces that influenced the evolution of prehistoric societies. The manufacture, design and use of hunting weapons involve technical processes such as those of tool miniaturization, blank standardization and projection modes, but also influence broader demographic structures such as human subsistence strategies, territorial organization and socio-economic structures. Here we present a unique discovery from a newly discovered site at Les Prés de Laure (Var, France). Excavations revealed a multi-stratified open-air site with archaeological units that were rapidly buried by the alluvium of the Jabron River. In a Gravettian layer dated between 25 and 23.5 ka cal BP, within an area apparently dedicated to horse carcasses processing and consumption, 11 backed points were discovered in direct association with altered bone remains. Wear and residue analysis of the lithic backed points in combination with complementary experimental data converge to indicate that the find represents a bone point armed with lithic barbs and used as hunting weapon. This discovery provides new evidence for the manufacture and use of hunting weaponry in a Gravettian context and stimulates discussion on Paleolithic weapon function and design, offering a unique window into the characterization of prehistoric hunting strategies.

mots-clés.– Paléolithique moyen, technologie lithique, techno-économie, moyenne montagne, Sud-Est... more mots-clés.– Paléolithique moyen, technologie lithique, techno-économie, moyenne montagne, Sud-Est, France.

L'étude du site de surface de la Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille se situe dans le contexte d'une recherche large qui porte sur les modalités d'occupations de l'Arc Liguro-Provençal (ALP) au cours du Paléolithique moyen. Sur ce site, la découverte de matériel lithique en surface, appuyée par des observations stratigraphiques et une première étude géoarchéologique, renseigne le premier témoin direct d'une occupation moustérienne dans la région des Préalpes nord-varoises. L'étude de la collection montre une exploitation de matières premières essentiellement locales, dans le cadre d'une production dominée par un concept Levallois dans une modalité unipolaire. L'ouverture vers les sites du littoral, au sein desquels les silex nord-varois sont régulièrement retrouvés, ouvre finalement une discussion sur la nature des organisations territoriales et des structures techno-économiques au Paléolithique moyen dans cette région.

The site of « Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille » (Bargème, France), presence of a mousterian settlement within the north-Var Prealps abstract.– This study is part of a broader research perspective dealing with the question of Middle Palaeolithic settlement patterns within the Liguro-Provençal Arc. The discovery of surface lithic material at the site of La Chapelle Sainte-Pétronille (Bargème, Var), together with in situ artefacts and a preliminary geoarchaeological study, provide first direct evidences of Mousterian occupations within the north-Var Prealps. The study of the lithic collection shows that Mousterian groups mostly exploited local flints following an unipolar Levallois reduction sequence. The integration of coastal sites, wherein north-Var flints are regularly found, opens a broader discussion on the nature of the territorial organization and of the techno-economic structures during the Middle Palaeolithic in this region.

Beads and pigments represent compelling evidence that humans decorated their bodies and used them... more Beads and pigments represent compelling evidence that humans decorated their bodies and used them to convey complex social messages. While the manufacturing process of ostrich eggshell and marine shell beads is firmly established, their common association with pigment residues still remains poorly understood. Here, we focus on various types of beads from the early Holocene of Bushman Rock Shelter (Limpopo, South Africa), namely ostrich eggshell, giant land snail (Achatina sp.) shell and marine shell (Nassarius kraussianus) beads. We propose a new approach combining a technological and use-wear study of the beads with chemical analyses (SEM-EDS and Raman analyses) of the coloured residues they bear. Together with the discovery of marine beads, of particular interest since they originate more than 240 km away from the site, our detailed study of the beads and associated pigment residues demonstrates a complex system of ornamental representation. We identified a minimum of two types of red compound 'recipes', with evidence that one was employed as adhesive while the other one might be consistent with the production of a pigment. Non-local minerals were recognised in adhesive recipes, namely chromite and ilmenite in one case, and graphite in the other. We further discuss ornamental traditions, their social implications and their increasing importance at the onset of the Holocene in southern Africa.

Projectile technology is considered to appear early in the southern African Middle Stone Age (MSA... more Projectile technology is considered to appear early in the southern African Middle Stone Age (MSA) and the rich and high resolution MSA sequence of Sibudu Cave in KwaZulu-Natal has provided many new insights about the use and hafting of various projectile forms. We present the results of a functional and technological analysis on a series of unpublished serrated bifacial points recently recovered from the basal deposits of Sibudu Cave. These serrated tools, which only find equivalents in the neighbouring site of Umhlatuzana, precede the Still Bay techno-complex and are older than 77 ka BP. Independent residue and use-wear analyses were performed in a phased procedure involving two separate analysts, which allowed the engagement between two separate lines of functional evidence. Thanks to the excellent preservation at Sibudu Cave, a wide range of animal, plant and mineral residues were observed in direct relation with diagnostic wear patterns. The combination of technological, wear and residue evidence allowed us to confirm that the serration was manufactured with bone compressors and that the serrated points were mounted with a composite adhesive as the tips of projectiles used in hunting activities. The suite of technological and functional data pushes back the evidence for the use of pressure flaking during the MSA and highlights the diversity of the technical innovations adopted by southern African MSA populations. We suggest the serrated points from the stratigraphic units Adam to Darya of Sibudu illustrate one important technological adaptation of the southern African MSA and provide another example of the variability of MSA bifacial technologies.

Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is one of the key sites for the analysis of the Late Pleistocene/Holocene r... more Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is one of the key sites for the analysis of the Late Pleistocene/Holocene record in southern Africa. It typifies an area of study, the West Coast of South Africa, which benefits from a long history of research, from the 1960s until today. The 2011 project of EBC was initiated within the framework of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) research at Diepkloof Rock Shelter (DRS). The objective was to build a local synthesis and a complementary picture on the basis of these two sites located 14 km apart from one another, on the left bank of the Verlorenvlei. The excavation at EBC took place during May 2011 with the aim of clarifying the site formation processes, the chronology of the Late Pleistocene occupations as well as the nature of the technological sequence. Our excavation focused on a 1.2 m deep profile that records two main occupational phases separated by a significant hiatus: (1) the initial phase represents an early MSA technology (previously called 'MSA 1' by T. Volman 1981) within deposits that started accumulating ca. 250 ka years ago; (2) the second phase documents (late) MSA, Early Later Stone Age (ELSA) and Robberg occupations. The present synthesis is part of a series of several papers that take a multidisciplinary perspective. In this paper, we introduce our 2011 excavation, present our main results and discuss the succession from the late MSA to the LSA at EBC. In an epilogue, we provide a comparison between the archaeological records of EBC and DRS and further explore the reasons why these two sites do not represent similar occupational sequences.

The Early Middle Stone Age (EMSA) of southern Africa represents a poorly defined period in terms ... more The Early Middle Stone Age (EMSA) of southern Africa represents a poorly defined period in terms of chronology, palaeoenvironments, subsistence strategies and technological traditions. This lack of understanding is directly related to the low number of EMSA deposits that have been excavated, but concomitantly, it also reflects the poor interest accorded by most of the recent archaeological projects. In this context, the excavation that we undertook at Elands Bay Cave (EBC) in the West Coast of South Africa in 2011 provides a good opportunity to discuss the oldest occupations at the site, which have been assigned to the 'MSA 1' by T. Volman (1981) and which purportedly belong to the earliest MSA traditions of southern Africa. In the present paper, we provide a technological study of the 'MSA 1' lithic assemblage. Our results demonstrate the near-exclusive use of local quartzite by the inhabitants of EBC. This raw material was preferentially selected in the form of slabs and large flakes to produce blanks that were used without further retouching. We identified various reduction sequences that we unify under a concept referred to as 'POL-reduction strategy'. Furthermore, we perform intersite technological comparisons and conclude that on technological grounds the 'MSA 1' of Elands Bay Cave dates back to MIS 6, in agreement with the luminescence dating. We acknowledge current difficulties in building a chrono-cultural framework at a subcontinental scale. Thus, we discuss the relevance of the term 'MSA 1' and instead advocate a more neutral and generic label of 'EMSA' (understood here as late Middle Pleistocene MSA technologies). The analysis of the EMSA of EBC sheds new light on the patterns and changes that characterise behaviours and organisations of Anatomically Modern Humans over the last 200 ka.

Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is a key South African site allowing discussion of technological change and... more Elands Bay Cave (EBC) is a key South African site allowing discussion of technological change and adaptations that occurred from the Upper Pleniglacial to the Holocene. In 2011, we set out a new field campaign aiming to clarify the nature and chronology of the earliest Robberg occupations at the site, a technocomplex whose appearance closely relates to the Last Glacial Maximum. Our results document the appearance of the Robberg technology at ca. 19 398–18 790 cal BP, succeeding a phase commonly referred to as the Early Later Stone Age. In this paper, we further develop the definition of the Robberg by providing a technological and functional study of the MOS1 lithic assemblage at EBC, dated to 14 605–14 278 cal BP. Our results show that EBC occupants dominantly selected local quartz in addition to heat-treated silcrete that was introduced from distances greater than 30 km. Robberg inhabitants applied different reduction strategies combining bipolar/anvil and soft stone hammer percussion. Reduction sequences were oriented toward the production of a set of small artefacts (< 25 mm long) that can be generically classified as bladelets. The low incidence of retouched forms and the absence of geometrics, together with our functional study, testify to a flexible composite microlithic technology. We also discuss the raw material provisioning strategies of EBC Robberg inhabitants and develop the question of the intra-and inter-assemblages variability. Finally, we attempt to discuss its temporal trends and conclude on the originality of the Robberg technology within the context of other Late Pleistocene microlithic traditions.

Elands Bay Cave provides the opportunity to characterize Holocene technologies and hunter-gathere... more Elands Bay Cave provides the opportunity to characterize Holocene technologies and hunter-gatherers adaptations in the West Coast of South Africa. In this paper, we discuss the question of adhesives uses and manufactures by applying a biomolecular and technological analysis to three unpublished organic artefacts recovered from the 1970s excavation. The first piece is a large handle made of adhesive and with a tear-drop shape (the 'handle'), the second piece is a kind of pencil grip wrapping a microlithic quartz segment (the 'grip'), and the last piece takes the form of a macro-residue likely sealing the perforation of an ostrich eggshell flask (the 'sealant'). The results of our study document the selection and transformation of Podocarpus resin, mixed with quartz sand to produce adhesive. One case study (the sealant) suggests that fat was added to the recipe in order to modify the adhesive's properties. The paper provides a unique insight into Holocene organic technologies and fuels ideas on how hunter-gatherers adapted and took benefit from local natural resources. We suggest that Podocarpus, in South Africa, has been specifically chosen for adhesive manufacture since, at least, the MIS4.

Since the early 1980s, the sourcing of lithic raw materials has become central to studies of the ... more Since the early 1980s, the sourcing of lithic raw materials has become central to studies of the territorial range and mobility strategies of Pleistocene foraging societies. Results have been fruitful but somehow repetitive. We will discuss the embedded procurement strategy, which presumes that raw material acquisition was part of other subsistence activities rather than an autonomous technological task. We argue that this theoretical assumption, when taken as dogma, restricts the role of technology in human history and also underestimates the way some lithic resources may have affected the organization of past hunter-gatherers. We base our discussion on the Upper Paleolithic (UP) from the Liguro-Provenc¸al arc, with examples from the Proto-Aurignacian and the Epigravettian. Our regional record shows that in this context the movement of rocks over distances greater than 100 km was the norm rather than the exception. We argue that these long-distance procurements mirror technical needs that were oriented toward the selection of high-quality flints. We support the hypothesis that indirect procurement was an important component of regional socioeconomic networks.

Libre accès / open access Abstract The characterisation of lithic sources exploited for the prod... more Libre accès / open access

Abstract
The characterisation of lithic sources exploited for the production of lithic assemblages plays an essential role with regard to a techno-economical approach. This kind of approach focusing on cognitive and socio-economical aspects is currently favoured in order to understand prehistoric social practices: mobility and territorial systems, exchange and networks, technical traditions or intercultural relationships. The comparison and the pooling of reference collections and databases and the interoperability of the methods used at various levels are still essential for the development of our knowledge in order to meet the requirements of material-culture and geomaterials specialists. From this perspective the meeting " Lithic resources, productions and transfers between the Alps and the Mediterranean " primarily aimed to present the state of research on the siliceous raw materials between the Rhone valley and the Apennine chain. Reference collections and databases as well as advances in archaeology were discussed. In addition, the latest developments with regard to the methods were addressed and their dissemination within the scientific community put into perspective. More particularly, the meeting aimed to present the state of current knowledge on lithic raw materials on the southern side of the Alps in France and in Italy, to report on and discuss significant results obtained over the last few years through studies based on these reference collections and to identify the research problems and perspectives in these field for the coming years.The session, hosted by the French Prehistoric Society, was held on 28-30 March 2013 at the " Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société Sud-Est (Nice) ". Almost eighty participants – speakers and audience –from various regions of France, Italy and Switzerland attended the meeting. The proceedings published in this volume collate most of the papers presented at the conference. The first day of the session was devoted to the presentation of the reference collections that were built up or are still in progress, whereas the second day was dedicated to the archaeological results related to their use. These contributions encompass a large geographic area, stretching from the Rhone River to Corsica, from Provence to the Marches and from Tyrol to the Salento Region, and they relate to a great part of the prehistoric periods, from the Palaeolithic up to the Copper Age.

Résumé
La caractérisation des géoressources exploitées pour la constitution des assemblages lithiques joue un rôle fondamental pour une approche technoéconomique intégrée. Dans une perspective à la fois cognitive et socio-économique, cette démarche est aujourd'hui privilégiée pour aborder les pratiques sociales préhistoriques : systèmes de mobilité et territorialité, transferts et réseaux, traditions techniques ou interculturalités. La confrontation et la mutualisation des référentiels et des bases de données, l'interopérabilité des méthodes mises en oeuvre à différentes échelles, restent cruciales pour un développement des connaissances qui satisfasse à la fois aux exigences des spécialistes de la culture matérielle et des géomatériaux. Dans cette perspective, les rencontres « Ressources lithiques, productions et transferts entre Alpes et Méditerranée » avaient pour objectifs principaux de dresser un état des connaissances sur les ressources siliceuses entre Rhône et Apennins, aussi bien pour ce qui concerne les référentiels et bases de données que pour ce qui concerne les développements archéologiques, mais aussi de prendre acte des évolutions méthodologiques les plus récentes et mettre en perspective leur dissémination au sein de la communauté scientifique. Il s'agissait plus précisément de diffuser une présentation générale des connaissances actuelles sur les matières premières lithiques au Sud des Alpes en France et en Italie, de présenter et échanger autour des résultats importants obtenus ces dernières années dans le cadre des études prenant appui sur ces référentiels et d'identifier les verrous et perspectives de la recherche dans ces domaines au cours des prochaines années. La séance qui s' est tenue du 28 au 30 mars 2013 à la Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société Sud-Est (Nice) sous les auspices de la Société Préhistorique Française, a réuni près de quatre-vingts participants – intervenants et auditeurs – provenant de différentes régions de France, d'Italie et de Suisse. Le présent volume restitue la plupart des communications orales présentées, avec une première journée consacrée à la présentation de référentiels constitués ou en cours de constitution et une seconde journée dédiée aux résultats archéologiques liés à leur exploitation. Ces contributions embrassent un large espace géographique, du Rhône à la Corse, de la Provence aux Marches et du Tyrol à la Toscane ; elles concernent une grande partie des périodes de la Préhistoire, du Paléolithique à l'âge du Cuivre.