2014_Au carrefour des influences culturelles ? Les industries lithiques de la fin du Tardiglaciaire entre Alpes du nord et Jura, 11 500-9 500 CalBC (original) (raw)

in M. Langlais, N. Naudinot, M. Peresani (dir.), Les sociétés de l’Allerød et du Dryas récent entre Atlantique et méditéranée, Séance de la Société préhistorique française

Over the last ten years, several academic studies (Pion, 2004; Mevel, 2010; Béreiziat, 2011; Fornage-Bontemps, in progress) combined with more extensive collaborative research projects (Cupillard dir., 2008; Pion and Mevel, 2009) have considerably improved our perception of the “post-Magdalenian” in the French Jura and Northern Alps. Despite occupations from the Allerød and Younger Dryas having been known for some time in this large area, detailed analyses remain rare with previous studies focusing almost exclusively on typology. This article presents a techno-economic analysis alongside an archaeo-stratigraphic re-evaluation of several different litho-stratigraphic assemblages dated to between the Allerød and the Younger Dryas. The results presented here shed light on the homogeneity of Azilian lithic technology. Furthermore, the appearance of new projectile elements puts into perspective the coherence of the various cultural identities known from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition within a geographic context open to influences from both the north and south. Our analysis focuses on lithic industries from three major sites in Eastern France: Rochedane (Villars-sous-Dampjoux, Doubs), Abri Gay (Poncin, Ain) and La Fru (Saint- Christophe-la-Grotte, Savoie). The stratigraphic and taphonomic context of each site was first carefully reassessed. At Rochedane, layer A4, which is particularly interesting having been attributed to the Younger Dryas, has been affected by only minimal inter-layer contamination (Fornage-Bontemps, in progress). The archeo-stratigraphic analysis of litho-stratigraphic layer F2b at Abri Gay, initially attributed to the Early Azilian, has revealed the presence of a technical component contemporary with the Allerød interstadial (Béreiziat, 2011). Finally, at La Fru, these approaches have highlighted post-depositional disturbances within each of the twelve litho-stratigraphic units from the three different sequences allowing the archaeological assemblages to be reassigned to different assemblages (Mevel and Bressy, 2009 ; Mevel, 2010, accepted). Lithic assemblages assigned to the Allerød are relatively numerous in the Alps and Jura with some fifteen sites having produced at least one layer contemporary with this climatic oscillation. Based on current data, it is still difficult to propose a chronological seriation of the archaeological assemblages as the different dates currently available for Eastern France mainly belong to the Upper Magdalenian and Early Azilian (Oberlin and Pion, 2009). However, analysis of the lithic assemblages can provide some relevant observations concerning the relative chronology and techno-economic organisation of lithic technologies characteristic of this period. A certain degree of variability is evident in the lithic industries associated with the Allerød interstadial. The expedient nature of the lithic technology seems to gradually increase, leading to a radical transformation in techno-economic behaviours typical of the Early Azilian. Although this proposal still requires further support by more dates, the most expedient lithic elements seem to be contemporary with the most recent Azilian assemblages. At least one assemblage from La Fru (layer 5 of area 3) which is more recent based on available radiocarbon dates, differs from this trend both typologically and technologically. New forms of microliths appear in the Alps and Jura during the Younger Dryas in parallel with a profound transformation in the technical behaviour of these human groups. While the literature suggests a possible diversity of cultural trends in these areas (presence of the Laborian: Bintz dir., 1995; Monin, 2000), several sites very clearly share the same lithic component characterised by a single microlithic concept – points with backing on their right edge – and common technical traditions evident in the production of bladelets from very narrow cores using a soft-stone hammer. Taken together, this information suggests these industries can be aligned with the Epigravettian, particularly its most recent phase. Suspected for some time, this hypothesis is now supported by technological observations and comparisons with other well-known Recent Epigravettian assemblages. During the Late Azilian we also note an important circulation of raw materials and ornaments from the Mediterranean to the Northern Alps, perhaps reflecting the path by which technical ideas, hitherto confined to Southern Europe, diffused into the region. The results presented here certainly require further development, making it more necessary than ever to improve the archaeological record of these periods. Nearly all the available lithic assemblages have now been reassessed and only new fieldwork will provide insights concerning the adaptations and circulation of technical ideas at the extreme end of the Palaeolithic.