The Mousterian bone retouchers of Noisetier Cave: experimentation and identification of marks |
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Authors: | Jean-Baptiste Mallye Céline Thiébaut Vincent Mourre Sandrine CostamagnoÉmilie Claud Patrick Weisbecker |
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Institution: | a Univ. Bordeaux, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33400 Talence, France b CNRS, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33400 Talence, France c MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33400 Talence, France d INRAP Méditerranée, 561, rue Étienne Lenoir - KM Delta, 30900 Nîmes, France e Université Toulouse Le Mirail, TRACES - UMR 5608, Maison de la Recherche, 5, allées Antonio-Machado, 31058 Toulouse Cedex 9, France f INRAP Grand Sud-Ouest, 156, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 33600 Pessac, France g Université Bordeaux 1, LCTS - UMR 5801, 3 allée de la Boétie, 33600 Pessac, France |
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Abstract: | Retouchers are fragments of bone used during the Paleolithic to strike stone flakes in order to transform them into retouched tools. Our experiments show that the mark produced on retouchers differs depending on whether they were used to strike flint or quartzite. Our results suggest that numerous pits, most often with an ovoid form, characterize the retouching of quartzite flakes. Most of the scores produced with this material have a sinuous morphology with rough interior faces. The areas with superposed traces have a pitted appearance. On the other hand, the retouching of flint flakes, produces pits that are most often triangular in form. Most of the scores have a rectilinear morphology with smooth interior faces and their superposition results in the formation of hatch marks. There is also a relationship between the characteristics of the mark and the relative state of freshness of the retouchers. The validity of the criteria identified was confirmed by a blind test. These diagnostic criteria were applied to archaeological retouchers from the Mousterian site of Noisetier Cave. The results obtained improve our knowledge of the technical behaviors of Neanderthals and allow us to address questions concerning their techno-economic implications. |
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Keywords: | Taphonomy Bone surface modification Retoucher Stone tools Middle Paleolithic |
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