Non-flint raw materials in the European Middle Palaeolithic: variability of Levallois and discoid knapping methods and study of the supply areas.

Identifier:  TDX:3118

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3118

Authors:  Daffara, Sara

Abstract:
The project integrates data coming from different subjects, i.e. lithic technology, characterization and study of the supply areas of lithic raw materials, in order to idefine exploitation strategies of both territories and lithic raw materials, employed by European Neanderthal groups, concerning especially non-siliceous raw materials, with particular attention for vein quartz exploitation strategies.To achieve the objectives of the present research, four Middle Paleolithic European sites have been selected. All the sites share the presence in their lithic assemblages of vein quartz as main or complementary raw material and a significant presence of discoid and Levallois reduction sequences applied on different lithologies (vein quartz, quartzite, porphyry, syenite, flint and chert).The results obtained from the technological study of the considered lithic assemblages allow for the first time to define the technological expedient put into action as adaptation to the mechanical and petrographic characteristics of the raw materials employed in terms of choice of the natural blanks, of shaping of the core surfaces and of development of the knapping sequences.