Among stones and bison. The lithic assemblage of Gran Dolina TD10.2 (Atapuerca). Technological and spatial implications of a specialised Middle Pleistocene Kill-butchering site

Identifier:  TDX:4377

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX4377

Authors:  Arteaga Brieba, Andion

Abstract:
The subunit TD10.2 is located at the Gran Dolina site, in Atapuerca, and is dated to approximately 400,000 years ago. This subunit has revealed the earliest evidence of monospecific bison mass-communal hunting, providing significant insights into the cognitive and social capabilities of pre-Neanderthal populations. Our research focuses on the analysis of the lithic assemblage and the spatial organisation within TD10.2, aiming to characterise the lithic set associated with a kill-butchering site. To this end, we have employed a methodology designed to understand the complex nature of the deposit, encompassing: systematic archaeostratigraphic review complemented by quantitative machine learning methods; techno-typological characterisation of the assemblage; and spatial analysis using statistical point pattern methods. The incorporation of lithic refits into this methodology has yielded high-resolution data. This approach has enabled us to identify three sub-levels and characterise various short-term, high-intensity seasonal hunting occupations. The lithic assemblage demonstrates specialised procurement of local chert and complete chaîne operatoires, focused on the production of small flakes and a diverse range of small tools, indicating intensive in situ knapping activities and planned procurement strategies. The results reveal significant technological and subsistence changes, aligning with transformations occurring in Europe during the Early Middle Palaeolithic. Comparative analyses with other similar sites highlight the need for a re-evaluation of archaeological theoretical models when interpreting the diversity of kill-butchery sites.