How much does the stone of the Stone Age matter? The perspective of the archaeological record on the Palaeolithic research Prehistoric archaeology researches usually face the difficult challenge of random and heavily fragmented data,... more
How much does the stone of the Stone Age matter? The perspective of the archaeological record on the Palaeolithic research Prehistoric archaeology researches usually face the difficult challenge of random and heavily fragmented data, which persuades a rather materialist approach, especially when it comes to Palaeolithic studies. The latter are typically reduced to more or less imaginative or sophisticated interpretations of the lithic samples, so that the entire chronological and cultural Palaeolithic framework stands on the grounds of lithic implements characteristics. Furthermore, the narrow perspective induced by the lithic data is more often than not used to infer the general cognitive, social and cultural features of the Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers.
- by Mircea Anghelinu and +1
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- Paleolithic Europe
Paléolithique supérieur, Vallée de BistriĠa, nord-est de la Roumanie Résumé: La séquence paléolithique culturelle et chronologique de la Vallée de BistriĠa fut l'objet de plusieurs recherches et de longs débats archéologiques. Quoiqu'on a... more
Paléolithique supérieur, Vallée de BistriĠa, nord-est de la Roumanie Résumé: La séquence paléolithique culturelle et chronologique de la Vallée de BistriĠa fut l'objet de plusieurs recherches et de longs débats archéologiques. Quoiqu'on a fouillé des surfaces assez étendues, en impliquant de nombreuses équipes de recherches, les résultats, c'est-à-dire le chronologie radiocarbone assez jeune, le contexte paléoclimatique controversé et les définitions culturelles érigées sur des critères typologiques, ne furent pas conclusifs. Puisque il était presque impossible de corréler les schémas culturelles et chronologiques proposées avec celles des régions avoisinantes est-européennes, notre projet essaie de les redéfinir à travers de nouvelles fouilles archéologiques, des révisions des collections anciennes et des échantillons pour les datations AMS. Les résultats, quoique partiels, pour le moment, ne certifient pas la position isolée du Paléolithique supérieur de la Vallée de BistriĠa.
Palaeomagnetic investigations were carried out at the archaeological site of Poiana Cireş ului (Romania) to check whether the loess records a reliable palaeomagnetic signal, and to compare this signal to reference data. The sediments are... more
Palaeomagnetic investigations were carried out at the archaeological site of Poiana Cireş ului (Romania) to check whether the loess records a reliable palaeomagnetic signal, and to compare this signal to reference data. The sediments are composed of loess and loess-like sediments. Pedogenic alterations and a pronounced cultural layer occur in the section. The archaeology-bearing sedimentary geoarchive spans the time interval from ca. 20 to ca. 55 ka, and was dated mainly by 14 C and luminescence techniques. The record of geomagnetic palaeosecular variation from this European loess site is discussed. The presented palaeomagnetic record bears analogies to data from Lac du Bouchet (France), and is a reliable high resolution record (mean sedimentation rates are ca. 20 cm/ky) of palaeosecular variation. The results imply that European loess geoarchives may record palaeosecular variation features, even if loess is (pedogenically) altered. The palaeosecular variation pattern of loess is here employed as a stratigraphic tool.
- by Leif Steguweit and +1
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- Archaeology, Geology, Magnetic field, Quaternary
From the initial researches in the 1950's, the geological and archeological sequences preserved on the Bistrița terraces have been constantly thought to provide a remarkably complete chronicle of the Upper Paleolithic in eastern Romania.... more
From the initial researches in the 1950's, the geological and archeological sequences preserved on the Bistrița terraces have been constantly thought to provide a remarkably complete chronicle of the Upper Paleolithic in eastern Romania. The local Pleistocene geological archives hosted Aurignacian, Gravettian, Epigravettian and Swiderian layers. Various chronological data and cultural interpretations accumulated in the following decades granted the local Paleolithic some unusual features, such as the bizarrely young chronology of the Aurignacian technocomplex (27-21 ka uncal.
- by Leif Steguweit and +2
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- Prehistoric Archaeology
ISBN print 973-7925-12-2 © Editura Cetatea de Scaun, Târgovişte, 2014 e-mail: [email protected], www.cetateadescaun.ro 19 Pusă tot mai frecvent într-un contrast cu "rudele înstărite" din Europa occidentală, cercetarea preistoriei... more
ISBN print 973-7925-12-2 © Editura Cetatea de Scaun, Târgovişte, 2014 e-mail: [email protected], www.cetateadescaun.ro 19 Pusă tot mai frecvent într-un contrast cu "rudele înstărite" din Europa occidentală, cercetarea preistoriei din România manifestă, în general, şi prin persoana practicienilor ei, un adevărat complex. Este invocată istoria diferită, destinul, în sfârşit, fatalitatea. Vom încerca să arătăm că nu întotdeauna eşecurile pot fi puse pe seama ambientului politic, iar succesele pe seama geniului individual. În privinţa contextul activităţii arheologului, vom încerca a ne ţine deoparte de ideea unei osmoze, a unei articulări perfecte între arheolog şi epoca sa, deşi este tot mai la modă, astăzi, ca etapele de evoluţie a arheologiei să fie asimilate, cu prea mare uşurinţă, unor etaje istorice. Acest reducţionism sociologic, deşi nu lipsit ocazional de importante merite, nu poate fi absolutizat. 20 Că, în realitate, această obsesie nobilă este, mai degrabă, mic burgheză, a mai fost sugerat. În comprehensiva sa sinteză, Bruce Trigger leagă naşterea arheologiei europene de ascensiunea clasei de mijloc, care, desigur, îşi produce propriile sofisme de justificare, în dorinţa de a impune o imagine onorabilă unei discipline care îi susţinea eşafodajul ideologic (A History of Archaeological Thought, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1989). 21 Sintagma internalist presupune abordarea istoriografică a unor probleme particulare şi a modului în care acestea sunt diferit înţelese în timp; de obicei, o astfel de analiză este redactată sub presiunea unui interes imediat, acut, pe care încearcă să-l justifice. Viziunea externalistă este devotată mai degrabă relaţiilor dintre arheologie şi mediul socio-cultural în care este practicată, încercând astfel să sublinieze mai degrabă relativitatea generală a cunoaşterii arheologice (ibidem, p. 118; idem, Writing the History of Archaeology, în G. W. Stocking (ed.) History of Anthropology 3, Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1986, p. 218-239).
"Previous archaeological research in the Banat area (South-western Romania) resulted in the definition of a chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically... more
"Previous archaeological research in the Banat area (South-western Romania) resulted in the definition of a
chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically
modern human (AMH) remains at Oase Cave, several decades later. The last find set the stage for new stratigraphic,
chronological and archaeological reassessment of Banat Aurignacian settlements at Tincova, Coşava and Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa. This study presents the attribute analysis of the Aurignacian lithic assemblage at Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I,
involving both old and recently excavated collections. Alongside the more accurate identification of the main technological
and typological features, pointing to a Protoaurignacian/Early Aurignacian assignation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic industry
here, new chronological landmarks, much older than previously considered, became available. Preliminary thermoluminescence
results point to an estimated age between 45 and 40 ka for the main accumulation in GH3 at Româneşti, thus indicating a
possible contemporaneity of the Banat Aurignacian and the Oase AMH finds. A brief comparative outline of the Banat
Aurignacian settlements is also provided, followed by and attempt at placing the local Aurignacian into the European Early
Upper Palaeolithic landscape."
chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically
modern human (AMH) remains at Oase Cave, several decades later. The last find set the stage for new stratigraphic,
chronological and archaeological reassessment of Banat Aurignacian settlements at Tincova, Coşava and Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa. This study presents the attribute analysis of the Aurignacian lithic assemblage at Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I,
involving both old and recently excavated collections. Alongside the more accurate identification of the main technological
and typological features, pointing to a Protoaurignacian/Early Aurignacian assignation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic industry
here, new chronological landmarks, much older than previously considered, became available. Preliminary thermoluminescence
results point to an estimated age between 45 and 40 ka for the main accumulation in GH3 at Româneşti, thus indicating a
possible contemporaneity of the Banat Aurignacian and the Oase AMH finds. A brief comparative outline of the Banat
Aurignacian settlements is also provided, followed by and attempt at placing the local Aurignacian into the European Early
Upper Palaeolithic landscape."
- by Thomas Hauck and +4
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Based on dual-inheritance and macro-evolutionary models, the paper focuses on the conformist dimension of cultural transmission and on the growth limits inherent in foragers' eco-cultural niche building. The apparent lack of innovation... more
Based on dual-inheritance and macro-evolutionary models, the paper focuses on the conformist dimension of cultural transmission and on the growth limits inherent in foragers' eco-cultural niche building. The apparent lack of innovation noticed in the Lower and Middle Paleolithic is briefly explored. The crucial role of demographical networks in the spread and persistence of innovation is also emphasized.
- by Mircea Anghelinu
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The mismatch between the human paleoanthropological 'tree' and the paleo-cognitive 'ladder' has been recently attributed to epistemological biases affecting the mainstream narratives on cognitive evolution. The present paper takes issue... more
The mismatch between the human paleoanthropological 'tree' and the paleo-cognitive 'ladder' has been recently attributed to epistemological biases affecting the mainstream narratives on cognitive evolution. The present paper takes issue with such a perspective and argues for a rather continuous cognitive development along the human lineage, as documented archaeologically by the early emergence of a 'familiar' human mind and by the cumulative features of Pleistocene cultural evolution in general. These facts seriously question the paleo-cognitive relevance of the acknowledged branchy taxonomy and point strongly towards a more anagenetic view on human biological evolution. Moreover, as the prerequisites for complex behavior and a consistent ability for cultural transmission were already among the capacities of the Homo erectus grade, the scope of further major cognitive changes, as usually invoked in connection to the emergence of Homo sapiens sapiens, appears limited. . 2 For the use of 'hominin' instead of 'hominids', see Ibidem. 3 The contemporaneity between Homo ergaster and robust Australopithecs in Africa, or the parallel chronology of Homo neanderthalensis, Homo sapiens sapiens and late Homo erectus, including Homo floresiensis, between 200 and 30 kyr BP provide typical examples. See C. Finlayson, Biogeography and evolution of the genus Homo,
- by Mircea Anghelinu
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In the Bistrița valley, a variety of different materials were used for producing knapped tools during the Upper Palaeolithic. Among these, chert is the most common. Previous research carried out in this region has indicated the possible... more
In the Bistrița valley, a variety of different materials were used for producing knapped tools during the Upper Palaeolithic. Among these, chert is the most common. Previous research carried out in this region has indicated the possible use of flint imported from the Moldavian Plateau (over 100km away) although until now no petrographic studies have been carried out in order to verify this assumption. More recently the authors of this paper have suggested also the Dobrudja region (300km away) as an origin of some lithic artefacts. Indeed, the material from which some of the chert artefacts in the Bistrița valley were made is of good quality and visually appears very similar to the flint found in the Moldavian Plateau. In order to help determine the provenance of the chert artefacts, some of the suspected imported artefacts were observed in thin section. They were compared to thin sections of geological samples from known sources of Moldavian flint, Balkan flint from the Dobrudja region, and local cherts. The results of this study support the theory of imported flint from the Moldavian plateau as well as the Dobrudja region, although the majority of material appears to be of local origin.
Upper Palaeolithic chronological and cultural sequences on the Bistriţa Valley (northeastern Romania) have been in the focus of more than five decades of field work and debates. Despite substantial excavation surfaces and impressively... more
Upper Palaeolithic chronological and cultural sequences on the Bistriţa Valley (northeastern Romania) have been in the focus of more than five decades of field work and debates. Despite substantial excavation surfaces and impressively large lithic assemblages, the results remained stubbornly confusing: when compared to the European cultural succession, the majority of conventional radiocarbon ages for the Aurignacian layers were much younger than expected. This was taken to indicate a regional continuity for the Aurignacian into the Last Glacial Maximum. In the course of new investigations undertaken from 2005 to 2008, it therefore appeared imperative to take a fresh view both of the old assemblages and of the previous radiocarbon ages. Far from substantiating the isolated position of the Bistriţa Valley Upper Palaeolithic, as previously deduced, our new results now place it within the limits of the acknowledged cultural variability of the Aurignacian, as attested for many other areas in central and eastern Europe. These results are supported by a set of new 14 C-radiocarbon dates, which also provide ages as expected for the Aurignacian.
- by Carciumaru I Marin and +3
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- Upper Paleolithic
Previous archaeological research in the Banat area (South-western Romania) resulted in the definition of a chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically modern... more
Previous archaeological research in the Banat area (South-western Romania) resulted in the definition of a chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically modern human (AMH) remains at Oase Cave, several decades later. The last find set the stage for new stratigraphic, chronological and archaeological reassessment of Banat Aurignacian settlements at Tincova, Coşava and Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa. This study presents the attribute analysis of the Aurignacian lithic assemblage at Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I, involving both old and recently excavated collections. Alongside the more accurate identification of the main technological and typological features, pointing to a Protoaurignacian/Early Aurignacian assignation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic industry here, new chronological landmarks, much older than previously considered, became available. Preliminary thermoluminescence results point to an estimated age between 45 and 40 ka for the main accumulation in GH3 at Româneşti, thus indicating a possible contemporaneity of the Banat Aurignacian and the Oase AMH finds. A brief comparative outline of the Banat Aurignacian settlements is also provided, followed by and attempt at placing the local Aurignacian into the European Early Upper Palaeolithic landscape.
- by Mircea Anghelinu and +4
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- Upper Paleolithic
Currently, absolute dates for the emergence of the Early Upper Paleolithic and the timing of the earliest dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH) into Europe are sparse. This is especially true for regions adjoining the Eastern... more
Currently, absolute dates for the emergence of the Early Upper Paleolithic and the timing of the earliest dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH) into Europe are sparse. This is especially true for regions adjoining the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Europe with its dense clusters of sites along the Austrian and German Danube Valley. This article makes a first step toward filling this gap and, for the first time, presents absolute ages for the open-air site of Româneş ti-Dumbr avit¸a I (Banat, SW Romania) located close to the Oase Cave where some of the oldest AMH fossils were found. A set of heated artefacts recently excavated from the Aurignacian layer GH3 was dated by thermoluminescence (TL) and gives early chronometric dates for this technocomplex in Romania.
The key position held by Romania's territory for the available scenarios regarding the expansion of the Upper Paleolithic "cultural package" in Europe has been recently reinforced by the finds of the oldest European Homo sapiens sapiens... more
The key position held by Romania's territory for the available scenarios regarding the expansion of the Upper Paleolithic "cultural package" in Europe has been recently reinforced by the finds of the oldest European Homo sapiens sapiens remains in the Oase Cave (Southwestern Romania). However, in spite of its paradigmatic association to the first anatomically modern humans in Europe, the Aurignacian in Romania remained inadequately known and rarely referred to in the European literature. The poor descriptions of the Aurignacian-called lithic industries and their unusually young numerical chronology or geochronological estimations explain this caution. A brief evaluation of the available information regarding these issues is proposed. Based on a comparatively restricted definition of the Aurignacian variability as acknowledged in the recent European literature (e.g. numerical chronology, large retouched blades, bladelet production from carinated forms, bone industry), the present approach dismisses many postulates widely held in Romanian literature: the local origin, the wide occurrence and the late survival of the Aurignacian. However, given the lack of numerical dates and the fragmentary state of most archaeological collections, the precise timing of its emergence and the details of its regional evolution require further research.
- by Loredana Nita and +1
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- Upper Paleolithic
The Paleolithic sites Româneş ti and Coş ava, situated at the foothills of the Banat Mountains in Romania, provide an important testament of life of the first European modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) during Middle Pleniglacial. Even... more
The Paleolithic sites Româneş ti and Coş ava, situated at the foothills of the Banat Mountains in Romania, provide an important testament of life of the first European modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) during Middle Pleniglacial. Even though these sites have been extensively excavated, little is known about the site formation of related loess-like sediments and soils. First luminescence data at the two investigated sections confirm sediments from the penultimate glacial period to the Holocene.
Despite its richness, the Romanian Paleolithic record has remained for decades relatively poorly known to the broader scientific community. The situation swiftly changed after the find at Oase Cave, which brought the Romanian... more
Despite its richness, the Romanian Paleolithic record has remained for decades relatively poorly known to the broader scientific community. The situation swiftly changed after the find at Oase Cave, which brought the Romanian paleoanthropological and archeological record into intensive focus, spurring several international research projects devoted to the regional Early Upper Paleolithic. The present paper provides the first summary of recent research undertaken in the neighboring area of Oase, the Romanian Banat, particularly focused on the Aurignacian open air occupation at Cos¸ava.
Previous works focused on optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz extracted from Romanian and Serbian loess reported significant discrepancies between ages obtained on fine (4e11 mm) and coarse (63e90 mm) quartz. The present... more
Previous works focused on optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz extracted from Romanian and Serbian loess reported significant discrepancies between ages obtained on fine (4e11 mm) and coarse (63e90 mm) quartz. The present study is directed at expanding these investigations. The SAR-OSL and double SAR-OSL protocols are applied on quartz of different grain sizes belonging to 9 samples extracted from a newly identified archaeological site at Bistricioara-Lut arie III on the Bistrița Valley (NE Romania). Radiocarbon ages are also obtained for the 3 uppermost cultural layers hosted in the loess-like deposit.
During the 1983 UISPP congress in Liège, F. Mogoșanu presented the results of his earlier investigations on the Paleolithic in the Romanian Banat. The Upper Paleolithic of this area was viewed as a chronologically late manifestation of... more
During the 1983 UISPP congress in Liège, F. Mogoșanu presented the results of his earlier investigations on the Paleolithic in the Romanian Banat. The Upper Paleolithic of this area was viewed as a chronologically late manifestation of the Central European Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian. After a long break in research, new investigations in the settlements at Coșava, Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa and Tincova have been undertaken, leading to an improved knowledge of the regional Upper Paleolithic. The present contribution reports the first results of the comparative techno-typological and attribute analysis of the lithic assemblages at Tincova, Coșava and Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa, involving both old and recently excavated collections. Strengthening the conclusions reached by the lithic studies, the first chronometric assessments (TL and OSL) for the recently excavated open-air site of Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I place the Aurignacian of this site into an early stage of this technocomplex. However, the attempt for incorporating the regional record into the European Early Upper Paleolithic context remains difficult and raises serious issues regarding the acknowledged divisions of the European Aurignacian and, consequently, the expansion of this cultural phenomenon across Europe.