Introduction to Paleoanthropology/UpperPaleolithic

The Upper Paleolithic Early Upper Paleolithic Cultures Aurignacian The Aurignacian indicates a tool industry from the Upper Paleolithic in Europe. A tool industry contains standardized tools and production techniques that indicate a shared cultural knowledge. The Aurignacian industry contains blades (long, thin stone flakes), burins (stone chisels for working bone and wood), bone points, as well as the beginning of prehistoric art. First Discovered The name is associated with the Aurignac Rockshelter in the Pyrenees in Southwestern France. Chronology ca. 35,000-27,000 BC Geography Widespread distribution over Eurasia Siberia (Sungir) Hominid Modern humans (Homo sapiens) Material Culture The tools of the Aurignacian are quite standardized which shows planning and foresight in their creation. In addition, the inclusion of tools to work bone and wood show a wider variety of raw materials being used in tool production. Upper Paleolithic-type lithic industry Aurignacian blades, burins, endscrapers, etc. Bone Tools Mortuary practices The Aurignacian period includes definitive elaborate burials with grave goods. Burials can indicate the social status of the deceased as well as the beginning of religious concept associated with life and death. Grace goods provide archaeologists important social and cultural information. Symbolic Expression Proliferation of various forms of personal ornaments: perforated animal-teeth; distinctive "bead" forms carved out of bone and mammoth ivory; earliest perforated marine shells Artistic Expression Types of evidence: Engraved limestone blocks Animal and human figurines Parietal art Engraved block characteristics: Stiffness of outlines; Deep incisions; Work executed mainly on limestone slabs or blocks; Sexual symbols realistically represented; Animals (usually heads, forequarters and dorsal lines) extremely crudely rendered; This type of artistic expression limited to southwest France (mainly Dordogne). Figurine characteristics: Earliest evidence of artwork in the Upper Paleolithic: Geissenklösterle - 37,000-33,000 BC Present in Central Europe, presently Germany Sophisticated and naturalistic statuettes of animal (mammoth, feline, bear, bison) and even human figures Carved from mammoth ivory Gravettian First Discovered La Gravette (Dordogne, France) Chronology ca. 27,000-21,000 BC Geography Widespread distribution over Eurasia Major cultural centers Southwest France Northern Italy (Grimaldi) Central Europe (Dolni Vestonice, Pavlov) Architecture Mammoth huts Material Culture Upper Paleolithic-type lithic industry Gravette Points, etc. Other Economic Activities Pyrotechnology Basketry Complex mortuary practices Dolni Vestonice triple burial Artistic Expression Types: Animal figurines Female figurines ("Venuses") Parietal art Animal figuring characteristics: Animals most frequently depicted are dangerous species (felines and bears), continuing Aurignacian tradition In Moravia, 67 animal statuettes recorded: 21 bears 11 small carnivores 9 felines 8 mammoths 6 birds 6 horses 4 rhinoceroses 1 caprid 1 cervid By contrast, Magdalenian animal statuettes from the same region show very different patterns (N=139): 56 horses, 44 bisons 9 bears, 2 felines, 1 mammoth 2 birds 1 caprid, 1 cervid 5 miscellaneous, 18 indeterminates No rhinoceros Dangerous animals represent only 10% of total Female figurine characteristics: Widespread distribution over Europe and Russia; except Spain where no evidence of Venuses Raw materials: ivory clay Various types of research performed by anthropologists: technological stylistic details of clothing, ornaments chronological/geographical interpretational Most of baked clay figurines found fragmented Lack of skill or deliberate action? Intentional fracturation through heating process Fragmented figurines were intended products Involved and by-products of ritual ceremonies rather than art objects Parietal art characteristics: From 21 sites, a list of 47 animals identified: 9 ibexes 9 cervids 7 horses 4 mammoths 3 bovids 1 megaceros 1 salmon 10 indeterminates Dangerous animals (rhinoceros, bear, lion) depicted during the Gravettian do not constitute more than 11% of determinable animals: 3 times less than in Aurignacian period); yet still higher frequency than during Solutrean and Magdalenian Strong preponderance of hunted animals, with horse very widely dominant Example: Gargas with a list of 148 animals identified: 36.5% bovids (bison and aurochs) 29% horses 10% ibexes 6% cervids 4% mammoths 8% indeterminates (2 birds, 1 wild boar) No feline, rhinoceros, bear Late Upper Paleolithic Cultures Solutrean First Discovered Solutré (NE France) Chronology ca. 21,000-18,000 BC Geography Limited distribution over SW France and Iberia Material Culture Upper Paleolithic-type lithic industry Heat Treatment, Pressure Retouch Solutrean points: bifacially retouched leaf points, shouldered points, etc. burins, endscrapers, etc. Settlements Some sedentary groups (Fourneau-du-Diable) Long stratigraphic sequences Human remains Complex mortuary practices: No evidence of burials, but manipulation of dead (e.g., reuse of skull: Le Placard) Artistic expression Types: Engraved limestone blocks Engraved Bones Parietal art Characteristics: Various techniques applied: painting, engraving Distribution and amount of animals represented in tradition of Late Upper Paleolithic: mainly horses and bisons Several novelties from Gravettian: First association of parietal art with occupation sites [Low-relief scupture on blocks detached from walls]; Representation of animals in line or opposed Magdelenian First Discovered La Madeleine (Dordogne, France) Chronology ca. 19,000-10,000 BC Geography Widespread distribution over Eurasia Major cultural centers Southwest France (Charente, Dordogne, Pyrénées) Northeast Spain Central Europe Material Culture Upper Paleolithic-type lithic industry Magdalenian blades, burins, etc. Rich bone tool industry (harpoons) Complex mortuary practices Children burials Artistic expression Types: Raw Materials: Great diversity (limestone cave walls and slabs, sandstone, shale, bone, ivory, clay, etc.) Techniques: All techniques employed: Engraving, Sculpture, Molding, Cutting, Drawing, Painting Both mobiliary and parietal arts present. Out of about 300 sites with parietal art, 250 are attributed to Magdalenian period. Types of Figurations: Animals (mainly horses and bisons) Humans (male and female) Hands (positive and negative) Signs (dots, lines)