Tracing the evolution of symbolically mediated behaviours within variable environments in Europe and southern Africa

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Paléoenvironnements et adaptations humaines au Dernier Maximum Glaciaire : le cas du Badegoulien

Publication . Banks, William E.; Aubry, Thierry; d'Errico, Francesco; Zilhão, João; Lira-Noriega, Andrés; Peterson, A. Townsend

Avec l’avancée de nos connaissances sur la variabilité climatique de la dernière période glaciaire en Europe, une meilleure précision des simulations paléoclimatiques et le développement d’algorithmes prédictifs, il est aujourd’hui possible d’aborder sur de nouvelles bases la relation entre environnement et culture au Paléolithique supérieur. Cette étude expose les résultats de l’application de la modélisation de niches éco-culturelles (Eco-Cultural Niche Modeling) au Badegoulien (culture archéologique de la fin du Dernier Maximum Glaciaire). L’application de deux architectures prédictives – Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Prediction (GARP) et Maximum Entropy (Maxent) – à partir des données archéologiques, paléoclimatiques et géographiques, nous a permis de reconstituer la niche écologique propre à cette culture. Les résultats obtenus montrent que les deux territoires définis à partir de la circulation des matières premières lithiques au Badegoulien correspondent à des conditions environnementales légèrement distinctes mais qui appartiennent à la même niche écologique.

2014Book part

Open access

Human–climate interaction during the Early Upper Paleolithic: testing the hypothesis of an adaptive shift between the Proto-Aurignacian and the Early Aurignacian

Publication . Banks, William E.; d'Errico, Francesco; Zilhão, João

The Aurignacian technocomplex comprises a succession of culturally distinct phases. Between its first two subdivisions, the Proto-Aurignacian and the Early Aurignacian, we see a shift from single to separate reduction sequences for blade and bladelet production, the appearance of split-based antler points, and a number of other changes in stone tool typology and technology as well as in symbolic material culture. Bayesian modeling of available (14)C determinations, conducted within the framework of this study, indicates that these material culture changes are coincident with abrupt and marked climatic changes. The Proto-Aurignacian occurs during an interval (ca. 41.5-39.9 k cal BP) of relative climatic amelioration, Greenland Interstadials (GI) 10 and 9, punctuated by a short cold stadial. The Early Aurignacian (ca. 39.8-37.9 k cal BP) predominantly falls within the climatic phase known as Heinrich Stadial (HS) 4, and its end overlaps with the beginning of GI 8, the former being predominantly characterized by cold and dry conditions across the European continent. We use eco-cultural niche modeling to quantitatively evaluate whether these shifts in material culture are correlated with environmental variability and, if so, whether the ecological niches exploited by human populations shifted accordingly. We employ genetic algorithm (GARP) and maximum entropy (Maxent) techniques to estimate the ecological niches exploited by humans (i.e., eco-cultural niches) during these two phases of the Aurignacian. Partial receiver operating characteristic analyses are used to evaluate niche variability between the two phases. Results indicate that the changes in material culture between the Proto-Aurignacian and the Early Aurignacian are associated with an expansion of the ecological niche. These shifts in both the eco-cultural niche and material culture are interpreted to represent an adaptive response to the relative deterioration of environmental conditions at the onset of HS4.

2013Journal article

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Stratigraphic and spatial distribution of ochre and ochre processing tools at Porc-Epic Cave, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Publication . Rosso, Daniela Eugenia; d'Errico, Francesco; Zilhão, João

Reassessment of the archaeological assemblages recovered by Kenneth D. Williamson in 1975 and 1976 at Porc-Epic Cave, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, demonstrates that the Middle Stone Age (MSA) levels of this site yielded one of the richest known collections of ochre and ochre processing tools from this period in terms of quantity. We analyze the vertical and horizontal distribution of all ochre fragments (n ¼ 4213) and ochre processing tools (n ¼ 23) of known provenance, and compare them with the distribution of other categories of archaeological remains. Our results suggest that no major post-depositional reworking occurred at the site. Virtually no ochre fragments and processing tools are recorded in the superficial levels of the site (0e60 cm below datum). Concomitant and statistically significant changes in the location of ochre and ochre processing tool concentrations are observed at various depth intervals in deeper levels, interpreted as changes in the location of the area devoted to ochre processing. Comparison of the vertical distributions of ochre fragments and lithics highlights that, in most cases, ochre and lithics covary. The vertical distribution of gastropod opercula (interpreted by other authors as ornaments) and of ochre fragments throughout the sequence also follows the same trends. However, concentrations of ochre and ochre processing tools do not coincide with that of the opercula, spatially. 14C determinations obtained at Porc-Epic indicate a relatively short chronology for the accumulation of the main archaeological deposits and date to ca. 40 ka cal BP the levels containing most of the ochre. This is consistent with the fact that no significant typo-technological variations in the lithics are observed throughout the sequence and argues in favour of the site reflecting a phase of the transition from the Middle Stone Age to the Later Stone Age (LSA) in this region of Africa.

2014Journal article

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Revisiting the chronology of the Proto-Aurignacian and the Early Aurignacian in Europe: A reply to Higham et al.'s comments on

Publication . Banks, William E.; d'Errico, Francesco; Zilhão, João

2013Journal article

Restricted access