Re-worked Artifacts and Models of Raw Material Exploitation as Indicators for Settlement Duration on Middle Palaeolithic Sites in the Highlands of Central Europe

Summary

Short-term settlement of Middle Palaeolithic hunters leaves a specific tool kit on an archaeological site. In spite of this well known fact, in some cases, concerning the duration of stay of groups of Neanderthals, mere techno-typological analysis of inventories seems insufficient. Analysis of raw materials exploitation, combined with information about long use, or re-working of certain artifacts appears to be helpful. On most sites from the Middle Palaeolithic era, archaeological data, concerning the subject of raw materials extraction shows, that it generally had a local character. Although this is most typical, sometimes the situation is different. On a range of sites, known from uplands of Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, artifacts prepared of raw material transported from long distance outcrops can be found (sometimes they were brought to the site from the distance of more than 300 km). Such artifacts are usually re-worked, showing traces of their long use and value for prehistoric people. In some cases, they also appear in the context of first settlement on a particular site, suggesting a migration. It can also be assumed, that there exists a link between the settlement duration and the knowledge about explored area, which can be observed in some inventories.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Short-Term Occupations in Paleolithic Archaeology

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16032