Expedient Lithic Technology at the Terminal Gravettian of the Peña Capón Site (Central Spain) during Heinrich Stadial 2

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Expedient Technological Behavior: Global Perspectives and Future Directions" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Terminal Gravettian, first defined in Central Portugal, is a relative outlier concerning the exploitation of lithic raw materials during the Upper Paleolithic of southwest Europe, as especially shown by an intensive use of quartz. Although Terminal Gravettian assemblages often include the production of bladelets, usually made in rock crystal, most of their components suggest expedient technologies, as they show low technological investment, low typological standardization, and a preference for local rocks. However, the specific meaning of these low-cost techno-economic behaviors, and their relation to the function and duration of occupations, patterns of human-environment interactions, and cultural choices, remains unclear. We discuss the case of the Terminal Gravettian layers recently identified at the Peña Capón site (central Spain), coincident with Heinrich Stadial 2 and located in an area that was traditionally thought to be depopulated during the coldest stages of the Last Glacial. These layers show a relatively low density of artifacts, the presence of small fireplaces, and a faunal collection dominated by a single species (horse), thus suggesting short-term occupations. Therefore, the expedient technologies of the Terminal Gravettian at Peña Capón seem related to specific needs arising during short stays at the site, possibly related to game processing activities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Expedient Technological Behavior: Global Perspectives and Future Directions   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39421.0