Neanderthal Lifeways, Subsistence and Technology One Hundred Fifty Years of Neanderthal Study ; Proceedings of the international congress to commemorate "150 years of Neanderthal discoveries, 1856-2006", organized by Silvana Condemi, Wighart von Koenigswa

The 150th anniversary of the discovery of the famous Neanderthal fossils gave reason for an international and interdisciplinary symposium in Bonn/Germany. The present book arose from this congress and focuses on multiple aspects of archaeological investigation on Neanderthal lifeways. In-depth studies of top-ranking scientists provide a detailed and comprehensive survey of contemporary research on our Pleistocene relatives. Examinations and debates are embedded in a variety of regions and time frames. Chronology, subsistence, land use, and cultural adaptations among late Neanderthals form the major trajectories of the book. The wide range of approaches involved, leads to an increasing understanding of the facets of and the variability of Neanderthal behavioural patterns. The present volume is complemented by a paleontologically orientated publication of the same congress (edited by Gerd-Christian Weniger and Silvana Condemi). Cover 1 Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Series 3 Neanderthal Lifeways,Subsistence and Technology 4 ISBN 9789400704145 5 Preface 6 Contents 8 Contributors 12 Chapter 1: Introduction 18 References 20 Part I: The Chronological Framework: Long Time Sequences 21 Chapter 2: When Did the Middle Paleolithic Begin? 22 Introduction 22 Definition of “Middle Paleolithic” 22 The Time Range of the Middle Paleolithic 23 New Chronological Insights 23 Impact of the New Chronology on the Possible Onset of the Middle Paleolithic 23 An Early Middle Paleolithic Site Preceding the “Wehrer Kessel Tephra”: Ariendorf 1 25 Conclusion 29 References 29 Chapter 3: Neanderthals and Monkeys in the Würmian of Central Europe: The Middle Paleolithic Site of Hunas, Southern Germany 30 Introduction 30 Stratigraphy 30 Paleontology and Environment 31 Paleoanthropology 31 Archeology 35 Chronology 36 Conclusion 37 References 37 Chapter 4: Neanderthals in the Cold: Middle Paleolithic Sites from the Open-Cast Mine of Garzweiler, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) 39 Introduction 39 Methods of Survey 42 Geostratigraphical Position of the Garzweiler Paleolithic Sites and the Relation of Loess Units and Prehistoric Find Density 42 Middle Paleolithic Sites fromthe Garzweiler Pit 45 Neanderthals in the Cold: The Garzweiler Sites Dating to the First Maximumof the Last Glaciation 47 Discussion and Conclusion 51 References 54 Chapter 5: Neanderthal Occupation in the Verdon Valley (Haute-Provence, Southeastern France) 56 Introduction 56 Geographical Settings 57 Raw Materials 57 Chronostratigraphic Context 58 The Middle Paleolithic and Late Middle Paleolithic Industries from La Baume Bonne (Quinson) 58 The Late Middle Paleolithic Industry from Abri Breuil 59 The Late Middle Paleolithic Industry from Sainte Maxime (Quinson) 60 Conclusion 62 References 64 Chapter 6: Dating Small Heated Flint Artifacts: A New Thermoluminescence Technique 65 Introduction 65 Thermoluminescence (TL) Dating 65 Principle of Thermoluminescence Dating 65 The Dose Rate (D•) 66 The Paleo- or Absorbed-Dose 66 Procedures 67 A New Technique for TL-Dating of Small Heated Flint Artifacts 67 Verification of the Approach by Laboratory Simulation 67 Verification of the New Technique with Archaeological Samples 68 Conclusions 68 References 69 Part II: Neanderthal Subsistence and Raw Material Procurement 70 Chapter 7: On Neanderthal Subsistence in Last Interglacial Forested Environments in Northern Europe 71 Introduction 71 The Challenge of the Forest 72 Neanderthal Eemian Interglacial Subsistence 74 Sites in Former Lake Basins 74 Lehringen 75 Gröbern 76 Grabschütz 76 Rabutz 77 Sites Embedded in Travertins 77 Taubach 77 Weimar Parktravertin 78 Biedermannhöhle/Stuttgart-Untertürkheim 78 A Signal from Central Europe: Krapina 78 Discussion 79 References 79 Chapter 8: Diet and Ecology of Neanderthals: Implicationsfrom C and N Isotopes 82 Introduction 82 Isotopic Records in Bones and Teethas a Tracer of Paleobiology: PotentialUse and Limitations 83 Isotopic Variations and Ecology of the Middle and Late Pleistocene 85 Carbon-13 in Herbivores and the Vegetation Around Neanderthal 85 Nitrogen-15 in Herbivores: The Effectof Environmental Factors 87 Choice of Prey by Predators 88 Comparison of Isotopic and Zooarcheological Dietary Reconstruction 89 Conclusions and Perspectives 90 References 91 Chapter 9: Management of Paleoenvironmental Resources and Exploitation of Raw Materials at the Middle Paleolithic Site of Oscurusciuto (Ginosa, Southern Italy): Units 1 and 4 95 The Deposit 95 Faunal Remains 96 Species Frequency and the Environment 98 The Lithic Assemblage 99 The Lithic Assemblage from Unit 4 99 The Lithic Assemblage from Unit 1 101 The Recurrent Unipolar Levallois Method 101 Flake Debitage 102 Transformation Phase 102 Interpretation 102 References 103 Part III Neanderthal Cognition and Technological Knowledge 105 Chapter 10: Neanderthal Technoeconomics: An Assessmentand Suggestions for Future Developments 106 Introduction 106 Raw Material Economics: A Consensus View 107 Looking Beyond the Successes 109 Artifact Complexity and Investment:An Anomaly 111 Conclusion 113 References 114 Chapter 11: Blade Production in the Early Phase of the Middle Paleolithic at Bapaume-Les Osiers (Pas-De-Calais, France): Comments on the Distinction between the Early and Late Phases of the Middle Paleolithic 118 Introduction: The Increasingly Earlier Beginning of the Middle Paleolithic 118 Blade Production: Technological Behavior Unique to the Late Middle Paleolithic? 118 The Site and Its Industry 119 The Site of Bapaume-Les Osiers 119 Production of Elongated Blanks at Bapaume-Les Osiers 119 Production of Laminar Flakes 121 Blade Production 121 Bladelet Production? 121 Summary and Comparison with Blade Production from OIS 5 121 Blade Production Was Mastered from OIS 7 on... 121 ... but Remained Identical up to Industries of OIS 5 124 The Same Significance Within the Assemblage 125 Conclusion: A Poor Chronological Indicator? 125 References 127 Chapter 12: The Lithic Production System of the Middle Paleolithic Settlement of Le Fond des Blanchards at Gron (Yonne, France) 128 Introduction 128 Levels D 130 Lithic Industries from the Active Channel Bank Settlements 130 Levels DQ, DK, DG and DB 130 Levels D6, D5 and D4 130 Level D3 130 Level D2 131 Settlements in a Floodplain Context 133 Level Da 133 Level D1 133 Level C 133 The C Level Sample: Methodology and Châine Opératoire 134 Cores 135 Flake Production 136 The C Level Sample: Functional Techno-Types and Tool Design Patterns 136 Conclusion 138 References 139 Chapter 13: Technological Analysis of the Bifacial Tools from La Micoque and Its Implications 140 Introduction 140 Analysis 141 Discussion 144 Conclusion 144 References 144 Chapter 14: Handedness in Neanderthals 146 Introduction 146 Background 147 Lateralized Use-Wear and Lateralized Knapping 148 Bone Retouchers 148 Endscrapers 149 Asymmetrical Retouch 151 Production Techniques of Resharpening Flakes 151 Summary of Material Culture Data 152 Skeletal Asymmetries in the Upper Limb 153 Dental Striations 155 Endocast Asymmetries 155 Summary of Fossil Data 157 Conclusion 157 References 158 Part IV: Neanderthal Social Organization and Land Use 162 Chapter 15: The Social and Material Life of Neanderthals 163 Birthday Celebrations 163 What Do We Mean by a Paleolithic Society? 164 Social Life in the Paleolithic 164 Neanderthal Society 165 Material Metaphors 166 A Social Brain Perspective 166 Time Lags and Paradoxes 168 Neanderthal Society and Material Metaphors 168 Conclusion: Neanderthals Come to the Party 169 References 170 Chapter 16: Stability in the Intermittence 173 Introduction 173 Geological and Archeological Context 174 The Site 174 Sedimentary Complex VI3 175 Spatial Approach to Behavior Based on Technological Analysis of the Lithic Industries from Stratum VI3a ́ 176 The Chaînes Opératoires 176 Raw Materials: Nature and Origin2 176 Technology: An Industry Almost Exclusively Structured According to a Levallois Concept of Reduction 176 Modules of Raw Material Used: Identification of Two Distinct Chaînes Opératoires 179 Operational Sequence 1: In Situ Production from Small Raw Blocks (£ 7–8 cm) 182 Operational Sequence 2: Non-local Production of Large Predetermined Blanks 183 The Chaînes Opératoires from a Spatial Point of View 183 Comparison of Results with Those Obtained from Analysis of Lithic Industries in the Other Archeological Levels of Complex VI3 185 Contribution of Other Data Recovered from These Strata 185 Other Mineral Raw Materials 185 Fauna 187 Synthesis: The Same Space over the Long-Term 187 Site Function and Operation 187 Space, Territory 188 Diachronic Considerations 189 Occupation Tempo of Complex VI3 189 Conclusion 190 References 191 Chapter 17: Territorial Mobility of Neanderthal Groups: A Case Study from Level M of Abric Romaní (Capellades, Barcelona, Spain) 193 Introduction 193 Abric Romaní: Landscape and Availability of Resources 194 Biotic Resources: Plants and Animals 194 Abiotic Resources: Raw Materials 196 Activities Carried Out on the Site: Level M 200 Vegetal Resources 200 Faunal Assemblages 201 Lithic Technology 202 Discussion and Conclusions 204 References 206 Chapter 18: Level G of Las Fuentes de San Cristóbal (Southern Pyrenees, Spain) 209 Introduction 209 Las Fuentes de San Cristóbal Archeological Site 210 Lithic Raw Materials 211 Flint Formation of the Égea Cliff 215 Flint from Barranco de La Canal (Capella) 215 Level G Lithic Industry 216 Discussion and Conclusion 221 References 222 Part V: Cultural Adaptation Among the Last Neanderthals 226 Chapter 19: The Demise of the Neanderthal Cultural Niche and the Beginning of the Upper Paleolithic in Southwestern Germany 227 Introduction 227 Paleoenvironments 228 Chronostratigraphy 229 Cultural Stratigraphy 230 Subsistence and Settlement 234 Symbolic Artifacts 235 Conclusions 240 References 241 Chapter 20: Level 14 of Bajondillo Cave and the End of the Middle Paleolithic in the South of the Iberian Peninsula 245 Introduction 245 The Late Mousterian Industries from Bajondillo Cave 245 Use-Wear Analysis of Lithic Tools 247 Discussion and Conclusions 249 References 250 Chapter 21: The End of the Middle Paleolithic in the Italian Alps 252 Introduction 252 Landscape, Sites and Hunting Economy 253 Lithic Economy and Flint Implement Circulation 256 Conclusions 260 References 260 Chapter 22: Technological Behavior and Mobility of Human Groups Deduced from Lithic Assemblages in the Late Middle and Early Late Pleistocene of the Middle Rhône Valley (France) 263 Introduction: The Rhône Valley, Between the Alps and Massif Central Mountains 263 Regional Climatic Context During Middle and Upper Pleistocene 265 From OIS 9 to OIS 5: The Sites of Orgnac 3 (OIS 9 and 8), Payre (OIS 7 and 5), Abri Des Pêcheurs (OIS 5, Base) and Abri Moula ( 268 Isotopic Stages 9 and 8: The Appearance of the Levallois Debitage and the Earliest Occurrence of Middle Paleolithic Behavior 268 Occupation in the Cave (Which May Represent Level 6), Short Settlements 268 Open Air Settlement (Level 1) 271 Isotopic Stages 7 and 5: The Sites Payre, Abri Des Pecheurs and Abri Moula, and the Development of Middle Paleolithic Behavior 271 From the End of OIS 5 to the Beginning of OIS 3: A Variety of Technical Behaviors 272 Levallois Method 274 Laminar Flaking and the Production of Both Flakes and Blades 276 Discoid Method 277 Assemblages with a Marginal Retouch on Flakes 278 Saint-Marcel: Example of Seasonal Occupations (Spring) for Hunting of Cervus Elaphus Along the Ardèche River 278 Abri Des Pêcheurs: Short Occupations with Ibex in a Cave-Hole in the Chassezac Valley? 280 The Quina Assemblages 280 The Question of Large Tools from OIS 9 to OIS 4 281 Bifacial Tools: A Marginal Phenomenon in South-Eastern France 281 Pebble Tools 281 Territories and Mobility of Human Groups in the Middle Rhône Valley 281 Raw Material Gathering 281 Site Types 283 Site Function 283 Discussion and Conclusion 283 References 285 Index 290 9400704143,9789400704145 Springer 2011 When Did The Middle Paleolithic Begin? / Jürgen Richter -- Neanderthals And Monkeys In The Würmian Of Central Europe : The Middle Paleolithic Site Of Hunas, Southern Germany / Wilfried Rosendahl ... [et Al.] -- Neanderthals In The Cold : Middle Paleolithic Sites From The Open-cast Mine Of Garzweiler, Nordrhein-westfalen (germany) / Thorsten Uthmeier ... [et Al.] -- Neanderthal Occupation In The Verdon Valley (haute-provence, Southeastern France) / Jean Gagnepain And Claire Gaillard -- Dating Small Heated Flint Artifacts : A New Thermoluminescence Technique / Daniel Richter -- On Neanderthal Subsistence In Last Interglacial Forested Environments In Northern Europe / Sabine Gaudzinski-windheuser And Wil Roebroeks -- Diet And Ecology Of Neanderthals : Implications From C And N Isotopes : Insights From Bone And Tooth Biogeochemistry / Hervé Bocherens -- Management Of Paleoenvironmental Resources And Exploitation Of Raw Materials At The Middle Paleolithic Site Of Oscurusciuto (ginosa, Southern Italy) : Units 1 And 4 / Paolo Boscato ... [et Al.] -- Neanderthal Technoeconomics : An Assessment And Suggestions For Future Developments / Steven L. Kuhn -- Blade Production In The Early Phase Of The Middle Paleolithic At Bapaume-les Osiers (pas-de-calais, France) : Comments On The Distinction Between The Early And Late Phases Of The Middle Paleolithic / Héloise Koehler -- The Lithic Production System Of The Middle Paleolithic Settlement Of Le Fond Des Blanchards At Gron (yonne, France) / Vincent Lhomme ... [et Al.] -- Technological Analysis Of The Bifacial Tools From La Micoque And Its Implications / Gaëlle Rosendahl -- Handedness In Neanderthals / Natalie T. Uomini -- The Social And Material Life Of Neanderthals / Clive Gamble -- Stability In The Intermittence : A Spatio-temporal Approach To Mousterian Behavior In The Near East Based On The Technological Analysis Of Lithic Industries Of Complex Vi3 At Umm El Tlel (central Syria) / Antoine Lourdeau -- Territorial Mobility Of Neanderthal Groups : A Case Study From Level M Of Abric Romaní (capellades, Barcelona, Spain) / María C. Fernández-laso ... [et Al.] -- Level G Of Las Fuentes De San Cristóbal (southern Pyrenees, Spain) : Availability Of Lithic Resources And Territory Management / María D. García-antón, Leticia Menéndez Granda, And María G. Chacón Navarro -- The Demise Of The Neanderthal Cultural Niche And The Beginning Of The Upper Paleolithic In Southwestern Germany / Nicholas J. Conard -- Level 14 Of Bajondillo Cave And The End Of The Middle Paleolithic In The South Of The Iberian Peninsula / Miguel Cortés Sánchez, Juan F. Gibaja Bao, And María D. Simón Vallejo -- The End Of The Middle Paleolithic In The Italian Alps : An Overview Of Neanderthal Land Use, Subsistence And Technology / Marco Peresani -- Technological Behavior And Mobility Of Human Groups Deduced From Lithic Assemblages In The Late Middle And Early Late Pleistocene Of The Middle Rhône Valley (france) / Marie-hélène Moncel. Edited By Nicholas J. Conard, Jürgen Richter. Second Of Two Vols. Containing The Proceedings Of The Congress Entitled 150 Years Of Neanderthal Discovery, Organized By Wighart Von Koenigswald, Friedemann Schrenck And Silvana Condemi, Held In Bonn, July 21-26, 2006. Cf. Pref. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-3 Front Matter....Pages 5-5 When Did the Middle Paleolithic Begin?....Pages 7-14 Neanderthals and Monkeys in the Würmian of Central Europe: The Middle Paleolithic Site of Hunas, Southern Germany....Pages 15-23 Neanderthals in the Cold: Middle Paleolithic Sites from the Open-Cast Mine of Garzweiler, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)....Pages 25-41 Neanderthal Occupation in the Verdon Valley (Haute-Provence, Southeastern France)....Pages 43-51 Dating Small Heated Flint Artifacts: A New Thermoluminescence Technique....Pages 53-57 Front Matter....Pages 59-59 On Neanderthal Subsistence in Last Interglacial Forested Environments in Northern Europe....Pages 61-71 Diet and Ecology of Neanderthals: Implications from C and N Isotopes....Pages 73-85 Management of Paleoenvironmental Resources and Exploitation of Raw Materials at the Middle Paleolithic Site of Oscurusciuto (Ginosa, Southern Italy): Units 1 and 4....Pages 87-96 Front Matter....Pages 97-97 Neanderthal Technoeconomics: An Assessment and Suggestions for Future Developments....Pages 99-110 Blade Production in the Early Phase of the Middle Paleolithic at Bapaume-Les Osiers (Pas-De-Calais, France): Comments on the Distinction between the Early and Late Phases of the Middle Paleolithic....Pages 111-120 The Lithic Production System of the Middle Paleolithic Settlement of Le Fond des Blanchards at Gron (Yonne, France)....Pages 121-132 Technological Analysis of the Bifacial Tools from La Micoque and Its Implications....Pages 133-138 Handedness in Neanderthals....Pages 139-154 Front Matter....Pages 155-155 The Social and Material Life of Neanderthals....Pages 157-166 Stability in the Intermittence....Pages 167-186 Territorial Mobility of Neanderthal Groups: A Case Study from Level M of Abric Romaní (Capellades, Barcelona, Spain)....Pages 187-202 Level G of Las Fuentes de San Cristóbal (Southern Pyrenees, Spain)....Pages 203-219 Front Matter....Pages 221-221 The Demise of the Neanderthal Cultural Niche and the Beginning of the Upper Paleolithic in Southwestern Germany....Pages 223-240 Level 14 of Bajondillo Cave and the End of the Middle Paleolithic in the South of the Iberian Peninsula....Pages 241-247 Front Matter....Pages 221-221 The End of the Middle Paleolithic in the Italian Alps....Pages 249-259 Technological Behavior and Mobility of Human Groups Deduced from Lithic Assemblages in the Late Middle and Early Late Pleistocene of the Middle Rhône Valley (France)....Pages 261-287 Back Matter....Pages 289-293