http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=174 Publications de Auteurs Andrew W. Kandel fr 0 http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=570 This paper presents an analysis of the lithic artifacts of the Upper Paleolithic (UP) cultural sequence of Baaz Rockshelter in the Qalamun region of southwestern Syria. The site was discovered during a regional survey in Damascus Province conducted by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Tübingen and excavated between 1999 and 2004. We compare the UP of Baaz to the nearby site of Yabroud II. The archaeological record of the Qalamun region supports a discontinuity between the Middle Paleolithic (MP) and Early UP. The first phase of the Qalamunian UP is characterized by lithic assemblages with an emphasis on bidirectional reduction and the production of blades, as represented by layers KS 7 and 6 at Yabroud II, but not at Baaz. In contrast, the second phase of the Qalamunian UP is characterized by an emphasis on unidirectional reduction and the production of bladelets as seen in Baaz layers AH VII to IV and Yabroud II KS 5 to 1. We hypothesize that the Qalamunian UP record points to an early replacement of blade technologies with an increased emphasis on the production of bladelets around 38,000 cal BP. The orientation towards bladelet production as well as the related technological characteristics remains almost unchanged in the later UP phases for about 15,000 years (Baaz AHs V to IV, Yabroud II KS 4 to 1). Comparisons with other Levantine UP sites suggest that the Qalamunian UP sequence reflects a broader geographical phenomenon with regard to the occurrence of bladelet oriented technologies. Finally, we conclude that the Qalamunian UP record cannot easily be explained by the two-tradition model, which questions the pan-Levantine validity of the two-tradition model. Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:50:42 +0100 Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:04:58 +0100 http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=570 http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=173 Excavations in 2009 and 2010 at Aghitu–3 Cave in the Syunik Province of southern Armenia yield new insights into the Upper Paleolithic settlement of the Armenian Highlands. The site is situated at an elevation of 1601 m in a side valley of the Vorotan River. The river cuts down through Pleistocene basalt flows and provides a corridor for the movement of people and game through the region. Sediments that accumulated in this basaltic cave are composed mainly of silt, clay minerals and volcanic ash. The archaeological layers preserve evidence of periodic human occupations dating to ca. 35–27 000 cal BP. Caves from the Upper Paleolithic were not previously known in Armenia, although contemporaneous sites exist in neighboring Georgia and Iran. The lithic industry at Aghitu–3 is laminar with a strong focus on the production of bladelets made of obsidian and chert. While completely backed pieces are rare, the majority of tools are represented by finely retouched bladelets. The choice of raw material did not affect the desired end products. Our preliminary interpretation is that this distinctly Upper Paleolithic toolkit was oriented towards the production of hunting equipment and was technologically stable over an extended timeframe. The lower assemblage dates to ca. 35–31 000 cal BP and suggests sparse occupation of the cave. Lithic artifacts are few and cluster near small combustion features. The poorly preserved faunal remains of the lower layers do not appear to be associated with the lithic remains. The bones often appear to be gastrically etched, suggesting accumulation by large carnivores such as wolves. On the other hand, the upper assemblage dates to ca. 29–27 000 cal BP and indicates more frequent occupation by humans. In these finely stratified layers, lithic artifacts are numerous, and combustion features are common. The well preserved, but highly fragmented faunal remains from the upper layers exhibit more indications of carcass processing, such as green breaks and impact fractures. Wild sheep and wild goat dominate the faunal assemblage, with horse and hare also present. Combining the faunal identifications with ecological data gained from microfauna, pollen and charcoal, a mosaic landscape comes into focus : grassland on the level basaltic plateau, interrupted by a steep rocky valley sloping down to the Vorotan, where a riparian environment prevails. The data also suggest an environment that was cooler and moister than today, a picture echoed by preliminary micromorphological results showing cycles of freezing and thawing. Thus we interpret these data as evidence for increasing occupation of Aghitu–3 Cave, which served as a temporary hunting camp. While it is clear that the older occupations of the cave were ephemeral, during the time leading up to the last glacial maximum, occupation became more frequent. Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:51:40 +0100 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:51:49 +0100 http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=173