Initialisation and progression of the core reduction process at Donnemarie-Dontilly (Seine-et-Marne, France), site of the Belloisian tradition. New interpretative key for comparisons with contemporaneous industries and Federmesser-Gruppen assemblages

Abstract

At the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, a very wide-spread phenomenon of ‘ technical globalization’ (Valentin, 2008) is proposed by certain archaeologists, based on the strong analogies existing between geographically distant lithic productions ([ Epi-] Laborian, Belloisian, Ahrensburgian or even Swiderian). Therefore, it is necessary to develop criteria to evaluate the actual degree of relatedness between these diverse traditions, which, nevertheless, differ sometimes in their lithic projectile implements. Do real similarities with regard to the knapping methods exist, what do they consist of, and what do they indicate as to the precise characteristics of the intended blades and bladelets ? Moreover, in what way are these methods and intentions distinct from what is known in the Late Federmesser-Gruppen (cf. Late Azilian) ? In this paper, we start describing the modes of initialisation and progression of the core reduction process in the Belloisian industries by re-examining in detail the lithic material recovered at Donnemarie-Dontilly, the study of which benefits from numerous refit complexes. At the beginning of the paper, we use this opportunity to briefly make some new palaeoethnographical comments that ask anew which function these curious Belloisian sites had. In order to study the industry from Donnemarie, we then propose a rigorous technological vocabulary which distinguishes between initialisation and progression of the reduction process and which takes into consideration the extent and the orientation of this progression. One hundred and eleven successful knapping operations are analysed from this perspective, with the most reliable information originating from quite complete refit complexes or cores the initial volume of which can be reconstructed. Rare but very significant strictly ‘ facial’ core reductions, clearly enlarged and dissymmetric progressions that no morphological limitation imposed, very flattened flaking faces during the last sequences are all significant options. They have sometimes been applied at the physical limits of blank detachment showing that the knappers often sought for particularly thin blades and bladelets (and with a tapered extremity, considering the frequent use of two platforms rapidly alternating). These options can also be found in the Belloisian assemblages of the Somme valley and of Normandy, which we have started to examine. Manifest affinities also exist with the Post-Azilian industries in western Central France, published by N. Naudinot (2010 and 2013) : incidentally, it is these observations that have inspired us to re-examine the Belloisian from this particular perspective. From now on, the study has to be continued well beyond that among other related industries of the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. In these industries, we wonder now if, in addition to their distal tapering, it is not the very frequent overall thinness of the regular blades and bladelets that is discriminatory. This quality would be related with both the enlargement towards flat surfaces and often very marginal detachments in contrast to the generally internal percussions in the Late Federmesser-Gruppen.