New radiocarbon dates for the earliest Later Stone Age microlithic technology in Northwest Africa

Abstract

A number of recent genetic studies have suggested competing hypotheses relating to the emergence and spread of populations in Northwest Africa during the Late Pleistocene. Until now is has been difficult to test models derived from genetic work against the archaeological record mainly due to the paucity of reliable dating evidence in the region. A major question relates to timing and nature of the emergence of microlithic LSA assemblages and whether these new technologies developed independently within the area or were related to movement of populations from adjacent regions. Here, we present a series of new AMS radiocarbon dates on bone from the LSA sequence at Tamar Hat (Algeria) and discuss these ages in relation to the existing radiocarbon chronology for the terminal Pleistocene microlithic LSA assemblages of the Maghreb. The radiocarbon ages date from ∼25 ka cal BP and show an earlier appearance of this technology than previously thought. We examine the implications of these early dates for understanding the first appearance and spread of microlithic technology in the Maghreb and discuss further ramifications for understanding emergence of similar industries elsewhere in North Africa.