The Solutrean bone industry from Rochefort Cave (Saint-Pierre-sur-Erve, Mayenne, France)

Abstract

Recently discovered Solutrean sites have provided little data about bone working. Solutrean bone industry is mainly known through old archaeological collections from the first half of the 20th century or out of context and very incomplete. The resumption of old excavations, such as in Rochefort cave, far from bringing redundant information, opens up new research perspectives. Beside projectile points, awls, "bâtons percés" and other long-known typological objects, artefacts identified by discreet features resulting from their manufacture and use can be added. The identification of these "unshaped tools" is the consequence of methodological changes and first of all of the increase of use-wear studies and of a more systematic use of the experimental approach. Thus, in Rochefort cave, implements devoted to lithic knapping are completing the Solutrean toolkit while about fifty waste from reindeer antler working confirm blank production by splitting. These artefacts help to understand the specificity of Solutrean bone technology. They enlighten the activities carried out on the site and the peculiarities of a northern Solutrean still insufficiently documented. In the present state of research, they also illustrate the interest to excavate again old sites that may still have a strong informative potential.