Middle Palaeolithic Sites Research Articles

Engineering-geological characteristics of the sediments of the loess-palaeosol sequence of the key section Proniatyn (Podolian Upland)

The Proniatyn key section represents the loess-palaeosol sequence of the Upper and partially Middle Pleistocene of the Podolian Upland. A detailed description of the section is given, as well as the engineering-geological characteristics of the sediments of the loess-palaeosol sequence Proniatyn, which is quite well stratified. There are two horizons of the Upper Pleistocene loess and the upper horizon of the Middle Pleistocene loess have been clearly distinguished. The key section presents the Dubno (MIS 3) fossil soil, the Horokhiv fossil pedocomplex (MIS 5), as well as the well-developed deluvial-solifluction sediments over the Horokhiv pedocomplex, which contain a large number of redeposited Middle Palaeolithic artifacts. The engineering and geological features of sediments of the loess-palaeosol sequence Proniatyn have been studied in detail and compared with the characteristics of the corresponding horizons of the loess-palaeosol sequences of a number of sections of the Podolian and Volhynian Uplands. It is established, in particular, that in many aspects the loess-palaeosol sequence of Proniatyn key section is closer to the characteristics of sediments of the loess-palaeosol sequences of the Podolian Upland. The importance of studying the Proniatyn key section is enhanced by the fact that it is associated with the Middle Palaeolithic site, and in the structure of the Horokhiv fossil pedocomplex there are all sub-horizons of MIS 5. Furthermore, it contains a geophysical Blake event. Therefore, it is confirmed that the Proniatyn key section is an important stratigraphic benchmark of the Pleistocene of Podolian Upland. Key words: loess-palaeosol sequences, key section, Pleistocene, engineering-geological characteristics, solifluction, Palaeolithic.

New climatic approaches to the analysis of the middle Paleolithic sequences: Combined taxonomic and isotopic charcoal analyses on a Neanderthal settlement, Les Canalettes (Aveyron, France)

Over the last decade, several studies have indicated the potential for the δ13C isotope signal of charcoals to act as a new local paleoclimatic/paleoenvironmental proxy, complementary to taxonomic analyses.These studies mainly focused on archeological charcoal from the Holocene series, but the potential of the method to be applied Pleistocene sequences is still under debate. Understanding climate-driven variability in stable carbon isotope ratios of modern samples is fundamental for the accurate characterization of past climate information based on the δ13C of charred material. In a previous study, we laid the methodological foundation to apply the method to Pleistocene contexts.Here, we present the δ13C isotopic signal from Pinus spp. charcoal in a well stratified middle Paleolithic site: “Les Canalettes” (Aveyron, France). We demonstrate that the use of isotopic analyses on ancient charcoal of the genus Pinus from the quaternary period could provide a reliable paleoclimatic marker with high resolution and provide data that is complementary to taxonomic studies. A continuous increase in humidity is observed, with a warming episode identified at the top of the sequence. These results place the occupation of the site in a less rigorous phase at the beginning of MIS 4 and underline the importance of the Causses in the mobility system of several generations of Neanderthals.

Morphometric analysis of landforms in the vicinity of the Palaeolithic site Ihrovytsia I in Podillia and prospects for the protection

The landforms have always had a significant impact, both on the formation of ancient settlements and on the conditions for further preservation of natural and social monuments. The study of morphometric characteristics of the landforms is one of the key parts of a comprehensive study of such cultural heritage objects as Palaeolithic sites. The purpose of this article is to analyze the main morphometric characteristics of the landforms of the vicinity of Middle Palaeolithic site Ihrovytsia I in Podillia, which belongs to the main Palaeolithic sites of the Ternopil centre, as well as the creation and presentation of protection documentation (passport). Certification is a mandatory measure that contributes to the preservation of archaeological sites, including Palaeolithic sites. The passport contains all the necessary information about the history, main characteristics, preservation conditions, as well as the condition of the monument. Such passports allow the persons and agencies responsible for the preservation and protection of cultural heritage to quickly and in sufficient detail get acquainted with the condition of the objects in order to develop an effective action plan for their reconstruction and preservation. The passport is developed for the Ihrovytsia I as a complex monument of nature and society, taking into account the most important criteria for the organization of the protection regime: the type of object, scientific value, accessibility for visiting and inspection, state of preservation, recommendations for use, etc. The main problems of protection of the Palaeolithic site Ihrovytsia I are related to the fact that: the Palaeolithic site Ihrovytsia I, like some other sites of the Ternopil Palaeolithic group, is not included in the list of cultural heritage monuments; so far no certification of the Palaeolithic site has been carried out, no information stands and signs have been installed; the proper mode of use of the monument, the territory adjacent to it is not established; a zone of protection of the Palaeolithic site as a valuable archaeological territory has not been created, no control of economic activity is carried out, which may negatively affect the state of preservation of the monument. Key words: Palaeolithic site Ihrovytsia I; Ternopil Palaeolithic region; Podillia; morphometric analysis of landforms; geoinformation systems; certification of objects of heritage.

The use of the lateral tranchet blow technique at Nesher Ramla (Israel): A new cultural marker in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic?

The open-air Middle Paleolithic site at Nesher Ramla, Israel, dated to the end of Marine Isotope Stage 6 and Marine Isotope Stage 5, is characterized by extensive use of the lateral tranchet blow technique. This technique consists of the removal of an elongated thin spall along the retouched edge of the blank. In Nesher Ramla, this technique is used for producing a specific tool kit component: unifacially retouched tools with a lateral tranchet blow (LTB). The tools with LTB were systematically produced throughout the 8-m-thick Middle Paleolithic sequence of Nesher Ramla representing the major typological category in some of the layers. Together with tools with LTB, the assemblages contain large numbers of LTB spalls. Here we present a detailed techno-morphological analysis of the tools and spalls from Nesher Ramla Unit III, one of the richest archaeological layers of the site. Our results suggest that the goal of the LTB technique at Nesher Ramla was to manufacture a tool with an edge that is partially retouched and partially sharp, i.e., shaped by LTB. The LTB technique employs a long knapping routine, including a series of compulsory and optional steps, implying non-opportunistic behavior. Although on-site use of the LTB technique is attested, the fact that these tools were also often introduced to the site as finished objects further emphasizes their importance and suggests that most of them were not produced on-site in response to an immediate need for sharp edges.This tool type represents a new, previously unreported component in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic toolkit. A comparison with other archaeological units along the 8-m-thick stratigraphy of Nesher Ramla suggests that the LTB technique was one of the major techniques for manufacturing tools at that site and that the tools with LTB represent a cultural marker for Nesher Ramla hominins and possibly a new cultural marker in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic. According to a comparison of tools shaped by LTB from other geographic and temporal contexts, most notably, the central European Keilmesser, the Nesher Ramla tools with LTB were likely designed and used by right-handed hominins in a longitudinal cutting motion.

The potential impacts of climate factors and malaria on the Middle Palaeolithic population patterns of ancient humans

Previous studies that observed the fact that Middle Palaeolithic sites mainly were concentrated in arid and semi-arid areas in Africa and Southwest Asia, concluded that climate factors determined the distribution patterns. We argue that biological factors could have been equally important. In present-day sub-Saharan Africa, mosquito-borne diseases and especially falciparum malaria have a serious impact on human populations. This study was aimed to investigate the possible former effect of falciparum malaria on Middle Palaeolithic site distribution patterns and explain why ancient humans avoided the humid areas in the tropical and subtropical regions. It was found that the early human settlements situated in those regions of Africa and Southwest Asia where the potential annual development period of falciparum parasites was short in the mosquitoes, the area was not too humid, and the potential falciparum malaria incidence values were low or moderate. In the Indian Peninsula, precipitation played a less significant role in determining human settlements. The number of the months when the extrinsic development of Plasmodium falciparum parasites was possible showed the strongest structural overlap with the modelled malaria incidences according to the spatial occurrence of the Middle Paleolithic archaeological sites in the case of Africa and in Southwest Asia. In the Indian Peninsula, climatic factors showed the strongest structural overlap with the modelled malaria incidences according to the occurrence patterns of the Middle Palaeolithic archaeological sites.

Depositional processes and environmental settings in rock shelters: the case of the prehistoric Oscurusciuto site (Southern Italy)

AbstractClastic successions in rock shelters commonly host important archaeological findings, especially of prehistoric and protostoric times. The understanding of depositional and post-depositional processes in these environments is crucial to understand the lifestyle settings of humans, as well as the reliability of archaeological data obtained during excavations. Rock shelters are genetically related to caves, but while depositional processes in caves are generally well known, less information is available concerning the depositional processes active in rock shelters.This paper tries to contribute to this issue, describing the sedimentary succession exposed at the Oscurusciuto rock shelter (Ginosa, Southern Italy). This is one of the most important Middle Palaeolithic sites of the Italian peninsula, and its sedimentary infill hosts witnesses of very late Neanderthal populations that lived in Italy just before their total decline and complete replacement by Modern Humans (MH).This work presents the results of a sedimentologically based study integrated with an ichnological study of selected beds. The combination of these two methodologies allowed us to: (i) define the main depositional processes active in the rock shelter environment, as well as the relationships between different processes; (ii) discuss the meaning of peculiar ichnofabrics recognized at the site, and (iii) discuss the meaning of structureless strata at an archeological site in the framework of human trampling vs bioturbation as a cause of the obliteration of primary sedimentary structures.

The Middle Paleolithic from an underwater perspective: Submerged Mousterian industry from Kaštel Štafilić – Resnik (Dalmatia, Croatia) in the context of eastern Adriatic

This paper presents the investigation methodology and results of analyses of lithic material from Kaštel Štafilić – Resnik (Dalmatia, Croatia), the first systematically explored underwater Middle Paleolithic site in the central Mediterranean and southeastern Europe. The present site contains lithic elements from one or several open-air habitation sites from the time when the sea level was considerably lower than today. The archeological assemblage (Mousterian industry) and relative chronology indicate that almost all finds are contemporary with the Neandertals. The obtained results were compared to other Middle Paleolithic sites from the eastern Adriatic region. An integrative approach to lithic material from different types of sites (underwater, open-air, cave) provided better understanding of formation processes, a more complete picture of the region occupied by the Mousterian people, and clearer insight into their mobility patterns. Given this new evidence, it has become clear that the Neandertals of the Adriatic region controlled a much larger range of territory than previously documented.

Quina Retouch Does Not Maintain Edge Angle Over Reduction

ABSTRACT The Quina scraper features an important role in the discussion of European Middle Palaeolithic variability. Explanations for its characteristic retouch and blank morphology have ranged from economic to functional and cultural considerations. One hypothesis is that Quina retouch maintains the edge angle of the retouched margin, allowing the upkeep of high cutting potential despite repeated resharpening. In this study, we examine this hypothesis by using a sample of scrapers from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Roc de Marsal in southwest France. The results show that, when the influence of reduction intensity and flake thickness are controlled, Quina retouch has no detectable impact on the retouched edge angle. Instead, the overall higher edge angles among Quina scrapers are a product of continuous reduction and the use of thicker blanks. We discuss possible factors underlying the occurrence of Quina retouch with respect to lithic economy and function.

It's getting hot in here – Microcontextual study of a potential pit hearth at the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple burning events and long combustion times. Morphologically distinct combustion structures in a single archaeological context may indicate different functions and thus a diverse fire technology, pointing to Neanderthal behavioral variability.

Species distribution models advance our knowledge of the Neanderthals\u2019 paleoecology on the Iranian Plateau

Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) were distributed across a vast region from Europe to western and Central Asia. The Neanderthals’ paleoecology and distribution has been extensively studied in Europe where the species originated. However, very little is known about their paleoecology in south-western Asia. Here, we employed species distribution modelling and 45 Middle Palaeolithic (c. 200,000–40,000 years BCE) sites location associated with fossil and/or lithic artefacts made by the Neanderthals to examine the expansion of the Neanderthals on the Iranian Plateau in south-western Asia. We estimated the niche overlap between Neanderthals and wild goat, wild sheep and Persian gazelle by modelling their past distribution using 200, 143 and 110 occurrence records respectively. The results show that Neanderthals had highest niche overlap with wild goat in the study area. This analysis revealed that the most suitable Neanderthals’ habitats in south-western Asia were located in the Zagros Mountains stretches from north-western and western and some isolated patches in the central parts of the Iranian Plateau. The annual precipitation and maximum temperature of the warmest month were the most important predictor of the species’ distribution. This finding shows that the southern edge of the Neanderthals distribution was limited by warm summer. Our results provide important information for future field investigations and excavations in the area.

Detecting Associations between Archaeological Site Distributions and Landscape Features: A Monte Carlo Simulation Approach for the R Environment

Detecting association between archaeological sites and physical landscape elements like geological deposits, vegetation, drainage networks, or areas of modern disturbance like mines or quarries is a key goal of archaeological projects. This goal is complicated by the incomplete nature of the archaeological record, the high degree of uncertainty of typical point distribution patterns, and, in the case of deeply buried archaeological sites, the absence of reliable information about the ancient landscape itself. Standard statistical approaches may not be applicable (e.g., X2 test) or are difficult to apply correctly (regression analysis). Monte Carlo simulation, devised in the late 1940s by mathematical physicists, offers a way to approach this problem. In this paper, we apply a Monte Carlo approach to test for association between Lower and Middle Palaeolithic sites in Hampshire and Sussex, UK, and quarries recorded on historical maps. We code our approach in the popular ‘R’ software environment, describing our methods step-by-step and providing complete scripts so others can apply our method to their own cases. Association between sites and quarries is clearly shown. We suggest ways to develop the approach further, e.g., for detecting associations between sites or artefacts and remotely-sensed deposits or features, e.g., from aerial photographs or geophysical survey.

Evidence for Middle Palaeolithic occupation and landscape change in central Armenia at the open-air site of Alapars-1

AbstractHere we report the findings from excavations at the open-air Middle Palaeolithic site of Alapars-1 in central Armenia. Three stratified Palaeolithic artefact assemblages were found within a 6-m-thick alluvial-aeolian sequence, located on the flanks of an obsidian-bearing lava dome. Combined sedimentological and chronological analyses reveal three phases of sedimentation and soil development. During Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages 5–3, the manner of deposition changes from alluvial to aeolian, with a development of soil horizons. Techno-typological analysis and geochemical sourcing of the obsidian artefacts reveal differential discard patterns, source exploitation, and artefact densities within strata, suggesting variability in technological organization during the Middle Palaeolithic. Taken together, these results indicate changes in hominin occupation patterns from ephemeral to more persistent in relation to landscape dynamics during the last interglacial and glacial periods in central Armenia.

On holes and strings: Earliest displays of human adornment in the Middle Palaeolithic.

Glycymeris shell beads found in Middle Palaeolithic sites are understood to be artifacts collected by modern humans for symbolic use. In Misliya Cave, Israel, dated to 240–160 ka BP, Glycymeris shells were found that were neither perforated nor manipulated; nevertheless, transportation to the cave is regarded as symbolic. In about 120 ka BP at Qafzeh Cave, Israel, modern humans collected naturally perforated Glycymeris shells also for symbolic use. Use-wear analyses backed by experiments demonstrate that the Qafzeh shells were suspended on string, thus suggesting that the collection of perforated shells was intentional. The older Misliya shells join a similar finding from South Africa, while the later-dated perforated shells from Qafzeh resemble other assemblages from North Africa and the Levant, also dated to about 120 ka BP. We conclude that between 160 ka BP and 120 ka BP there was a shift from collecting complete valves to perforated ones, which reflects both the desire and the technological ability to suspend shell beads on string to be displayed on the human body.

Middle Paleolithic Site Sukhaya Mechёtka: the Renewal of Complex Investigations

The Sukhaya Mechёtka site, located on the northern outskirts of Volgograd, has attracted the attention of Paleolithic researchers since its discovery in 1951 by geologists A.I.Koptev and M.N. Grishchenko. The materials of the site - a collection of stone products currently kept at the MAE RAS, and chronostratigraphic information – can be considered as perfect by standards of open Paleolithic complexes. To a large extent, the site acquired such a significance due to the presence of the only one perfectly preserved cultural layer, which lies in clear stratigraphic conditions. Being densely overlapped with thick deposits, the site was preserved so well that it remained unaffected by the turbulent natural processes of the last glacial-interglacial macrocycle. Single-layer sites usually have a disadvantage comparing to multi-layer complexes in terms of the importance level of the tasks solved with their help. But the Sukhaya Mechёtka favorably differs from other sites by the measure of cultural layer being studied in the field and the potential for further studies. The stone assemblage and field documentation archives created by M.Z. Panichkina and S.N. Zamyatnin show a picture of the life of Middle Paleolithic hunters settlement taken at limited time interval. It is confirmed by preliminary results of planigraphic and technological analyzes performed with use of refitting. Sukhaya Mechёtka is a practically intact echo of an individual Neanderthal community’s life, as far as it’s possible for archaeological material of this age. However, the matter of the site’s chronology, and the time period of Sukhaya Mechёtka layer formation being determined in particular, are not completely resolved. The representations of the middle of the last century based on geological observations (Mikulino) need to be verified. The C14 dating method showed obviously an inadequately young age. OSL dating results are expected to be gained in the future.

Rethinking the emergence of bone grease procurement

The extraction of grease from deliberately comminuted cancellous bone is a low-return activity that has important evolutionary ramifications because it potentially constitutes an early form of resource intensification. From an archaeological standpoint, bone grease extraction is also of significance because it can substantially modify anatomical profiles. Whether this practice is a relatively recent phenomenon or has deep roots reaching back into the Paleolithic, however, remains controversial. The goal of this paper is to cast broader light on the emergence of bone grease procurement by briefly revisiting three French Middle Paleolithic sites (Roc de Marsal, les Pradelles and Grotte du Noisetier) that have been interpreted as potentially early evidence for human processing of cancellous bone for food. To determine whether the published patterns are consistent with this practice, faunal trends at these sites are compared here with recently acquired experimental and ethnographic data on bone comminution activities.The results presented in this paper emphasize the importance of considering human consumption of bone meal as a viable alternative when evaluating competing hypotheses to account for the frequent lack of articular ends in European Paleolithic sites, including many assemblages that show little evidence of carnivore intervention and density-mediated attrition. The analysis also highlights the significance of other activities such as soup making, the use of bone as fuel, ritual disposal of fragments, site cleaning and feeding dogs with pounded bones, which are possible sources of variation when interpreting highly fragmented faunal assemblages. These observations are integrated into a general model focused on the interpretation of bone processing in the archaeological record.

The emergence of the Levallois technology in the Levant: A view from the Early Middle Paleolithic site of Misliya Cave, Israel

The Early Middle Paleolithic (EMP) lithic assemblage of Misliya Cave, dated to 240–150 ka, is associated with one of the earliest occurrences of Homo sapiens outside Africa. Our research provides a detailed technological study of the lithic assemblage of stratigraphic unit 5–6c of the site, using the chaîne opératoire approach, to characterize the technological behavior of the early H. sapiens. Our results indicate that both Levallois and laminar volumetric concepts were used. The Levallois reduction strategy involved preparing subtriangular cores with steep distal edges that allowed producing a series of triangular/subtriangular Levallois blanks using a unidirectional convergent method. Laminar débitage constitutes a semirotating/rotating method. The results of our study and comparisons with other Levantine sites indicate that the EMP represents a distinct entity within the Levantine Middle Pleistocene record that can be distinguished by the earliest occurrence of a full-fledged Levallois technology in the region, laminar technology, and a distinct tool kit dominated by elongated retouched points. The level of core management involved in producing convergent Levallois products and in preparing laminar cores points to a major conceptual change from the preceding Acheulian and Acheulo-Yabrudian. This suggests a break in knapping strategies between the Lower and the Middle Paleolithic. The finding of a H. sapiens maxilla at Misliya Cave in association with the EMP industry supports the hypothesis that the introduction of the Levallois technology in the Near East was associated with an early dispersal of H. sapiens from Africa. A comparison between the Levantine EMP and other regional records indicates that different Levallois methods were routinely used by hominins from the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic and the Middle Stone Age.

Comparing lower and middle Palaeolithic lithic procurement behaviors within the Hrazdan basin of central Armenia

The Hrazdan River valley in Armenia contains Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic archaeological sites and offers access to the Gutansar Volcanic Complex, a large and important source of obsidian. The sites’ occupants primarily acquired lithic material from this obsidian source, which is manifested throughout the local landscape, but its obsidian exposures, produced during a single eruptive phase, exhibit the same geochemical signature. This situation inspired the development of rock magnetic characterization as a means to recognize obsidian from different spots across the volcanic complex (i.e., intra-source, not inter-source, characterization). This intra-source approach was first applied to the Middle Palaeolithic site of Lusakert Cave 1, where the data revealed that the occupants collected obsidian throughout the river valley, rather than a preferred outcrop, quarrying area, or secondary deposit. Such a finding implied that the toolstone procurement spatially coincided with the valley and was embedded in subsistence activities. In this new study, the same approach to intra-source magnetic characterization is applied to the Lower Palaeolithic site of Nor Geghi 1 – specifically, to obsidian debris dated between 440 and 335 millennia ago. The magnetic measurements show that, like at Lusakert Cave 1, toolstone acquisition occurred within the valley. If, as we propose, obsidian procurement reflects the spatial distribution of subsistence activities, it attests that archaic hominins at both sites and in both periods were able to effectively exploit a resource-rich riparian ecosystem. Consequently, this study provides an example of behaviors shared by Middle and Lower Palaeolithic hominins whereby, placed within the same landscape, their resource exploitation behaviors appear indistinguishable.

Non-destructive ZooMS identification reveals strategic bone tool raw material selection by Neandertals

Five nearly identical fragments of specialized bone tools, interpreted as lissoirs (French for “smoothers”), have been found at two Middle Paleolithic sites in southwest France. The finds span three separate archaeological deposits, suggesting continuity in the behavior of late Neandertals. Using standard morphological assessments, we determined that the lissoirs were produced on ribs of medium-sized ungulates. However, since these bones are highly fragmented and anthropogenically modified, species determinations were challenging. Also, conservative curation policy recommends minimizing destructive sampling of rare, fragile, or small artifacts for molecular identification methods. To better understand raw material selection for these five lissoirs, we reassess their taxonomy using a non-destructive ZooMS methodology based on triboelectric capture of collagen. We sampled four storage containers and obtained identifiable MALDI-TOF MS collagen fingerprints, all indicative of the same taxonomic clade, which includes aurochs and bison (Bos sp. and Bison sp.). The fifth specimen, which was stored in a plastic bag, provided no useful MALDI-TOF MS spectra. We show that the choice of large bovid ribs in an archaeological layer dominated by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) demonstrates strategic selection by these Neandertals. Furthermore, our results highlight the value of a promising technique for the non-destructive analysis of bone artifacts.

The Middle Pleistocene hominin mandible from Payre (Ardèche, France)

Although Neandertals are the best-known fossil hominins, the tempo and evolutionary processes in their lineage are strongly debated. This is in part due to the scarcity of the fossil record, in particular before the marine isotopic stage (MIS) 5. In 2010, a partial hominin mandible was discovered at the Middle Paleolithic site of Payre (France) in a layer that is dated to the end of MIS 8/beginning of MIS 7, a time period for which very few fossils are known in Europe. The Payre 15 mandible retains the complete symphyseal region and right lateral corpus with heavily worn P4, M1, and M2 in situ. Taphonomic modifications in the form of three notches suggest that this individual was chewed by a carnivore. We provide here the first detailed description of this specimen and a comparative analysis that includes morphological features, linear mandibular dimensions, an elliptic Fourier analysis of the symphysis, and a morphometric analysis of the M1 roots (based on segmented CT scan data). Our comparative sample encompasses European Middle and Upper Pleistocene specimens attributed to Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis, Upper Pleistocene Homo sapiens, and Holocene Homo sapiens. The Payre 15 mandible shows a combination of primitive and Neandertal-like features, with a receding symphyseal profile without any element of the mentum osseum, a posterior location of the mental foramen and lateral prominence. Its mandibular body is tall and thick anteriorly. Payre 15 has mesotaurodont M1 roots and a three-rooted M2. By its dimensions and combination of features, Payre 15 aligns better with Middle Pleistocene European hominins than with MIS 6–3 Neandertals. Noteworthy, it falls well within the range of variation of the Sima de los Huesos sample. Our results underscore that the total pattern of Neandertal-derived morphology was not achieved at the beginning of the MIS 7 and suggest a low level of mandibular diachronic changes for the period MIS 11–7.

Nouveau site du Paléolithique Moyen dans le Caucase Central (résultats préliminaires des études complexes)

The newest studies of the Caucasus Paleolithic indicate movements of human groups between the northern and southern, and western and eastern parts of this region. In the Baksan river valley in the north-central Caucasus, there is known a large source of obsidian, which was transported to sites in the north-western Caucasus already in the Middle Paleolithic. However, no stratified Middle Paleolithic site was known in the source area until 2016 when we discovered here the first cave site of Saradj-Chuko cave. The article presents the first results of a comprehensive research of this site. The Saradj-Chuko cave is located just 6–7km from the important obsidian source that represents the only source of obsidian, which was highly valued in the past, in the Northern Caucasus, and about 70km from the Elbrus volcanic peak. A comprehensive study in Saradj-Chuko cave began in 2017. A small (∼8 sq. m) excavation was dug next to the 2016 test pit. We report a detailed description of the materials excavated from the main Middle Paleolithic occupational Layer 6B. The study of the lithic assemblage allows us to make a preliminary conclusion that Layer 6B represents an active habitation level where Neanderthals were engaged in intensive flaking of obsidian and usage of tools made predominantly from obsidian for butchering and consumption of hunting game. The laminar character of the stone industry distinguishes the Mousterian industry of the north-central Caucasus and probably the entire Terek river basin from the Eastern Micoquian industry that is represented in factually all Middle Paleolithic sites in the north-western Caucasus (Kuban river basin), as well as makes the Mousterian of north-central Caucasus similar to the Mousterian industries known in the north-eastern Caucasus and the Southern Caucasus. We suggest cultural connections and contacts among Neanderthal groups from these regions during the Middle Paleolithic period.