Inferring Upper Palaeolithic human mobility strategies in the Pyrenees

The use of geochemistry to characterize chert tools recovered at hunter-gatherer sites is particularly interesting for inferring the territorial behavior of past societies and their mobility routes. In western Europe, the Pyrenean mountain range is one of these areas where analysing past human mobil...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sánchez de la Torre, Marta, Gratuze, Bernard, Le Bourdonnec, Francois-Xavier, Sacchi, Dominique, Mangado Llach, Xavier
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/223371
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/223371
http://hdl.handle.net/2445/223371
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sílex
Paleolític superior
Mobilitat residencial
Geoquímica
Pirineus
Flint
Upper Paleolithic
Residential mobility
Geochemistry
Pyrenees
Descripción
Sumario:The use of geochemistry to characterize chert tools recovered at hunter-gatherer sites is particularly interesting for inferring the territorial behavior of past societies and their mobility routes. In western Europe, the Pyrenean mountain range is one of these areas where analysing past human mobility is especially challenging. This mountain chain was believed to have been a barrier for Palaeolithic communities; however, recent studies have demonstrated that it was frequented and crossed by human groups almost throughout the last glaciation. To infer Upper Palaeolithic human mobility strategies in the Pyrenees, lithic artefacts recovered at Cova del Parco and Montlleó open-air site (Lleida, Spain) and Caune de Belvis (Aude, France) have been analysed using geochemical tools: energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF), and laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The results have shown that geochemistry is a useful tool for establishing differences between sources and for connecting archaeological cherts with specific formations.