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Site formation histories and context of human occupations at the paleolithic site of La Ferrassie (Dordogne, France)

2023-10Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorAldeias, Vera
dc.contributor.authorSandgathe, Dennis
dc.contributor.authorMcPherron, Shannon
dc.contributor.authorBruxelles, Bibiana
dc.contributor.authorTurq, Alain
dc.contributor.authorGoldberg, Paul
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-04T11:27:40Z
dc.date.available2024-01-04T11:27:40Z
dc.date.issued2023-10
dc.description.abstractThe Paleolithic site of La Ferrassie (Dordogne, France) has contributed significantly to the understanding of Middle and Upper Paleolithic technocomplexes, as well as Neanderthal skeletal morphology. Excavations at the site have spanned more than a century and uncovered rich archaeological assemblages associated with the Mousterian, Chatelperronian, Aurignacian and Gravettian technocomplexes. Renewed excavations exposed a sequence spanning both Middle and Upper Paleolithic occupations in the Western Sector and low-density Mousterian deposits and Chatelperronian in the Northern Sector. Here, we report on an extensive geoarchaeological study of deposits at the western end of the site to reconstruct and interpret both the depositional history of the sediments and associated human occupations in this poorly documented part of La Ferrassie. Our results point to the nature of the site as originally a karstic cave, with the Western Sector located in what would have been the cave's mouth. The stratigraphic sequence comprises first fluvial deposition (Phase I) followed by soliflucted deposits and accretion cones that emanate from an elevated platform situated several meters above the modern road next to the site (Phase II) and, finally, spatially restricted channeling (Phase III). Most archaeological assemblages are associated with Phase II and reflect an interplay between occupations directly in this area and bones and artifacts sliding down the slope from the upper platform. Unlike in the Western Sector, in the Northern Sector - situated along the north wall and several meters inside the footprint of the cave - cold features dominate the entirety of the sequence; we interpret these as being linked to microenvironments specific to this location of the karst rather than to general (external) climatic conditions. Relevant is the identification of patterned ground formation in this area, which can be clearly linked to the "monticule" features first reported by Capitan and Peyrony and erroneously interpreted as anthropogenic in origin. Our geoarchaeological results point to a large and complex karst system, with distinct depositional sources and often locally independent sedimentary histories throughout its extent. These formation pathways have differently impacted the main occupation areas and resulted in distinct degrees of preservation of the archaeological assemblages throughout the different areas of the site.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s41982-023-00159-7pt_PT
dc.identifier.eissn2520-8217
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/20265
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherSpringernaturept_PT
dc.relationInterdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behavior
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectSite formation processespt_PT
dc.subjectPaleolithic archaeologypt_PT
dc.subjectGeoarchaeologypt_PT
dc.subjectNeanderthalspt_PT
dc.subjectHomo sapienspt_PT
dc.subjectMicrostratigraphypt_PT
dc.titleSite formation histories and context of human occupations at the paleolithic site of La Ferrassie (Dordogne, France)pt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleInterdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behavior
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F04211%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.issue1pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleJournal of Paleolithic Archaeologypt_PT
oaire.citation.volume6pt_PT
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
person.familyNameAldeias
person.familyNameMcPherron
person.givenNameVera
person.givenNameShannon
person.identifier.ciencia-id9A14-DE8D-BABF
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-7680-182X
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-2063-468X
person.identifier.ridC-9958-2010
person.identifier.scopus-author-id55052739100
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublication82512493-f3d1-4d00-9e67-2b43e50f67c8
relation.isAuthorOfPublication0d20826a-f03e-446a-8c32-98fd21cc0417
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery82512493-f3d1-4d00-9e67-2b43e50f67c8
relation.isProjectOfPublication7df6126b-8b99-46fd-8f38-a975c111c0b3
relation.isProjectOfPublication.latestForDiscovery7df6126b-8b99-46fd-8f38-a975c111c0b3

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