Monthly Archives: October 2011

Bifacial tools from Saint-Brice-sous-Rânes

These are two bifacial tools from Saint-Brice-sous-Rânes, showing some affinities to the “Middle European Keilmessergruppe” (Micoquian) by their shape and asymmetry. The site of Saint-Brice-sous-Rânes, la “Bruyère” (Orne) belongs to a cluster of middle Paleolithic production sites for bifacial tools … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Espines

Espins is a small village 27 km south of Caen in the Region in the Lower-Normandy, Department of Calvados. These handaxes were made of low quality chert and display an “Acheulian” character. They seem to be older than other handaxes … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Leaf Point from Solutré

The time period of the late glacial maximum, around 20 k.a. years ago, offered the most rigorous and challenging environments for human adaptation, and may have offered the most severe natural selection pressure for evolutionary changes in the organization of … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Solutré: Stratigraphy and Technocomplexes

                                The  Paleolithic site of Solutré and the escarpment which protects it from the northwest winds are located a few miles west of the modern city of Mâcon, at the southern … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

La Gane reloaded

This picture gives you a closer look at the colorful materials that were used during the Aurignacian at the La-Gane site near Groléjac (Dordogne),  situated just 10 km from the wonderful town of Sarlat (do not visit during July / … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Stone age after the Stone age: Gunflint

These are gunflints from the 18th century. They were part of a flintlock mechanism, that became popular during the early modern  (http://science.howstuffworks.com/flintlock2.htm). In Germany the Duke of Brunswick was the first, who introduced flint lock rifles for his territorial troops … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Targeting Prey by Bow and Arrow

An arrow-tip from the Tenerian, where a grand variety of such artifacts can be observed. In the historical and ethnological record, many human groups have added the bow and arrow to their repertoire of hunting technology. Experimental data indicate that … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Clearing dark Woods during the Neolithic of Central and North Europa

These are some heavy flint-axes from late Neolithic scandinavia, wich were used for wood-cleaning. Europe has some of the highest cropland area in the world. Forest clearing in Europe has been documented as far back as the Neolithic culture some … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quina Handaxe from Saint- Maixent – l‘ École (Charente)

This is a handaxe from a assemblage of Quina Mousterian tools from Saint- Maixent – l‘ École (Charente). Bifacial tools (usually scrapers) are always present in small quantities in Quina-ensembles. Bifacial Quina scrapers and MTA bifaces offer a similar functional … Continue reading

Posted in Plaeolithics and Neolithics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment