Monthly Archives: December 2011

Conformism in prehistoric societies

Posted on 12/31/2011 by Katzman

Some microlithis from the North/West Sahara-traces of a long standing conformism in the production of such artifacts. Prehistoric archaeology is often modeled through the paradigm of the collective. Conformistic collectives adapt to their environment and their decisions are made in … Continue reading →

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Resharpening, Retooling, Lithic Variability and Behavioral Patterns

Posted on 12/23/2011 by Katzman

Resharpening of stone artifacts as an important factor in determining lithic variability became an important issue in the 1980ies, although first considerations about this topic appeared in the literature as early as the 1867 (Reliquiae Aquitanicae). The phenomenon was also … Continue reading →

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Middle Paleolithic Convergent Scraper

Posted on 12/18/2011 by Katzman

This is a large scraper from a Non-Levallois blank with convergent ends and side retouches. It was found in the Department of Seine Maritime and is dated between 300 and 50 thousand years BP. Convergent scrapers provide a good example … Continue reading →

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Middle European Copper Age flat axe

Posted on 12/14/2011 by Katzman

The first metal to be worked anywhere in Europe was copper. Smelted copper tools and ornaments began to circulate around 5000 BC. Copper Age flat axes are common in early Eneolithic societies of South East and Middle Europe. The rich … Continue reading →

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Dead End Street: The Levallois-Mousterian of the Carmel region

Posted on 12/12/2011 by Katzman

These are some artifacts from the “Mousterian” layers of Kebara. The Middle Paleolithic findings of this site are the only “Tabun-B Ensembles” in Israel, that has been excavated with modern methods. These ensembles therfore can be considered as the reference stratigraphy for … Continue reading →

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Acheulean near Châteauneuf-sur-Loire

Posted on 12/11/2011 by Katzman

There are many old handaxe findings in the Loiret (Névoy, Ouzouer-sur-Loire, Bray-en-Val, Saint-Aignan-des-Gués, Saint-Martin-d’Abbat, Germigny-des-Prés, Mardié, Chécy…). Although the Acheulian in the Loire valley around Orleans is well developed and has many affinities to the Acheulian of the Indre and … Continue reading →

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Paleolithic Core or Pebble-Tool from Kassel

Posted on 12/07/2011 by Katzman

This Quartzite tool was part of a surface scatter of artifacts (5x5m) on a field together with crude (non-Levallois) large flakes and some simple side-scrapers near Kassel. What is interesting is the fact, that the raw material was imported from a … Continue reading →

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Quartzite in Prehistory

Posted on 12/03/2011 by Katzman

These are two Quartzite leaf points from Maroc (timeframe: MSA or Neolithic). Quartzite is a metamorphic rock composed primarily of quartz and may include significant amounts of other minerals. The parent rock for quartzite is quartz-rich sandstone. As sandstone becomes … Continue reading →

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Acheulean in Northern France: Handaxe from the Yonne Valley

Posted on 12/02/2011 by Katzman

Researches during the last 20 years on both fluvial and loess sequences of the main river valleys in Northern France (Somme, Seine and Yonne) are based on an interdisciplinary approach combining stratigraphy, sedimentology, bioclimatic studies and advanced dating methods (U/Th, … Continue reading →

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