Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-2lccl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T14:21:08.630Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

LEAF-POINTS FROM PETROTA (GREEK THRACE) AND THE PALAEOLITHIC CHRONOLOGY OF THE VRAHOS CHERT QUARRY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2016

Michael Fotiadis
Michael Fotiadis*
Affiliation:
Department of History and Archaeology, University of Ioannina
*
mfotiadi@cc.uoi.gr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Petrota chert source, in Greek Thrace, was exploited in the Middle Palaeolithic and again in the Neolithic and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age. An extensive scatter of products of that exploitation today surrounds the source. The site was systematically surveyed between 1998 and 2010. The present paper is devoted exclusively to the issue of the chronology of the Middle Palaeolithic component. The best, though still imperfect, indicator of chronology is the presence in the scatter of bifacially flaked leaf-points. A review of the literature on the chronostratigraphy of such artefacts in Europe, from Thuringia to Crimea, shows that they had a long career. They first appeared about 200,000 years ago and were still manufactured about 45,000 years ago. On the basis of various considerations, it is suggested that the leaf-points of Petrota and, accordingly, the Palaeolithic component at the site, belong to an advanced stage of that long period, probably dating between roughly 100,000 and 45/40,000 years ago.

Φυλλόσχημες αιχμές Πετρωτών Θράκης και η χρονολόγηση της Παλαιολιθικής του λατομείου πυριτολίθου του Βράχου

Ο πηγή πυριτολίθου των Πετρωτών, στη Δυτική Θράκη, ήταν υπό εκμετάλλευση στη Μέση Παλαιολιθική καθώς και τη Νεολιθική και την αρχή της Πρώιμης Εποχής του Χαλκού. Προϊόντα αυτής της εκμετάλλευσης βρίσκονται σήμερα διάσπαρτα σε μεγάλη έκταση γύρω από την πηγή. Η διασπορά ερευνήθηκε συστηματικά μεταξύ του 1998 και του 2010. Η παρούσα μελέτη αφορά αποκλειστικά στο ζήτημα της χρονολόγησης της Μέσης Παλαιολιθικής στη θέση. Η καλλίτερη, αν και όχι απόλυτα ικανοποιητική, ένδειξη για αυτή τη χρονολόγηση είναι η παρουσία αμφιπρόσωπα δουλεμένων φυλλόσχημων αιχμών. Η εξέταση της βιβλιογραφίας για τη χρονοστρωματογραφία τέτοιων αιχμών στην Ευρώπη, από τη Θουρινγκία ως την Κριμαία, δείχνει ότι πρωτοεμφανίστηκαν περίπου 200.000 χρόνια πριν και κατασκευάζονταν ακόμη 45.000 χρόνια πριν. Κατόπιν διαφόρων παρατηρήσεων, προτείνεται ότι οι φυλλόσχημες αιχμές των Πετρωτών και, κατ’ επέκταση, η Μέση Παλαιολιθική στη θέση ανήκουν σε ένα προχωρημένο στάδιο αυτής την μακράς περιόδου, χρονολογούμενο πιθανότατα μεταξύ περίπου 100.000 και 45/40.000 χρόνια πριν.

Type
Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 111 , November 2016 , pp. 1 - 11
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, B. 2009. ‘The Bükk mountain Szeletian: old and new views on “transitional” material from the eponymous site of the Szeletian’, in Camps, M. and Chauhan, P.R. (eds), Sourcebook of Paleolithic Transitions. Methods, Theories and Interpretations (New York), 427–40.Google Scholar
Allsworth-Jones, P. 1986. The Szeletian and the Transition from Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in Central Europe (Oxford).Google Scholar
Andel, T.H. van and Runnels, C.N. 2005. ‘Karstic wetland dwellers of Middle Palaeolithic Epirus, Greece’, JFA 30, 367–84.Google Scholar
Anghelinu, M., and Niță, L. 2014. ‘What's in a name: the Aurignacian in Romania’, Quaternary International 351, 172–92.Google Scholar
Anghelinu, M., Niță, L., Sitlivy, V., Uthmeier, T. and Băltean, I. 2012. ‘Looking around Peştera Cu Oase: the beginnings of Upper Paleolithic in Romania’, Quaternary International 274, 136–57. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beyene, Y., Katoh, S., WoldeGabriel, G., Hart, W.K., Uto, K., Sudo, M., Kondo, M., Hyodo, M., Renne, P.R., Suwa, G. and Asfaw, B. 2013. ‘The characteristics and chronology of the earliest Acheulean at Konso, Ethiopia’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, 1584–91.Google Scholar
Brumm, A. and Moore, M.W. 2012. ‘Biface distributions and the Movius line: a southeast Asian perspective’, Australian Archaeology 74, 32–46.Google Scholar
Christofides, G., Péckskay, Z., Eleftheriadis, G., Soldatos, T. and Koroneos, A. 2004. ‘The Tertiary volcanic rocks (Thrace, northeastern Greece): petrology and K/Ar geochronology’, Geologica Carpathica 55, 397–409.Google Scholar
Cyrek, K., Sudot, M., Czyźewski, Ł. and Osipowicz, G. 2014. ‘Middle Palaeolithic cultural levels from Middle and Late Pleistocene sediments of Biśnik Cave, Poland’, Quaternary International 327–8, 20–63.Google Scholar
Davies, W. and Hedges, R. 2008–9. ‘Dating a type site: fitting Szeleta Cave into its regional chronometric context’, Praehistoria (Miskolc) 9–10, 35–45.Google Scholar
Davies, W. and Nerudová, Z. 2009. ‘Moravský Krumlov IV: its chronological place in a wider arena’, in Neruda, P. and Nerudová, Z. (eds), Moravský Krumlov IV. Vícevrstevná lokalita ze středního a počátku mladého paleolitu na Moravě (Anthropos 29/N.S. 21; Brno), 84–90.Google Scholar
Doronichev, V. and Golovanova, L. 2003. ‘Bifacial tools in the Lower and Middle Paleolithic of the Caucasus and their contexts’, in Soressi, M. and Dibble, H. (eds), Multiple Approaches to the Study of Bifacial Technologies (Philadelphia), 77–107.Google Scholar
Douka, K., Jacobs, Z., Lane, C., Grün, R., Farr, L., Hunt, C., Inglis, R.H., Reynolds, T., Albert, P., Aubert, M., Cullen, V., Hill, E., Kinsley, L., Roberts, R.G., Tomlinson, E.L., Wulf, S. and Barker, G. 2014. ‘The chronostratigraphy of the Haua Fteah Cave (Cyrenaica, northeast Libya)’, Journal of Human Evolution 66, 39–63.Google Scholar
Feustel, R. 1983. ‘Zur zeitlichen und kulturellen Stellung des Paläolithikums von Weimar-Ehringsdorf’, Alt-Thuringen 19, 16–42.Google Scholar
Flas, D. 2011. ‘The Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition in northern Europe: the Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician and the issue of acculturation of the last Neanderthals’, WorldArch 43, 605–27.Google Scholar
Fotiadis, M. 2008. ‘Petrota: surveying Palaeolithic & Neolithic stone sources in Greece’ (available online <http://petrotasurvey.hist-arch.uoi.gr> accessed April 2016).+accessed+April+2016).>Google Scholar
Fotiadis, M., Efstratiou, N. and Pavlopoulos, K. in press. “Λατομείο πυριτολίθου, Πετρωτά Θράκης (Παλαιολιθική–Νεολιθική)”, Δωδώνη. Ιστορία και Αρχαιολογία 44–5.Google Scholar
Fotiadis, M., Papayanni, D. and Efstratiou, N. 2001. “Πετρωτά Θράκης: προϊστορικό λατομείο πυριτολίθου”, Το αρχαιολογικό έργο στη Μακεδονία και Θράκη 15, 9–18.Google Scholar
Gibbons, A. 2013. ‘When early hominins got a grip’, Science 340, 426–7.Google Scholar
Guadelli, J.-L., Sirakov, N., Ivanova, S., Sirakova, S., Anastassova, E., Courtaud, P., Dimitrova, I., Djabarska, N., Fernandez, P., Ferrier, C., Fontugne, M., Gambier, D., Guadelli, A., Iordanova, D., Iordanova, N., Kovatcheva, M., Krumov, I., Leblanc, J.-C., Mallye, J.-B., Marinska, M., Miteva, V., Popov, V., Spassov, R., Taneva, S., Tisterat-Laborde, N. and Tsanova, Ts. 2005. ‘Une séquence du Paléolithique inférieur au Paléolithique récent dans les Balkans: la grotte Kozarnika à Orechets (Nord-Ouest de la Bulgarie)’, in Molines, N., Moncel, M.-H. and Monnier, J.-L. (eds), Les premiers peuplements en Europe (BAR-IS 1364; Oxford), 87–103.Google Scholar
Haesaerts, P., Damblon, F., Nigst, P. and Hublin, J.-J. 2013. ‘ABA and ABOx radiocarbon cross-dating on charcoal from Middle Pleniglacial loess deposits in Austria, Moravia, and western Ukraine’, Radiocarbon 55, 641–7.Google Scholar
Henshilwood, C.S. 2012. ‘Late Pleistocene techno-traditions in southern Africa: a review of the Still Bay and Howiesons Poort, c. 75–59 ka’, Journal of World Prehistory 25, 205–37.Google Scholar
IGME 1982. Geological Map of Greece, Maronia Sheet 1:50,000 (Institute of Geology & Mineral Exploration; Athens).Google Scholar
Ivanova, S. 1992. ‘Palaeolithic sites and raw material sources in the western Rhodopes (Bulgaria)’, Preistoria Alpina 28, 149–63.Google Scholar
Ivanova, S. and Sirakova, S. 1995. ‘Chronology and cultures of the Bulgarian Palaeolithic’, in Bailey, D.W. and Panayotov, I., with Alexandrov, S. (eds), Prehistoric Bulgaria (Monographs in World Archaeology 22; Madison, Wisconsin), 9–54.Google Scholar
Jöris, O., Street, M., Terberger, T. and Weninger, B. 2011. ‘Radiocarbon dating the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition: the demise of the last Neanderthals and the first appearance of anatomically modern humans in Europe’, in Condemi, S. and Weniger, G.C. (eds), Continuity and Discontinuity in the Peopling of Europe: One Hundred Fifty Years of Neanderthal Study. Proceedings of the International Congress to Commemorate “150 Years of Neanderthal Discoveries, 1856–2006,” Bonn, 2006 (vol. 1; Dordrecht), 239–98.Google Scholar
Kaminská, L'., Kozlowski, J.K. and Škrdla, P. 2011. ‘New approach to the Szeletian: chronology and cultural variability’, Eurasian Prehistory 8, 29–42.Google Scholar
Kaminská, L'., Kozlowski, J.K., Sobczyk, K., Svoboda, J.A. and Michalík, T. 2008. ‘Štruktúra osídlenia mikroregiónu Trenčína v strednom a mladom paleolite’, SlovArch 56, 179–238 (English summary 233–8).Google Scholar
Kot, M.A. 2013. ‘The earliest Middle Palaeolithic bifacial leafpoints in central and southern Europe. Technological approach’ (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Warsaw).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kozlowski, J.K. 2003. ‘From bifaces to leaf points’, in Soressi, M. and Dibble, H. (eds), Multiple Approaches to the Study of Bifacial Technologies (Philadelphia), 149–64.Google Scholar
Kozlowski, J.K., Mester, Z., Zandler, K., Budek, A., Kalicki, T., Moskal, M. and Ringer, Á. 2009. ‘Le Paléolithique moyen et supérieur de la Hongrie du nord, nouvelles investigations dans la région d'Eger’, L'Anthropologie 113, 399–453.Google Scholar
Lengyel, G., Mester, Z. and Szolyák, P. in press. ‘The Late Gravettian and Szeleta Cave, northeast Hungary’, Quaternary International doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.09.014 Google Scholar
Lepre, C.J., Roche, H., Kent, D.V., Harmand, S., Quinn, L., Brugal, J.-P., Texier, P.-J., Lenoble, A. and Feibel, C.S. 2011. ‘An earlier origin for the Acheulian’, Nature 477, 82–5.Google Scholar
McBurney, C.B.M. 1967. The Haua Fteah (Cyrenaica) and the Stone Age of the South-East Mediterranean (Cambridge).Google Scholar
Mallick, R. and Frank, N. 2002. ‘A new technique for precise uranium-series dating of travertine micro-samples’, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 66, 4262–72.Google Scholar
Mania, D. and Mania, U. 2008. ‘La stratigraphie et le Paléolithique du complexe saalien dans la région de la Saale et de l'Elbe’, L'Anthropologie 112, 15–47.Google Scholar
Marks, A.E. and Monigal, K. 2004. ‘Origins of the European Upper Paleolithic, seen from Crimea: simple myth or complex reality?’, in Brantingham, P.J., Kuhn, S.L. and Kerry, K.W. (eds), The Early Upper Paleolithic beyond Western Europe (Berkeley), 64–79.Google Scholar
Nejman, L., Rhodes, E., Škrdla, P., Tostevin, G., Neruda, P., Nerudová, Z., Valoch, K., Oliva, M., Kaminská, L., Svoboda, J.A. and Grün, R. 2011. ‘New chronological evidence for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: new optically stimulated luminescence dating results’, Archaeometry 53, 1044–56.Google Scholar
Neruda, P. and Nerudová, Z. 2009. ‘Moravský Krumlov IV: open-air site in the context of central Europe’, in Neruda, P. and Nerudová, Z. (eds), Moravský Krumlov IV. Vícevrstevná lokalita ze středního a počátku mladého paleolitu na Moravě (Anthropos 29/N.S. 21; Brno), 199–213.Google Scholar
Nerudová, Z. 2008–9. ‘The technology of the Szeletian lithic industry in the context of Moravian EUP cultures’, Praehistoria (Miskolc) 9–10, 47–60.Google Scholar
Nikolaevitch Gladilin, V., Slitlvyj, V.I. and Tkachenko, V.I. 1995. ‘Les premières industries à pointes foliacées en Europe centrale’, Paléo (Supp. n. 1), 111–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oliva, M. 2010. ‘The mammoth hunters of Milovice’, in Abstract Book and Conference Guide, OIS 3 Conference, Anthropos Pavilion, 15–17 March, 2010 (Brno), 62–6.Google Scholar
Pavlopoulos, K. 2010. “Προκαταρκτική αναφορά γεωμορφολογικής–γεωαρχαιολογικής έρευνας Πετρωτών 2008–2009”, unpublished report (pp. 1–16).Google Scholar
Péan, S., Puaud, S., Crépin, L., Prat, S., Quiles, A., Plicht, J. van der, Valladas, H., Stuart, A.J., Drucker, D.G., Patou-Mathis, M., Lanoë, F. and Yanevich, A. 2013. ‘The Middle to Upper Paleolithic sequence of Buran-Kaya III (Crimea, Ukraine): new stratigraphic, paleoenvironmental, and chronological results’, Radiocarbon 55, 1454–69.Google Scholar
Popov, V.V and Marinska, M. 2007. ‘An almost one million year long (Early to Late Pleistocene) small mammal succession from the archaeological layers of Kozarnika Cave in Northern Bulgaria’, Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckelberg 259, 79–92.Google Scholar
Richter, J. 2008–9. ‘The role of leaf points in the late Middle Palaeolithic of Germany’, Praehistoria (Miskolc) 9–10, 99–113.Google Scholar
Richter, J. 2011. ‘When did the Middle Paleolithic begin?’, in Conard, N.J. and Richter, J. (eds.), Neanderthal Lifeways, Subsistence and Technology: One Hundred Fifty Years of Neanderthal Study (Dordrecht), 7–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richter, D., Tostevin, G.B. and Škrdla, P. 2008. ‘Bohunician technology and thermoluminescence dating of the type locality of Brno-Bohunice (Czech Republic)’, Journal of Human Evolution 55, 871–85.Google Scholar
Richter, D., Tostevin, G.B., Škrdla, P. and Davies, W. 2009. ‘New radiometric ages for the early Upper Palaeolithic type locality of Brno-Bohunice (Czech Republic): comparison of OSL, IRSL, TL and 14C dating results’, JAS 36, 708–20.Google Scholar
Rink, W.J., Schwarcz, H.P., Valoch, K., Seitl, L. and Stringer, C.B. 1996. ‘ESR dating of Micoquian industry and Neanderthal remains at Kůlna Cave, Czech Republic’, JAS 23, 889–901.Google Scholar
Roucoux, K.H., Tzedakis, P.C., Lawson, I.T. and Margari, V. 2011. ‘Vegetation history of the penultimate glacial period (Marine Isotope Stage 6) at Ioannina, north-west Greece’, Journal of Quaternary Science 26, 616–26.Google Scholar
Runnels, C.N. 1988. ‘A prehistoric survey of Thessaly: new light on the Greek Middle Paleolithic’, JFA 15, 277–90.Google Scholar
Runnels, C.N. and Andel, T.H. van. 2003. ‘The early Stone Age of the nomos of Preveza: landscape and settlement’, in Wiseman, J. and Zachos, K. (eds), Landscape Archaeology in Southern Epirus, Greece 1 (Hesperia Supp. Vol. 32), 47–134.Google Scholar
Simán, K. 1995. ‘La grotte Szeleta et le Szélétien’, Paléo (Supp. n. 1), 37–43.Google Scholar
Škrdla, P. and Tostevin, G. 2005. ‘Brno-Bohunice, analysis of the material from the 2002 excavation’, Přehled výzkumú 46, 35–61.Google Scholar
Tsanova, T. 2008. Les débuts du Paléolithique supérieur dans l'Est des Balkans. Réflexion à partir de l’étude taphonomique et techno-économique des ensembles lithiques des sites de Bacho Kiro (couche 11), Temnata (couches VI et 4) et Kozarnika (niveau VII) (BAR-IS 1752; Oxford).Google Scholar
Valoch, K. 1993. ‘Vedrovice V, eine Siedlung des Szeletien in Südmähren’, Quartär 43–4, 7–93.Google Scholar
Valoch, K. 1995. ‘La variabilité typologique du Paléolithique moyen de la grotte de Külna en Moravie’, Paléo (Supp. n. 1), 73–7.Google Scholar
Villa, P., Soressi, M., Henshilwood, C.S. and Mourre, V. 2009. ‘The Still Bay points of Blombos Cave (South Africa)’, JAS 36, 441–60.Google Scholar
Zilhão, J. 2009. ‘Szeletian, not Aurignacian: a review of the chronology and cultural associations of the Vindija G1 Neandertals’, in Camps, M. and Chauhan, P.R. (eds), Sourcebook of Paleolithic Transitions. Methods, Theories and Interpretations (New York), 407–26.Google Scholar