Dr. Tsenka TSANOVA Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Deutscher Platz 6 D-04103 Leipzig Germany

Home , Aurignacian, Gravettian, Greene projectile point, Magdalenian, Mousterian, Paleolithic

Report for The Field Museum: Lithic Collection from the Site of Solutré (Eastern France, Region of Bourgogne, Department Saône-et-Loire)

Dr. Tsenka TSANOVA America for Bulgaria Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow 2011-2012

The lithic collections from the open-air site of Solutré (eastern France, region of Bourgogne, department Saône-et-Loire) were brought from France to the Department of Anthropology at The Field Museum in the 1920s by Henry Field, the former Assistant Curator of the Anthropology Department (1926-1941).

Introduction

The Solutrean is one of the different sub-periods within the Upper Palaeolithic Period, and it appears in Western Europe (France, Spain and Portugal). The Solutrean era lasted about 3,000 years (21,000-18,000 years ago). The Solutrean people were skilled hunters who were well adapted to a rigorous, cold environment. In terms of lithic technology, their most significant creation was the manufacture of thin bifacial leaf points (Smith 1964).

The study of the Solutrean collection today is significant because it comes from the largest eponym site of Solutrean culture. The site of Solutré is one of the first Paleolithic excavations in France that started in 1886, was abandoned, and then occasionally re- excavated many times until 1998. The Field Museum’s Solutrean collection probably comes from Trench 32 Terre Souchal, which was excavated in 1895-6 by Adrien Arcelin (Dalton 1968; see Combier 1955: 98). It represents more than 2,500 lithic artifacts from four different culture units: Magdalenian, Solutrean, Gravettian, and Aurignacian (from youngest to oldest). All these Upper Paleolithic cultures are products of anatomically modern humans, as confirmed by the excavated human skeletons (Combier 1955). Most of the collection can be linked to the Solutrean phase. More of the half of the 150 leaf- shaped points, characteristic tools for the Solutrean, have been analyzed using techno- typological and economical analysis. One of the important goals was to document the types of microfracture and fragmentation on the leaf points, which are marks characteristic of hunting activities. The collection from Solutré also contains many endscrapers, burins and other Upper Paleolithic types of tools; many flakes resulting from the production of bifacial leaf points; and blades.

The study of the Solutrean collections is important for two additional reasons: to discuss the hypothesis about the gradual development of the Solutrean from the Aurignacian (Laville, Rigaud et al. 1980) and to debate the “oversea” Solutrean hypothesis (Bradley and Stanford 2004; Straus et al. 2005; e.g. Wikipedia, online).

The Site

The open-air site of Solutré lies in the Upper Rhône Valley in Eastern France, below a limestone escarpment some 492.8 meters high (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Left: Map and location of Solutré in Eastern France; Right: View of the Rock of Solutré and the site at the base of the rock.

The site was discovered by Adrien Arcelix in 1886. Three years later, G. de Mortillet chose Solutré to be the eponym site for this period (Combier 1955). For many decades, it was thought that the high density of horse skeletal remains in many cultural levels was the result of horses being driven off the cliff by groups of hunters. Arcelin proposed this notion in the early 1870s; however, Combier (1955) demonstrated that this notion had numerous faults, and the data he presented refuted the cliff-jumping hypothesis.

Stratigraphic Data from the Old Excavation

Combier’s review of the depositional and cultural sequences revealed at Solutré during excavations conducted between 1866 and 1925 shows that a stratified sequence exists for most of the site (Combier 1955:102).

The superficial, most recent prehistoric levels are from the Neolithic period. The Pleistocene deposits from the top to the bottom of the Solutrean sequence are identified as follows:

Upper levels: Magdalenian; Solutrean levels (named “Foyer de Renne”) with Evolved Solutrean and Middle Solutrean phases;

2 Intermediate levels: Gravettian (called “Magma de Cheval”); Evolved Perigordian and Typical Aurignacian levels; and

Lower levels: Industries from lower hearth (Mousterian).

The Collection

The Field Museum collection from Solutré was studied by Joanna Dalton in 1968. It includes 2,041 flint artifacts, 500 fragments of fauna remains and 16 lots of earth samples. Dalton applied typological analysis and classification to around 97% of the flint collection (Table 1; Fig. 2).

Taking into account the time and methods employed during the excavation, it is difficult to locate the stratigraphic context of the collection. Most of the lithic material (around 1,400 artifacts) is linked with the Solutrean phase (Foyer de Renne I to IV). More than 200 artifacts are without location, and 188 artifacts are supposed to have come from Gravettian and Aurignacian layers.

III IV Foyer de I Foyer II Foyer Couloir Foyer de Without Total (all Type list Foyer de Foyer de Renne de Renne de Renne de cheval cheval location levels) Renne Renne (base)

1 48 30 1 7 8 4 14 112 2 4 3 1 2 10 3 2 2 2 1 1 8 4 1 1 2 5 10 9 1 5 25 6 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 4 8 2 2 1 3 8 9 1 1 10 1 1 12 1 1 2 13 1 1 2 14 1 1 2 15 1 1 2 17 1 1 2 22 1 1 1 3 23 2 1 1 4 27-44 10 3 1 3 2 1 7 27 29 1 1 58 1 1 1 3

3 60-63 1 2 1 5 9 65 4 8 2 1 3 18 66 5 1 1 1 8

70 (+ frag.) 82 50 3 32 1 53 221

74 2 1 1 3 4 11 75 1 3 4 76 3 1 1 5 77 1 5 2 1 1 2 3 15 78 1 1 85 1 1 1 3 86 1 1 2 87 1 1 89 1 1 92 6 5 2 14 1 5 33 Util. piece 13 1 14 Retouched 17 12 3 6 9 15 62 blade

Unretouched 110 101 1 13 8 64 6 303 blade Retouched 11 13 15 7 1 6 53 flake Unretouched 61 254 3 13 39 15 385 flakes Util. blade 1 15 11 12 5 44 Utilized flake 19 1 9 29 Cores 2 2 1 16 21 Debris 39 252 1 4 16 23 335 Total: 425 802 15 123 36 34 154 209 1798

Table 1. Solutrean collection from The Field Museum. Synthesis of the typological study of J. Dalton (1968) and modifications by T. Tsanova in 2012. The type list of the Upper Paleolithic is from D. de Soneville-Bordes and J. Perrot (1954).

Figure 2. Solutrean collection from The Field Museum. Composition and typological classification of the lithic material according to J. Dalton 1968 (total numbers, modified by T. Tsanova in 2012).

Composition of the Collection and Studied Sample

Most likely, the Solutrean material brought to The Field Museum was previously selected (Fig. 2). The main techno-typological groups in the collection are unretouched flakes and blades, debris, fragments of laurel leaf points, and endscrapers. 5 For this work, all lithics were observed and part of the collection was examined in more detail. A randomly selected sample of 254 various artifacts (more than 12% of the entire collection) was documented in a detailed database. Most of the analyzed lithics (N=171) are retouched tools linked to domestic and hunting activities on the site. About 100/171 artifacts are leaf points, the most typical tools for the Solutrean culture. Also, 83/254 unretouched pieces represent blades, flakes, and debris of the technological process.

Most of the blanks are blades used for manufacturing endscrapers and probably also leaf points. The flakes in the collection are linked mostly to the shaping phase of the leaf points (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Solutrean lithic collection from The Field Museum. Techno-typological classification of the blanks.

Raw Material and Conservation

Almost all of the items in the collection are covered in a thick, whitish patina. The original color of the flint is not visible, and some pieces appear profoundly altered by weathering. The preserved cortex (rolled and fresh) indicates that the pebbles were collected in fluvial secondary deposits (river) and in primary deposit as well. Nevertheless, the edges of the artifacts are sharp and well conserved. The raw material is a tertiary continental flint with lacustrine fossils and homogeneous grain, opaque, and smooth.

Few artifacts are not patinated and show that the used flint is grey and opaque in color, as is visible under the patina on some broken artifacts. Some artifacts are of gray homogenous flint with dark strips, and some others with spots could probably be the local Santonian flint (http://www.flintsource.net/flint/F_paron.html) (Fig. 4e).

Figure 4. Solutrean leaf points: a) Classification; b) Feuille de Saule; c) Laurel leaf point; d) Distal fragment of Feuille de Saule, with perverse and burin fracture; e) Blade proximal fragment from Santonian flint; f) Unifacial point made on blade detached by indirect punch percussion. 7 Techno-typological Preliminary Results

The Solutrean collection from The Field Museum does not permit a discussion of the hypothesis about the local origins of the Solutrean from the previous Aurignacian and Gravettian cultures. Its stratigraphic context is unclear, and it lacks representative diagnostic material from Aurignacian and Gravettian units. It seems the Gravettian and the Aurignacian material from “Foyer de Cheval” is mixed, and it also contains some flakes from the manufacture of Solutrean leaf points. The latter group is composed of 188 artifacts, most of which are unretouched flakes and blades and a very small quantity of non-diagnostic retouched tools.

This study focuses on the Solutrean levels and the taphonomy and techno-typology of the laurel leaf points. The goal was to document part of the Solutrean lithic collection in order to discuss two main points: the techno-economy of the production of the leaf points and their final stage of use as indicated by microfractures on the leaf points

Methodology

Techno-typological and techno-economical studies were conducted using the Solutrean collection. These analyses are based on the chaîne opératoire approach, whose the concepts and analytical tools have been made explicit in numerous publications (e.g. Tixier 1978; Inizan et al. 1999). The typological classification is based on the type-list of Upper Paleolithic tools of D. de Soneville-Bordes and Perrot (1952). For the reconstruction of the knapping and retouch techniques, this work refers to the publications of J. Pelegrin (2000, 2004) and personal experience.

The taphonomical approach applied to the Solutrean leaf points aims to document the impact fractures and their location in order to discuss their use and the activities that took place at the sites. The types of fractures were documented and recognized according to the references of Fisher et al. (1984) and Villa et al. (2009a, 2009b).

Potential of the Solutrean Collection

Two main stone production processes (chaînes opératoires) were identified: one for the production of blades used for endscrapers, burins, or other retouched tools, and another for the production of laurel leaf points.

Almost the entire leaf point collection is fragmented, except for 3 pieces (Figs. 4b and 4c). Most of the fragments are proximal (35/92). There are 29/92 distal fragments and 24/92 medial fragments. From a typological point of view, most of the pieces are simply called laurel points (50/92), shaped by bifacial sub-parallel and parallel retouch (Fig. 4c). Other types of points represented include 29 large bifacial points of the willow leaf variety (Feuille de Saule) (Fig. 4b) and 12 unifacial points (pointe à face plane) (Fig. 4f).

According to the location of the different types of tools, there is no significant difference between the levels Foyer de Renne (FR) I to IV. Consequently, it is not possible to

8 outline changes between levels. For example, the unifacial points that are typical of the Proto-Solutrean phase are distributed in levels FR I and FR IV. The willow leaf points are mostly from FR I, but some of them come from the bottom of FR IV.

Retouch and Knapping Techniques

Most of the leaf points were shaped by direct percussion with a soft hammer. This retouch technique is typical of all Solutrean phases.

Only 3 pieces were retouched using the pressure technique, which appears in the final stage of the Solutrean. Two of these artifacts are located in FR II and one in FR IV. Shouldered Solutrean points were typically retouched using the pressure technique, and they appear during the final stage of the Solutrean.

Only one fragment of a unifacial point with a preserved platform shows evidence of being detached using indirect punch percussion. This artifact was located in the upper level of FR I.

Preliminary Conclusion and Prospects

The Field Museum Solutrean collection is relevant for studying the microfractures and traces of use on the laurel leaf points in order to establish how they were used. The techno-typological and techno-economic results of blade production will be present for all Solutrean levels. It is not possible to reconstruct the economic behavior and internal evolution by level because of the old methods of excavation and possible mixture between levels. However, some diagnostic Solutrean artifacts can be compared to already known Solutrean collections with documented stratigraphy. According to the existing publications of the Solutrean collections from France and The Field Museum in Chicago, there are two phases of the Solutrean represented, including the Middle phase with large leaf points and the Upper phase with small leaf points (Combier and Montet-White 2002:233).

In order to discuss the “oversea” Solutrean hypothesis, which proposes that peoples from Europe may have been among the earliest settlers in the Americas, a techno-typological comparison of the leaf points must be supplemented with additional evidence, such as existing genetic analysis, C-14 dates, climatic conditions, etc.

References Cited

Bradley, B., and D. Stanford. 2004. The North Atlantic Ice-Edge Corridor: A Possible Paleolithic Route to the New World. World Archaeology 36(4):457-478.

Combier, J. 1955. Les fouilles de 1907 à 1925. Mise au point stratigraphique et typologique. In Solutré, edited by M. Thoral, R. Riquet, and J. Combier, pp. 93–224.

9 Combier, J. and Montet-White, A. (editors). 2002. Solutré 1968-1998. Mémoire de la Société Préhistorique Française.

Dalton, J. 1968. The Field Museum Collection from Solutré. Masters Thesis, Anthropology Department, University of Chicago, Illinois.

Fischer, P. Vemming Hansen, P. Rasmussen. 1984. Macro and Micro Wear Traces on Lithic Projectile Points. Experimental Results and Prehistoric Examples. Journal of Danish Archaeology 3:19-46.

Inizan, M.-L., Reduron-Balliger, M., Roche, H., Tixier, J., 1999. Technology and Terminology of Knapped Stone. CREP, Nanterre.

Laville, H., J.-Ph. Rigaud, and J. Sackett. 1980. Rock Shelters of the Perigord: Geological Stratigraphy and Archeological Succession. New York: Academic Press, Inc.

Pelegrin, J., 2000. Les Techniques de Débitage Laminaire au Tardiglaciaire: Critères de Diagnose et Quelques Réflexions. In L'Europe Centrale et Septentrionale au Tardiglaciaire, Confrontation des Modèles Régionaux de Peuplement: Actes de la Table Ronde Internationale de Nemours, 14-15-16 Mai 1997, edited by B. Valentin, P. Bodu, and M. Christensen.

Pelegrin, J., 2004. Sur les Techniques de Retouche des Armatures de Projectile. In Les Derniers Magdaléniens d’Etiole. Perspectives Culturelle et Paléohistorique (L’unité d’habitation Q31), edited by N. Pigeot, pp. 161-166, vol. Gallia Préhistoire XXXVIIe supplément. CNRS édition, Paris.

Smith, Philip E., 1964. The Solutrean Culture. In Old World Archaeology: Foundations of Civilization, pp. 24-32.

Sonneville-Bordes D. de, Perrot J. 1954. Lexique Typologique du Paléolithique Supérieur: Outillage Lithique. I, Grattoirs, II, Outils Solutréens. Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique Française, t. 51, p. 327-335.

Straus, L.G., J.D. Meltzer, and T. Goebel. 2005. Ice Age Atlantis? Exploring the Solutrean-Clovis ‘Connection.’ World Archaeology 37(4):507-532.

Tixier, J. , 1978. Notice sur les travaux scientifiques. Thèse de doctorat de l'université de Paris X, Nanterre. 117 p.

Villa, P., Soressi, M., Henshilwood, C., Mourre, V., 2009a. The Still Bay Points of Blombos Cave. Journal of Archaeological Science 36 (2):441–460.

Villa, P., Boscato, P., Ranaldo, F., Ronchitelli, A., 2009b. Stone Tools for the Hunt: Points with Impact Scars from a Middle Paleolithic Site in Southern Italy. Journal of Archaeological Science 36 (3):850–859.

10 Wikipedia. 2012. Solutrean Hypothesis. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solutrean_theory. Accessed February 10, 2012.