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The Châtelperronian is a proposed industry of the Upper Palaeolithic, the existence of which is debated. It represents both the only Upper Palaeolithic industry attributed to Neanderthals and the earliest Upper Palaeolithic industry in central and southwestern France, as well as in northern Spain. It derives its name from Châtelperron, the French village closest to the type site, the cave La Grotte des Fées.
The Châtelperronian lasted from c. 44,500 to c. 33,000 BP, and was preceded by the Mousterian industry. while antler tools have not been found. It is followed by the Aurignacian industry.
Scholars who question its existence claim that it is an archaeological mix of Mousterian and Aurignacian layers. The Châtelperronian industry may relate to the origins of the very similar Gravettian culture. French archaeologists have traditionally classified both cultures together under the name Périgordian, Early Perigordian being equivalent to the Châtelperronian and all the other phases corresponding to the Gravettian. The French paleoanthropologist Ludovic Slimak argues that Châtelperronian is a Homo sapiens industry transitional between the Neronian and Proto-Auragnacian.
Important sites and lithic production and associations
Large thick flakes/small blocks were used for cores, and were prepared with a crest over a long smooth surface. Using one or two striking points, long thin blades were detached. Direct percussion with a soft hammer was likely used for accuracy. Thicker blades made in this process were often converted into side scrapers, burins were often created in the same manner from debitage as well.
The manner of production is a solid continuation of the Mousterian but the ivory adornments found in association are similar to those made by the Aurignacian.
Dispute over disruption of the site
João Zilhão and colleagues argue that the findings are complicated by disturbance of the site in the 19th century, and conclude that the apparent pattern of Aurignacian/Châtelperronian inter-stratification is an artifact of disturbance. Others think the Châtelperronian itself is an artifact of disturbance. Paul Mellars and colleagues have criticized the analysis of Zilhão et al., and argue that the original excavation by Delporte was not affected by disturbance.
Paul Mellars, however, now has concluded on the basis of new radiocarbon dating by Thomas Higham of the decorative artifacts of Grotte du Renne
The fifth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children series, The Shelters of Stone, 2002, and the sixth book The Land of the Painted Caves 2010 are set in this region of modern-day France, during this period.
Type site
The type site is la Grotte des Fées, in Châtelperron.
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Châtelperron - grotte des fées - 1.jpg
Châtelperron - grotte des fées - 2.jpg
Châtelperron - grotte des fées - 3.jpg
File:Grotte des Fees de Chatelperron mod.jpg|Inside topography
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See also
- Franco-Cantabrian region
References
External links
- Picture Gallery of the Paleolithic (reconstructional palaeoethnology), Libor Balák at Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology in Brno, Center for Paleolithic and Paleoethnological Research