Fracturation intentionnelle d’éclats au Paléolithique ancien. Exemple des sites de la région Nord de la Mer d’Aral (Kazakhstan du Sud-ouest)

Abstract

The Early Palaeolithic industries from Kazakhstan are traditionally characterized by a high proportion of débitage Levallois, bifacial manufacture, production of tools on large flakes (LCT) and typical typological composition (notches, denticulates, scrapers and handaxes). The study of broken flakes is sometimes set aside. Nevertheless, intentional breakage represents a technological way that favours the typological and functional diversity of small tools or flakes and provides important information on the development of Palaeolithic cultures in this region. This study focuses on the intentional breakage of retouched and unretouched, larges and massive flakes from Early Palaeolithic industries coming from the Northern region of the Aral Sea. It shows the techno-morphological, techno-functional, and typological aspects of planes by intentional breakage on débitage products. The studied collections come from the recently discovered sites, particularly from the Akirek 1, Aymen 1, Kambash 1, Saryshoky 4, Zhantles 1, 2 surface sites, and from the already known Saryshoky 2 and Aral 4 surface sites. Firstly, this work discusses the accidental and intentional nature of the breakage. Secondly, it demonstrates a voluntary and repetitive aspect of fractures and identifies their place in the chaîne opératoire of tool preparation in the Early Palaeolithic in this region. Thirdly, this study leads to the hypothesis of the probable evolution of Early Palaeolithic techniques in later cultures and the definition of a new category of tool – the flake with unretouched plane.