AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103194
Marie Josée Angue Zogo , Isis Mesfin , David Pleurdeau , Geoffroy de Saulieu
{"title":"Le core-axe, un outil tropical à redéfinir : nouvelles données des collections Middle Stone Age de Nzako, République centrafricaine","authors":"Marie Josée Angue Zogo , Isis Mesfin , David Pleurdeau , Geoffroy de Saulieu","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103194","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the lithic typology of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Central Africa, an emblematic piece is often found within the assemblages. These are tools obtained by shaping and characterized by the presence of two parallel to subparallel edges that have been named by many authors by the term of core-axes, a denomination that refers, by the process of ethnographic parallelism, to the axe and adze types, without having clearly proven that such an interpretation is possible. These core-axes are considered to be hallmarks of the Sangoan and Lupemban, two facies of the Central African MSA, but whose lithic assemblages remain mostly poorly contextualized and/or incomplete. These core-axes are particularly interesting because they have led to several hypotheses on the emergence of hafting, adaptation to rainforest environments, woodworking and digging during the Middle Stone Age, a key period for the emergence and development of <em>Homo sapiens</em> in Africa. Nevertheless, core-axes are still poorly defined in terms of production, techno-function and morphometry. To remedy this, we chose the core-axes of Nzako Ambilo and Nzako Kono, two Central African sites. These collections are kept at the <em>Institut de Paléontologie Humaine</em> in Paris. Through a productional and techno-functional study, the revision of these core-axes will allow us to observe a significant variability of the intra-assemblage technical variability. This variability suggests that these tools are much complex than initially suggested by prehistorians. This approach will lead us to new ideas on the use and hafting possibilities of these shaped tools characterized by parallel edges and which are typical of the Stone Age of Central Africa.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103194"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103210
Jessamy H. Doman, Peter R. Coutros
{"title":"Socio-environmental implications of shifting subsistence practices at Diallowali, a Late Stone Age site system in the Middle Senegal Valley","authors":"Jessamy H. Doman, Peter R. Coutros","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>In this paper we present the results of archaeological research at the Late Stone Age site of Diallowali, located along the western edge of the Middle Senegal Valley, northern Senegal. As the occupation spans the period between 3100-2400 years BP, it is contemporary with few other West African sites, and therefore represents a unique – and uniquely detailed – archive. Excavations conducted between 2014–2017 revealed deeply stratified and dense deposits, yielding more than 5,000</span> <!-->kg of pottery and 169<!--> <!-->kg of faunal material – the largest faunal assemblage of any site in West Africa. Thus, the present study focuses on the zooarchaeological data and their implications for shifting environmental conditions, subsistence practices, and social institutions at the site. The faunal assemblage reflects the exploitation of a remarkable diversity of wild animals, including a range of bovids, suids, carnivores, rodents, hippopotami, birds, and various aquatic resources – representing local conditions at the end of the African Humid Period. Interestingly, the consistent presence of domestic livestock, as well as <em>Bos taurus</em> figurines and ceramic ‘arm-bands’ throughout the occupation support a connection to Saharan agro-pastoral communities possibly escaping the Late Holocene aridification. Therefore, the keeping of low numbers of <em>Bos</em> <em>taurus</em> and <em>Ovis/Capra</em>, while maintaining a high reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants, likely functioned as a risk-buffering strategy to manage against environmentally unpredictable periods.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103210"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recherches archéologiques sur les amas coquilliers de la Basse Casamance : le cas de Niomoune dans les îles Bliss, Sénégal","authors":"Demba Kébé , Fodé Diakho , Djidere Baldé , Djibril Thiam , Arfang Sarr , Abdou Badji","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Anthropogenic shellfish mounds exist in all the Bliss Islands (e.g., Niomoune, Hitou, Kandé), in Senegal. They are now threatened by anthropic activities and by the effects of climate change. In the perspective of rescue archaeology, our study focuses on the Niomoune shell mounds which are the most threatened. Of the eight clusters found at Niomoune, two are sacred (Arch 06 and Arch 08). Despite being reworked, these shell mounds are thought to predate the current settlement of Niomoune. Our prospecting and excavation work has enabled us to establish a material culture history including remains of ceramic, iron, and glass. The five charcoal samples dated by radiocarbon place the beginning of the occupation of Niomoune between 21AD and 204AD. This chronological sequence belongs to the early Iron Age in Senegal, which began in 1100 BC at Dialowali, Senegal River valley. This paper aims to determine the periods of the different human settlement dynamics at Niomoune based on the archaeological data, and to characterize the artefacts collected by placing them in the cultural ensembles of the Lower Casamance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103220
Isis Isabella Mesfin , Djibril Thiam , Eslem Ben Arous , Igor Matonda , Maria-Helena Benjamim
{"title":"Préhistoire de l’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre : entre traditions de pensée et renouveaux épistémiques","authors":"Isis Isabella Mesfin , Djibril Thiam , Eslem Ben Arous , Igor Matonda , Maria-Helena Benjamim","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103220","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138548825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103221
Stecy Meyono-Ilougou
{"title":"Le site de Batanga centrale 2, dans la province de l’Ogooué-maritime (Gabon) : approche typo technologique du matériel lithique récolté en surfaces","authors":"Stecy Meyono-Ilougou","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>La province de l’Ogooué-maritime est véritablement connue du domaine de l’archéologie dès les années 1980 par les chercheurs du LANA, sous l’impulsion de Lazare Digombé, Michel Locko et leur (s) équipe (s). Un peu plus de 30 ans après, les premières missions de recherches, des ramassages de surface non loin de la centrale de traitement des hydrocarbures de la société Perenco, Batanga centrale 2 ont livré la documentation archéologique retenue pour ce travail. Cette étude technologique a permis de déterminer une chaîne opératoire adaptée à la production d’éclats à partir de plaquettes de silex roulées et de rares galets ovoïdes. Le débitage est essentiellement représenté avec différents schémas opératoires (unipolaire, bipolaire et centripète). L’analyse des nucléus atteste d’un caractère particulièrement déterminant pour les processus de débitage en raison de la morphologie, de la texture et des modules des blocs. L’étude typologique signale une forte présence d’éclats corticaux ou non, de petites dimensions, assez larges et assez épais, de nucléus et de blocs ayant rarement servi de percuteurs. Les éclats en présence semblent caractériser les objectifs du débitage. Aucun outil typologiquement identifiable n’a été relevé. La céramique est attestée par quelques tessons également récoltés en surface. Des éléments liés à l’alimentation ont également pu être approchés par quelques restes de coquilles probablement des huîtres. Au regard des objets en présence, ce site peut être attribué à la fin du <em>Late Stone Age</em>.</p></div><div><p>The province of Ogooué-Maritime has been known to the field of archaeology since the 1980s by LANA researchers, under the impetus of Lazare Digombé, Michel Locko and their team(s). A little more than 30 years after the first research missions, surface collections not far from the Perenco company's hydrocarbon processing plant, Batanga Centrale 2, provided the archaeological documentation selected for this work. This technological study made it possible to determine a chain of operations adapted to the production of flakes from rolled flint plates and rare ovoid pebbles. The debitage is essentially represented with different operating schemes (unipolar, bipolar and centripetal). The analysis of the nuclei shows that the morphology, texture and moduli of the blocks are particularly decisive for the debitage processes. The typological study indicates a strong presence of cortical or non-cortical flakes, of small dimensions, fairly wide and fairly thick, of nuclei and of blocks that were rarely used as strikers. The flakes present seem to characterise the objectives of the debitage. No typologically identifiable tools were found. Ceramics are attested by a few shards also collected on the surface. Elements related to food could also be approached by some remains of shells, probably oysters. In view of the objects present, this site can be attributed to the Late Stone Age.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103200
Eugenius Olafianto Drespriputra Wisnuwardhana , Isis Mesfin , David Pleurdeau
{"title":"Technological analysis of the Baboungué collections, Central African Republic: New data on the Early Stone Age macro-tools","authors":"Eugenius Olafianto Drespriputra Wisnuwardhana , Isis Mesfin , David Pleurdeau","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103200","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>Despite numerous sites attributed to Early Stone Age<span> (ESA), the emergence and diversification of lithic industries in Central African Republic is still challenging for discussion. Among all these sites, those located near Baboungué village have been reported by Roger de Bayle des Hermens in the late 1960s, and provided artifacts from two localities, namely Baboungué 1 and Baboungué 2. Both sites are situated around 800 meters from Baboungué village within the Sangha River alluvial deposits. Nowadays, the lithic assemblages from Baboungué are stored at the </span></span><em>Institut de Paléontologie Humaine</em><span>, Paris, France. In this paper, we reappraise a selection of 90 pieces from both localities (Baboungué 1</span> <!-->=<!--> <!-->26 and Baboungué 2<!--> <!-->=<!--> <!-->74), which have already been identified and classified by R. de Bayle des Hermens in “<em>Recherches préhistoriques en République centrafricaine</em>” (1975). He used a morphological and typological approach. We decided to apply a new technological approach on these collections. Reduction strategies (flaking and shaping) and techno-functional analysis were applied with a focus on the shaped tools and pebble tools. Even though, the classification made by R. de Bayle des Hermens is taken into consideration in our study. We introduced several new categories such as Large Flake Tools, and Trifacial Shaped Tools. We expose the unexpected diversity of Baboungué shaped tools and pebble tools both in terms of production and techno-function (structural specificities). This paper also describes for the first time the trifacial shaping strategies for Central African ESA, whereas traditional ESA bifacial shaping is absent. Finally, we question the techno-cultural and functional significance of these collections marked by robust to massive stone tools.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103200"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AnthropologiePub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103188
Lassané Toubga , Lassina Koté
{"title":"Caractéristiques techno-morphologiques des industries lithiques de la séquence stratigraphique −50/−100 cm de l’abri-sous-roche de Maadaga (sud-est du Burkina Faso)","authors":"Lassané Toubga , Lassina Koté","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103188","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103188","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Maadaga rock shelter is located in the Gobnangou massif, in the south-east of Burkina Faso. At the end of the 1980s, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Frankfurt carried out excavations there which made it possible to identify five stratigraphic levels covering the (0/−190<!--> <!-->cm) grid. The remains of the transition between the level 4 and level 5 as well as those of the level 5 (−100/−190<!--> <!-->cm), studied by the authors of the excavations showed two techno-cultural complexes characteristic of the Middle Stone Age. As part of our doctoral thesis, we conducted a techno-morphological study of the lithic artefacts of the four remaining levels and which cover the (0/−100<!--> <!-->cm) stratigraphic framework. We were thus able to identify three others homogeneous techno-cultural complexes. In the context of this reflection, we have chosen to dwell on the layers presenting the best stratigraphic integrity (−50/−100<!--> <!-->cm) according to the authors of the excavations. It covers the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene. Put in parallel with the sequence (−100/−190<!--> <!-->cm) previously studied, it reveals that with the exception of the behavioural variabilities observed in the use of raw materials as well as in certain debitage purposes, the sequence (−50/−100<!--> <!-->cm) presents the same characteristics in the use of techniques and methods.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103188"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136154037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Haches polies de la Côte d’Ivoire conservées à l’Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire (IFAN)–Dakar : contextes, zones de production et typologie","authors":"Kouakou Siméon Kouassi , Kouadio René Bouadi , Djidéré Balde , Kouakou Sylvain Koffi , Abdoulaye Camara","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><p>A research work on an overview of polished axes has not been undertaken yet in Ivory Coast. The present study is the very first one, which while intending to correct this shortcoming, analyses 418 polished axes collected in different contexts during the colonial period from 1941 to 1958 and kept at ‘Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire’ (IFAN)-Cheikh Anta Diop Dakar.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The idea among other things is first to understand the context of the immergence of these axes all over the country, to measure the importance of their distribution according to the current regions of the country, to soak up the different opinions about their origin and to propose a typology test allowing to have an approach of this lithic industry.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>From there, a historical but also archaeological approach is necessary in the sense it is based on counting and analyzing letters and monographs of circles produced at the time the axes were collected and their typological study accounted for in the IFAN collection.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>It stems from this study that axes production in Ivory Coast has been governed by two phases, one relating to the preparation of the blanks which is characterized by the size and the other relating to the finishing of the axes which corresponds to polishing parts. The result of these techniques is the massive production of polished axes with mostly converging edges. At the same time, the results of surveys carried out among local populations showed that the polished axes are unknown to local populations.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This ignorance of the archaeological artefacts by the local populations is subject to interpretations of a mysterious and often supernatural order linked to their beliefs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103199"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Les sites Stone Age du Parc national du Niokolo-Koba, Sénégal : synthèse des données de terrains (1982–2003)","authors":"Abdoulaye Camara , Bertrand Duboscq , Djibril Thiam","doi":"10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>First investigations in the Niokolo-Koba National Park were undertaken in 1969 and conducted by the IFAN Archaeology laboratory (directed by Cyr Descamps) and the Geography laboratory with Christian Barbey, after the collection of a cupule stone by the director of the Park (A. Dupuy). The <em>amateur</em> prehistorian Dr. Gaillard also reported the presence of flakes in the Bafoulabé alluvium. These first collections of prehistoric tools, knapped mainly on jasper and jasper facies chert, were collected in the reworked levels of gravel under the bank (last and lowest alluvial level), in the minor bed of the Gambia (Gué de Bafoulabé) and Niokolo-Koba (at Passage du Koba and in a ravine, opposite the Niokolo camp). The surveys conducted between 1983 and 1984, and the excavation between 1982 and 2003 in the Falémé valley confirmed the identity of the geomorphological and stratigraphic scheme of the lower valley of the Falémé and the Middle Gambia at the crossing of the National Park of Niokolo-Koba. This research also allowed the observation of numerous new prehistoric sites, which confirm the previous data while showing the existence of industries in stratigraphic and geomorphological positions similar to those found in the Falémé valley. A final visit inside the Park in 2003 allowed to precise the GPS coordinates of the former manual locations (between 1982 and 1986). Three Stone Age periods were identified: the Acheulean, the Middle Stone Age, formerly known as the Mousteroid, and the Later Stone Age, formerly known as the Advanced/Final Palaeolithic. The present work takes up previous data presented in mission reports or master's theses in order to place Niokolo-Koba National Park in the major issues of West African prehistoric settlements.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46860,"journal":{"name":"Anthropologie","volume":"127 5","pages":"Article 103198"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138549936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}