Theme:
Interpreting the archaeological record: artefacts, humans and landscapes
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
CANCELLED African and Eurasian Palaeolithic coastal occupations [PaM]
Content:
Coastal occupation is a central topic in human evolution studies to address human dispersal routes, seasonal movements, and emergence of complex behaviour. Ancient coastal occupations are recorded in the African Middle Stone Age and European Middle Palaeolithic. Several questions remain unresolved about ancient coastal adaptations: were coastal occupations and exploitations influenced by biological (Homo sapiens and Neanderthal), geographical or chronological factors? How has each population adapted its technological, subsistence and mobility strategies to coastal exploitation?
Shellfish remains in archaeological contexts mainly represent food waste with varying densities, suggesting different intensity of coastal occupation. Variation in coastal adaptation is also seen through the use of shell tools as well as the production of shell beads. Malacological analyses are essential to understand the origin and variability of shellfish exploitation. Dating provides a general scenario for inter-site chronological comparison. Faunal studies complement malacological studies by aiding to characterise palaeoenvironments and the diets of human groups. High-resolution analyses (such as sclerochronology, cementochronology, and isotopic studies) complete seasonal and palaeoenvironmental data. Geomorphological reconstitutions of coast lines offer better explanations for both human and shellfish presence in a specific location. Lithic technology and raw material analyses participate in the understanding of technological behaviour, site function, and mobility patterns. Intra-site spatial analysis investigates activity areas and therefore sheds light on social dynamics.
This session aims to bring together researchers working in complementary disciplines including zooarchaeology, malacology, chemical analysis, dating, lithic technology, use-wear, and spatial analysis in coastal sites during Palaeolithic in Africa and Europe. Our goal is to enhance the understanding of ancient human behaviours, the emergence and variability of coastal adaptations in space and time, and to discuss their role in human biological and cultural evolution. Presentations of archaeological case studies and syntheses, as well as methodological, theoretical and ethnoarchaeological papers are welcome.
Keywords:
Coastal occupations, Human Evolution, Middle Stone Age / Middle Palaeolithic, Later Stone Age / Upper Palaeolithic, Shellfish and other data, Multidisciplinary
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
yes
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
PaM
Main organiser:
Emilie Campmas (France) 1
Co-organisers:
Francesca Romagnoli (Spain) 2
Affiliations:
1. TRACES UMR 5608, Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès
2. UAM-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
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