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Lithic refitting and the analysis of Middle Palaeolithic settlement dynamics: a high-temporal resolution example from El Pastor rock shelter (Eastern Iberia)

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Abstract

Archaeostratigraphic study of the Stratigraphic Unit IV from the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Pastor (Eastern Iberia) has resulted on the definition of high-resolution analytical units mostly corresponding to “micro-palimpsests” formed during more than a single human occupation. Analysis of these anthropogenic assemblages has suggested their interpretation as remains from several short-term occupations performed by MIS 3-4 Neanderthals. In this paper, we present an evaluation of this interpretative proposal, focusing on the technical and spatial study of lithic refits. Our aim is to present an empirical work that also contributes to the methodological discussion about refitting studies and behavioural interpretation related to Palaeolithic settlement dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the members of El Pastor teamwork for their field and post-excavation tasks, and Museu Arqueològic Municipal Camil Visedo Moltó d’Alcoi and the Alcoian town hall for their support. We also thank Francesca Romagnoli, Manuel Vaquero, and the anonymous reviewers who helped to improve the earlier versions of this paper.

Funding

Archaeological research at El Pastor rock shelter is funded by the Spanish government project Neandertales en la montaña alicantina: un enfoque multianalítico (MEC-FEDER HAR2015-68321-P), and by the Valencian government through public research funding (DOGV P-0300900-H).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación Sociedades Cazadoras-Recolectoras Paleolíticas; Departamento de Prehistoria, Arqueología, Antropología e Historia Antigua; Sección de Geografía e Historia; Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de La Laguna, Guajara Campus - San Cristóbal de la Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

    Jorge Machado, Alejandro Mayor, Cristo M. Hernández & Bertila Galván

  2. Àrea de Coneixement de Prehistòria; Departament de Prehistòria, Arqueologia, Història Antiga, Filologia Grega i Filologia Llatina; Facultat de Filosofia i Lletres, Universitat d’Alacant, Sant Vicent del Raspeig Campus - Sant Vicent del Raspeig, 03690, Alacant, Spain

    Alejandro Mayor

  3. Área de Didáctica de Ciencias Sociales; Departamento de Didácticas Específicas; Facultad de Educación, Universidad de La Laguna, Edificio Central Campus - San Cristóbal de la Laguna, 38200, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

    Cristo M. Hernández

  4. Área de Conocimiento de Prehistoria; Unidad de Docencia e Investigación de Prehistoria, Arqueología e Historia Antigua; Departamento de Prehistoria, Arqueología, Antropología e Historia Antigua; Sección de Geografía e Historia; Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de La Laguna, Guajara Campus - San Cristóbal de la Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

    Bertila Galván

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  1. Jorge Machado
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Correspondence to Jorge Machado.

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Machado, J., Mayor, A., Hernández, C.M. et al. Lithic refitting and the analysis of Middle Palaeolithic settlement dynamics: a high-temporal resolution example from El Pastor rock shelter (Eastern Iberia). Archaeol Anthropol Sci 11, 4539–4554 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-019-00859-8

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