Assessing the origins of Levallois through Lower Palaeolithic core variation : a comparative study of simple prepared cores in northwest Europe
The widespread appearance of Levallois technology approximately 300,000 years ago in Europe and Africa is associated with significant behavioural and cognitive changes. The origins of this technique, however, are still highly debated. Fully developed Levallois reduction sequences seem to have their roots in a lesser-understood technique referred to as either âprotoâ, or âreducedâ Levallois, and more recently as Simple Prepared Core (SPC) technology. This thesis examines the technological relationship between SPCs and the Levallois technique in eight British and two Belgian assemblages. Whilst exploring the significance of the presence of SPC technology in the Lower Palaeolithic archaeological record of northwest Europe, this research also assesses the implications for hominin behaviour and cognition. Results demonstrate identical reduction techniques at nine of the ten sites studied, allowing for the construction of a new overarching technological definition of SPC technology, which is now accepted to be present on a significantly wider scale both temporally and geographically. A clear conceptual link between SPC technology and the Levallois technique is apparent regarding the approach to the volume
Bolton, Lucie
Assessing the origins of Levallois through Lower Palaeolithic core variation : a comparative study of simple prepared cores in northwest Europe. The widespread appearance of Levallois technology approximately 300,000 years ago in Europe and Africa is associated with significant behavioural and cognitive changes. The origins of this technique, however, are still highly debated. Fully developed Levallois reduction sequences seem to have their roots in a lesser-understood technique referred to as either âprotoâ, or âreducedâ Levallois, and more recently as Simple Prepared Core (SPC) technology. This thesis examines the technological relationship between SPCs and the Levallois technique in eight British and two Belgian assemblages. Whilst exploring the significance of the presence of SPC technology in the Lower Palaeolithic archaeological record of northwest Europe, this research also assesses the implications for hominin behaviour and cognition. Results demonstrate identical reduction techniques at nine of the ten sites studied, allowing for the construction of a new overarching technological definition of SPC technology, which is now accepted to be present on a significantly wider scale both temporally and geographically. A clear conceptual link between SPC technology and the Levallois technique is apparent regarding the approach to the volume
assessing origin levallois lower palaeolithic core variation comparative_study simple prepared core northwest_europe widespread appearance levallois technology europe africa associate significant behavioural cognitive change origin technique however_still highly debate fully_develop levallois reduction sequence seem roots lesser understood technique refer either proto reduce levallois recently simple prepared core technology examines technological relationship levallois technique british belgian assemblage whilst explore_significance presence technology lower_palaeolithic archaeological_record northwest_europe also_assess implication hominin behaviour cognition identical reduction technique site study allow construction new overarch technological definition technology accept present significantly wider_scale temporally geographically clear conceptual link technology levallois technique apparent regarding volume