Ibéromaurusien

The Ibéromaurusien is a cultural facies of the littoral of the Maghreb, marking the transition between Paléolithique superior and Épipaléolithique, approximately from 20.000 to 10.000 years BP.

Main features

The layers ibéromaurusiens deliver a microlithic lithic industry, with many plates. Those are frequently transformed into plates with back or segments by means of the technique of the microburin. There exists an important synchronic variability.

Hunting, fishing and the gathering provide the totality of the food resources. The principal driven out species is the sheep of Cruelty ( Ammotragus lervia ), associated with Bovidae, deer tribe and suidés.

Animal figurines out of terra cotta very old (20 200 BP), ornaments in egg shell of ostrich and many ocher traces testify to artistic concerns. Many primary burials are known, sometimes in built tombs.

Associated human type

It was believed a long time that the Homme of Néandertal was the author of industries Atérien born former to Ibéromaurusien. It is known today that are surface of distribution is strictly European; Homo sapiens was thus already present in North Africa well before Épipaléolithique. The lithic Industrie ibéromaurusienne is the work of human anatomically modern.

Principal sites

Taforalt

The layer ibéromaurusien of Taforalt is a Grotte located at the Morocco. Datings showed that it had been occupied between 21.900 BP and 10.800 BP.

Analyzes of DNA mitochondrial extracts from about thirty skeletons Taforalt made it possible to draw aside an origin sub-Sudanese woman and showed a local origin of the population of Taforalt, implying a genetic continuity of Homo sapiens in North Africa.

Afalou

The site of Afalou in Algérie was occupied between 10.000 BP and 8.000 BP. The occupants of the site are probably the heirs to the Man of Taforalt, even if they seem influenced by genetic contributions related to the sub-Saharan migrations towards North Africa during the humidification of the the Sahara.

Capsien
Paleolithic superior
synoptic Prehistory
Table of the principal prehistoric cultures of the Old World

References

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