The Protomagdalénien is a facies lithic Paléolithique superior. It is registered at the end of the cycle Gravettien, between approximately 22.000 and 20.000 years BP.

History

Discovered by D. and E. Peyrony in the shelter Laugerie-High with the Eyzies de Tayac (the Dordogne), it was then put at the day on the same commune, by H.L. Movius at the time of its excavations to the Shelter Lump.

Protomagdalénien was then met in the Massif Central, in Blot (Cerzat, Haute-Loire; excavations Henri Delporte), then more recently in the Rock shelter of Peyrugues (Orniac, Batch; new excavations Michel Allard).

Technique

Protomagdalénien is characterized by the use of a final improvement " composite" said protomagdalénienne (rather full final improvement semi-punt coupled to a light nibbling of the edges) and present on the side edges of large often sharpened blades or foams.

The material culture of Protomagdalénien sees the abundance of the graver S, frequently dihedral multiples, of the improved blades and especially of small parts on shot down board. On the contrary, the Scraper S, the gravers on improved truncation and the parts with back of technique gravettienne (microgravettes, points of Gravette and points of Vachons) are rarer.

The industry of Blot is different appreciably from that met in Périgord by the development of the esquillées parts, the extreme scarcity of the scrapers and the expansion of the parts with back. In Peyrugues, industry is still new but present of strong similarities with Protomagdalénien of Périgord.

Geographical extension

To date, Protomagdalénien is a rare material culture, only presents in the South-west of France (the Dordogne and Lot) and in the Massif Central (Haute-Loire). Its presence sometimes evoked in the other areas of the free-Cantabric zone, where Épigravettien does not exist, remains to be confirmed by new research.

Climate

Protomagdalénien corresponds to a climatic phase near to the glacial maximum of the recent Würm, with however indices of a more or less marked moisture.

Art

The art of Protomagdalénien is rather badly known: a roller engraved (not published) in Blot as well as a series of pearls out of wooden of reindeer in Peyrugues.

See too

• Paleolithic superior
• Gravettien

References

• Allard Mr. and alii (1997) - Pearls out of wooden of reindeer of level 18 of Peyrugues, in Orniac (Batch). Assumption on the origin of Protomagdalénien. Paléo , n° 9, p. 355-369.
• Aubry T. and alii (1995) - intermediate levels between Gravettien and Solutréen of the shelter Pan (Eyzies de Tayac): Description of an original mode of production of microlithes - Implications. Bull. Préhist plowshare. France , 92 (3), pp. 296-301.
• Border F. (1958) - New excavations with Laugerie-High Is: first results. Anthropology , 62 (3-4), pp. 205-244.
• Border F. (1978) - Protomagdalénien Laugerie-High Is (excavations F. Border). Bull. Préhist plowshare. France , 75 (11-12), pp. 501-521.
• Bosselin B. (1992a) - the final improvement protomagdalénienne with the gleam of the new data of the site of Blot. in prehistoric stone , Museum of Louvre, Paris, pp. 71-108.
• Bosselin B. (1992b) - lithic industries of Protomagdalénien to the gleam of the data of the site of Blot with Cerzat. Thesis, Besancon, 529 p.
• Bosselin B. (1992c) - Protomagdalénien of Blot. Compared typology study. Bull. Préhist plowshare. France , 89 (3), 1992, pp. 82-96.
• Bosselin B. (1996) - Contribution of the shelter Lump to the chronology of French Gravettien. Bull. Préhist plowshare. France , 93 (2), 1996, pp. 183-194.
• Bosselin B. (1997) - Protomagdalénien of Blot. Lithic industries in the cultural context of French Gravettien . Studies and Archaeological Research of the University of Liege, ERAUL 64 , 1997,329 p.
• Bosselin B. (2002) - Some precise details on the chronology of French Gravettien. Bulletin of the company Prehistory of South-west , 9-1, 2002, pp. 95-100.
• Clay R.B. (1995) - Protomagdalénien of the shelter Lump level 2. in the Paleolithic superior of the shelter Lump (the Dordogne): excavations of H.L. Movius Jr. , DAF, 50, pp. 67-87.
• Delporte H. (1969) - Protomagdalénien of Blot. C.P.F. , XIX, Auvergne, pp. 190-199.
• Movius H.L. Jr. (1975) - Excavations At the shelter Lump, Eyzies (the Dordogne) . American School off Prehistoric Research, 30,305 p.
• Movius H.L. Jr. (1977) - Excavations At the shelter Lump, Eyzies (the Dordogne): Stratigraphy. American School off Prehistoric Research, 31,167 p.
• Peyrony D. and E. (1938) - Laugerie-High, close to Eyzies (the Dordogne). Files of the I.P.H., 19,84 p.

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