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2020-11-07 15:26:21   •   ID: 2212

The incasing Value of Surface Lithic scatters

Figure 1
Figure 1 -5 show Paleolithic artifacts, found decennia ago during field walks or by chance by people, who knew their meaning, which is the rule rather than the exception of inhabitants of the Perigord.

Figure 1 shows some robust burins, found around 1910 by a Physician near Cap Blanc near Les Eyzies.

Figure 2 shows implements from the nearby Tursac area ( "Abri de Foret"). Figure 3 is part of a larger Scatter from Reignac near La Madeleine in the Vezere Valley in the vincinity of a published Magdalenian station.

The last Picture shows some small Bifaces and a Quina-like scraper from a large, mostly surface scatter at St Brice in the Orne Valley / Normandie, known since the 19th century.

Overall these ensembles carry no scientific informations and are worthless in this respect. Collectors usually like these small blessings and their aura- see: 2106

It was once a paradigm of Paleolithic Archeology that surface findings are without any value-but statements of Specialists have changed, mainly due the development of preventive Archeological programs.

Figure 2
According to INRAP (see first external link) "The purpose of preventive archaeology is to detect and undertake the scientific study of archaeological remains (on land and under water) that might otherwise be destroyed by land development work.

Following a decision made by the State, archaeologists from Inrap intervene on a site in order to safeguard its archaeological heritage
".

Usually many sites are first recognized by surface scatters, before scientific excavations take place. It is of some importance that:

  • Surface scatters may indicate that nearby subsurface findings, still in-situ, may be excavated. St Brice may be a good example: The site of Saint-Brice-sous-Rânes, la "Bruyère" (Orne) belongs to a cluster of middle Paleolithic production sites for bifacial tools covering about the area of 200 hectares.

    Surveys and limited excavations were performed in 1998 and 1999 and showed some material in situ, undisturbed by periglacial phenomena.

    Further Excavations were also carried out between 1999 and 2010. TL -data provided for the first time secure dates for an older series, characterized by the Levallois technique (MIS 6) and an abundant younger series dated around 40 k.a. BP


  • The recording of surface scatters may be another key component in recording the settlement history of a region


  • The artifactual spectrum of a nearby excavated and dated site may be increased by surface findings and taken into account for a final publication


  • Figure 3
    Lithic scatters are often revealed through modern plowing, which disturb subsurface deposits transporting them to the ground surface.

    Plowing is especially probematic since subsurface features associated with these sites are all too often destroyed.

    In General surface scatters are treated nowadays very similar to stratified findings. This includes for example:

  • The computer assisted archaeological record of every single artifact including its orientation


  • Computer assisted storage of the artifacts


  • Geomorphological evaluation of the underground at the site including non-invasive techniques in the determination of the sites boundaries


  • Figure 4
    The evaluation of surface scatter is not a dead issue-The development of modern Techniques, including use- and micro-wear analysis, refitting strategies, trace element analysis ,thermoluminece (TL) Electron spin Resonance (ESR) dating, and residue analysis, have the potential to provide information that is not available from simple lithic classification schemes alone.

    Although these analyses are often costly and require trained professionals to conduct these analyses, the information gained by these studies can provide invaluable information.

    Ideal situations are refitable small scatters of lithics indicating a short hunting stay, without the problems, that are well known from palimpsests in Caves and lager open air sites....