Systematic surveys and archaeological excavations at the Aïn Beni Mathar – Guéfaït basin (Jerada province) have been undertaken during the last fifteen years, allowing the discovery of different stratified open-air locations associated to the MSA and LSA. These new sites are located in the Sahb el Gahr – Swiwina plain and the Tahya-Oued Za river area, mostly on slopes and exposed surfaces of riverbanks, around springs, and associated with areas rich in biotic and abiotic resources.
Technologically the MSA sites are characterized by homogeneous flake assemblages with Levallois components but also discoidal and opportunistic knapping strategies. Retouched tools, mainly denticulates and scrapers, are abundant, and “Aterian” assemblages with tanged pieces and bifacial foliates have been also documented at some locations.
The LSA sites show a higher density of lithic remains composed of standardized laminar and flake assemblages including all the stages of the reduction sequence, showing the typical technological attributes characterizing the Iberomaurusian culture. These assemblages are associated to structured hearths that can be interpreted as domestic areas.
These first interdisciplinary results will provide an overview of the MSA-LSA dynamics at open air contexts, focusing on the subsistence strategies, the mobility in the territory, and the type of occupations depending on the available resources. This work will provide a broader perspective of the Homo sapiens technological evolution and adapting strategies during the North African Middle and Later Stone Age.
| Subject : | : | oral |
| Language of text | : | English |
| Topics | : | 2-1 Recent archaeological and anthropological data |
| PDF version | : |  PDF version |
