Quartzite selection in fluvial deposits: the N12 level of Roca dels Bous (Middle Palaeolithic, Southeastern Pyrenees)

Abstract

The exploitation of rocks from secondary deposits is attested widely in the European Middle Palaeolithic. However, few studies have focused on analysing the implications derived from the management of these deposits. The fluvial terraces near the Mousterian site of Roca dels Bous have been sampled to determine their lithological composition and cobble morphology. Comparison with artefacts recovered from level N12 indicate selection patterns in the fluvial deposits of black quartzite, as well as preferential management of blanks with specific morphological and volumetric characteristics. This approach reveals behaviours involved in the acquisition, transport, transformation and discard of stone tools necessary for Neanderthal subsistence, and indicates interest in the study of secondary deposits and local raw materials in Middle Palaeolithic contexts.