The Middle Stone Age open-air dynamics in semidesertic areas of Eastern Morocco

Abstract

The Homo sapiens-related Middle Stone Age occupation of Eastern Morocco is well-known from cave or rockshelter long sequences (ie. Station Météo, Rhafas, Ifri N’ammar, Taforalt). Notwithstanding, little or nothing is known about open-air dynamics, where the only information so far came from disperse and unstratified lithic scatters. For the last ten years, we have undertaken systematics surveys and excavations in the Aïn Beni Mathar – Guéfaït basin, Jerada province, which has allow the discovery of different stratified open-air locations and provide new data about the Homo sapiens management of wider environments. The paleoecological reconstructions show open semidesert environments with vegetation concentrations related to water points and lakes, very similar to the actual landscape. The sites documented are mostly located on slopes and exposed surfaces of riverbanks, around springs, and appear to be associated with areas rich in both biotic and abiotic resources, namely lithic raw materials outcrops. Technologically these sites are characterized by homogeneous sets of flake assemblages with important Levallois components (preferential and recurrent) but also discoidal and opportunistic strategies. Retouched tools are abundant, mainly denticulates and scrapers, and at some locations “Aterian” assemblages with tanged pieces and bifacial foliates have been documented. In this paper we present data about different surface locations discovered in the Sahb el Gahr – Swiwina plain, including the systematic excavations at SBG1-1 & SBG2-1 and Oued Charef sites. Our interdisciplinary results will provide an overview of this MSA dynamics open air contexts in a semidesertic area, focusing on the subsistence strategies and comparing them with the information provided by cave and rockshelter occupations. This work will contribute to providing a broader perspective of the Homo sapiens technological evolution and adapting during the North African Middle Stone Age.