The Pleistocene old world : regional perspectives
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Bibliographic Information
The Pleistocene old world : regional perspectives
（Interdisciplinary contributions to archaeology）
Plenum Press, c1987
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Includes bibliographies and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Regional approaches to past human adaptations have generated much new knowledge and understanding. Researchers working on problems of adaptations in the Holocene, from those of simple hunter-gatherers to those of complex sociopolitical entities like the state, have found this approach suitable for comprehension of both ecological and social aspects of human behavior. This research focus has, however, until recently left virtually un- touched a major spatial and temporaI segment of prehistory-the Old World during the Pleistocene. Extant literature on this period, by and large, presents either detailed site- speeific accounts or offers continental or even global syntheses that tend to compile site- speeific information but do not integrate it into whole c~nstructs of funetioning so- ciocuhural entities. This volume presents our current state of knowledge about a variety of regional adaptations that charaeterized prehistoric groups in the Old World before 10,000 B. P. The authors of the chapters consider the behavior of humans rather than that of objects or features and present data and models for variaus aspects of past cultures and for culture change.
These presentations integrate findings and understandings derived from a number of related disciplines actively involved in researching the past. Data and interpretations are offered on a range of Old \yorld regions during the PaIeolithic, induding Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe, and chronological coverage spans from the Early to Late PIeisto- cene.
Table of Contents
I Introduction.- 1 * Old World Archaeology and Archaeologists from a New World Perspective.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Thoughts on Regional Archaeological Sequences.- 3. Remarks on the Symposium.- 4. Some Reflections on Archaeology in General.- 5. Concluding Remarks.- 6. References.- II Defining and Interpreting Regional Records.- 2 Searching for Camps and Missing the Evidence?:Another Lookat the Lower Paleolithic.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Cultural versus Niche Geography.- 3. Consequential Working Assumptions.- 4. Binary Variability in the Oldowan and Acheulian.- 4.1. Kalambo Falls.- 4.2. Isimila.- 4.3. Olduvai and Beyond.- 5. Conclusions and Implications.- 6. References.- 3 * Reduction Sequences in the Manufacture of MousterianImplements of France.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Nature of Typological Variability in the Mousterian of France.- 3. Lithic Reduction and Its Effect on Scraper Morphology.- 4. Scraper Reduction Patterns among French Mousterian Variants.- 5. Discussion.- 6. References.- 4 * "Arms Too Short to Box With God": Problems and Prospects forPaleolithic Prehistory in Dordogne, France.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Some General Methodological Considerations.- 3. Potential Problems for Behavioral Interpretation.- 3.1. Biases in Site Content.- 3.2. Biases in Site Location.- 4. Discussion and Conclusion.- 5. References.- 5 * Interpretive Problems in Hunter-Gatherer Regional Studies:Some Thoughts on the European Upper Paleolithic.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Some Intellectual History and Its Implications.- 3. Some Problems in Method.- 4. Some Problems in "Models".- 5. Some Summary Thoughts.- 6. References.- III Macroregional Patterns.- 6 * Man The Shoveler: Alternative Models for Middle PleistoceneColonization and Occupation in Northern Latitudes.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Background.- 3. Problems Facing the First European Colonizers.- 4. Regional Patterns.- 4.1. Location of Occupation.- 4.2. Weather Conditions.- 4.3. Local Group Area.- 4.4. Group Size.- 4.5. Foraging Strategy.- 4.6. Foraging Tactics.- 4.7. Information and the Use of the Subregion.- 4.8. Paleolithic Technology.- 5. Regional Archaeological Signatures.- 6. Discussion.- 7. References.- 7 * Middle Pleistocene Adaptations in India.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Research in Different Regions.- 2.1. Kashmir Valley.- 2.2. Siwalik Hills.- 2.3. Semiarid Region of Northwest India.- 2.4. Gujarat.- 2.5. Mewar Plain.- 2.6. Central India.- 2.7. The Deccan Plateau.- 2.8. The Southeast Coast.- 3. Discussion.- 4. References.- 8 * Regional Perspectives on the Soviet Central Asian Paleolithic.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Issue in Central Asian Paleolithic Archaeology.- 2.1. The Ancient to Late Paleolithic Transition.- 2.2. Soviet Central Asia-Peripheral to the Paleolithic World?.- 3. Conclusions.- 4. References.- 9 * Recent Developments in the Upper Pleistocene Prehistory ofChina.- 1. Introduction.- 2. China's Upper Pleistocene Prehistory.- 2.1. The Middle Paleolithic.- 2.2. The Late Paleolithic.- 3. The Diversity of Human Cultural Adaptations in Upper Pleistocene China.- 4. References.- 10 * Pleistocene Australia: Peopling a Continent.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Environment.- 3. Archaeology.- 3.1. Semiarid Zone.- 3.2. Arid Zone.- 3.3. Northern Australian.- 3.4. Southwestern Australia.- 3.5. Southeastern Australia.- 3.6. Tasmania.- 3.7. New Guinea.- 4. Explanations.- 4.1. Static Models.- 4.2. Dynamic Models.- 4.3. An Alternative Growth Model.- 4.4. Faunal Extinctions.- 4.5. Origins.- 5. Discussion.- 6. References.- IV Regional Adaptations at a Point in Time.- 11 * Upper Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers in the Wadi Feiran, Southern Sinai.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Levantine Upper Paleolithic Period.- 3. The Nature of the Upper Paleolithic Tradition in the Sinai.- 4. Models of Hunter-Gatherer Mobility Systems.- 5. Archaeological Implications of the Models.- 6. An Initial Glimpse of the Upper Paleolithic in the Feiran Basin.- 6.1. Abu Noshra I.- 6.2. Abu Noshra II.- 7. Discussion.- 8. References.- 12. The Paris Basin in Magdalenian Times.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Geographic Setting.- 3. Chronology and Environment.- 4. Spatial Organization.- 5. The Lithic Industry, the Reduction Sequences, and the Tool Style.- 5.1. The Lithic Industry.- 5.2. The Reduction Sequence.- 5.3. The Tools.- 6. Faunal Remains and Game Processing.- 7. Comparisons among Regions.- 8. Toward Patterns of Magdalenian Movement in the Paris Basin.- 9. Conclusion.- 10. References.- 13. Magdalenian Settlement Pattern and Subsistence in Central Europe: The Southwestern and Central German Cases.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Southwestern Germany.- 3. Central Germany.- 4. Relationships and Variations between the Two Regional Groups.- 5. References.- V Changes Through Time.- 14 * Late Pleistocene Adaptations in the Levant.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Some Remarks on the Mediterranean Levant.- 3. Defining a Levantive Prehistoric Entity.- 4. Late Pleistocene Prehistoric Entities.- 4.1. The Kebaran Complex.- 4.2. The Geometric Kebaran Complex.- 4.3. The Mushabian Complex.- 4.4. The Natufian Complex.- 4.5. The Harifian Complex.- 5. Discussion.- 6. Reference.- 15 * Perigordian and Noaillian in the Greater Perigord.- 1. Introduction.- 2. What Do We Mean by Perigordian and Noaillian?.- 3. Why Do We Believe That the Perigordian and Noaillian Were Two Different and, for the Most Part, Separate Tool-Making Traditions?.- 4. What is the Evidence for Temporal and Spatial Coexistence?.- 5. How Do We Interpret This Coexistence?.- 6. References.- 16 * Aurignacian and Gravettian Settlement Patterns in Central Europe.- 1. Introduction.- 2. General Background.- 3. Site Formation Processes.- 4. The Faunal Remains-Paleoecological and Cultural Implications.- 4.1. Open-Air Sites.- 4.2. Cave Sites.- 4.3. Caves without Artifacts.- 5. Raw Material Procurement Networks.- 6. Settlement Pattern.- 7. Conclusions.- 8. References.- 17 * Glimpses of Long-Term Shifts in Late Paleolithic Land Use in the Perigord.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Annual Ranges among Hunter-Gatherers: The Nunamiut Example.- 3. Some Sampling Complexities.- 4. Late Pleistocene Environmental Change in the Perigord.- 5. The Magdalenian: Temporal Systematics.- 6. Magdalenian Settlement.- 6.1. Some Pre-Magdalenian Observations.- 6.2. The Badegoulian.- 6.3. Magdalenian IV.- 6.4. Magdalenian VI.- 7. Discussion.- 8. References.- 18 * Fishing and Foraging: Marine Resources in the Upper Paleolithic of France.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Carbon Isotope Technique.- 3. Samples and Analysis.- 4. Herbivore Results.- 5. Human Diet Alternatives and Predicted Human Values.- 6. Human Results.- 7. Discussion and Conclusions.- 8. References.- 19 * From the Mousterian to the Metal Ages: Long-Term Change in the Human Diet of Northern Spain.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Biases.- 3. Resource Procurement, Efficiency, and Dietary Selectivity.- 4. A General Model of Change in the Human Food Niche.- 5. The Human Food Niche in Cantabrian Spain.- 5.1. Economic Faunas: General Patterns.- 5.2. On the Use of Plants.- 5.3. Resource Diversity.- 5.4. Niche-Width Variation.- 5.5. Evidence of Changes in Population Density.- 5.6. Why Is the Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian Anomalous?.- 6. Conclusions.- 7. References.- 20 * Late Pleistocene Refugia in Europe.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Complexity in Southwestern France.- 3. Local-Level Interpretations.- 4. Regional Interpretations.- 5. The Southwest as a Refugium.- 5.1. Environmental Attractiveness.- 5.2. Depopulation of North-Central Europe.- 5.3. Migration into Southwestern France.- 6. Implications for the Southwest as a Refugium.- 6.1. Resource Productivity.- 6.2. Subsistence Diversity.- 6.3. Hunting Focus.- 6.4. Technological Innovation.- 6.5. Settlement Locations.- 6.6. Art and Exchange.- 6.7. Cultural Diversity.- 7. Conclusions.- 8. References.- 21 * Upper Paleolithic Connubia, Refugia, and the Archaeological Record from Eastern Europe.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Upper Paleolithic "Venuses" and Alliance Networks.- 3. Eastern Refugia.- 4. Discussion.- 5. References.- 22 * Prehistory and Paleoenvironments at the Pleistocene-Holocene Boundary in the Western Cape.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Setting.- 3. Paleogeography.- 3.1. Paleogeography at the Time of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).- 3.2. Between the LGM and the Holocene Climatic Optimum (HCO).- 4. Discussion.- 5. References.- 23 * The Case for the Regional Perspective: A New World View.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Regional Frame of Reference.- 3. Regionalism in Europe, with Second Thoughts.- 4. Salmon Fishing as the X Factor.- 5. Champions from the "Forgotten Regions".- 6. On Differentiating Settlement Types.- 7. Paleolithic Dietary Trends.- 8. Ethnicity in the Paleolithic.- 9. The Case for Regionalism.- 10. References.
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