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Mousterian is a name given by archaeologists to a style of predominantly flint tools (or industry) associated primarily with Homo neanderthalensis and dating to the Middle Paleolithic, the middle part of the Old Stone Age. The culture was named after the type site of Le Moustier, a rock shelter in the Dordogne region of France.[1] Similar flintwork has been found all over unglaciated Europe and also the Near East and North Africa. Handaxes, racloirs and points constitute the industry; sometimes a Levallois technique or another prepared-core technique was employed in making the flint flakes.[2] Characteristics Mousterian tools that have been found in Europe were made by Neanderthals and date from between 300,000 BP and 30,000 BP (from Layer 2A dated 330 ± 5 ka, (OIS) 9 at Pradayrol, France).[3] In Northern Africa and the Near East they were also produced by anatomically modern humans. In the Levant for example, assemblages produced by Neanderthals are indistinguishable from those produced by Qafzeh type modern humans.[4] It may be an example of acculturation of modern humans by Neanderthals because the culture after 130,000 years reached the Levant from Europe (the first Mousterian industry appears there 200,000 BP) and the modern Qafzeh type humans appear in the Levant another 100,000 years later. Possible variants are Denticulate , Charentian (Ferrassie & Quina) named after the Charente region,[5] Typical and the Acheulean Tradition (MTA) - Type-A and Type-B.[6] The Industry was superseded by the Châtelperronian during 35,000-29,000 BP.[7] Right : Proximal Phalanges Left : Findspot : Beuzeville, Eure, France. Locations Geographical distribution of Mousterian sites Mousterian artifacts have been located in sites in Northwest Africa.[8] Contained within a stratigraphic column in the Syria region, along with a Neanderthaloid skeleton.[8] Located in the Haibak valley of Afghanistan.[8] Uzbekistan has sites of Mousterian culture, including Teshik-Tash.[8] Turkmenistan also has Mousterian relics.[8] Siberia has many sites with Mousterian style implements.[8] |
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