Technological homogeneity within the Arabian Nubian Complex: Comparing chert and quartzite assemblages from central and southern Arabia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.v3i2.1420Keywords:
Nubian technology, raw material, Arabian Peninsula, Afro-Arabian Nubian Complex, Middle Paleolithic, Middle Stone AgeAbstract
Nubian Levallois technology is the defining characteristic of the Middle Paleolithic or Middle Stone Age technocomplex known as the Nubian Complex. Until recently, this technocomplex was found exclusively in northeastern Africa; however, archaeological surveys conducted across the Arabian Peninsula in the last decade have expanded the known distribution of this technological phenomenon. Since 2009, researchers from separate archaeological missions have mapped sites yielding Nubian cores and debitage, and by extension Nubian technology, in the southern, central and northernmost parts of the Arabia Peninsula. Nubian Complex artifacts in central and southern Arabia were made using different raw materials: in Al-Kharj (central Saudi Arabia) Middle Paleolithic industries were made exclusively on quartzite, while in Dhofar (southern Oman) chert was the only knappable material available for use. Given these differences, we sought to examine the influence of raw material variability on core morphology and size. Contrary to initial hypothesis, this study finds that the differences recorded are not a function of raw material properties. In both areas, Nubian cores were reduced using the same technological systems producing a set of preferential blanks. Rather, the recorded differences from raw material constrains were primarily due to knapping accidents, which occur in higher proportions at quartzite-based assemblages from Al-Kharj (specifically the siret fracture) compared with the chert assemblages from Dhofar. In sum, we argue that raw material had little effect on Nubian Levallois core technology and was not a constraint on Nubian Complex artisans.
References
Amirkhanov, H.I. 2006, Каменный век Южной Аравии. Nauka, Moscow, 632 p. (in Russian) (“Stone Age in South Arabia”)
Armitage, S.J., Jasim, S.A., Marks, A.E., Parker, A.G., Usik, V.I. & Uerpmann, H.P. 2011, The southern route “Out of Africa”: Evidence for an early expansion of modern humans into Arabia. Science, 331: 453-456. doi:10.1126/science.1199113
Bailey, G.N. 2009, The Red Sea, coastal landscapes and hominin dispersals. In: The evolution of human populations in Arabia: Paleoenvironments, Prehistory, and Genetics (Petraglia, M.D.& Rose, J.I. Eds.), Springer Academic Publishers, Netherlands, p. 15-37. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2719-1_2
Beck, C., Taylor, A.K., Jones, G.T., Fadem, C.M., Cook, C.R., & Millward, S.A. 2002, Rocks are heavy: transport costs and paleoarchaic quarry behavior in the Great Basin. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 21: 481-507. doi:10.1016/s0278-4165(02)00007-7
Best, M.G. 1982, Igneous and Metamorphous Petrology. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, 630 p.
Blinkhorn, J., Achyuthan, H. & Ajithprasad, P. 2015, Middle Paleolithic point technologies in the Thar Desert, India. Quaternary International, 382: 237-249. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.02.027
Boëda, E., Bourguignon, L. & Griggo, C. 1998, Activités de subsistance au Paléolithique moyen: Couche VI3 b’ du gisement d'Umm El Tlel (Syrie). In: Économie préhistorique: Les stratégies de subsistance au Paléolithique. 18e Rencontres Internationales d'Histoire et d'Archéologie d'Antibes (Brugal, J.P., Meignen, L. & Patou-Mathis, M. Eds.), Editions APDCA, Sophia-Antipolis: p. 243-258. (in French) (“Subsistence activities during the Middel Paleolithic: Level VI3 B from the site Umm El Tlel”)
Boutié, P. & Rosen, S.A. 1989. Des gisements moustériens dans le Néguev central. Résultats préliminaires de prospections récentes. In: Investigations in South Levantine Prehistory / Préhistoire du Sud-Levant (Bar-Yosef, O., Vandermeersch., B. Eds.), BAR International Series Vol. 497, Archaeopress, Oxford: p. 147-166. (in French) (“Mousterian sites in the Central Negev. Preliminary results of recent investigations”)
Chiotti, L., Dibble, H.L., Olszewski, D.I., McPherron, S.R. & Schurmans, U. 2009, Middle Paleolithic Lithic Technology from the Western High Desert of Egypt. Journal of Field Archaeology, 34: 307-318.
Clark, J.D. 1988, Middle Stone Age of East Africa and the beginnings of regional identity. Journal of World Prehistory, 2: 235-305. doi:10.1007/bf00975618
Crassard, R. 2009, Middle Paleolithic in Arabia: The view from the Hadramawt region, Yemen. In: The Evolution of Human Populations in Arabia. Paleoenvironments, Prehistory and Genetics (Petraglia, M.D., & Rose, J.I., Eds.), Springer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht: p. 151-168. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2719-1_12
Crassard, R., & Hilbert, Y.H. 2013, A Nubian Complex site from central Arabia: Implications for Levallois taxonomy and human dispersals during the Upper Pleistocene. PLoS ONE, 8: e69221. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069221
Crassard, R., & Thiébaut, C. 2011, Levallois points production from eastern Yemen and some comparisons with assemblages from East-Africa, Europe and the Levant. In: The Lower and Middle Palaeolithic in the Middle East and neighboring regions (Le Tensorer, J.M., Jagher, R., & Otte, M., Eds.), Études et Recherches Archéologiques de l'Université de Liège (ERAUL), Liège: p. 131-142.
Delagnes, A., Tribolo,C., Bertran, P., Brenet, M., Crassard, R., Jaubert, J., Khalidi. L., Mercier, N., Nomade, S., Peigné, S., Sitzia L, Tournepiche, J-F., Al-Halibi, M., Al-Mosabi, A. & Macchiarelli, R. 2012, The Middle Paleolithic assemblage of Shi'bat Dihya 1 (Wadi Surdud site complex, Yemen). Journal of Human Evolution, 63(3): 452-474.
Delagnes, A., Crassard, R., Beltran, P. & Stizia, L., 2013, Cultural and human dynamics in southern Arabia at the end of the Middle Paleolithic. Quaternary International, 300: 234-243. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2012.12.012
Dibble, H. L., & Whittaker, J. 1981, New experimental evidence on the relation between percussion flaking and flake variation. Journal of Archaeological Science, 6: 283-296. doi:10.1016/0305-4403(81)90004-2
d’Errico, F. & Banks, W.E., 2013, Identifying Mechanisms behind Middle Paleolithic and Middle Stone Age Cultural Trajectories. Current Anthropology, 54(8): 371-387. doi:10.1086/673388
Goder-Goldberger, M., Gudenko, N. & Hovers, E. 2016, “Diffusion with modifications”: Nubian assemblages in the central Negev highlands of Israel and their implications for Middle Paleolithic inter-regional interactions. Quaternary International, 408: 121-139. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2016.02.008
Hahn, J. 1991, Erkennen und bestimmen von stein und knochenartefakten: Einführung in die Artefaktmorphologie. Archaeologica Venatoria Vol. 10, Verlag Archaeologica Venatoria, Tübingen, 314 p. (in German) (“Identification and translation of stone and bone tools: An introduction to artefact morphology”)
Henry, D.O. 1989, Correlation between reduction strategies and settlement patterns. Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, 1(1), 139-155.
Hilbert, Y.H., Crassard, R., Charloux, G., & Loreto, R. in press, Nubian technology in northern Arabia: Impact on interregional variability of Middle Paleolithic industries. Quaternary International. (Available online 20 December 2015) doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.11.047
Inizan, M.-L. & Ortlieb, L. 1987, Préhistoire dans la région de Shabwa au Yémen du Sud (R.D.P. Yémen). Paléorient, 13(1): 5-22. (in French) (“Prehistory in the Shabwa region of Southern Yemen”) doi:10.3406/paleo.1987.4414
Inizan, M.-L., Reduron, M., Roche, H., & Tixier, J. 1995, Technologie de la pierre taillée. Préhistoire de la pierre taillée, Tome 4. Cercle de Recherches et d'Études Préhistoriques (CREP), Meudon, 199 p. (in French) (“Technology of knapped stone”)
Kurashina, H. 1978, An Examination of Prehistoric Lithic Technology in East-Central Ethiopia. Ph.D. dissertation. University of California, Berkeley, 676 p.
Luedke, B. 1992, An Archaeologist’s guide to chert and flint. Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles, 172 p.
Marks A. 1988, The curation of stone tools during the Upper Pleistocene: A view from the Central Negev, Israel. In: Upper Pleistocene Prehistory of Western Eurasia (Dibble, H., & Montet-White, A., Eds.), University Museum Press, Philadelphia: p. 87-94.
Michelsen, H. 1966, The structure of dark flint from Stevns, Denmark. Mineralogical and Geological Institute of the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 14 p.
Müller, S., & Warth, M. 1985, Kieselsäure-Wanderung in südwestdeutschen Sedimenten und die Bildung lokaler Silexwerkstoffe der Seitzeitkulturen. Archeologisscher Verein Mitteilungsblatt, 9: 4-23. (in German) (“ Siliceousoxide migration in southern German sediments and the formation of local flint raw materials of stone age cultures”)
Munday, F. 1976, Intersite Variability in the Mousterian occupation of the Advat/Aqev Area. In: Prehistory and Paleoenvironment in the Central Negev, Israel (Marks, A.E., Ed.), Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas: p. 113-140.
Olszewski, D.I., Dibble, H.L., McPherron, S.P., Schurmans, U., Chiotti, L. & Smith, J. 2010, Nubian Complex Strategies in the Egyptian High Desert. Journal of Human Evolution, 59: 188-201. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.06.001
Petraglia, M.D., 2011. Trailblazers across Arabia. Nature, 470: 50-51. doi:10.1038/470050a
Petraglia, M.D., Alsharekh, A., Breeze, P., Clarkson, C., Crassard, R., Drake, N.A., Groucutt, H.S., Jennings, R., Parker, A.G., Parton, A., Roberts, R.G., Shipton, C., Matheson, C., al-Omari, A. & Veall, M.A., 2012, Hominin Dispersal into the Nefud Desert and Middle Palaeolithic Settlement along the Jubbah Palaeolake, Northern Arabia. PLoS ONE, 7(1) e49840. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049840
Platel, J.P., Roger, J., Peters, T.J., Mercolli, I., Kramers, J.D., & Le Métour, J. 1992, Geological Map of Salalah, Explanatory Notes. Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Muscat.
Powers, R.W., Ramirez, L.F., Redmond, C.D., & Elberg, E.L. 1966, Geology of the Arabian Peninsula. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 560: 1-147.
Richter, J., Hauck, T., Vogelsang, R., Widlok, T., Le Tensorer, J.-M. & Schmid, P., 2012, Contextual areas” of early Homo sapiens and their significance for human dispersal from Africa into Eurasia between 200 ka and 70 ka. Quaternary International, 274: 5-24. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2012.04.017
Rose, J.I. & Hilbert, Y.H. 2014, New prehistoric sites in the southern Rub’ al-Khali desert, Oman. Antiquity: Project Gallery, 88. URL: http://journal.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/rose341
Rose, J.I. & Marks, A.E. 2014, “Out of Arabia” and the Middle-Upper Palaeo¬lithic transition in the southern Levant. Quartär, 61: 49-85. doi:10.7485/QU61_03
Rose, J.I. & Petraglia M.D. 2009, Tracking the Origin and Evolution of Human Populations in Arabia. In: The Evolution of Human Populations in Arabia. Paleoenvironments, Prehistory and Genetics (Petraglia, M.D., & Rose, J.I., Eds.), Springer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht: p. 1-12.
Rose, J.I., Usik, V.I., Marks, A.E., Hilbert, Y.H., Galletti, C.S., Parton, A., Geiling, J.M., Černý, V., Morley, M.W., & Roberts, R.G. 2011, The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia. PLoS ONE, 6(11): e28239. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028239
Rottländer, R.C.A. 1989, Verwiterungs erscheinungen an Silices und Knochen. Verwitterungserscheinungen an Keramik, Silices und Knochen Vol. 2, Tübinger Beiträge zur Archäometrie Vol. 3, Archeologica Venatoria, Tübingen, 176 p. (in German) (“Deterioration phenomena on flint and ceramics. Deterioration of ceramics, flints and bones”)
Schiettecatte, J., al-Ghazzi, A., Charloux, G., Crassard, R., Hilbert, Y.H., Monchot, H., Mouton, M., & Siméon, P. 2013, Al-Kharj oasis through time: First results of archaeological fieldwork in the province of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 43: 285-308.
Tryon, C.A. & Faith, J.T. 2013, Variability in the Middle Stone Age of Eastern Africa. Current Anthropology, 54(8): 234-254. doi:10.1086/673752
Usik, V.I., Rose, J.I., Hilbert, Y.H., Van Peer, P., & Marks, A.E. 2013, Nubian Complex reduction strategies in Dhofar, southern Oman. Quaternary International, 300: 244-266. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2012.08.2111
Van Peer, P. & Vermeersch, P.M. 2000, The Nubian Complex and the dispersal of modern humans in North Africa. In: Recent research into the Stone Age of northeastern Africa (Krzyzaniak, L., Kroeper, K., Kobusiewicz, M. Eds.), Poznan Archaeological Museum, Poznan: p. 47-60.
Van Peer, P., & Vermeersch, P.M. 2007, The place of northeast Africa in the early history of modern humans: New data and interpretations on the Middle Stone Age. In: Rethinking the Human Revolution (Mellars, P., Boyle, K., Bar-Yosef, O., & Stringer, C., Eds.), McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge: p. 187-198.
Van Peer, P., Vermeersch, P.M., & Paulissen, E. 2010, Chert Quarrying, Lithic Technology and a Modern Human Burial at the Palaeolithic Site of Taramsa 1, Upper Egypt. Leuven University Press, Leuven, 312 p.
Vaslet, D., Al-Muallem, M.S., Maddah, S.S., Brosse, J.-M., Fourniguet, J., Breton, J.-P., & Le Nindre, Y.-M. 1991, Explanatory notes to the geologic map of the Ar Riyad Quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Geoscience map GM-121, scale 1:250,000, sheet 24I. Deputy Ministry for Mineral Resources, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jeddah. 54 p.
Whittaker, J. 1994, Flintknapping: Making & Understanding Stone Tools. University of Texas Press, Austin, 352 p.
Will, M., Mackay, A. & Phillips, N. 2015, Implications of Nubian-Like Core Reduction Systems in Southern Africa for the Identification of Early Modern Human Dispersals. PLoS ONE, 10(6): e0131824. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131824
Yellen, J., Brooks, A., Helgren, D., Tappen, M., Ambrose, S., Bonnefille, R., Feathers, J., Goodfriend, G., Ludwig, K., Renne, P. & Stewart, K. 2005, The archaeology of Aduma Middle Stone Age sites in the Awash Valley, Ethiopia. Paleoanthropology, 10: 25-100.
Zarins, J. 2001, The Land of Incense: Archaeological work in the Governorate of Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman, 1990-1995. Archaeology & cultural heritage series, v. 1 Archaeology & Cultural Heritage Series Vol. 1, Sultan Qaboos University Publications, Muscat, 192 p.
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
This is an Open Access journal. All material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence, unless otherwise stated.
Please read our Open Access, Copyright and Permissions policies for more information.
