The evolution of flake débitage during the Early and Middle I Neolithic in Upper Normandy

Abstract

For many decades, a number of sites from the Early Neolithic (Villeneuve-Saint-Germain) and Middle Neolithic (Cerny and northern Chasséen) periods have been discovered in Upper Normandy. Three of them have been recently excavated and the subject of technological descriptions (Aubevoye “La Chartreuse”, Saint-Pierre-d’Autils “Le Plaquis” and Porte-Joie “La Couture aux Rois, zone C”). The lithic assemblages of these periods are sometimes distinguished by the production of regular and long blades by indirect percussion while the rest of assemblages are characterized by a domestic laminar production and flake débitage. These productions were initially and often described as expedient or opportunistic. This contribution tries to put forward new characters to specify the evolution of this débitage, its objectives of production and the transformation of the products. Thus, based on the study of 8 sites from Upper Normandy dated to Blicquy-Villeneuve-Saint-Germain and Cerny, the authors describe the main characteristics of the flake débitage identified in Upper Normandy. For this production, the first observation is the exploitation of raw materials of poor quality often located nearby. Some sites demonstrate the exploitation of freeze cracked blocks although flint of much better quality was accessible. Others are characterized by a strong use of fragments. There is a non-rigorous selection of blocks and many methods of débitage - unipolar, multidirectional and bipolar - which is rather basic and certainly not standardized. Volume shaping process indicators are totally absent or difficult to identify. The method is to open a unique platform. Then, each angle is exploited until the required number of flakes is obtained or until the full exploitation of the core. The specificities of the flake production (lack of standardization, technical errors, lack of maintenance of volumes, etc.), as well as their unattractive and unsuccessful aspects, made us reflect on the techniques that were used.

The hypothesis of a flint hammerstone is here proposed and validated by experimentation. At the studied sites, the disfigured appearance of the cores, the recurrence of percussion marks on the cores and the cassons (shattered fragments), the lack of standardization of the fragments and the degraded appearance of the butts constitute for the authors the main indications of this technique.

The authors also underline an opportunistic selection of tool blanks - morphometric variability of the modules – and an adaptation of the retouching blanks into the type of tool.

The tools are retouched in large majority from fragments without any standardization. The domestic tools assemblage includes a dozen categories which correspond to the tool types already well known for the Early and Middle Neolithic.

Some could be assigned at the chrono-cultural characterization of Early Neolithic - offset burin (burin décalé) and Kombewa flake with semi-abrupt “raclette” retouch - and of the Middle Neolithic - increased fluting and backed retouch pieces. These tools sometimes make use of singular technical processes - the offset burin for example. The production of flakes observed at the sites of the Early and Middle Neolithic of Upper Normandy thus refers to a simple "techno-economic system" with productions from small flakes.

However, the authors point out the objectives of this production by the search for raw sharp edges, curved parts, angles of attack necessary for all daily activities and the transformation of required materials.