Towards a revised stratigraphy for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition at La Güelga (Narciandi, Asturias, Spain) - Micromorphological investigations and new radiocarbon data

Researchdata
Maintained by Martin Kehl
Created at 12.12.2016

Abstract

The archaeological sequence of the Palaeolithic site of La Güelga apparently shows an
interstratification of Aurignacian between Mousterian and Châtelperronian layers, a sequence which
disagrees with the stratigraphic model for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in SW-Europe.
We analyzed the witness section of the interior sector in archaeological zone D using
micromorphology and collected new radiocarbon dates for the Aurignacian and presumably
Châtelperronian levels in order to provide detailed sediment descriptions of the site and scrutinize the
presumed interstratification. Thin sections from Mousterian levels 8 and 9 show microstratification,
signs of trampling and preferential sub-horizontal orientation of elongated particles. These features
are less strongly developed in the Aurignacian deposit of levels 5 and 6 and lack in the presumably
Châtelperronian ones of levels 1 and 2. The deposits of the latter show other features of reworked
slope deposits such as a randomized distribution of limestone clasts. Radiocarbon dating on bone
samples from level 2 places this layer to between ~41.5 and 45 ka cal B.P., hence older than
Aurignacian level 5, dated to between ~35.5 and 41.5 ka cal B.P.. Comparative dating of bones with
and without ultrafiltration pretreatment conducted in two different laboratories yielded results in
excellent agreement. Overall, the micromorphological observations and new radiocarbon ages
strongly suggest that the few finds of presumably Châtelperronian affinity and sediments of levels 1
and 2 were transported by slope processes into the shelter.

Bibliography

Kehl, M., Álvarez-Alonso, D., Herrero, M., Garral González, P., García, E., Jordá Pardo, J., Menéndez, M., Quesada, J., Rethemeyer, J., Rojo, J., Tafelmaier, Y., Weniger, G. (2016): Towards a revised stratigraphy for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition at La Güelga (Narciandi, Asturias, Spain) - Micromorphological investigations and new radiocarbon data. – In: Boletín Geológico y Minero, p: in press

authorKehl, Martin and Álvarez-Alonso, David and Herrero, Marí­a de Andrés and Garral González, Pilar and García, Edouardo and Jordá Pardo, Jesus and Menéndez, Mario and Quesada, José and Rethemeyer, Janet and Rojo, Julio and Tafelmaier, Yvonne and Weniger, Gerd-Christian
journalBoletín Geológico y Minero
keyMartinKehl2016
pagesin press
typearticle
year2016
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