LITHIC RAW MATERIAL AND LATE PALAEOLITHIC STRATEGIES OF MOBILITY: A CASE STUDY FROM SOWIN 7, SW POLAND

• Published in: Anthropologie (Brno) 2012-01, Vol.50 (4), p.391-410
• Main Authors: WIŚNIEWSKI, ANDRZEJ, FURMANEK, MIROSŁAW, BOROWSKI, MICHAŁ, KĄDZIOŁKA, KATARZYNA, RAPIŃSKI, ARTUR, WINNICKA, KINGA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropology; Archaeology; Central and Eastern Europe; Europe; Migration; ORIGINAL PAPERS • TRAVAUX ORIGINAUX • ORIGINALARBEITEN; Palaeolithic and mesolithic; Prehistoric era; Prehistory and protohistory; Raw materials; Upper palaeolithic
• ISSN: 0323-1119; 2570-9127

The mobility strategies of people who inhabited the northern part of Central Europe during the second Pleniglacial and just after this period (GS-3–GI-1) are one of the most intriguing issues. It is widely accepted that the mobility of hunter and gatherer is strictly linked with climatic conditions and distribution of food sources. However, the direct data concerning the Late Pleistocene climatic and environmental conditions are seldom discovered at archaeological sites. In this context lithic assemblages regarding the provisioning and consumption of raw materials shed some light on above mentioned issues. We suppose that the raw materials management, as an important component of the technological organisation, was often integrated with an existing mobility strategy. The aim of this paper is to present the mobility strategy used by late Gravettian/Epigravettian and Magdalenian groups. Presented conclusions are based on the results of analyses of the Late Palaeolithic assemblages from the site 7 in Sowin (Łambinowice commune, Opole district, SW Poland) located in the area where deposits of well quality erratic flints occur. In the light of our studies it seem that the late Gravettian/ Epigravettian groups leaned towards refugial system, while the Magdalenian ones towards the logistic or both strategies. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Sowin 7 site in terms of use and management of stone raw materials is similar to other Late Palaeolithic sites located north of Carpathians and Sudetes.