dAf 49
DEFLEUR Alban, CREGUT-BONNOURE Évelyne
Le gisement paléolithique moyen de la grotte des Cèdres (Le Plan-d'Aups, Var)
Situated in South-Western Provence in the massif of Sainte-Baume, some thirty kilometres from Marseille, the Grottes des Cèdres (Var) was first excavated during the 1950s. In 1987 re-excavation took place and comprised the re-examination of conserved standing stratification. This re-examination permitted the identification of two human occupation levels, both of short periods, situated in a cool environment at the end of the Middle Pleistocene. With the identification of a new lithic industry, the discovery of the largest quantity of Tahr Rissien remains in Europe belonging to a new species, and the determination of new sub-species of Rodents and Rabbit, this site is now to be placed amongst those of major importance for the Mediterranean Europe, which is further increased by the presence of a human remain.
Abstract
Abstract
1. Presentation
The robbing of the remaining standing stratigraphic section at la grotte des Cèdres (Le Plan-d'Aups, Var) left in place after the excavations carried out in 1951 by M. Escalon de Fonton, necessitated a rescue excavation. This was directed by A. Defleur in February 1987. These excavations produced an interesting artefact assemblage which has been studied by a multidisciplinary team.
The cave, of most dimensions, opens out on to the northern side of the Sainte- Baume ridge in a bio-geographical context of particular interest, a real middle- European enclave within a Mediterranean context. The section excavated, situated at the back of the cavity, brought to light, beneath a level containing Chalcolithic burials, a stratigraphical sequence of four Pleistocene levels separated by two limestone formations.
A study of the sediment has enabled two distinct deposits to be distinguished, the first (levels II and III) a cold period, the second (levels IV and V) a warmer period.
2. Human activities
The lithic industry, limited in number and poor in quality, cames mostly from level II. Worked from siliceans limestone and nodules of siliceons concretion of the local Albien, the industry can be described as a non Levallois Mousterian debitage industry rich in scrapers and denticulates. The very small number of retouched pieces has not allowed a real comparison with the Mousterian assemblages of the period and the region concerned.
The study of the bones' surface showed butchering marks on remains of Ursus thibetanus, Hemitragus cedrensis, Sus scrofa, Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus.
3. Man : study of a deciduous incisor
On the surface of level ll was found a deciduous incisor of a two years old child. Following a study of its morphology and size, it has been considered of Neanderthal type.
4. Fauna
The site has produced a small amount of well preserved remains of large Mammals. Analyses has brought into evidence an association dominated by wild Goat (Hermitragus cedrensis). Identification has lead to precisions concerning the morphology and size of the species and to the question of geographical isolation. The presence of Gulo and Ovibos is definitively invalidated. The revised list now allows us to establish the presence with wild goat of: Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes, Ursus arctos, Ursus thibetanus ssp., Ursus spelaeus, Lynx spelaea, Felis silvestris, Equus sp., Sus scrofa, Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus, Rangifer tarandus, Bos primigenius, Bison sp., Rupicapra rupicapra. Reindeer, a rare element in Provencal fauna assemblages, suggests a climatic deterioration in the higher levels, while the lower levels seal a group indicating a warmer period. These results are compared with those of the immediate environment of the site today which even now has a relic character.
Remains of Lagomorphes are abundant and represented by a single species of Rabbit, a new sub-species (Oryctolagus Cuniculus baumensis nov. ssp.).
Rodents, much rarer, are represented by an association of Marmota marmota mesostyla, Apodemus sylvaticus, Pliomys gr. episcopalis, Terricola duodecimcostatus, Microtus agrestis cf. jansoni, Microtus brecciensis et Arvicola sapidus. These last two species belong to a new sub-species: Microtus brecciensis defleuri et Arvicola sapidus aupsensis.
This microfauna allows us to situate the site in a chronological interval which appears to be later than the filling of Orgnac 3 (Orgnac-l'Aven, Ardèche) and contemporary to or slightly earlier than that of Lazaret (Nice, Alpes-Maritimes).
The bird fauna, rare, is represented by cf. Alectoris graeca, Columba cf. livia, cf. Turdus torquatus, Coccothraustes coccothraustes, cf. Nucifraga caryocatactes, Garrulus glandarius, Pyrrhocorax graculus cf. vetus.
The study of the fauna through the cenogramm method helps to reconstruct an open and humid environment. The paleontological evidence suggests a date at the end of the middle Pleistocene, a chronological attribution which is not confirmed by absolute dating(U-Th dating).
5. Synthesis of the data
The nature of the material recovered during excavations enables us to attribute the totality of the artefact of levels V and VI to the exclusive activity of Carnivores. That of level III and II can be attributed to the combined action of Carnivores and two human occupations of short length.
