Stratigraphical, sedimentological, micromorphological and paleoclimatical study of Late Pleistocène caves infillings from Mediterranean area: mousterian sites of Boquete de Zafarraya (Andalousia), of Madonna dell'Arma (Liguria) and Kalamakia (Laconia, Péloponnese).

The three mousterian sites of Boquete de Zafarraya, Madonna dell'Arma and Kalamakia are localised respectively in Spain, Italy and Greece. This study had permit to precise their stratigraphy, their archaeostratigraphy and the chronology of occupational periods. All archaeostratigraphic results are presented in the shape of Harris matrix. This methodological tool appears to be particularly useful for prehistoric researchs to improve the reading of the correspondences between the stratigraphic layers of a site. The Boquete de Zafarraya was occupied by Homo sapiens neanderthalensis during the isotopic stages 3 and 4. The age of the last mousterian occupation is estimated between 35 000 to 30 000 years B.P. The hypothesis of late occupation of the site by Néandertal around 27 000 years B.P. is now invalidated because of new evidences of Paleolithic superior artifacts (Proto-aurignacian, Gravettian and Solutrean) in the layers in which the datings were used as a basis for this hypothesis. The base of the stratigraphy of the cave of the Madonna dell'Arma is constituted by a marine formation contemporaneous of the isotopic under-stage 5.5 (Tyrrhenian). The cave was then occupied by paleolithic populations between 105 000 to 80 000 years B.P. The outer slope, still very partially excavated, contains mousterian occupations whith a maximum range of ages from 90 000 to 38 000 years B.P. The exact stratigraphic relationship between the cave and the outer slope is not yet known, but it is possible than they are partly contemporaneous. The stratigraphy of Kalamakia have recorded the paleoenvironmental episodes of the isotopic under-stages 5.5, 5.3, 5.2 and 5.1. Episodes 5.5 and 5.3 correspond to two marine formations of the Late Pleistocene (Tyrrhenian) then the site was occupied by Neandertalians until isotopic stage 3 between 85 000 to 40 000 years B.P. This new stratigraphy makes of Kalamakia cave one of the reference excavation for greec Mousterian.

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Source https://theses.hal.science/tel-00702639
Author Lecervoisier, Bertrand
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 16, 2026, 13:40 (UTC)
Created May 16, 2026, 13:40 (UTC)
Identifier NNT: 2003MNHN0033
Language fr
Rights https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
contributor Laboratoire Départemental de Préhistoire du Lazaret (LDPL) ; Département des Alpes-Maritimes
creator Lecervoisier, Bertrand
date 2003-02-27T00:00:00
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harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2024-05-19T00:00:00
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