Aurignacian lithic economy: ecological perspectives from southwestern France.

REYNOLDS, TIM

BROOKE S. BLADES. Aurignacian lithic economy: ecological perspectives from southwestern France. xviii+208 pages, 74 figures, 45 tables. 2001. New York (NY): Kluwer Academic/ Plenum; 0-306-46334-2 hardback $57.50.

This book examines the Aurignacian use of landscapes through a study of lithic economy from three cave sites in the Lower Vezere Valley, southwestern France. Lithic economy is defined in terms of raw material use, using the concepts of `chaine operatoire' and reduction intensity but also an ecological theoretical base. The three sites chosen will be familiar to many: Le Facteur, La Ferrassie and Abri Pataud and the assemblages selected were all derived some time ago, although at La Ferrassie additional material from 1968-1973 has also been incorporated. As with the other `Contributions' in this series, it is well laid out, clearly written and organized. The importance of the work is defined in Dibble's foreword and worth restating here: that the Aurignacian is almost certainly the first cultural representation of our own human type in Europe and as such is a vital key to understanding the interplay of factors that resulted in the replacement of Neanderthals and spread of modern humans in the late Pleistocene. Works on stone tools are often dry and rather uninspiring in the face of such enormous expectations, but by placing the lithics into a broader landscape and ecological context, this work makes a better read than most. The book is organized into six brief chapters. The first includes a gallop through some of the models, ethnological and archaeological, that can integrate environment, technology and mobility, whilst the second introduces the study area. Succeeding chapters deal with raw material studies in the Perigord (where raw material distribution has been most effectively investigated) and how to analyse lithic economy; and then the real analysis itself begins with chapters on Aurignacian lithic raw material economy, the use of lithics within the economy and mobility strategies. The balance of the book is, therefore, unequal and the drawing together of the results appears rushed whilst discussion of future directions is unambitious for what is clearly a very constructive approach.

The analysis shows a clear trend in lithic exploitation between early and late Aurignacian phases which is interpreted as reflecting mobility responses to the changing environmental conditions. It is unfortunate that the associated environmental data for the study assemblages is so limited, as more effort on environmental reconstruction would make such interpretation stronger. There is little comparison with earlier Mousterian assemblages and even less on the Chatelperronian which rather negates the emphasis on the importance of the study and analysis of this form is not even discussed adequately in the chapter on future directions. It is also curious that only major rockshelter/cave sites have been investigated when it is the landscape that is being considered. The role of open sites and minor shelters should be integrated into the study. It is a common error for archaeologists of all periods to extrapolate `landscape' from point data. Broader modelling of the environment and its ecological diversity would make a more supportive case.

It is always easy to question sampling strategies, and sample sizes in the study are small, but equally important when assessing lithic use is differential distribution of materials within a site. The presence of hearths, proximity to dripline, walls and darker parts of a site are all factors affecting the use and discard of materials. In considering raw material use (and especially intensity of use), the matter of sampling is important. Also significant for intensity of lithic use could be re-use of materials (frequency of materials exhibiting double patina), the amount of deliberate snapping of blades and even use of janus flakes. Equally, lithic reduction can often be related to how different raw materials are presented: tabular, nodular or cobble forms can be dealt with in different ways to obtain the same product. Finally, the functional role of lithic raw material is not particularly well integrated beyond the nature of reduction. Such questions are complex and need data sets of quality and, to be fair, this study does not rule out such approaches. It is disappointing, however, that such a clearly presented and well written lithic study (quite a rare thing!) does not develop its future directions or alternative approaches more fully.

The volume seems very much a case study that could (should) be taken further. The theoretical stance is clear, the data handled effectively and the links between them well made; all that is needed is more ambition for further studies. On a more mundane level, glossaries of terms would be helpful to student readers and so would a brief discussion of the statistical tests used (perhaps as an appendix).

The book is very accessible for a student audience and my major concern is for the lack of ambition -- which must be a form of compliment to the utility of the work and its presentation.

TIM REYNOLDS
Heritage Section, Cambridgeshire County Council