Regional groups in the European Middle Gravettian: a reconsideration of theRayssiantechnology

Abstract

TheGravettianis considered one of the first pan-European cultures of the Upper Palaeolithic, spreading from Portugal to Russia between 28-20000 years BP and characterised by backed blades and points. TheNoaillianis a local variant in southern Europe (Northern Spain, Southern France and Italy). In France Noaillian is supposedly evolving into theRayssianwhich is replaced later by recentGravettian. By reconsidering the formation processes of some key stratigraphic sequences, the author demonstrates that the Rayssian is an idiosyncratic culture that does not have abrupt-backed bladelets, and that runs chronologically in parallel with the others. A case study, based on new work at the site of La Picardie (Indre-et-Loire), suggests that we should expect to define different contemporary regional groups during this long period.