Abri Villepin
Coordinates: 44 ° 58 ′ 5 ″ N , 1 ° 1 ′ 47 ″ E
The Abri Villepin is a Upper Paleolithic site in the French commune of Tursac in the Dordogne department . It contains finds from Magdalenian and Azilien .
geography
Abri Villepin, named after the owner of the site, is located on the right side of the Vézère valley , about 1.5 kilometers west of Tursac . It immediately follows (50 meters downstream) the famous Abri La Madeleine , with which it shares the same geomorphological and geological conditions. Compared to its predecessor, it is much smaller (around 10 meters long), and its roof area has partially collapsed.
history
The Abri Villepin was discovered in a completely overgrown state in 1917 by Dénis Peyrony , who was excavating at the Abri La Madeleine at that time. This relatively late discovery was of great advantage as it was the first time that Peyrony was able to thoroughly investigate a completely undisturbed sequence.
stratigraphy
Peyrony could distinguish two archaeological levels from Magdalenian VI (level A and B), covered by a very thin level from Azilia (level C).
Finds
At the base (layer A) there was a fire place laid out with large river boulders (dimensions 2.5 × 1 meters), where prey were obviously roasted. The arrangement of the stones suggests a kind of grill.
The two levels from Magdalenian VI are primarily characterized by two-row harpoons . They are very likely to be seen at the same time as the third settlement period in La Madeleine. A clear development in the tools can be seen within Magdalenian VI. For example, the barbs of the harpoons are becoming more and more distinct from the shaft and at the same time are becoming ever more pointed.
Other utensil finds are caulking tools ( French: ciseaux ) and spearheads. The tools are very similar to comparable finds in the neighboring Abri La Madeleine and probably come from the same manufactory.
The main works of art are engraved river pebbles decorated with images of animals. Including the very realistic depiction of the head of a wild horse , engraved in a piece of slate . Pressure marks on these pebbles also indicate their use in the manufacture of flint chippings . Also noteworthy is an engraved and red colored pebble, which was possibly used as a fetish .
The bone finds of the hunted prey give the following picture of the fauna (from young to old):
- In layer C (Azilien) the large prey animals recede strongly, the main prey animals were now deer and rabbits. This indicates a warming of the climate (slow migration of the reindeer north).
- In layer B the reindeer step back a little, followed by wild horses and cattle ( aurochs or bison ). Deer are gaining in importance and wolf , fox , rabbit and hare also appear for the first time . Also herringbone occur now.
- Layer A is clearly dominated by reindeer , followed by wild horses and deer (relatively insignificant).
Age
Absolute age dates for the Abri Villepin are not available, but the finds clearly come from Magdalenian VI and Azilien and therefore correspond approximately to the time interval 12,500 to 10,000 years BP .
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Peyrony, D .: L'abri de Villepin. Magdalenian Supérieur et Azilien . In: Bulletin de la Société préhistoriquefrançaise . 33, N ° 4, 1936, p. 253-272 .
literature
- Delluc, B. & G., Roussot, A. & Roussot-Larroque, J .: Connaître la préhistoire en Périgord . Éditions SUD-OUEST, 1990, ISBN 2-87901-048-9 .