French Lower Paleolithic Excavations

在国家科学基金会的支持下，迪布尔博士和他的 同事将进行三个季节的考古 Cagny-l 'Epinette遗址的挖掘和分析， 位于法国北方的索姆河流域。他们将 与Alain Tuffreau教授及其团队合作， 在这里工作了好几年迄今为止的挖掘 表明了多个考古学级别，其中最低的是 这个项目的重点。它包含来自 阿舍利文化以及相关的动物群遗迹。 地质证据表明它的历史超过70万年 前和分配的材料和性质的 它们所包含的矩阵表明，它可能代表着一种 生活地板迪布尔博士和他的团队将试图确定 这是否正确在履行 挖掘，他们将采用一些技术， 以前从未在挖掘这样一个 绝佳的价钱将记录所有伪影方向和分布; 将作出协调一致的努力，寻找非常小的遗骸; 石器和骨头将被重新修复;动物群将被研究 从埋藏学角度和沉积物磁性测量 将被制造。在此基础上，调查人员希望确定 沉积后扰动的程度。考古 然后可以处理材料的含义。 这项研究之所以重要，有三个原因。阿舍利 人们是第一批从非洲迁移到 旧大陆的温带地区。虽然许多阿舍利遗址 很少含有原位材料， 文化诠释从这个角度来看，卡尼-勒伊皮内特 可能是一个例外，它提供了早期人类的信息， 生存和社会组织。第二，研究 方法论上的原因。当考古学家 挖掘这样的地表是非常困难的 解开“文化”和“自然”的力量，发挥了作用， 在其形成过程中的作用。迪布尔博士的工作将有助于发展 技术，适用于广泛的地点，这可能使 这个可能。最后，该项目包括一些 学生，并将协助培训这些年轻的 科学家

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Dibble and his colleagues will conduct three seasons of archaeological excavation and analysis at the site of Cagny-l'Epinette which is located in the Somme Valley of northern France. They will collaborate with Professor Alain Tuffreau and his team who have worked at this site for several years. Excavation to date indicates multiple archaeological levels, the lowest of which is the focus of this project. It contains materials from the Acheulian culture as well as associated faunal remains. Geological evidence indicates it dates to more than 700,000 years ago and the distribution of materials and the nature of the matrix within which they are contained suggest it may represent a living floor. Dr. Dibble and team will attempt to determine whether this, in fact, is correct. In the course of their excavation, they will apply a number of techniques which have never been used before in tandem in the excavation of such a site. All artifact orientations and distributions will be noted; a concerted effort will be made to recover very small remains; lithic artifacts and bone will be refit; fauna will be studied from a taphonomic perspective and sediment magnetic measurements will be made. On this basis the investigators hope to determine the extent of post depositional disturbance. The archaeological meaning of the materials can then be addressed. This research is important for three reasons. The Acheulian peoples were among the first to move from Africa to the more temperate regions of the Old World. While many Acheulian sites are known, very few contain in situ material which permit cultural interpretation. From this perspective Cagny-l'Epinette may be an exception which provides information on early human subsistence and social organization. Secondly, the research is important for methodological reasons. When archaeologists excavate surfaces such as this it is extremely difficult to disentangle the "cultural" and "natural" forces which played a role in their formation. Dr. Dibble's work will help to develop techniques, applicable in a wide range of sites, which may make this possible. Finally, this project includes a number of students and will assist in the training of these young scientists.