Mousterian

Mousterian is a name given by archaeologists to a style of predominantly flint tools (or industry) associated primarily with Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) and dating to the Middle Paleolithic, the middle part of the European Old Stone Age... The culture was named after the type site of Le Moustier, a rock shelter in the Dordogne region of France. Similar flintwork has been found all over unglaciated Europe and also the Near East and North Africa (Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mousterian )

History

Connected Sites

Site Rationale Link
Atapuerca "The site of Gran Dolina is a huge cave with several levels (TD-11 to TD-1), whose excavation began in September 1981......Level TD-11: Mousterian tools have been found."
Bisotun "Some Palaeolithic cave finds are the earliest evidence of human presence at the spring-fed pool (Sarâb) of Bisotun......Nearby is the first Mousterian site excavated in Iran, the Hunter’s Cave (Ghâr-e Shekârchiyân) at Bisotun overlooking the famous spring and very near Darius’ inscription." (Nom File)
Gorham's Cave Complex
Himā Cultural area The presence of Acheulian hand-axes and Mousterian implement types from the Cultural Rock Arts in Ḥimā Najrān has been reported, e.g. at ʿĀn Jamal and Sha'ib Hinmat. (nom file p.14)
Mount Carmel Caves "This 54 ha property contains cultural deposits representing at least 500,000 years of human evolution demonstrating the unique existence of both Neanderthals and Early Anatomically Modern Humans within the same Middle Palaeolithic cultural framework, the Mousterian. Evidence from numerous Natufian burials and early stone architecture represents the transition from a hunter-gathering lifestyle to agriculture and animal husbandry" (UNESCO)
Rock Art in the Hail Region "(...) 'Mousterian' lithic assemblages were first reported from a factory/quarry site near the summit of Jabal Umm Sinman (...) Two typical Middle Palaeolithic (...) sites containing Levallois-Mousterian stone artefacts were located during the Comprehensive Archaeological Survey. One of these sites was found on the very summit of Jabal Umm Sinman". (Nomination file, p. 16)
Tadrart Acacus "Flint tools from the Mousterian period (80,000 years ago) were recovered from hundreds of sites in the valleys of the Acacus."
Vézère Valley Contains the "type site" of Le Moustier (UNESCO Ref 85-014)

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