New Approaches To Early Upper Paleolithic Transitions In Western Eurasia.pdf

New Approaches to the Study of Early Upper Paleolithic 'Transitional' Industries in Western Eurasia" is a collection of 11 papers edited by Julien Riel-Salvatore and Geoffrey A. Clark, published as part of the British Archaeological Reports International Series. The book honors Professor Amilcare Bietti and explores various aspects of the Upper Paleolithic 'transitional' industries, particularly focusing on the Chatelperronian culture and related topics.

Key Points:

1. Chatelperronian Block:
- L.G. Straus questions the validity of the "transitional industry" concept, arguing that litho-cultures are archaeological constructs. He distinguishes between well-established cultures like the Linear Bandkeramic and Cardial, and less unified ones like Chatelperronian, Uluzzian, etc.
- F. Harrold discusses models explaining the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in Western Europe, favoring a population dispersal model but noting its inability to explain universal trends observed across different regions of the Stone Age oecumene.

2. Regional Reviews:
- A. Bietti and F. Negrino review late Mousterian, 'transitional', and early Aurignacian assemblages in Italy, focusing on the Uluzzian industry and questioning its evolutionary sequence. They argue for a more nuanced approach to distinguishing between Mousterian and Uluzzian artifacts.
- I. Karavanić provides an overview of the Middle/Upper Paleolithic interface in northeastern Adriatic region, summarizing data from key Croatian sites and discussing related assemblages from Slovenia and Bosnia.

3. Methodological Considerations:
- D. Adams analyzes the Szeletan and Aurignacian relationship in Hungary, concluding that Szeletan sites represent special-purpose activity sites associated with Aurignacian culture based on chronometric, topographic, faunal evidence, and raw material utilization patterns.
- D. Olszewski discusses general issues in studying Early Upper Paleolithic industries and provides a summary of Levantine industries typically considered transitional.

Overall:

The book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of cultural transitions during the Upper Paleolithic period, highlighting the importance of regional variations and methodological rigor in archaeological research. Despite some editorial lapses in one contribution, the volume represents a significant contribution to our understanding of early transitional industries in Western Eurasia.