Étude fonctionnelle des artefacts lithiques du site paléolithique supérieur de Hutouliang, Chine du Nord

Abstract: Hutouliang site, located at Nihewan Basin (North China), was radiocarbon dated to 11,600 to 10,690 years ago. From nine localities of the site, thousands of artifacts including lithic tools, animal bone fragments and features were discovered during the late 1970s field seasons. This research focuses on the stone tool functions by employing use-wear analysis. Based on the use-wear data and combined with evidences from typology, ethnoarchaeology, and replicate experiments, the study suggests that the use of stone tools at Hutouliang tends to become specialized and standardized. The data from integrated analysis from localities 73101, 65309 and 72117 suggests that there are three types of site functions. It is suggested that the Hutouliang occupants were inclined to select base camps, making full use of all available resources as “collectors”. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]