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Mousterian
Sign in to saveThe Mousterian (or Mode III) is an archaeological industry of stone tools, associated primarily with the Neanderthals in Europe, and with the earliest anatomically modern humans in North Africa and West Asia. The Mousterian largely defines the latter part of the Middle Paleolithic, the middle of the West Eurasian Old Stone Age. It lasted roughly from 160,000 to 40,000 BP. If its predecessor, known as Levallois or Levallois–Mousterian, is included, the range is extended to include as early as 300,000–200,000 BP. The main following period is the Aurignacian (c. 43,000–28,000 BP)
Key facts
- Archaeological culture.name
- Mousterian
- Archaeological culture.map
- Neanderthal distribution.jpg
- Archaeological culture.mapcaption
- Distribution of Homo neanderthalensis, and main sites. Mousterian industries have been found outside this range (e.g., Jordan, Saudi Arabia)
- Archaeological culture.mapsize
- 290
- Archaeological culture.region
- Africa and Eurasia
- Archaeological culture.period
- Middle Paleolithic
- Archaeological culture.dates
- 160,000–40,000 BP
- Archaeological culture.typesite
- Le Moustier
- Archaeological culture.majorsites
- Creswell Crags, Lynford Quarry, Arcy-sur-Cure, Vindija Cave, Atapuerca Mountains, Zafarraya, Gorham's Cave, Devil's Tower, Haua Fteah, Jebel Irhoud
- Archaeological culture.precededby
- Acheulean, Acheulo-Yabrudian complex, Micoquien, Clactonian
- Archaeological culture.followedby
- Châtelperronian, Emiran, Baradostian, Aterian, Mal'ta–Buret' culture?
via Wikipedia infobox
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Encyclopedic overview
6 sectionsContents
- Naming
- Characteristics
- Locations
- See also
- References
- External links
The Mousterian (or Mode III) is an archaeological industry of stone tools, associated primarily with the Neanderthals in Europe, and with the earliest anatomically modern humans in North Africa and West Asia. The Mousterian largely defines the latter part of the Middle Paleolithic, the middle of the West Eurasian Old Stone Age. It lasted roughly from 160,000 to 40,000 BP. If its predecessor, known as Levallois or Levallois–Mousterian, is included, the range is extended to include as early as 300,000–200,000 BP. The main following period is the Aurignacian (c. 43,000–28,000 BP) of Homo sapiens.
==Naming== The culture was named after the type site of Le Moustier, three superimposed rock shelters in the Dordogne region of France. Similar flintwork has been found all over unglaciated Europe and also the Near East and North Africa. Handaxes, racloirs, and points constitute the industry; sometimes a Levallois technique or another prepared-core technique was employed in making the flint flakes.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Mousterian” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.