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Une occupation humaine au Pléistocène inférieur sur la bordure nord du Massif central

Jackie DESPRIÉE, Robert GAGEONNET, Pierre VOINCHET, Jean-Jacques BAHAIN, Christophe FALGUÈRES, François VARACHE, Gilles COURCIMAULT & Jean-Michel DOLO

fr Comptes Rendus Palevol 5 (6) - Pages 821-828

Published on 30 September 2006

A human presence during the Early Pleistocene on the northern edge of the Massif central (France)

The ‘Pont-de-Lavaud’ prehistoric settlement is located on the Eguzon-Chantôme locality (Indre department, France). Several archeological pavements included in the partially cryoturbated bottom of a very high terrace of the Creuse River, were particularly preserved and numerous artefacts of archaic lithic industry were excavated. The age average of the alluvial formation, obtained by Electronic Spin Resonance (ESR) method applied to optical bleaching fluvial quartz, is 1.1 Ma. The ‘Pont-de-Lavaud’ site is contemporary with the early human populating actually recognized in Eurasia during the Lower Pleistocene and is an evidence of a human presence in the middle of France during this period in spite of periglacial climatic oscillations.


Keywords:

Archaic industries, fluvial deposits, ESR dating, Lower Pleistocene, Prehistoric settlements, Earliest occupation of Europe, Centre France area

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