In the same complementary free issue (see bottom of message for instructions) as Schmitt, Churchill & Hylander "Experimental Evidence Concerning Spear Use in Neandertals and Early Modern Humans", there is another article that should be of interest to more than a few of us.
ESR dating of animal teeth resulted in ages of between 60-35 kyr BP (for overall EU and LU model ranges) for Aterian occupation in levels 5 and 6 at Mugharet el 'Aliya (Morocco). This is the earliest Aterian for Morocco reported so far, and adds support for early OIS 5 ages reported for the Aterian from the Western Desert of Egypt and Libyan Sahara, mentioned here in a current summary update of Aterian dating across North Africa in general to begin the article. The article also mentions that, while the fossil was not found in situ, a flourine analysis of the Mugharet el 'Aliya 1 immature hominid maxilla, produced a flourine/phosphate ratio consistent with animal bones from Layer 5, for whatever worth one wishes to grant to this, but perhaps giving this specimen some contextual evidence for dating. Overall, a well written and informative article.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Volume 30, Issue 1, January 2003, Pages 123-133
ESR Dating of Tooth Enamel From Aterian Levels at
Mugharet el `Aliya (Tangier, Morocco)
P. J. Wrinn (a), and W. J. Rink (b)
(a) Department of Anthropology, Box 210030, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0030, U.S.A.
(b) School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4M1
Received 4 December 2001; accepted 24 January 2002. Available online 7 November 2002.
Abstract
Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating has been carried out on ungulate tooth enamel samples from the Pleistocene deposits of Mugharet el `Aliya, Atlantic coastal Morocco. Age estimations for wave-induced breaching of the cavity and initial sand deposition (Layer 10) are 62±6 ka by the Early Uptake (EU) model and 81±9 ka by Linear Uptake (LU). Samples from Aterian occupations in Layers 5 and 6 and a possible occupation in Layer 9 yielded EU estimated ages between 39±4 and 44±5 ka and LU ages between 47±5 and 56±5 ka . Incorporating the entire range of EU and LU model ages, the Aterian occupations are dated to between 35 and 60 ka . When compared with the published, mostly radiocarbon-based ca. 40–20 ka chronology for the Moroccan Aterian (e.g., Debénath, 1992), these new results imply an Aterian arrival or Mousterian-to-Aterian transition occurring beyond the upper limit of the radiocarbon method.
Author Keywords: ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE, CHRONOMETRIC DATING, ATERIAN, MIDDLE PALAEOLITHIC, MUGHARET EL `ALIYA, MOROCCO. Copyright © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/Click on the small "Journals" icon located near the top left side of the page - this leads to an index page of journals - locate Journal of Archaeological Science by clicking the "j" icon - this should lead to a page showing "volume 30 issue 1" (January 2003), which is "complementary" - click and enjoy.
Dar
