techno-economy of iberomaurusian lithic assemblages. new data from courbet-marine (north-eastern littoral of algiers)

Courbet-Marine is one of the few open area sites belonging to the Iberomaurusian, a Late Upper Palaeolithic culture in the north-eastern littoral of Algiers, for which primary siliceous outcrops are lacking. The methodology used is based on a techno-economic approach and introduces new data concerning the inventory and characterisation of mineral potential of surrounding areas, and, furthermore, the different knapping techniques applied to the prehistoric lithic raw material. The field survey has contributed to the characterisation of both geological and archaeological siliceous rocks, supported by petrographic and geochemical analyses. Moreover, the re-examination of the Courbet-Marine lithic assemblage provided evidence for the strategies used in obtaining a non-local brown flint. This last, selected for its homogeneous texture and its large size, was transported in the shape of semi-finished products to the prehistoric site. In addition, this brown flint allows a more elaborate knapping technique than flint of alluvial origin.