Azilian
Encyclopedia
The Azilian is a name given by archaeologists to an industry
of the Epipaleolithic
in northern Spain
and southern France
.
It probably dates to the period of the Allerød Oscillation
around 10,000 years ago (uncalibrated) and followed the Magdalenian
culture. Archaeologists think the Azilian represents the tail end of the Magdalenian as the warming climate brought about changes in human behaviour in the area. The effects of melting ice sheets would have diminished the food supply and probably impoverished the previously well-fed Magdalenian manufacturers. As a result, Azilian tools and art were cruder and less expansive than their Ice Age
predecessors - or simply different.
Diagnostic artifact
s from the culture include Azilian points (microliths with rounded retouched backs), crude flat bone harpoon
s and pebbles with abstract decoration. The latter were first found in the River Arize
at the type-site for the culture, Le Mas-d'Azil
in the French Pyrenees
. 145 are known from the Swiss site of Birsmatten-Eremitage. Compared with the late Magdelanian, the number of microlith
s increases.
The Azilian co-existed with similar early Mesolithic European cultures such as the Tjongerian of Northern and the Swiderian
of North-Eastern Europe, the Sauveterrian
and, its successor, the Tardenoisian
in parts of France, Belgium and Switzerland, the Maglemosian in Denmark and Eastern Britain.
In its late phase, it experienced strong influences from neighbouring Tardenoisian, reflected in the presence of many geometrical microlith
s persisted until the arrival of the Neolithic
, that in some western areas was only adopted very late, almost in the Chalcolithic era.
Archaeological industry
An archaeological industry, normally just "industry", is the name given in the study of prehistory to a consistent range of assemblages connected with a single product, such as the Langdale axe industry...
of the Epipaleolithic
Epipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
in northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It probably dates to the period of the Allerød Oscillation
Allerød Oscillation
The Allerød period was a warm and moist global interstadial that occurred at the end of the last glacial period. The Allerød oscillation raised temperatures , before they declined again in the succeeding Younger Dryas period, which was followed by the present interglacial period.In some regions,...
around 10,000 years ago (uncalibrated) and followed the Magdalenian
Magdalenian
The Magdalenian , refers to one of the later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe, dating from around 17,000 BP to 9,000 BP...
culture. Archaeologists think the Azilian represents the tail end of the Magdalenian as the warming climate brought about changes in human behaviour in the area. The effects of melting ice sheets would have diminished the food supply and probably impoverished the previously well-fed Magdalenian manufacturers. As a result, Azilian tools and art were cruder and less expansive than their Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
predecessors - or simply different.
Diagnostic artifact
Cultural artifact
A cultural artifact is a term used in the social sciences, particularly anthropology, ethnology, and sociology for anything created by humans which gives information about the culture of its creator and users...
s from the culture include Azilian points (microliths with rounded retouched backs), crude flat bone harpoon
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
s and pebbles with abstract decoration. The latter were first found in the River Arize
Arize
The Arize is a river of France, a right affluent of the Garonne. It arises at 1,355 in the massif of Arize, in the Pyrenees, in the department of Ariège. Its length is 67 km. It flows into the Garonne at Carbonne....
at the type-site for the culture, Le Mas-d'Azil
Le Mas-d'Azil
Le Mas-d'Azil is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
in the French Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. 145 are known from the Swiss site of Birsmatten-Eremitage. Compared with the late Magdelanian, the number of microlith
Microlith
A microlith is a small stone tool usually made of flint or chert and typically a centimetre or so in length and half a centimetre wide. It is produced from either a small blade or a larger blade-like piece of flint by abrupt or truncated retouching, which leaves a very typical piece of waste,...
s increases.
The Azilian co-existed with similar early Mesolithic European cultures such as the Tjongerian of Northern and the Swiderian
Swiderian culture
Swiderian culture, also published in English literature as Sviderian and Swederian, is the name of Final Palaeolithic cultural complexes in Poland and the surrounding areas. The type-site is Świdry Wielkie, in Otwock. The Swiderian is recognized as a distinctive culture that developed on the sand...
of North-Eastern Europe, the Sauveterrian
Sauveterrian
The Sauveterrian is the name for an archaeological culture of the European Epipaleolithic which flourished around 7000-8000 years BC. The name is derived from the type site of Sauveterre-la-Lémance in the French of Lot-et-Garonne....
and, its successor, the Tardenoisian
Tardenoisian
The Tardenoisian is an archaeological culture of the Epipaleolithic period from north-western France and Belgium. Similar cultures are known further east in central Europe and west across Spain....
in parts of France, Belgium and Switzerland, the Maglemosian in Denmark and Eastern Britain.
In its late phase, it experienced strong influences from neighbouring Tardenoisian, reflected in the presence of many geometrical microlith
Microlith
A microlith is a small stone tool usually made of flint or chert and typically a centimetre or so in length and half a centimetre wide. It is produced from either a small blade or a larger blade-like piece of flint by abrupt or truncated retouching, which leaves a very typical piece of waste,...
s persisted until the arrival of the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, that in some western areas was only adopted very late, almost in the Chalcolithic era.
In Southern Iberia
A culture very similar to Azilian spread as well into Mediterranean Spain and southern Portugal. As it lacks of bone industry, it's named distinctively as Iberian microlaminar microlithism. It was replaced by the so-called geometrical microlithism, related to Tardenoisian culture.See also
- EpipaleolithicEpipaleolithicThe Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
- MesolithicMesolithicThe Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
- TardenoisianTardenoisianThe Tardenoisian is an archaeological culture of the Epipaleolithic period from north-western France and Belgium. Similar cultures are known further east in central Europe and west across Spain....
- SauveterrianSauveterrianThe Sauveterrian is the name for an archaeological culture of the European Epipaleolithic which flourished around 7000-8000 years BC. The name is derived from the type site of Sauveterre-la-Lémance in the French of Lot-et-Garonne....
- Franco-Cantabrian region
- Neolithic EuropeNeolithic EuropeNeolithic Europe refers to a prehistoric period in which Neolithic technology was present in Europe. This corresponds roughly to a time between 7000 BC and c. 1700 BC...
- Synoptic table of the principal old world prehistoric culturesSynoptic table of the principal old world prehistoric culturesThe synoptic table of the principal old world prehistoric cultures gives a rough picture of the relationships between the various principal cultures of prehistory outside the Americas, Antarctica, Australia and Oceania...
- Prehistoric FrancePrehistoric FrancePrehistoric France is the period in the human occupation of the geographical area covered by present-day France which extended through prehistory and ended in the Iron Age with the Celtic "La Tène culture".-Lower Palaeolithic:...
- Prehistoric IberiaPrehistoric IberiaThe prehistory of the Iberian peninsula begins with the arrival of the first hominins 1.2 million years ago and ends with the Punic Wars, when the territory enters the domains of written history...