The stratigraphy of Moula-Guercy has been investigated in detail by Saos et al. (2014) and an overview is shown in Figure 5-3. All depths refer to below datum and the bedrock has not been reached during the excavations. The description of the excavated sections and the sedimentological analysis of the cave infilling (Saos, 2003; Saos et al., 2014) allow the distinction of three major depositional complexes, which are further subdivided into layers, some of which include archaeological levels. The lower stratigraphic complex comprises of layers XIX to XVI from the base to 610 cm below datum, and is only exposed in the pit near the west wall (see inset in Figure 5-3). The sediments are mainly sandy with limestone blocks. The middle stratigraphic complex (from 610 cm to about 400 cm) begins with layer XV, which yielded numerous human remains, and ends with layer XI. All layers are sloped (up to 30º) towards the north. The upper stratigraphic complex (from 400 cm to 0 cm) is only exposed at the entrance of the cavity, since it was strongly affected by previous excavations. The sedimentologic a l sequence can be interpreted as follows: the lower complex represents an active karst system with alluvial deposits from sands to small limestone pebbles. The sediments indicate a cold climate (Saos et al., 2014). With the onset of the deposition of the middle stratigraphic complex, the cave opened to the outside.
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During this time the cave dried out and the infill is characterised by cave wall fragments and the matrix is dominated by windblown sediments. Importantly, the cave becomes inhabited by animals and men. The sediments indicate a warmer climatic phase. Finally, the upper sedimentological complex shows solifluction in a periglacial environment (Saos et al., 2014).
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5.2.2.2 Lithics
The more recent excavations yielded a total of 2595 lithic artefacts from 11 layers, 1294 of which were larger than 25 mm (Defleur, 2015). The vast majority of the lithics, 92.3 %, were found in four layers (IV, VIII, XIV and XV). The lithics of layers IV and VIII are technologically and typologically distinct from those of XIV and XV. 225 chips larger than 25 mm and 57 retouched tools were found in layer XV. The débitage belongs to the same family of Levallois/discoidal technology (Bordes, 1961). Over 30 % of the lithic materials have been identified to come from ~40 km south of the Rhône River between the municipalities of Meysse and Rochemaure), which contains high quality flint (Defleur, 2015). Due to the significant distance of these sources and the use of small flint pebbles and siliceous limestone from the alluvium of the Rhône river, Levallois débitage is low, but of good quality. The few tools are dominated by simple, transverse and convergent scrapers.
5.2.2.3 Biostratigraphy
Based on the detailed paleontological studies of macrofauna, microfauna, reptiles and amphibians (Desclaux and Defleur, 1997; Defleur et al., 2001, 2014; Cregut-Bonnoure et al., 2010) the stratigraphic layers can be divided into three major climatic phases.
The lower stratigraphic complex does not contain any macrofauna, but a large number of micromammal remains (Dicrostonyx torquatus, Microtus gregalis, Sicista betulina), indicating cold, steppe environmental conditions.
The middle stratigraphic complex is a thick homogenous deposit and contains diverse faunal remains. Layers XIV and XV contain cultural remains including a lithic assemblage, fireplaces, charcoal and abundant fauna such as red deer (Cervus elaphus), alpine ibex (Capra ibex), gazelle (Dama sp.), straight- tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus,) rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus hemitoechus) and many carnivores. Layers XIV to XII contain wolf (Canis lupus) remains that are intermediate between Late and Middle Pleistocene. Furthermore, the bear lineage deningeri-spelaeus is dominated by the more primitive character of Ursus deningeri, the presence of Ursus thibetanus in association with brown bear (Ursus arctos), badger (Meles meles) and wildcat (Felis silvestris) is similar to other interglacial sites (Cregut-Bonnoure et al., 2010).
The upper stratigraphic complex contains Mammuthus primigenius, Rangifer tarandus, Dicrostonyx torquatus, Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis which is also indicating a cold phase. In addition, these layers contain wolf remains whose evolutionary stage is typical for the Upper Pleistocene, bear and hyena species typical for European Würm cave sites, as well as red deer (Cervus elaphus) similar to species during the Würm in the southwest France.
The cenogram method (Legendre, 1986, 1988), has been successfully applied to southern France Pleistocene communities (Montuire and Desclaux, 2008) and can be used to investigate the nature of the environment. For Moula-Guercy, the results of the cenogram method are summarised in Table 5-1
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and Figure 5-4. We find an opening of the environment from the basis (level XV) to the top (level IV) of the sedimentary sequence. With a regular and continuous slope and no important gap in body mass, the cenogram obtained for the level XV indicates a closed and humid environment, which is representative of a temperate forest and characteristic of an interglacial period in Europe, indicating MIS 5.5. Layers XIV and XIII show similar cenograms, but with a smaller number of species, indicatin g more arid conditions. This trend continuous in Layer XII. Overall, there is a trend towards an open landscape from layer XI-X to IV, where based on the scarcity of medium-weight species, the environment is interpreted to be open and the climate more arid and cold. These levels may be assigned to earlier stages of MIS 5 or to MIS 4 (Montuire and Desclaux, 2008).
The chronological and environmental deductions from the sedimentology, microfauna and macrofauna are in agreement. They allow a preliminary association of the lower stratigraphic complex to MIS 6, the middle stratigraphic complex MIS 5 and the upper stratigraphic complex MIS 4. Apart from the Neolithic human graves at the top of the sequence, all other human remains from the site come from layer XV in the middle stratigraphic complex. The fauna of layer XV shows the first occurrence of fallow deer and its other faunal elements can be correlated to MIS 5.5 interglacial sites in the Mediterranean area. Similar results were suggested by the study of rodent remains. The presence of
Hystrix vinogradovi, in association with three species typical of the Middle Pleistocene (Allocricetus bursae, Pliomys lenki and Microtus (Iberomysbrecciensis) not encountered in association with any late Pleistocene levels in Mediterranean Europe so far, further point towards MIS 5.5. A recent study on amphibians and reptiles provide additional support to this chronological attribution (Manzano, 2015). Furthermore, the marked persistence of taxa characteristics of a continental climate and an open environment, such as Marmota marmota, Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis and Spermophilus citellus, suggests that this level is contemporary of the start of the early late Pleistocene temperate climatic oscillation. A detailed taphonomic analysis of the larger mammals from Layer XV (Valensi et al., 2012) concluded that many animal remains were brought to the site for consumption. The faunal remains were processed in the same way as the human remains for food extraction (Defleur et al. 1999, Defleur et al., 2014).
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Table 5-1: Cenogram method results.
Species Log (weight) XV XIV XIII XII XI-X IX VIII VII-V IV
Mammuthus primigenius 15.61 + Palaeoloxodon antiquus 14.95 + + Dicerorhinus hemitoechus 14.43 + + + + + Equus caballus 12.88 + + + + + + + + Sus scrofa 11.55 + + + Bos/Bison 13.30 + + + + Bos primigenius 13.01 + + Megaloceros giganteus 13.00 + + Cervus elaphus 12.59 + + + + + + + Rangifer tarandus 11.56 + + + + + + + + Capra caucasica 10.90 + Dama sp. 10.88 + + Capra ibex 10.86 + + + + + Rupicapra sp. 10.03 + + + + Capreolus capreolus 9.99 + + + + + Hystrix cf. vinogradovi 8.99 + Lepus sp. 8.16 + Marmota marmota 7.55 + + Oryctolagus cuniculus 7.47 + + + + + + Erinaceus europaeus 7.08 + + + Sciurus vulgaris 5.70 + + + + + Citellus citellus 5.67 + + + Arvicola sapidus 5.08 + + + + + + + + + Arvicola terrestris 4.79 + + + + + + + + + Glis glis 4.53 + + + + + + Pliomys lenki 4.38 + Eliomys quercinus 4.28 + + + + + + + Talpa europeaa 4.31 + + + + + + + + +
Microtus (I.) brecciensis 4.19 + +
Microtus agrestis 3.97 + + + + + + + + + Microtus oeconomus 3.96 + + + + + + + + + Dicrostonyx torquatus 3.95 + + Microtus (S.) gregalis 3.91 + + + + + + + Microtus (T.) pyrenaicus 3.74 + + + Microtus (C.) nivalis 3.66 + + + + + + + Allocricetus bursae 3.60 + + Microtus (T.) duodecimcostatus 3.40 + + + + + Microtus arvalis 3.35 + + + + + + + + + Microtus (T.) subterraneus 3.09 + + + + Apodemus sylvaticus 3.08 + + + + + + + + + Microtus (T.) multiplex 3.01 + + + + Muscardinus avellanarius 3.00 + + + + Crocidura leucodon 2.77 + + Neomys fodiens 2.65 + Crocidura russula 2.26 + Sorex araneus 2.12 + + + + + Crocidura suaveolens 2.01 + Myodes glareolus 1.99 + + + + + + + + + Sorex minutus 1.63 + + +
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