Papers by Alice Leplongeon
Replicability in Lithic Analysis
American Antiquity
The ubiquity and durability of lithic artifacts inform archaeologists about important dimensions ... more The ubiquity and durability of lithic artifacts inform archaeologists about important dimensions of human behavioral variability. Despite their importance, lithic artifacts can be problematic to study because lithic analysts differ widely in their theoretical approaches and the data they collect. The extent to which differences in lithic data relate to prehistoric behavioral variability or differences between archaeologists today remains incompletely known. We address this issue with the most extensive lithic replicability study yet, involving 11 analysts, 100 unmodified flakes, and 38 ratio, discrete, and nominal attributes. We use mixture models to show strong inter-analyst replicability scores on several attributes, making them well suited to comparative lithic analyses. Based on our results, we highlight 17 attributes that we consider reliable for compiling datasets collected by different individuals for comparative studies. Demonstrating this replicability is a crucial first st...
La plateforme collaborative du projet Big Dry www.anrbigdry.com : présentation et perspectives
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Sep 25, 2019
The Horn of Africa at the end of the Pleistocene (75‑12 ka) in its macroregional context
The Horn of Africa, located at the crossroads of two main ‘routes’ Out of and Back into Africa, i... more The Horn of Africa, located at the crossroads of two main ‘routes’ Out of and Back into Africa, i.e., the Nile Valley and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, is a key region for the history of human dispersals. Most of the data on these dispersals come from fossil evidence and genetic studies, but archaeological data for these dispersals remains scarce. Although the Horn of Africa has yielded some of the oldest known modern human remains, few are dated to the end of the Pleistocene and there is limited information on population dynamics in this region before the Holocene. In order to question the value of the distinction between the MSA and the LSA and their respective chronology, we aim to review current archaeological evidence in the Horn of Africa for the end of the Pleistocene (75‑12 ka). We use this evidence to discuss the impact of the Big Dry on the techno-cultural changes occurring during this timeframe, and to evaluate hypotheses of population dynamics.To better highlight patterns of...
Regards croisés sur les traditions techniques en Afrique de l'Est et du Nord-Est à la fin du Pléistocène (Partie 2)
International audienc
African Archaeological Review, 2020
Backed pieces became widespread in the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene and are part of the classic... more Backed pieces became widespread in the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene and are part of the classic definitions for the Later Stone Age in many parts of Africa. However, the association of backed pieces with Later Stone Age is not clear in the Horn of Africa. These pieces are present in both Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) contexts. To what extent was the "backing phenomenon" homogeneous or diverse between and within the two periods? Here, we start with a review of the literature on backed pieces in the Horn of Africa, noting the lack of terminological consensus and the absence of a shared typology in the region. We then describe the variability of backed pieces using two complementary approaches: (1) multivariate statistical analysis on a set of 28 attributes of 188 artifacts from eight securely dated contexts and (2) 2D geometric morphometric analyses on the same dataset. The two approaches provide complementary results, which allow us to identify and discuss the chronological trends in backing technology and morphology, without Afr Archaeol Rev
Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 2019
Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 2018
The end of the Pleistocene (~75-15 ka) is an intriguing period for the Nile Valley prehistory. Th... more The end of the Pleistocene (~75-15 ka) is an intriguing period for the Nile Valley prehistory. The global shift to more arid conditions regionally translated into the lowering of the Mediterranean Sea level, the desiccation of some major eastern African lakes and the expansion of the Sahara. These climatically induced environmental changes influenced the behavior of the Nile river and the valley's role as an ecological refugium for human populations living in its vicinity. Genetic studies suggest that this period saw several dispersals of modern humans "out-of" and "backinto" Africa. Although the Nile Valley constitutes one of the possible routes for these dispersals, archeological evidence for contacts between the Nile Valley and its neighboring regions remain scarce and debated.
Journal of African Archaeology, 2017
sThe Late Pleistocene is a key period to understand the shift from the Middle (msa) to the Late S... more sThe Late Pleistocene is a key period to understand the shift from the Middle (msa) to the Late Stone Age (lsa) in Africa. More generally, it is also a crucial time for elucidation of changes in the technological behaviours of human populations in Africa after the main Out of Africa event of modern humans ca. 60-50 thousand years ago. However, the archaeological record for this period is relatively poor, particularly for the Horn of Africa. Here we present a detailed analysis of the lithic assemblages from Goda Buticha (gb), a cave in southeastern Ethiopia, which has yielded a long stratigraphic sequence including Late Pleistocene and Holocene levels. This study (1) contributes to a better knowledge of the latemsain the Horn of Africa; (2) documents a late Holocenelsalevel (gb– Complexi); (3) highlights the presence ofmsacharacteristics associated withlsafeatures in the Holocene (gb– Layeriic). This adds to the emerging record of great lithic technological variability during the Lat...
PloS one, 2017
Goda Buticha is a cave site near Dire Dawa in southeastern Ethiopia that contains an archaeologic... more Goda Buticha is a cave site near Dire Dawa in southeastern Ethiopia that contains an archaeological sequence sampling the late Pleistocene and Holocene of the region. The sedimentary sequence displays complex cultural, chronological and sedimentological histories that seem incongruent with one another. A first set of radiocarbon ages suggested a long sedimentological gap from the end of Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3 to the mid-Holocene. Macroscopic observations suggest that the main sedimentological change does not coincide with the chronostratigraphic hiatus. The cultural sequence shows technological continuity with a late persistence of artifacts that are usually attributed to the Middle Stone Age into the younger parts of the stratigraphic sequence, yet become increasingly associated with lithic artifacts typically related to the Later Stone Age. While not a unique case, this combination of features is unusual in the Horn of Africa. In order to evaluate the possible implications ...
The Upper Palaeolithic Lithic Industry of Nazlet Khater 4 (Egypt): Implications for the Stone Age/Palaeolithic of Northeastern Africa
African Archaeological Review, 2011
ABSTRACT Between Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 and 2, Northeast Africa witnessed migrations of Hom... more ABSTRACT Between Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 and 2, Northeast Africa witnessed migrations of Homo sapiens into Eurasia. Within the context of the aridification of the Sahara, the Nile Valley probably offered a very attractive corridor into Eurasia. This region and this period are therefore central for the (pre)history of the out-of-Africa peopling of modern humans. However, there are very few sites from the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic that document these migration events. In Egypt, the site of Nazlet Khater 4 (NK4), which is related to ancient H. sapiens quarrying activities, is one of them. Its lithic assemblage shows an important laminar component, and this, associated with its chronological position (ca. 33ka), means that the site is the most ancient Upper Palaeolithic sites of this region. The detailed study of the Nazlet Khater 4 lithic material shows that blade production (volumetric reduction) is also associated with flake production (surface reduction). This technological duality addresses the issue of direct attribution of NK4 to the Upper Palaeolithic. Entre les MIS 4 et 2, l’Afrique du Nord-Est est le théâtre de migrations d’Homo sapiens vers l’Eurasie. Dans le contexte d’une aridification importante du Sahara, la Vallée du Nil a probablement joué le rôle de corridor très attrayant. Cette région et cette période sont donc clés dans la (pré)histoire des peuplements extra-africains de l’Homme moderne. Cependant, très peu de sites du début du Paléolithique supérieur les documentent. En Égypte, Nazlet Khater 4, site d’occupation lié à des activités d’extraction de matière première est un de ces très rares gisements. L’assemblage lithique révèle une composante laminaire importante, qui, associée à sa position chronologique, en fait le plus ancien site Paléolithique supérieur de la région. Néanmoins, son étude détaillée montre que la production de lames est aussi associée à une exploitation de surface. Et cette dualité technologique de poser la question de son attribution directe au Paléolithique supérieur. KeywordsNazlet Khater 4–Upper Palaeolithic–Middle Stone Age–Quarry site–Blade industry–Egyptian Nile Valley–Migration corridor
The end of the Pleistocene (~75-15 ka) is a key period for the prehistory of the Nile Valley. The... more The end of the Pleistocene (~75-15 ka) is a key period for the prehistory of the Nile Valley. The climatic fluctuations documented during this period have led human populations from the Middle and Late Palaeolithic to adapt to a changing Nile. In particular, the global shift to more arid conditions regionally translated into the expansion of the Sahara, the lowering of sea levels and the desiccation of some major eastern African lakes. These climatically-induced environmental changes influenced the behaviour of the Nile – although how exactly is still debated – and its role as an ecological refugium for human populations living in its vicinity. Genetic and fossil evidence highlight a strong population substructure in Africa during this period, suggesting the alternation of phases of major dispersals of modern humans within the continent, as well as out-of and back-into Africa, with phases of relative isolation of populations, which might be linked to the creation of environmental re...
North-Eastern African Stone Age
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology
Research on the North-Eastern African Stone Age is intrinsically linked to the study of human occ... more Research on the North-Eastern African Stone Age is intrinsically linked to the study of human occupation along the Nile, which flows north through the now hyperarid eastern Sahara to meet the Mediterranean, forming a natural route toward the Sinai Peninsula. Since this is the only land bridge between Africa and Eurasia, the region is often referred to as a “corridor,” with the hypothesis that the Nile Valley may have repeatedly acted as a possible route used by hominins out of (and back into) Africa, guiding many research projects on the Stone Age of this region. However, past human occupation of North-Eastern Africa is far from restricted to the Nile Valley and includes evidence from areas that are now desert on either side of the Nile, as well as the Red Sea Mountains. Throughout the Pleistocene (2.58–0.01 Ma), the region was subject to climatic and environmental fluctuations that may have alternately rendered the desert habitable or the Nile Valley inhospitable for hominin settle...
Journal of Lithic Studies
Despite its strategic location within the continent, Central Africa is rarely integrated into the... more Despite its strategic location within the continent, Central Africa is rarely integrated into the reconstruction of population dynamics during the Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Africa, especially in terms of the emergence, diffusion and behavioural patterns of Homo sapiens. However, hundreds of sites have been discovered in Central Africa during the 20th century and attributed to the Lupemban, one of the main MSA technological complexes of the region. This complex is mainly characterised by typological criteria based on the numerous bifacial pieces found in the Congo Basin and interpreted as an adaption to the rainforest environment. Most of these Lupemban assemblages have not been studied for decades and thus it is particularly difficult to assess their diversity. This paper presents a detailed combined morphometrical approach (linear measurements and indices, Log Shape Ratio, Elliptic Fourier Analysis) to take a fresh and rigorous look at the Lupemban bifacial tools. We discuss the co...
Frontiers in Earth Science, 2021
Under present environmental conditions, the Nile Valley acts as a ‘natural’ route between Africa ... more Under present environmental conditions, the Nile Valley acts as a ‘natural’ route between Africa and Eurasia, and is often considered as a corridor for dispersals out of and back into Africa in the past. This review aims to address the role played by the Nile Valley at the end of the Pleistocene (28-15 ka) in the context of post-‘Out of Africa’ modern human dispersals. Genetic studies based on both modern and ancient DNA suggest pre-Holocene dispersals ‘back into Africa’ as well as genetic interactions between modern humans across Africa and the Levant. During the Last Glacial, the lowering, or even complete desiccation of major eastern African lakes, including Lake Victoria, reduced the White Nile to a highly seasonal river, depriving the main Nile from its most important tributary in the dry season. This had major consequences, the specifics of which are still debated, on the behavior of the main Nile and the landscape around the Nile Delta. Despite this shift to more arid conditions, there is abundant evidence for human occupation in the main Nile Valley. Combining available geological, palaeoenvironmental, anthropological, genetic and archaeological data, this article discusses problems encountered when trying to reconcile results from different fields, the current limitations of the available data and research perspectives to further address the role of the Nile Valley as a dispersal corridor or an environmental refugium at the end of the Pleistocene.
The Horn of Africa at the end of the Pleistocene (75-12 ka) in its macroregional context
Not Just a Corridor. Human Occupation of the Nile Valley and Neighbouring regions between 75,000 and 15,000 years, 2020
The archaeological data available in Africa for the period ranging from 75 to 12 ka are generally... more The archaeological data available in Africa for the period ranging from 75 to 12 ka are generally attributed to two major Palaeolithic phases: the Middle Stone Age (MSA) and the Later Stone Age (LSA). This timeframe corresponds to the last glacial period the Earth experienced, characterised by high climatic variability and a general trend towards more arid conditions (lower temperatures and precipitation) culminating in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, also referred as the Big Dry (ca. 29-15 ka) before a shift to more humid conditions (African Humid Period). In this paper, we review current archaeological evidence in the Horn of Africa between 75 and 12 ka. We first discuss this evidence in light of palaeoenvironmental data and in particular with regard to the potential impact of the Big Dry on human occupation in the region. We then discuss the place of the Horn of Africa in a wider macro-regional context and evaluate potential links with neighbouring regions.
Backed Pieces and Their Variability in the Later Stone Age of the Horn of Africa
African Archaeological Review, 2020
Backed pieces became widespread in the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene and are part of the classic... more Backed pieces became widespread in the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene and are part of the classic definitions for the Later Stone Age in many parts of Africa. However, the association of backed pieces with Later Stone Age is not clear in the Horn of Africa. These pieces are present in both Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) contexts. To what extent was the “backing phenomenon” homogeneous or diverse between and within the two periods? Here, we start with a review of the literature on backed pieces in the Horn of Africa, noting the lack of terminological consensus and the absence of a shared typology in the region. We then describe the variability of backed pieces using two complementary approaches: (1) multivariate statistical analysis on a set of 28 attributes of 188 artifacts from eight securely dated contexts and (2) 2D geometric morphometric analyses on the same dataset. The two approaches provide complementary results, which allow us to identify and discuss the chronological trends in backing technology and morphology, without introducing a new terminology or proposing a new formal “descriptive” typology.
Journal of Lithic Studies, 2020
Despite its strategic location within the continent, Central Africa is rarely integrated into the... more Despite its strategic location within the continent, Central Africa is rarely integrated into the reconstruction of population dynamics during the Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Africa, especially in terms of the emergence, diffusion and behavioural patterns of Homo sapiens. However, hundreds of sites have been discovered in Central Africa during the 20th century and attributed to the Lupemban, one of the main MSA technological complexes of the region. This complex is mainly characterised by typological criteria based on the numerous bifacial pieces found in the Congo Basin and interpreted as an adaption to the rainforest environment. Most of these Lupemban assemblages have not been studied for decades and thus it is particularly difficult to assess their diversity. This paper presents a detailed combined morphometrical approach (linear measurements and indices, Log Shape Ratio, Elliptic Fourier Analysis) to take a fresh and rigorous look at the Lupemban bifacial tools. We discuss the comparison of different morphometrical approaches to deal with "old" collections for which contexts, particularly chronological ones, are partially missing. We present the results of this approach on three assemblages of bifacial pieces gathered in the 1930s and late 1960s. We quantify their variability and discuss not only their homogeneity but also the variation of a Lupemban hallmark, namely the "Lupemban point".
Evolutionary Anthropology, 2019
International workshop on human occupations of the Nile Valley and neighboring regions between 75,000 and 15,000 years ago
Evolutionary Anthropology, 2019
The end of the Pleistocene (~75–15 ka) is an intriguing period for the
Nile Valley prehistory. Th... more The end of the Pleistocene (~75–15 ka) is an intriguing period for the
Nile Valley prehistory. The global shift to more arid conditions regionally
translated into the lowering of the Mediterranean Sea level, the desiccation
of some major eastern African lakes and the expansion of the
Sahara. These climatically induced environmental changes influenced the
behavior of the Nile river and the valley's role as an ecological refugium
for human populations living in its vicinity. Genetic studies suggest that
this period saw several dispersals of modern humans “out-of” and “backinto” Africa. Although the Nile Valley constitutes one of the possible routes for these dispersals, archeological evidence for contacts between the Nile Valley and its neighboring regions remain scarce and debated.
Leplongeon A, & Goring-Morris AN. 2018. Terminal Pleistocene lithic variability in the Western Negev (Israel): is there any evidence for contacts with the Nile Valley? Journal of Lithic Studies 5:1-39., 2018
At the end of the Pleistocene (25,000-15,000 BP), there is a shift to more arid conditions in the... more At the end of the Pleistocene (25,000-15,000 BP), there is a shift to more arid conditions in the Negev and the Sinai corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum. For the Nile Valley and the Levant, the lowering of the Mediterranean sea level, the expansion of the Sahara and the desiccation of some major eastern African lakes had important consequences on: (1) the general behaviour of the River Nile; (2) the landscape around the Nile Delta; and (3) sand dune mobilisation. Despite this shift to more arid conditions, there is abundant evidence for human occupation in the Egyptian Nile Valley and in the arid zone of the Southern Levant at this time. In addition, contacts between these two regions have sometimes been suggested, mainly by genetic studies, including early ‘Back-to-Africa’ dispersals.
This paper focuses on the analysis of six terminal Pleistocene (ca. 25,000-15,000 BP) lithic assemblages from the western Negev Desert dunes in Israel, attributed to the Early and Middle Epipalaeolithic. The analysis relies on the chaîne opératoire approach combined with attribute analysis that enables quantification of typo-technological differences. Results of this analysis allows comparisons with assemblages from the Egyptian Nile Valley analysed in the same way previously. This comparative analysis is then used to discuss hypotheses of potential technical diffusions between these two regions. Current archaeological evidence therefore does not support any contacts between populations between the Levant and the Nile Valley at the end of the Pleistocene.
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Papers by Alice Leplongeon
Nile Valley prehistory. The global shift to more arid conditions regionally
translated into the lowering of the Mediterranean Sea level, the desiccation
of some major eastern African lakes and the expansion of the
Sahara. These climatically induced environmental changes influenced the
behavior of the Nile river and the valley's role as an ecological refugium
for human populations living in its vicinity. Genetic studies suggest that
this period saw several dispersals of modern humans “out-of” and “backinto” Africa. Although the Nile Valley constitutes one of the possible routes for these dispersals, archeological evidence for contacts between the Nile Valley and its neighboring regions remain scarce and debated.
This paper focuses on the analysis of six terminal Pleistocene (ca. 25,000-15,000 BP) lithic assemblages from the western Negev Desert dunes in Israel, attributed to the Early and Middle Epipalaeolithic. The analysis relies on the chaîne opératoire approach combined with attribute analysis that enables quantification of typo-technological differences. Results of this analysis allows comparisons with assemblages from the Egyptian Nile Valley analysed in the same way previously. This comparative analysis is then used to discuss hypotheses of potential technical diffusions between these two regions. Current archaeological evidence therefore does not support any contacts between populations between the Levant and the Nile Valley at the end of the Pleistocene.