The Discoid techno-complex (MIS 3) at Ormesson and across the Paris sedimentary Basin: consistency and flexibility of a singular technical choice with relation to the lithological context

During the last decade new excavations and reexaminations of old collection have refreshed our
vision of the end of the Middle Palaeolithic. Among those advances, the identification of a "Discoid techno-complex” during the MIS 3 Interpleniglacial event, which differs deeply with other sub-contemporaneous technological practices, reinforce the idea that this period witnessed distinct stone knapping traditions. However, such claims must be established within different geographical and lithological context, in order to invalidate more parsimonious explanations of technical variability. The newly excavated open-air camp site in Ormesson has provided multiple well preserved archaeological layers. The older is dominated by Discoid flaking method and dates to the MIS 3. These occupations took place in a geographical context where flint is not present in situ but was easily available from different sources within the “daily range” of the site. For instance Gravettian and Châtelperronian have preferentially used Campanian flint available 5 km from the site along the Loing River. So far the lithic chaînes opératoires in the Discoid Mousterian layer are characterised by a more limited technical involvement both in term of flint procurement (lower flint quality) and knapping gesture. At the same time, the Neandertal occupants invested considerable effort to extract, import and select the raw ochreous material, whose numerous remains have been found associated with stone tool in the Layer 4. The fact that they did not take advantage of the same trips not only for ochre but also for better flint supply seems problematic. Another characteristic of Ormesson Discoid assemblage is, for the moment, the scarcity of retouched implements, in particular of notches and denticulates which frequently characterize the techno-complex in South-western France. Are such characteristics representative of a state of progress in the excavations? Are they relevant of local techno-economic tactics, or subtle cultural specificities? In addition to ongoing excavation progress at Ormesson, a complementary way to solve these questions will be to enlarge the scope of the analysis to the whole Paris Basin. In that space, Discoidal assemblages have been now studied from very contrasting geographical and lithological contexts. For instance, Arcy-sur-Cure cave sites, on one side, Beauvais and Mennecy open-air sites on the other side, are respectively located at the very margin and near the center of the limestone dominated basin. As a consequence we observe great variations of flint availability from these different contexts. The preliminary comparison of the datas available confirms the existence of similar knapping methods and goals during a limited period, broadly centered on the MIS 3. But it also suggests some intrinsic adaptability of the Discoid typo-technological system to raw material nature and availability. When replaced in that perspective, the different characteristics of stone tool production currently recognized at Ormesson don’t appear, so far, to underline any cultural peculiarity on that site and fit with a coherent vision of the Discoid techno-complex also in Northern part of France. In return, the singular preservation of Ochre at Ormesson, offers a punctual opportunity to integrate what we increasingly know about these knapping habits with more obscure but anyway complementary aspects of a cultural system.