Open AccessAn improved chronology for the Middle Stone Age at El Mnasra cave, Morocco
Author(s) -
Eslem Ben Arous,
Anne Philippe,
Qingfeng Shao,
Daniel Richter,
Arnaud Lenoble,
Norbert Mercier,
Maïlys Richard,
Emmanuelle Stoetzel,
Olivier Tombret,
Mohamed Abdeljalil El Hajraoui,
Roland Nespoulet,
Christophe Falguères
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0261282
Subject(s) - middle stone age , cave , chronology , archaeology , geology , paleontology , range (aeronautics) , geography , homo sapiens , later stone age , pleistocene , materials science , composite material
North African coastal Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites are key to study the development and expansion of early H . sapiens . El Mnasra cave on the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Témara region) is a crucial site associated with MSA archaeological materials considered advanced cognitive hallmarks of behavioural innovation, such as numerous Nassariidae perforated shells, hematite pigments, bones industry and coastal resources exploitation. We provide new trapped-charges dates (OSL and combined US-ESR ages). Our Bayesian modelling strengthens the new lithostratigraphic interpretation of the cave stratigraphic units (US) and we propose an updated chronostratigraphic model for the Middle Stone Age archaeo-sequence of El Mnasra Cave. We confirm a human presence between 124–104 ka, earlier than what the previous OSL and US-ESR data showed. Our time range intervals allowed us to also extend the age of the MSA occupations considerably to the MIS 4/3 (~62–30 ka), marked by the disappearance of the Nassariidae perforated shells. Outstandingly, our model pushed back the age of the largest record of Nassariidae perforated shells and placed the age of their use by the Aterian groups at El Mnasra from the MIS 5d-5b (~115–94 ka).