Paleolithic recycling: The example of Aurignacian artifacts from Kebara and Hayonim caves

This is a short account of recycling observed in Levantine Aurignacian assemblages in Kebara and Hayonim cave sites in Israel. It appears that the makers of the Aurignacian industries made use of flint pieces collected outside the caves, to modify them a new. Thus Upper Palaeolithic morphotypes were modified either on Mousterian tools or Mousterian blanks produced by the Levallois technique. Though quite distinct, this behavior portrays an exception rather than the rule, as most of the modified flint recovered in both caves was collected from resources of local flint, located in the general vicinity, some 2-15km away, of the sites. Moreover, while recurring (though to a degree) recycling of Mousterian items was observed in other Levantine Aurignacian assemblages, this was not the case for the local Ahmarian assemblages, including the ones underlying the Aurignacian levels in Kebara Cave. Speculations as regards the reason(s) for this behavior should await further studies and a better database of its extent and recurrence.