Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T19:13:44.393Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Palaeolithic of Klithi in its wider context1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

Geoff Bailey
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge

Abstract

Klithi is a rockshelter in the lower reaches of the Voidomatis gorge, near the village of Klithonia in Epirus. Excavations in progress since 1983 have revealed evidence of a late Upper Palaeolithic occupation dated between 16,000 BP and 10,000 BP, with rich microlithic stone tool industries and faunal assemblages dominated by chamois and ibex. The excavations have been accompanied by wider investigations of the local and regional palaeoenvironment and reexamination of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic sites excavated by Eric Higgs in the 1960s, notably Kokkinopilos, Asprochaliko, and Kastritsa. This paper presents some of the detailed results of the Klithi excavations and sets the results within the wider context of the global issues which inform the study of Palaeolithic archaeology, the Palaeolithic of Greece as a whole, and the regional picture of Palaeolithic settlement in Epirus.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

2 Dakaris, S. I., Higgs, E. S., and Hey, R. W., ‘The climate, environment and industries of Stone Age Greece, part I’, PPS 30 (1964), 199244Google Scholar; Higgs, E. S. and Vita-Finzi, C., ‘The climate, environment and industries of Stone Age Greece, part II’, PPS 32 (1966), 129Google Scholar; Higgs, E. S., Vita-Finzi, C., Harris, D. R., and Fagg, A. E., ‘The climate, environment and industries of Stone Age Greece, part III’, PPS 33 (1967), 129.Google Scholar

3 Higgs, E. S. (ed.), Papers in Economic Prehistory (Cambridge University Press, 1972)Google Scholar; id. (ed.), Palaeoeconomy (Cambridge University Press, 1975); Jarman, M. R., Bailey, G. N., and Jarman, H. N. (eds.), Early European Agriculture (Cambridge University Press, 1982).Google Scholar

4 Innes, H., Levkas Man (London: Collins, 1971).Google Scholar

5 Bailey, G. N., Carter, P. L., Gamble, C. S., and Higgs, H. P., ‘Epirus revisited: seasonality and inter-site variation in the Upper Palaeolithic of north-west Greece’, in Bailey, G. N. (ed.), Hunter-gatherer Economy in Prehistory: A European Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 1983), 6478Google Scholar; iid., ‘Asprochaliko and Kastritsa: further investigations of Palaeolithic settlement and economy in Epirus (north-west Greece)’, PPS 49 (1983), 15–42.

6 Gowlett, J. A. J., Ascent to Civilization: The Archaeology of Early Man (London: Collins, 1984).Google Scholar Fig. 2 is taken from Brauer, G., ‘A craniological approach to the origin of anatomically modern Homo sapiens in Africa and implications for the appearance of modern Europeans’, in Smith, F. H. and Spencer, F. (eds.), The Origins of Modern Humans: A World Survey of the Fossil Evidence (New York: Alan R. Liss Inc., 1984), pp. 327410.Google Scholar

7 Mellars, P. A., (ed.), The Emergence of Modern Humans (Edinburgh University Press, 1990)Google Scholar; Mellars, P. A. and Stringer, C. B. (eds.), The Human Revolution (Edinburgh University Press, 1989).Google Scholar

8 Hays, J. D., Imbrie, J., and Shackleton, N. J., ‘Variations in the earth's orbit: pacemaker of the ice ages’, Science, 194 (1976), 1121–32CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed; Shackleton, N. J. and Opdyke, N. D., ‘Oxygen isotope and palaeomagnetic stratigraphy of equatorial Pacific core V28–238: oxygen isotope temperatures and ice volumes on a 105 and 106 year scale’, Quaternary Research, 3 (1973), 3955.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

9 Bailey et al., ‘Asprochaliko’ (n. 5).

10 van Andel, T. H. and Shackleton, J. C., ‘Late paleolithic and mesolithic coastlines of Greece and the Aegean’, JFA 9 (1982), 445–54.Google Scholar

11 Bailey, G. N., Lewin, J., Macklin, M., and Woodward, J., ‘The “Older Fill” of Epirus, north-west Greece and its relationship to the Palaeolithic archaeology and glacial history of the region’, Journal of Archaeological Science, 17 (1990), 145–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Bottema, S., Late Quaternary Vegetation History of Northwestern Greece (Groningen University Press, 1984)Google Scholar; Willis, K. J., Late Quaternary Vegetation History of Epirus Northwest Greece (unpublished PhD diss.: Cambridge, 1989).Google Scholar

12 Kourtessi-Philippakis, G., Le Paléolithique de la Grèce continentale (Paris: Sorbonne, 1986).Google Scholar

13 Cubuk, G. A., ‘Erste altpaläolithische Funde in Griechenland bei Nea Skala, Kephallinia (ionische Inseln)’, in Valoch, K. (ed.), Les Premières Industries de l'Europe (Union International des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques, IX Congrès, Colloque VIII), 152–77Google Scholar; Reisch, L., ‘The transition from Lower to Middle Palaeolithic in Greece and the southern Balkans’, in Ronen, A. (ed.), The Transition from Lower to Middle Palaeolithic and the Origin of Modern Man (BAR S151; Oxford, 1982), 223–32Google Scholar; Sarantea-Micha, E., ‘Researching the palaeolithic on Euboea Island’, Anthropos, 7 (1980), 279–84.Google Scholar

14 Poulianos, A., ‘Petralona—a Middle Pleistocene cave in Greece’, Archaeology, 24 (1971), 611Google Scholar; Poulianos, A., ‘Stratigraphy and age of the Petralonian Archanthropus’, Anthropos, 4 (1977), 41–6.Google Scholar

15 Hennig, G. J., Herr, W., Weber, E., and Xirotiris, N. I., ‘ESR-dating of the fossil hominid cranium from Petralona cave, Greece’, Nature, 292 (1981), 533–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Hennig, G. J., Herr, W., Weber, E., and Xirotiris, N. I., ‘Petralona cave dating controversy’, Nature, 299 (1982), 281–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

16 The Pleistocene is a climatic unit defined by the onset of cooler climatic conditions about 1.6 million years ago. The subdivision into Lower, Middle, and Upper Pleistocene is based on a variety of climatic and geological criteria. The Lower-Middle and Middle-Upper boundaries are conventionally dated c.700,000 and 125,000 years BP respectively. These terms should not be confused with Lower, Middle, and Upper Palaeolithic; these are archaeological subdivisions based on changes in the technology of stone industries. The Lower-Middle and Middle-Upper Palaeolithic boundaries vary from area to area, but in Europe are conventionally set at c.200,000 and 40,000 years BP respectively.

17 Stringer, C. B., ‘Some further notes on the morphology and dating of the Petralona hominid’, Journal of Human Evolution, 12 (1983), 731–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

18 Gamble, C. S., The Palaeolithic Settlement of Europe (Cambridge University Press, 1986).Google Scholar

19 In June 1991 Curtis Runnels and Tjeerd van Andel discovered a pointed handaxe of ‘Micoquian’ type protruding from a gully section at Kokkinopilos, during a survey associated with the Hellenistic city of Nikopolis. This is an unusual and interesting find. Publication of the details is awaited.

20 Huxtable, J., Gowlett, J. A. J., Bailey, G. N., Carter, P. L., Higgs, H. P., and Papaconstantinou, E., ‘New thermoluminescent dates for the Mousterian from Asprochaliko, Greece’, forthcoming in Current Anthropology, 33 (1992), 109–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

21 Sordinas, A., ‘Investigations of the prehistory of Corfu during 1964–1966’, Balkan Studies, 10 (1969), 393424.Google Scholar

22 Jacobsen, T. W., ‘Excavations at Porto Cheli and vicinity, preliminary report, II; the Franchthi cave, 1967–1968’, Hesp. 38 (1969), 343–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Jacobsen, T. W., ‘Excavation in the Franchthi cave, 1969–1971, Parts I and II’, Hesp. 42 (1973), 4588CrossRefGoogle Scholar and 253–83; Perlés, C., Les Industries lithiques taillées de Franchthi (Argolide, Grèce); i: Présentation général et industries paléolithiques (Excavations at Franchthi Cave, Greece, fasc. 3; Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1987).Google Scholar

23 Pope, K. O., Runnels, C. N., and Teh-Lung, K., ‘Dating Middle Palaeolithic red beds in southern Greece’, Nature, 312 (1984), 264–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

24 Deilaki, E., ‘Ἐϰ τῆς πϱοϊστοϱιϰῆς Ναυπλίας’ Πϱαϰτιϰὰ Α′ Διεϑνοῡς Συνεδρίου Πελοποννησιαϰῶν Σπουδῶν, iii, 384–7.Google Scholar

25 Rolland, N., ‘Le projet de l'Institut Canadien d'Archéologie a Athènes sur l'âge de la pierre en Grèce centrale: campagne préliminaire 1980’, Teiresias, 3 (1980), 129Google Scholar; Rolland, N., ‘Exploitation du milieu et subsistance au cours de la préhistoire ancienne de la Grèce’, Culture, 5 (1985) 4361Google Scholar; Schmid, E., ‘Die Seïdi-Höhle, eine jungpaläolithische Station in Griechenland’ (4th International Speleological Congress, Athens 1963 (1963)), 163–74Google Scholar; Stampfüss, R., ‘Die ersten altsteinzeitlichen Höhlenfunde in Griechenland’, Mannus, 34 (1942), 132–47.Google Scholar

26 Felsch, R. C. S., ‘Die Höhle von Kephalari’, AAA 6 (1973), 1327.Google Scholar

27 Chavaillon, J., Chavaillon, N., and Hours, F., ‘Une industrie paléolithique du Péloponnèse: le Moustérien de Vasilaki’, BCH 88 (1964), 616–22CrossRefGoogle Scholar; iid., ‘Industries paléolithiques de l'Elide: I—région d'Amalias’, BCH 91 (1967), 151–201; iid., ‘Industries paléolithiques de l'Elide: II — région du Kastron’, BCH 93 (1969), 97–151; Leroi-Gourhan, A., ‘Découvertes paléolithiques en Elide’, BCH 88 (1964), 18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

28 Milojčić, V., Boessneck, J., and Schneider, H., Paläolithikum um Larissa in Thessalien (Bonn: Habelt, 1965)Google Scholar; Runnels, C., ‘A prehistoric survey of Thessaly: new light on the Greek Middle Paleolithic’, JFA 15 (1988), 277–90.Google Scholar

29 G. B. Kavadias, Παλαιολιϑιχή Κεφαλληνία (Athens: Phytraki); Sarantea-Micha, E., ‘Researching the palaeolithic on Euboea Island’, Anthropos, 7 (1980), 279–84.Google Scholar

30 Pitsios, Th. K., ‘Πλειστοϰαινιϰές διαϰύμανσεις της Μεσόγειου ϰαι συμβολή της μεϑόδυ στη χϱονολόγηση των παλαιοανϑϱωπολογιϰών ευϱημάτων της Μάνης’, Ανθϱωπολογιϰά, 8 (1985), 2332.Google Scholar

31 Higgs et al., in PPS 33 (1967) (n. 2); Vita-Finzi, C., Archaeological Sites in their Setting (London: Thames & Hudson, 1978).Google Scholar

32 Bailey et al. (n. 5 bis).

33 Hietala, H. J., Intrasite Spatial Analysis in Archaeology (Cambridge University Press, 1984)Google Scholar; Gamble, C. S. and Boismier, B., Ethnoarchaeological Approaches to Mobile Campsites (International Monographs in Prehistory; Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1991).Google Scholar

34 Bailey et al. (n. 11). King, G. C. P. and Bailey, G. N., ‘The palaeoenvironment of some archaeological sites in Greece: the influence of accumulated uplift in a seismically active region’, PPS 51 (1985), 273–82Google Scholar; Sturdy, D. A. and Webley, D. P., ‘Palaeolithic geography: or where are the deer?’, World Archaeology, 19 (1988), 262–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

35 Bailey, G. N. and Gamble, C. S., ‘The Balkans at 18,000 BP: the view from Epirus’, in Gamble, C. S. and Soffer, O. (eds.), The World at 18,000 BP (London: Unwin-Hyman, 1990), 148–67Google Scholar; Bailey, G. N. and Thomas, G., ‘The use of percussion drilling to obtain core samples from rock-shelter deposits’, Antiquity, 61 (1987)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Bailey, G. N., Carter, P. L., Gamble, C. S., Higgs, H. P., and Roubet, C., ‘Palaeolithic investigations in Epirus: the results of the first season's excavations at Klithi. 1983’, BSA 79 (1984), 722Google Scholar; Bailey, G. N., Gamble, C. S., Higgs, H. P., Roubet, C., Sturdy, D. A., and Webley, D. P., ‘Palaeolithic investigations at Klithi: preliminary results of the 1984–1985 field seasons’, BSA 81 (1986), 735Google Scholar; Bailey, G. N., Gamble, C. S., Higgs, H. P., Roubet, C., Webley, D. P., Gowlett, J. A. J., Sturdy, D. A., and Turner, C., ‘Dating results from palaeolithic sites and palaeoenvironments in Epirus (north-west Greece)’, in Gowlett, J. A. J. and Hedges, R. E. M. (eds.), Archaeological Results from Accelerator Dating (Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology, 1986), 99107Google Scholar; Bailey et al. (n. 11); Lewin, J., Macklin, M. G., and Woodward, J. C., ‘Late Quaternary fluvial sedimentation in the Voïdomatis basin, Epirus, Northwest Greece’, Quaternary Research, 35 (1991), 103–15CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Sturdy and Webley (n. 34).

36 Adam, E., A Technological and Typological Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Stone Industries of Epirus, Northwestern Greece (BAR S512, Oxford, 1989)Google Scholar; Kotzambopoulou, E., Faunal Analysis of the Kastritsa Cave, Greece (unpublished M.Phil. thesis: Cambridge, 1989)Google Scholar; Papaconstantinou, E., Micromoustérien: les idées et les pierres: le Micromoustérien d'Asprochaliko (Grèce) et le problème des industries microlithiques du Moustérien (thèse de doctorat: Université de Paris X, Nanterre, 1988).Google Scholar

37 Bailey et al, in BSA 79 (1984); 81 (1986) (n. 35).

38 Galanidou, P., Spatial Analysis at Klithi: A Preliminary Study of the Distribution of the Lithic Material (unpublished M.Sc. thesis: Southampton, 1989).Google Scholar

39 Bailey et al. ‘Asprochaliko’ (n. 5).

40 Bailey and Thomas (n. 35).

41 Bailey et al. in BSA 81 (1986) (n. 35); Sturdy and Webley (n. 34).

42 Bailey et al., ‘Dating results’ (n. 35); Lewin et al. (n. 35).

43 Woodward, J., Late Quaternary Sedimentary Environments in the Voïdomatis Basin, Northwest Greece (unpublished Ph.D. diss.: Cambridge, 1990).Google Scholar

44 Bennett, K. D., Tzedakis, P. C., and Willis, K. J., ‘Quaternary refugia of north European trees’, Journal of Biogeography, 18 (1991), 101–15CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Willis (n. 11).