Technological Analysis of the Bifacial Tools from La Micoque and Its Implications

Abstract

Layer 6 of La Micoque was used to create the term “Micoquian”, but its content is badly defined and the layer itself was destroyed. A technological analysis of the bifacial items from this layer has shown that two concepts are present: the “handaxe concept”, with a symmetrical repartition of the techno-functional units along the length axis, and the “bifacial backed knife-concept”, opposing an active edge to a passive back. The presence of bifacial backed knives enables La Micoque 6 to be placed in relation to the Central European assemblages belonging to the Keilmessergruppen, but raises questions concerning the definition as well as the chronological and geographical limits of those Keilmessergruppen. Micoquian can presently only be considered as a classification category.