Preliminary reassessment of the Aurignacian in Banat (South-western Romania)

The results of the lithic analysis, much like the new chronological estimations (in excess of 30 ka BP) confirm the early assignment of the Banat assemblages to the Krems-type Aurignacian, but also dismiss the unusually young chronology initially attributed to these settlements. While several features, including the constant presence of Krems/Dufour tools, point strongly to an archaic stage of the Aurignacian technocomplex (Protoaurignacian/Aurignacian 0), other elements (carinated forms, twisted bladelets, and Aurignacian blades) recall more 'classical' features conventionally associated to the Aurignacian I. No coherent chrono-stadial trend or functional requirements can explain these 'mixed' features in the Banat industries with the data at hand. Their presence nevertheless points to the internal variability of these early Aurignacian occurrences.