The evolution of Magdalenian societies in South-West France between 18,000 and 14,000 calBP: Changing environments, changing tool kits

In south-western France, between 18,000 and 14,000 calBP, socio-economic changes are evident in several spheres of Magdalenian hunter-gatherer activities which brought with them an array of transformations in osseous and lithic tools. Targeted prey species, although still dominated by ungulates, also show an evolution during a period that was marked by significant climatic and environmental changes that can be correlated with cultural developments. Changes in procurement strategies and new patterns in osseous and lithic weaponry are accompanied by the maintenance of social networks across large regions, while at the same time there appears to be a geographic contraction of groups within regional procurement networks. Ungulates remain the primary prey species but are supplemented by small game. While it is important to evaluate the forces driving behind technological and socio-economic processes through time, cultural evolution within each techno-complex ought to be accounted for as well. In order to evaluate these internal developments, a more precise radiometric framework is necessary, which integrates studies of osseous and lithic technology with available archaeozoological data. This contribution presents the first results of such an undertaking based on a higher-resolution seriation of technological innovations and their implications in hunting activities. The rhythm of change appears to be complex and nonlinear, and it highlights the innovative nature of Magdalenian weaponry. These rapid changes, with respect to the Upper Paleolithic as a whole, provide insight into the impact of social interactions as cultural stimulation, as well as how resource availability and human demography functioned as factors of changes.