Comments on Higham and Heep (2017): ‘Reply to: “In the eye of the beholder: contextual issues for Bayesian modelling at the middle-to-upper Palaeolithic transition”, by Discamps, Gravina and Teyssandier (2015)’

ABSTRACT

In a response to our initial demonstration of the extreme sensitivity of Bayesian models for the Western European Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition, Higham and Heep attempt to refute some of our arguments. They maintain that our modifications to their individual site models bear no meaningful impact and hence Higham et al.’s overall conclusion of a Mousterian-Châtelperronian coexistence in France remains valid. Such a scenario would considerably alter current perceptions of late Neanderthal cultural dynamics and potential interactions with modern human groups across Western Europe. Given the role of the Châtelperronian in on-going discussions concerning the final Neanderthals, establishing a reliable chronological framework for this techno-complex is fundamental. In addition to the high susceptibility of Bayesian models to even minor modifications, we maintain that secure, taphonomically tested contexts are the necessary prerequisite for model construction. We would like to take this opportunity to quickly address several of their context-specific criticisms and their general misinterpretation of the overall aim of our original critique.

KEYWORDS:

• Taphonomy
• Neanderthal
• radiocarbon dating
• Bayesian modelling
• middle-to-upper Paleolithic transition

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the editor of World Archaeology for inviting us to contribute this short reply, P. Pettitt and J. Zilhão for useful discussions, as well as W. Banks and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on the text.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emmanuel Discamps

Emmanuel Discamps is a CNRS researcher in the UMR 5608-TRACES laboratory (CNRS, University Toulouse Jean Jaurès). His research focuses on the relationships between environmental changes, faunal communities and subsistence strategies during the Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic in Western Europe and the Middle and Late Stone Age of South Africa. His research interests also include Bayesian modelling applied to palaeoecological analyses, site formation processes, spatial taphonomy and excavation techniques.

Brad Gravina

Brad Gravina is currently a post-doctoral researcher in the UMR 5199-PACEA (University of Bordeaux). His research interests include lithic technology and taphonomy, site formation processes and investigating the complex question of the disappearance of the Neanderthals with particular emphasis on the final Middle Palaeolithic of Western Europe.

Nicolas Teyssandier

Nicolas Teyssandier is a Palaeolithic archaeologist, CNRS researcher in the UMR 5608-TRACES laboratory (CNRS, University Toulouse Jean Jaurès). He is interested in the cultural evolution and dynamics among the first modern human societies in Europe, Southern Africa and North-East Asia.