Questioning the Aurignacian-Gravettian “Transition” : New data from Mitoc-Malu Galben, Romania

The Upper Palaeolithic record reflects several changes in material cultures, among which the shift from the Aurignacian to the Gravettian technocomplex remains heavily debated. To contribute to a better understanding of the timing and environmental context of such phenomenon, we need to focus on archaeological sites with a long sequence, secure climatic context, and abundant archaeology. In Eastern Europe, one of these sites is Mitoc-Malu Galben (Romania), with a semi-continuous loess-paleosol record from ~32 to 20 ka uncal BP. Embedded in this sequence are multiple Aurignacian and Gravettian archaeological horizons. Between 2013 and 2016 an international team re-excavated the site using high-resolution excavation and documentation methods. An interdisciplinary approach was applied to the analysis of the materials originating from two Aurignacian and two Gravettian archaeological horizons. Here, we present the results from these field campaigns, coupled to unpublished data provided by new investigations on materials formerly excavated. In particular, we focus on the last Aurignacian assemblage which is securely dated to 27.8 ka uncal BP (Greenland Interstadial 5), and discuss implications of this evidence in a regional context.