Divergence in the evolution of Paleolithic symbolic and technological systems: The shining bull and engraved tablets of Rocher de l'Impératrice

The development of the Azilian in Western Europe 14,000 years ago is considered a “revolution” in Upper Paleolithic Archaeology. One of the main elements of this rapid social restructuring is the abandonment of naturalistic figurative art on portable pieces or on cave walls in the Magdalenian in favor of abstract expression on small pebbles. Recent work shows that the transformation of human societies between the Magdalenian and the Azilian was more gradual. The discovery of a new Early Azilian site with decorated stones in France supports this hypothesis. While major changes in stone tool technology between the Magdalenian and Azilian clearly mark important adaptive changes, the discovery of 45 engraved schist tablets from archaeological layers at Le Rocher de l’Impératrice attests to iconographic continuity together with special valorization of aurochs as shown by a “shining” bull depiction. This evidence suggests that some cultural features such as iconography may lag far behind technological changes. We also argue that eventual change in symbolic expression, which includes the later disappearance of figurative art, provides new insight into the probable restructuring of the societies.

14000年前西欧阿齐尔文化（Azilian）的发展，被学界视为旧石器时代晚期（Upper Paleolithic）考古学领域的一场"革命"。这场快速社会重构的核心特征之一，便是摒弃马格德林文化（Magdalenian）时期便携器物或洞穴岩壁上的自然主义具象艺术，转而青睐小型砾石上的抽象表现手法。近期研究表明，马格德林文化与阿齐尔文化之间的人类社会转型实则更为渐进。法国境内一处出土装饰石块的早期阿齐尔文化新遗址的发现，为这一假说提供了实证支撑。尽管马格德林文化与阿齐尔文化之间的石器技术变革清晰标志着重要的适应性变迁，但在勒罗什德朗佩拉图（Le Rocher de l’Impératrice）遗址的考古层位中出土的45块刻纹板岩饰板，不仅证实了图像学（iconography）传统的延续性，也印证了原牛（aurochs）所受到的特殊珍视——这体现为一幅"熠熠生辉"的公牛形象刻画。该证据表明，诸如图像学这类文化特征，其演变可能远远滞后于技术变革。我们同时主张，象征表达体系的最终变革（包括具象艺术的后续消亡），为解析当时社会的潜在重构提供了全新视角。