Fire management during Early Upper Palaeolithic : archaeological and experimental results from the Régismont-le-Haut Aurignacian campsite

International audienceArchaeological research and experimental work at the Aurignacian open-air site of Régismont-le-Haut (Southern France) has provided remarkable insight into prehistoric fireplace operation, use, and taphonomy. To date, 30 archaeological fireplaces (or fire-related structures) have been uncovered and our ongoing research focuses on deciphering their organization and function within the campsite. This communication presents field and lab results recently obtained through excavation, experimentation, and geoarchaeological and organic geochemical analyses. More specifically, micromorphological and organic matter (Curie point pyrolysis-GC-MC and GC-MS) analysis data are presented. The interest of this multiscale methodology and of solid experimental reference libraries (to create site-specific interpretive frameworks) are also highlighted. Types of fuel used to stoke fires, estimated duration, structure shapes, and surrounding activities are discussed and, according to those multiple observations, a first typology of the Régismont fire-related structures is proposed. It includes short term/low intensity wood fires, dedicated to restricted activities such as the knapping of a single core. Other fireplaces showing the use of an important quantity of bone as fuel, maintenance feature and sometimes refection seems to be devoted to longer and diversified activities. We believe that these different types of fireplaces exemplify a significant technical investement in fireplace management by the Aurignacians