Veldwezelt-Hezerwater - Lower Sites

Lower Sites

At the "Lower Sites", the lithic assemblage at the base of the gravel-bed (GRA-Level 1) of a side-valley of the Hezerwater seems to have been influenced by recurrent Levallois debitage. Throughout the gravel-bed one sees the presence of non-Levallois flake industries (GRA-Level 2). The younger occupation phases at the "Lower-Sites", found in the VLL-VLB find horizons are characterised by non-Levallois flake and blade industries.

All the levels at the "Lower-Sites" at Veldwezelt-Hezerwater could be interpreted as Neanderthal surface flint extraction sites with the presence of several knapping workshops. It is still difficult to say something about the absolute chronology of the VLL-Site and the VLB-Site. However, on stratigraphic grounds, we think that it is safe to say that they should be dated to the Late Saalian Zeifen Interstadial (MIS 6.01). This hypothesis is supported by the presence of charcoal (Pinus silvestris), which suggests that the climate during this Pre-Eemian occupation stage was temperate.

The chronological and typological setting of the tools, as well as the elongated morphology of the blanks and the surface quarrying by the Neanderthals, affirm the original character of the "Lower-Sites".