My post-doctoral project focuses on the analyses of the ground stone tool (GST) assemblages from the Middle Paleolithic site of Nesher Ramla. My research is combining technological, morphological, traceological and experimental approaches to identify the use of these percussion tools. The project aims at identifying and understanding subsistence strategies through different types of cultural remains that are rarely observed in abundance within Middle Paleolithic contexts.

Moreover, another aspect of the study is to compare the change in frequencies and types of GSTs throughout the different archaeological layers at the site, to identify if diachronic variations occurred, and if this is related to the change in site functions and/or length/intensity of occupations.

Advisor: Dr. Yossi Zaidner 

Projects:

• The open-air Middle Paleolithic site of Nesher Ramla
• The Tinshemet Cave project

Publications:

Zohar, I., Alperson-Afil, N., Goren-Inbar, N., Prévost, M., Tütken, T., Sisma-Ventura, G., Hershkovitz, I., Najorka, J. 2022. Evidence for the cooking of fish 780,000 years ago at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel. Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Zaidner, Y., Centi, L., Prévost, M., Mercier, N., Falguères, C., Guérin, G., Valladas, H., Richard, M., Galy, A., Pécheyran, C., Tombret, O., Pons-Branchu, E., Porat, N., Shahack-Gross, R., Friesem, D.E., Yeshurun, R., Turgeman-Yaffe, Z., Frumkin, A., Herzlinger, G., Ekshtain, R., Shemer, M., Varoner, O., Sarig, R., May, H., Hershkovitz, I.  2021. Middle Pleistocene Homo behavior and culture at 140 - 120 ka, and interactions with Homo sapiens. Science

Paixão, E., Marreiros, J., Dubreuil, L., Gneisinger, W., Carver, G., Prévost, M., Zaidner, Y. 2021. Functional analysis of the Middle Paleolithic Ground Stones Tools from Unit V of Nesher Ramla (Central Levant): the application of a multi-scale use-wear approach. Quaternary International

Paixão, E., Pedergnana, A., Marreiros, J., Dubreuil, L., Prévost, M., Zaidner, Y., Carver, G., Gneisinger, W. 2021. Using Mechanical experiments to study Ground Stone Tool use: exploring the formation of percussive and grinding wear traces on Limestone tools. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102971

Groman-Yaroslavski, I., Prévost. M., Zaidner. 2021. Tool Wielding and Activities at the Middle Paleolithic Site of Nesher Ramla, Israel: A Use-Wear Analysis of Major Tool Types from Unit III. Quaternary International. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.03.041

Prévost, M., Groman-Yaroslavsk, I., Crater-Gershtein, I., Tejero, J-M., Zaidner, Y. 2021. Early evidence for symbolic behavior in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic: A 120 ka old engraved aurochs bone shaft from the open-air site of Nesher Ramla, Israel. Quaternary International. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.01.002

Prévost, M. Centi, L. Zaidner, Y. 2020. The use of the lateral tranchet blow technique at Nesher Ramla (Israel): a new cultural marker in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic? Quaternary International. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2020.11.008

Prévost, M., Zaidner, Y., 2020. New insights into early MIS 5 lithic technological behavior in the Levant: Nesher Ramla, Israel as a case study. PLOS ONE 15, e0231109. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231109

Centi, L., Groman-Yaroslavski, I., Friedman, N., Oron, M., Prévost, M., Zaidner, Y. 2019. The bulb retouchers in the Levant: New insights into Middle Palaeolithic retouching techniques and mobile tool-kit composition. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0218859. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218859

Borvon, A., Bridault, A., Biton, R., Rabinovich, R., Prévost, M., Khalaily, H., Valla, F., 2017 Finding of trout (Salmo cf. trutta) in the Northern Jordan Valley (Israel) at the end of the Pleistocene: preliminary results. Journal of Archaeological reports. 18 (18), pp.59-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.01.008