The Mousterian Industry from Bisitun Cave (Iran)

Bisitun, a Middle Paleolithic cave site in northwestern Iran, was excavated over thirty years ago by C. Coon. Its Mousterian industry, as later described by Skinner, has been thought to be characteristic of other Mousterian industries from that region, what is generally called the Zagros Group Mousterian. The present analysis shows that the Bisitun industry contains some important features that were overlooked by Skinner, including a high frequency of Levallois technique and several truncated-faceted pieces. Because these features have not yet been recognized in other Zagros Mousterian industries, their presence here raises the question of the distinctiveness and homogeneity of this Mousterian Group.