The other MSA: non-Aterian lithic assemblages in Algeria, characteristics and attribution

The Middle Stone Age in northwest Africa is mainly described in terms of two technocomplexes, the Aterian and Mousterian, the definitions of which have evolved as research has progressed. While the Aterian is often characterised by tanged tool assemblages, the Mousterian seems to have been defined by default and other denominations such as Levalloisian, Middle Palaeolithic and Sbaikian have also been used for MSA lithic assemblages without pedunculates. Beyond the legitimate question of the relevance of these classifications, one may wonder whether the available quantitative data allow us to identify the variability of lithic assemblages outside the Aterian technocomplex. In the Algerian context, this question is addressed by analysing data recovered by researchers from archaeological sites qualified as non-Aterian. Information and gaps are discussed and compared with what is known about the same period in northwestern Africa, particularly Morocco. Le middle Stone Age (MSA) de l'Afrique du Nord-Ouest est principalement decrit a travers deux technocomplexes: l'Aterien et le Mousterien, dont les definitions ont evolue au gre de la progression des recherches. Alors que l'Aterien est souvent caracterise par des industries a pieces pedonculees, le Mousterien apparait plutot comme defini par defaut. D'autres denominations, telles que Levalloisien, Paleolithique moyen et Sbaikien, ont egalement ete employees pour designer des ensembles lithiques sans pedoncules. Au-dela de la question de la pertinence de ces classifications, on peut se demander si les donnees quantitatives disponibles sur ces industries lithiques non-ateriennes permettent d'en cerner la variabilite. Cette question est abordee dans le contexte algerien, a travers l'analyse des donnees en provenance des ensembles classes comme non-ateriens. La nature des donnees et leurs limites sont discutees a la lumiere des connaissances sur le MSA de l'Afrique du Nord-Ouest, en particulier du Maroc.