Atrian civilization
The Atrian civilization is an ancient civilization dating back to the Middle Paleolithic period, and it appeared in Algeria. It was named after the site of Bir El Ater in Tebessa Province, Algeria, where the first stone tools of this civilization were discovered.
The Atrian civilization is characterized by the manufacture of advanced stone tools such as scrapers and sharpened tools, which were used in hunting and other daily activities. This civilization dates back to about 145,000 years BC and continued until about 20,000 years BC12. History_of_Algeria
The stone remains of this industry were first discovered at the site of Wadi Jebana near the district of Bir El Ater in the state of Tebessa in 1917 AD by the researcher Reygasse, but his study was not completed until 1974 AD by J. Morel.
The uniqueness of this site is that it contains stone tools dating back to the Middle Paleolithic (scrapers and serrated tools) alongside other tools dating back to the Upper Paleolithic such as flat scrapers and many other tools with shanks. This feature was evident in most of its sites to the extent that the overlapping of these stone tools made them intertwined and shaded. This civilization was initially known as the Wadi Jabana civilization in reference to the site where the first stone tools of this civilization were discovered, and later became known as the Aterian civilization.
Experts date the emergence of the Acheulean civilization to the end of the Lower Paleolithic and the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic. Prehistorians believe that the Aterian civilization developed from it, but other scientific research has confirmed that the Aterian civilization derived its origins from the Mousterian civilization that preceded it, based on the similarities between them. The Aterian civilization is considered one of the oldest civilizations of Homo sapiens, as it occupied the period between 45,000 and about 20,000 years BC.
The environment of this geographical region at that time was characterised by dense rainforests, many rivers and springs that ran through it, and some animal species. This climatic character provided the appropriate conditions for the makers of the Aterian civilisation, who were similar to Neanderthals, according to what studies have concluded, to settle there.
Given the great distinction of the ancient stone tool industries in the region, researchers consider the Aterian civilization to be the oldest example of regional technological diversity. In addition to its wide spread, they believe that several small civilization branches such as the Wahrani and Gafsa civilizations may have emerged from it, as its circle began to expand to include at first all the Maghreb countries, then its borders expanded to cover the geographical area extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Nile River in the east and from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the north to northern Niger and Chad in the south. The civilizational remains found at the Bir al-Ater site varied between stone tools such as flint and remains of colored drawings on the walls of caves; this civilization also left a number of tombstones decorated with drawings. Studies indicate that the Aterian man relied on animals, some types of shellfish and plants for his food in this region, and also used them as a means of treatment, and employed the wood of its forests to build homes and manufacture the tools he needed in his daily life. Despite this development achieved by the Aterian civilization, it was not destined to last long, as it quickly declined. Sources attributed this decline to changes in climatic conditions, as its period of prosperity was followed by a dry climate that affected this region in particular and the African desert in general, which prompted the people of this civilization, who depended on hunting and agriculture for their lives, to migrate to other regions in search of better living conditions, including the desert, the Sahel countries, and some regions of tropical Africa. The Aterians may have continued their advance south to West Africa, reaching Mauritania and Senegal. The Aterian civilization continued to exist until the Neolithic era, when it stopped and was replaced by the Capsian civilization.
Aterian stone tools, the most important thing that distinguishes them from others is the beautiful legs that express a remarkable development in the stone industry
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