FINE SCREENS AND ARTIFACT RECOVERY - OBSE RVATIONS FROM EL JUYO (CANTABRIA, SPAIN)

Since 1982, at the Cantabrian Earlier Magdalenian cave of El Juyo (Spa in), all recovered sediments have been washed through a tower of sieve s, in which the smallest has a 250 micron mesh. Surprisingly, many who le retouched bladelets of some length and other small artifacts in sto ne and bone may pass the 2-3 mm mesh of the next larger sieve employed , and are only recovered when the ultrafine screen is used. The inclus ion of these tools can substantially alter the shape of cumulative per centage graphs of the assemblage, and affect interpretations based on the graphs and indices and the comparison of assemblages. The authors urge that wherever possible washing of sediments through ultrafine scr eens be incorporated into the excavation routine, as a normal part of data recovery in prehistoric sites.