Suspected limited mobility of a Middle Pleistocene woman from Southern Italy: strontium isotopes of a human deciduous tooth

We present the Sr isotopic composition of enamel of the most ancient deciduous tooth ever discovered in Italy to assess human mobility in Middle Pleistocene. Reconstructing ancient mobility is crucial for understanding human strategy at exploiting temporally and spatially patchy resources, with most studies focusing on indirect evidences, ultimately affecting our interpretation on hominin territoriality and energetic costs invested by hominin groups. Here, we use the high spatial resolution and micro-destructivity options offered by the Laser Ablation Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry technique, to determine the (87)Sr/ (86)Sr intra-tooth variability of a human deciduous incisor from the Middle Pleistocene layers of the Isernia La Pineta site (Italy). We compared these data with the Sr isotopic signature of local micro-mammals, the broadest home-range of the macro-mammals and with modern plant samples. Our study reveals that while macro-mammals have possibly migrated through the landscape for up to 50\u2009km, the pregnant woman from Isernia was probably local, given that the isotopic ratio of the enamel falls within the local range and is comparable with the signature of the local plants in a radius of 10\u2009km. This is the first case study of Sr isotopic composition determination in such ancient deciduous tooth

TAPHONOMIC ANALYSIS ON FOSSIL REMAINS FROM THE CIOTA CIARA CAVE (PIEDMONT, ITALY) AND NEW EVIDENCE OF CAVE BEAR AND WOLF EXPLOITATION WITH SIMPLE QUARTZ FLAKES BY NEANDERTHAL

The Ciota Ciara cave is located in the karst area of Monte Fenera (Borgosesia - VC) and, with the Ciotarun cave, it is the only Middle Palaeolithic site in Piedmont where the presence of Homo neanderthalensis has been confirmed by discoveries of human remains. Preliminary taphonomic and archaeozoological studies have been performed on a portion of the palaeontological remains from the Stratigraphic Unit 14 (1144 bones). The studies confirmed the presence of cut-marks on Ursus spelaeus and Canis lupus, made by lithic instruments. The position of the cut marks on the bones can be related to skinning and butchery. An experimental butchery has been performed to test the efficiency of the tools made by local quartz during slaughtering activities. The archaeozoological analysis of the faunal remains of S.U. 14, identified cut-marks with weak peculiarities, probably due to the use of quartz tools. The analysis of the experimental collection allowed distinguishing between cut-marks made by quartz tools from those made by flint tools. A preliminary experimentation, conducted on more than 50 different cut-marks made with flakes of three different raw materials (vein quartz, quartzite and flint), allow us to hypothesize that it is possible to distinguish cut-marks made with unretouched flakes of different raw materials

TAPHONOMIC ANALYSIS ON FOSSIL REMAINS FROM THE CIOTA CIARA CAVE (PIEDMONT, ITALY) AND NEW EVIDENCE OF CAVE BEAR AND WOLF EXPLOITATION WITH SIMPLE QUARTZ FLAKES BY NEANDERTHAL

The Ciota Ciara cave is located in the karst area of Monte Fenera (Borgosesia - VC) and, with the Ciotarun cave, it is the only Middle Palaeolithic site in Piedmont where the presence of Homo neanderthalensis has been confirmed by discoveries of human remains. Preliminary taphonomic and archaeozoological studies have been performed on a portion of the palaeontological remains from the Stratigraphic Unit 14 (1144 bones). The studies confirmed the presence of cut-marks on Ursus spelaeus and Canis lupus, made by lithic instruments. The position of the cut marks on the bones can be related to skinning and butchery. An experimental butchery has been performed to test the efficiency of the tools made by local quartz during slaughtering activities. The archaeozoological analysis of the faunal remains of S.U. 14, identified cut-marks with weak peculiarities, probably due to the use of quartz tools. The analysis of the experimental collection allowed distinguishing between cut-marks made by quartz tools from those made by flint tools. A preliminary experimentation, conducted on more than 50 different cut-marks made with flakes of three different raw materials (vein quartz, quartzite and flint), allow us to hypothesize that it is possible to distinguish cut-marks made with unretouched flakes of different raw materials

Le patrimoine préhistorique de la marge nord saharienne. Valorisation et cartographie des sites de plein air

International audienceThe northern Saharan margin is very rich in prehistoric vestiges of diverse passages and different human occupations during periods from the lower Palaeolithic to the Neolithic. The surface sites inventoried in the south-east of Morocco are very numerous and present a significant wealth of lithic materials belonging to different civilizations. The inventory or cartography of the surface sites of the northern margin of the Sahara allowed us to determine that the Acheulean sites are generally present on the deposits of raw material, composed mainly of sandstone and quartzite. The different media of acquisition operations for both shaping and debiting are based on Levallois and Kombewa debitage. As for the Middle or Upper Palaeolithic sites, the raw material changes with the proximity of the Cretaceous Hamadas rich in flint, and it is often exploited using the recurrent and linear Levallois debitage methods, and sometimes laminar debitage is used.La marge nord saharienne est très riche en vestiges préhistoriques témoins des différents passages et de différentes occupations humaines pendant des périodes allant du Paléolithique inférieur jusqu’au Néolithique. Les sites de surfaces inventoriés dans le sud-est marocain sont très nombreux et présentent une richesse importante en matériel lithique appartenant à des civilisations différentes. L’inventaire ou la cartographie des sites de surface de la marge nord saharienne, nous a permis de distinguer que les sites acheuléens sont en général présents sur les gîtes de matière première, composée essentiellement de grès et de quartzite. Les différentes opérations d’acquisition des supports aussi bien pour le façonnage que pour le débitage se basent sur le débitage Levallois et Kombewa. Quant aux sites du Paléolithiques moyen ou supérieur, la matière première change avec la proximité des Hamadas crétacée riche en silex, et il est souvent exploité en utilisant la méthode de débitage Levallois récurrent et linéal, et parfois le débitage laminaire est utilisé

Techno -economy of lithic raw materials in Piedmont (north-western Italy). A first life-like scenario

Data about Palaeolithic peopling, settlement dynamics and techno-economy of the south-western margin of the Alpine region are sketchy. In this area, the lack of systematic research and the scarcity of lithic raw materials, spread the idea that Piedmont was not inhabited during Palaeolithic. In 2009, the re-starting of the excavations at the Ciota Ciara cave, gave rise to new questions and to the development of research projects at a regional scale. The Ciota Ciara cave is the only Middle Palaeolithic site object of multidisciplinary and systematic investigations. Its lithic assemblage, analysed through a techno-economic approach, allows to understand in detail the technological choices and the land mobility of the Neanderthal groups on a local and sub-regional scale. Other Middle Palaeolithic assemblages are known in the region and are all issued from surface collections. They come from the northern part of the region, from Vaude Canavesane, Trino, Baragge biellesi and Colline Novaresi. The technological study of these assemblages led to the identification of strong similarities in the technological choices of the Middle Palaeolithic human groups: they based their technology on the exploitation of vein quartz, a rock diffused all over the regional territory, from time to time accompanied by other local (spongolite, rhyolite, metamorphic rocks, jasper) and allochthonous (radiolarite and flint) lithic resources, with technological adaptation to their quality and mechanical properties both when it comes to predetermined methods (Levallois and discoid) and when expedient reduction sequences are used. Concerning Upper Palaeolithic, the only lithic assemblage issued from an archaeological excavation (and therefore with a clear stratigraphic context) is that from the Epigravettian site of Castelletto Ticino. Other lithic artefacts referable on a techno-typological basis to Upper Palaeolithic are from Trino and Colline Novaresi. As for Middle Palaeolithic, the techno-economic approach used in the analysis of these lithic assemblages, allow to have, for the first time, reliable data at a regional scale. In this work we present the data obtained after about ten years of research in Piedmont: they outline a scenario where, even in the limits of analysis mostly based on materials issued from surface collections, we can see both clear differences between the Middle and the Upper Palaeolithic technological behaviours and hypothesise the land mobility of the hunter-gatherers’ groups that inhabited the region

The Mousterian lithic assemblage of the Ciota Ciara cave (Piedmont, Northern Italy): Exploitation and conditioning of raw materials

The Ciota Ciara cave is situated in Monte Fenera’s karst (Borgosesia – Vercelli), at 670 metres above sea level. It is the most important evidence of a Middle Palaeolithic settlement in Piedmont: the cave was used by Homo neanderthalensis during the OIS 5, in a mild-humid period, as proven by faunal remains. The environment was characterized by deciduous woodland and glades. The intersection between different habitats, the presence of lithic raw materials, the karst morphology and water sources were certainly the main factors that encouraged human settlement during the Upper Pleistocene period, between 80.000 and 70.000 BP.In 2009 systematic excavations began in the cave by the University of Ferrara, in partnership with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Piemonte e del Museo di Antichità Egizie. Research focused on the cave’s atrium where three stratigraphic units were investigated: 13, 103 and 14.The exploited raw materials’ characterization were made by the stereo-microscope observations and through the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). Several lithologies are represented in different proportion: quartz is the predominant exploited raw material, followed by spongolite, sandstone, mylonite and opal. The archaeological record consists of various typologies of quartz: macro-crystalline pegmatite quartz, micro-crystalline pegmatite quartz and hyaline quartz. All these types of raw materials have been found in the proximity of the archaeological site, within 5 km range.The lithic assemblage is made of flakes, retouched tools, cores and debris. The raw materials exploitation was achieved through the direct percussion technique with various methods: S.S.D.A., discoid and Levallois. The reduction sequences on quartz are complete, although no refitting was found. The reduction sequence is not complete for most part of the other raw materials. The débitage products are small-medium size (1-4 cm) and have different morphologies.The use-wear analysis on quartz’s artefacts was carried out using the low power approach. The preservation state of the lithic assemblage is very good and no chemical, mechanical or post-depositional alterations are evident. The use-wear analysis shows a predominance of medium-hard and medium-soft materials processing.The lithic industries characteristics show the production strategies adaptation typical of the Middle Palaeolithic to the characteristics of the non-sedimentary raw materials

Le ricerche preistoriche dell'Università di Ferrara

Il volume costituisce la sintesi scientifica delle ricerche preistoriche che l’Università degli Studi di Ferrara ha effettuato negli ultimi 50 anni, coprendo un arco temporale che comprende culturalmente il periodo che va dal Paleolitico inferiore al Mesolitico. Nel tentativo di fornire un quadro quanto più completo ed esaustivo delle ricerche la monografia è concepita come un catalogo di agile consultazione suddiviso in base ai siti archeologici scavati dai professori e ricercatori nel corso del tempo. Per ciascun sito si descrivono molteplici aspetti, dalle modalità di intervento allo studio di vari settori disciplinari (stratigrafia, geologia, palinologia, paleontologia, paletnologia, ecc..)