An overview of Alpine and Mediterranean palaeogeography, terrestrial ecosystems and climate history during MIS 3 with focus on the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition

This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge about the millennial scale climate variability characterizing Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) in S-Europe and the Mediterranean area and its effects on terrestrial ecosystems. The sequence of Dansgaard-Oeschger events, as recorded by Greenland ice cores and recognizable in isotope profiles from speleothems and high-resolution palaeoecological records, led to dramatic variations in glacier extent and sea level configuration with major impacts on the physiography and vegetation patterns, both latitudinally and altitudinally. The recurrent succession of (open) woodlands, including temperate taxa, and grasslands with xerophytic elements, have been tentatively correlated to GIs in Greenland ice cores. Concerning colder phases, the Greenland Stadials (GSs) related to Heinrich events (HEs) appear to have a more pronounced effect than other GSs on woodland withdrawal and xerophytes expansion. Notably, GS 9-HE4 phase corresponds to the most severe reduction of tree cover in a number of Mediterranean records. On a long-term scale, a reduction/opening of forests throughout MIS 3 started from Greenland Interstadials (GIs) 14/13 (ca. 55\u201348 ka), which show a maximum in woodland density. At that time, natural environments were favourable for Anatomically Modern Humans (AMHs) to migrate from Africa into Europe as documented by industries associated with modern hominin remains in the Levant. Afterwards, a variety of early Upper Palaeolithic cultures emerged (e.g., Uluzzian and Proto-Aurignacian). In this chronostratigraphic framework, attention is paid to the Campanian Ignimbrite tephra marker, as a pivotal tool for deciphering and correlating several temporal-spatial issues crucial for understanding the interaction between AMHs and Neandertals at the time of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition

From primitivism to a contemporary view of pre-history. A new tale

The essay focuses on the implications for received classical concepts of social and techno- logical evolution, the distinction between foragers and farmers, simple versus complex, egalitarian versus hierarchical, and the dominant narratives of the modern world. The major aim of this essay is to find a common ground for history and archaeology, to examine historical and theoretical questions in a dialogue between the present and the past, and to explore unifying themes that cut across chronology and address historical narratives

Neanderthal mobility pattern and technological organization in the Salento (Apulia, Italy)

The Salento, in the southeast of Italy, is rich in Mousterian sites and Neanderthal fossils, within the chronological time frame of the Upper Pleistocene. This region is well known for the absence of good quality raw materials. This paper presents results from the technological study of five Mousterian sites (Grotta Romanelli, Grotta Uluzzo C, Grotta Mario Bernardini, Grotta Torre dell’Alto, Grotta dei Giganti), showing technological organization, curation and expediency behaviours, probably related to a logistical mobility. This variability is becoming part of our understanding of Neanderthal behaviour, marked by a fragmentation of stone working in space, time and social dimensions and a planned and complex organisation, until recently considered as distinctive to modern Homo sapiens

Grotta di Uluzzo C (Nardò-Lecce). Risultati preliminari, strumenti e metodi dell’indagine archeologica

The application of new technologies in archeology and in general in the field of cultural heritage is a sector in continuous development for many years. There are many conferences and magazines dedicated to the experimentation of new tech-nologies, new instruments software and new techniques, coming mostly from the field of engineering or architecture, are employed in sectors related to archaeological research and in particular to documentation and archiving of the data. In this paper we will present a set of new methodologies applied to the Palaeolithic excavation in the context of the Uluzzian, the first techno-complex associated with Homo Sapiens in Europe. We put in place a complex set of methods both for excava-tion and laboratory steps of archaeological research. (15) (PDF) Grotta di Uluzzo C (Nardò-Lecce): risultati preliminari, strumenti e metodi dell'indagine archeologica. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333661818_Grotta_di_Uluzzo_C_Nardo-Lecce_risultati_preliminari_strumenti_e_metodi_dell'indagine_archeologica [accessed Feb 19 2020]