Less is more! Uluzzian technical behaviour at the cave site of Castelcivita (southern Italy)

Rossini, Matteo; Marciani, Giulia; Arrighi, Simona; Santos, Marcos César Pereira; Spagnolo, Vincenzo; Ronchitelli, Annamaria; Benazzi, Stefano; Moroni, Adriana

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103494

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Although this study did not directly address the transition from the Uluzzian to the PA, we are inclined to describe the beginning of the PA at Castelcivita as a rather abrupt event. The sharp increase in bladelet production, primarily achieved through direct freehand knapping, contrasts sharply with the frequent production of flakes and bladelets from bipolar cores in the preceding Uluzzian layers 72 , 73 . However, it is worth noting that a few carinated cores and retouched bladelets have also been described in these layers 46 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…S2 ). It is worth noting that bipolar technology is a defining feature of the Uluzzian assemblages at Castelcivita, where it accounts for up to 50% of the lithic production 46 , 72 . This frequency drops considerably in rsa’.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, the maximum linear dimensions may differ from the technological dimensions, especially in the case of carinated cores. For bipolar cores, we included all artifacts displaying clear traces of the bipolar technique on anvil, following archaeological and experimental studies 72 , 73 , 98 , 142 , 143 . We excluded from this category those blanks that exhibited only minor evidence of the bipolar technique, such as short and hinged scars covering a small portion of the artifact.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In terms of behavior, the Uluzzian is characterized by several distinctive features. These include the widespread use of bipolar technique on anvil to produce flakes and bladelets 72 – 74 , the presence of lunates used in mechanically delivered weapons 75 , the utilization of coloring materials, the production of simple bone tools (e.g., awls), and the use of seashells as personal ornaments. A notable feature is the frequent presence of the tusk shell (i.e., Antalis sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A pre-Campanian Ignimbrite techno-cultural shift in the Aurignacian sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy

Falcucci,

Arrighi,

Spagnolo

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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The Aurignacian is the first European technocomplex assigned to Homo sapiens recognized across a wide geographic extent. Although archaeologists have identified marked chrono-cultural shifts within the Aurignacian mostly by examining the techno-typological variations of stone and osseous tools, unraveling the underlying processes driving these changes remains a significant scientific challenge. Scholars have, for instance, hypothesized that the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) super-eruption and the climatic deterioration associated with the onset of Heinrich Event 4 had a substantial impact on European foraging groups. The technological shift from the Protoaurignacian to the Early Aurignacian is regarded as an archaeological manifestation of adaptation to changing environments. However, some of the most crucial regions and stratigraphic sequences for testing these scenarios have been overlooked. In this study, we delve into the high-resolution stratigraphic sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita in southern Italy. Here, the Uluzzian is followed by three Aurignacian layers, sealed by the eruptive units of the CI. Employing a comprehensive range of quantitative methods—encompassing attribute analysis, 3D model analysis, and geometric morphometrics—we demonstrate that the key technological feature commonly associated with the Early Aurignacian developed well before the deposition of the CI tephra. Our study provides thus the first direct evidence that the volcanic super-eruption played no role in this cultural process. Furthermore, we show that local paleo-environmental proxies do not correlate with the identified patterns of cultural continuity and discontinuity. Consequently, we propose alternative research paths to explore the role of demography and regional trajectories in the development of the Upper Paleolithic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A pre-Campanian Ignimbrite techno-cultural shift in the Aurignacian sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy

Falcucci,

Arrighi,

Spagnolo

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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“…Mediterranean Europe, and Italy in particular, is a key area for the comprehension of this period, due to the presence of relevant archaeological sites dated to the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition and the occurrence of several technocomplexes, i.e., Mousterian, Uluzzian, and Protoaurignacian [ 14 ]. From a technological point of view, the Uluzzian is characterised by its own originality and consistency [ 15 , 16 ] both expressed by the production of specific classes of bone tools and ornaments [ 17 – 22 ] as well as by a specific conceptualisation of the stone tool production. In fact, the Uluzzian lithic production is generally characterised by: the use of mostly local raw materials; additional concepts of debitage (unidirectional reduction sequence); the absence of integrated concepts of debitage, (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating ZooMS and zooarchaeology: New data from the Uluzzian levels of Uluzzo C Rock Shelter, Roccia San Sebastiano cave and Riparo del Broion

Silvestrini

Lugli²,

Romandini³

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

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In this study we explore the potential of combining traditional zooarchaeological determination and proteomic identification of morphologically non-diagnostic bone fragments (ZooMS) collected from the Uluzzian levels of three Italian sites: Uluzzo C Rock Shelter, Roccia San Sebastiano cave, and Riparo del Broion. Moreover, we obtained glutamine deamidation ratios for all the contexts analysed during routine ZooMS screening of faunal samples, giving information on collagen preservation. We designed a selection protocol that maximizes the efficiency of the proteomics analyses by excluding particularly compromised fragments (e.g. from taphonomic processes), and that aims to identify new human fragments by favouring bones showing morphological traits more similar to Homo. ZooMS consistently provided taxonomic information in agreement with the faunal spectra outlined by traditional zooarchaeology. Our approach allows us to delineate and appreciate differences between the analysed contexts, particularly between the northern and southern sites, related to faunal, environmental, and climate composition, although no human remains were identified. We reconstructed the faunal assemblage of the different sites, giving voice to morphologically undiagnostic bone fragments. Thus, the combination of these analyses provides a more complete picture of the faunal assemblage and of the paleoenvironment during the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition in Italy.

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New Approaches to the Bipolar Flaking Technique: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Kinematic Perspectives

Yeşilova,

Arroyo,

Vergès

et al. 2024

J Archaeol Method Theory

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The bipolar technique is a flaking strategy that has been identified from 3.3 Ma until the twentieth century, with no geographical or chronological homogeneous distribution. It is represented by the intentional contact of an active percussive element against a core rested on an anvil. This tool composite has been described by some researchers as a sign of low-skill of hominins, unable to perform successfully free-hand flaking or for flaking low-quality raw materials. Based on this premise, our research focused on the following question: Are there any quantitative and qualitative differences in terms of both kinematic parameters and technical skills between knappers with different levels of expertise when flaking using the bipolar technique? To get an answer, we developed a systematic experimental program with 12 volunteer participants with different levels of expertise. Then, to assess potential quantifiable differences and to understand the mechanics of bipolar technology, we did a video motion analysis based on kinematic parameters (including position, velocity, acceleration, and kinetic energy of the hammerstone). In addition, we performed a technological analysis of the experimental lithic assemblages to assess the technological differences between knappers based on their levels of expertise. In kinematic parameters, both statistical analysis and observations from the experiment clearly show that there are differences between the levels of expertise in this technique. Intermediate knappers have been observed to apply more velocity and kinetic energy than experts and novices. Also, differences were observed in the flaking strategies. Expert knappers show a longer reduction sequence, while intermediates show shorter one. Moreover, some of the novice knappers did not even obtain a single flake. The results of our experiment stress the complexity of bipolar flaking and that previous assumptions about it might be reconsidered, especially in terms of reconsidering the negative connotations attributed to this flaking technique.

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Less is more! Uluzzian technical behaviour at the cave site of Castelcivita (southern Italy)

Cited by 5 publications

References 51 publications

A pre-Campanian Ignimbrite techno-cultural shift in the Aurignacian sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy

A pre-Campanian Ignimbrite techno-cultural shift in the Aurignacian sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy

Integrating ZooMS and zooarchaeology: New data from the Uluzzian levels of Uluzzo C Rock Shelter, Roccia San Sebastiano cave and Riparo del Broion

New Approaches to the Bipolar Flaking Technique: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Kinematic Perspectives

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