Neandertals on the beach: Use of marine resources at Grotta dei Moscerini (Latium, Italy)

Abstract

Excavated in 1949, Grotta dei Moscerini, dated MIS 5 to early MIS 4, is one of two Italian Neandertal sites with a large assemblage of retouched shells (n = 171) from 21 layers. The other occurrence is from the broadly contemporaneous layer L of Grotta del Cavallo in southern Italy (n = 126). Eight other Mousterian sites in Italy and one in Greece also have shell tools but in a very small number. The shell tools are made on valves of the smooth clam Callista chione. The general idea that the valves of Callista chione were collected by Neandertals on the beach after the death of the mollusk is incomplete. At Moscerini 23.9% of the specimens were gathered directly from the sea floor as live animals by skin diving Neandertals. Archaeological data from sites in Italy, France and Spain confirm that shell fishing and fresh water fishing was a common activity of Neandertals, as indicated by anatomical studies recently published by E. Trinkaus. Lithic analysis provides data to show the relation between stone tools and shell tools. Several layers contain pumices derived from volcanic eruptions in the Ischia Island or the Campi Flegrei (prior to the Campanian Ignimbrite mega-eruption). Their rounded edges indicate that they were transported by sea currents to the beach at the base of the Moscerini sequence. Their presence in the occupation layers above the beach is discussed. The most plausible hypothesis is that they were collected by Neandertals. Incontrovertible evidence that Neandertals collected pumices is provided by a cave in Liguria. Use of pumices as abraders is well documented in the Upper Paleolithic. We prove that the exploitation of submerged aquatic resources and the collection of pumices common in the Upper Paleolithic were part of Neandertal behavior well before the arrival of modern humans in Western Europe.

Anomalous Last Interglacial Tyrrhenian sea levels and Neanderthal settling at Guattari and Moscerini caves (central Italy)

“…A widespread occurrence of rounded pumice clasts, reported in the unpublished stratigraphy by Segre and recently discussed in 4 , has been outlined in the present study through the re-examination of the materials recovered during the original excavations. Pumice clasts from ca.…”

“…2 a). For a detailed archaeological interpretation of these layers see 4 .

Figure 2 ( a , a′ ) Stratigraphic sketches of Grotta dei Moscerini redrawn by F. Marra based on unpublished field drawings by A. Segre stored at the IsIPU Repository (Anagni, FR, Italy).

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“…originated by congealment of the water filling the rock fractures), possibly corresponding to the occurrence of a glacial period. The most significant characteristic of the sedimentary record of the cave, however, is the diffused occurrence of Mousterian tools made on the shell of a marine clam ( Callista chione ) 3 , 4 . A series of lithophaga burrows (Lt in Fig.…”

“…These notes, combined with the observations and petrographic/geochemical analyses on a set of pumice clasts (part of the sedimentary deposits of Grotta dei Moscerini stored) and other archaeological materials at the IsIPU repository in Anagni, allowed us to closely investigate the lithostratigraphic and paleogeographic implications of the sedimentary filling of this cave as well. Results of the petrographic and geochemical analyses, promoted by INGV and La Sapienza University, have been partially shared with 4 . Compared to previous work, in which only the TAS compositions of this pumice were discussed, we provide geochemical comparison with the distal tephrostratigraphic record using new bivariate diagrams.…”

“…A series of caves which yielded an important record of Neanderthal remains, including an almost intact cranium 1 , along with a number of artifacts featuring the outstanding occurrence of instruments made on shell 2 – 4 , occur at elevation ranging 5–10 m a.s.l. along the carbonatic reefs forming the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in southern Latium (Fig.…”