Small and large mammals from the Ciota Ciara cave (Borgosesia, Vercelli, Italy): An Isotope Stage 5 assemblage

New insights on the Monte Fenera Palaeolithic, Italy: Geoarchaeology of the Ciota Ciara cave

“…The archaeological micromorphology results show that the lower part of the examined succession suffered significant frost action soon after its accumulation. A previous study based on the paleoecology of mammal assemblages suggested that the cave was occupied during a temperate phase and dated the upper part of the deposit to Marine Isotope Stage 5, that is, to the last Interglacial (Berto et al, ). In addition, paleoecological indicators suggested a relatively cold environment for the lower portion of the succession: this is fully confirmed by the geoarchaeological data.…”

“…Paleoecological indicators suggest a change from a relatively cold, humid environment in the lower layers of the deposit to warmer but still humid conditions in the upper ones. Furthermore, the presence of Pliomys coronensis , a species that has disappeared from the Italian Peninsula since the end of Marine Isotope Stage 5, attests that the cave was occupied during a relatively warm phase and led to assign the cave deposit to Marine Isotope Stage 5 (Arzarello et al, ; Berto et al, ). More recently, preliminary combined Electron Spin Resonance/U‐series dating of fossil enamel have indicated that the Ciota Ciara deposit may date from the second half of the Middle Pleistocene (J. J. Bahain and A. Vietti, personal communication, December 2016).…”

For our world without sound. The opportunistic debitage in the Italian context: a methodological evaluation of the lithic assemblages of Pirro Nord, Cà Belvedere di Montepoggiolo, Ciota Ciara cave and Riparo Tagliente.

“…The archaeological record is very rich and includes faunal remains, lithic industry and anthropical evidences, (hearths and human remains; Arzarello et al, 2014). According to the chronological data so far gathered the human frequentation of the Ciota Ciara cave can be placed during the second half of the Middle Pleistocene (Berto et al, 2016;Vietti, 2016;Cavicchi, 2018).…”

The Late Pleistocene faunal assemblage from Cava Muracci (Latium, Italy): Palaeoenvironmental implications for coastal central Italy during MIS 3

“…The morphology of m1 is characterized by five closed, rather symmetrical triangles and a rounded anterior cap typical of this species (Nappi, 2001). It has been present in central and southern Italy since the late middle Pleistocene (Berto et al, 2017;Kotsakis et al, 2003Kotsakis et al, , 2011López-García et al, 2015;Tang and Kotsakis, 2008), only being absent during MIS 5 and the late Holocene (Kotsakis et al, 2003 with references;Salari, 2014) and is currently found only in northern Italy where it is abundant in the fossil record (Berto and Rubinato, 2013;Berto et al, 2016;Bona, 2011;Bona et al, 2008;López-García et al, 2015;among others). This species is typical of open environments and cool climate (Paolucci and Amori, 2008).…”

“…Arvicola italicus appears in Italy at the beginning of the late Pleistocene (Kotsakis et al, 2003 with references;Sala and Masini, 2007) and is present in almost all Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossiliferous sites of mainland Italy (Berto and Rubinato, 2013;Berto et al, 2016;Bona, 2011;Bona et al, 2009;Di Canzio and Petronio, 2001;Kotsakis et al, 2003Kotsakis et al, , 2011López-García et al, 2004, 2015Salari, 2014;Tang and Kotsakis, 2008; among others), reported as Arvicola amphibius Linnaeus or Arvicola terrestris Linnaeus (the latter taxon is now considered a subspecies of A. amphibius (see Musser and Carleton, 2005)).…”