Middle Palaeolithic technical behaviour

Material import-export and Levallois production at the SU 13 of Oscurusciuto rock shelter, Southern Italy

Bibliographic Data

ID9366457
AuthorsGiulia Marciani (0000-0001-8384-8581, University of Ferrara, corresponding author), Vincenzo Spagnolo (0000-0003-2090-0260, University of Siena), Daniele Aureli (0000-0002-7807-6123, University of Siena), Filomena Ranaldo (0000-0001-9885-5717, University of Siena), Paolo Boscato (0000-0001-5715-4789, University of Siena), Annamaria Ronchitelli (0000-0003-0296-6688, University of Siena)
Year2016
Volume3
Issue2
Pages497-520
Publication date2016-09-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Lithic Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2055-0472 • E-ISSN: 2055-0472
PublisherUniversity of Edinburgh (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.2218/jls.v3i2.1414
OpenAlexW2621231929
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited36

The Oscurusciuto rock shelter, located in southern Italy (Puglia), has yielded a long Middle Palaeolithic stratigraphy rich in lithic assemblages, fireplaces and faunal remains, attesting Neanderthal occupation during the MIS 3. This paper is focused on the stratigraphic unit 13, consisting of a sandy compact deposit mixed with pyroclastic sediment above a thick level of tephra-US 14, identified as Mt. Epomeo green tuff (dated Ar/Ar ~ 55 ka).Level 13 represents the first stable human occupation after the deposition of tephra. Our goal was to examine the lithic assemblage of this stratigraphic unit by means of an interdisciplinary approach (technology, RMU, refitting program) in order to identify the economic behaviour and technical strategies of Neanderthals occupying the stratigraphic unit 13 of Oscurusciuto.The technical strategies applied indicate fragmentation of the reduction processes, as well as probable events of importation and exportation of objects. The lithic material were introduced at different stages of manufacturing. Pieces were introduced in the form of rough objects (pebbles), as well as semi-finished items, and as finished tools. This fragmentation of the chaîne opératoire also demonstrate the palimpsest nature of the level which is made up of different events happening one after another.The main concept of debitage was Levallois, generally realized on local jasper and siliceous limestone pebbles or cortical flakes. Jasper and siliceous limestone flakes, backed flakes and convergent flakes were the technological objectives of the debitage. A marginal volumetric debitage aimed at producing bladelets was also attested

Acheulean · Archaeology · Debitage · Flake · Geography · Lithic technology · Middle Paleolithic · Neanderthal · Pleistocene · Pyroclastic rock · Rock shelter · Stratigraphic unit · Structural basin · Tephra · Volcano · Archaeological and Geological Studies · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Geology · Paleontology · Stratigraphy

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