Risorse litiche e comportamento tecnico dei Neandertaliani: variabilità culturale e adattamento all'ambiente nel Salento. Grotta del Cavallo, strati L-N e Grotta Mario Bernardini, strato D.// Raw materials and Neanderthal technical behaviour: cultural variability and adaptation to the environment in Salento (South Apulia). Grotta del Cavallo, layers L-N and Grotta Bernardini, layer D.

Identifier:  TDX:2122

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2122

Authors:  Romagnoli, Francesca

Abstract:
Salento region (SE Italy) is an area rich in archaeological site concerning Middle Palaeolithic. The caves have been explored during 60's and 70's and are published only partially, using a typological approach focused just on retouched tools. My research concerns the analysis of ancient layers of Grotta del Cavallo and Grotta Mario Bernardini. The goal is to analyze the economic strategies and technical abilities of Neanderthal people in this area. For this reason we use the technological analysis of the manufacturing process based on'chaîne opératoire' and we opened different research-line like geological survey for raw materials or the techno-functional analysis of retouched tools. In the last fifteen years we sow behind Middle Palaeolithic lithic industries a big richness in terms of technical and economical options. This research shows this richness in the assemblages from Grotta del Cavallo, presenting an unknown technical variability and a technical change between layer L and the lower layers. The original data that we propose enrich with our knowledge of technical variability during Middle Palaeolithic showing the existence of a structured system built from human being able to integrate different needs and to adjust to available resources.