Upper Paleolithic Use of Space at Riparo Bombrini (Balzi Rossi, Italy)

Summary

We present an analysis of the spatial distribution of various features (hearths, dripline, etc.) and of four broad artifact classes (lithics, fauna, ochre, shell) in the proto-Aurignacian levels of Riparo Bombrini. The site is a collapsed rockshelter in the Balzi Rossi site complex and is interesting in part for having yielded very late Mousterian and very early proto-Aurignacian levels. The site thus offers an ideal setting in which to study behavioral differences between late Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens in this part of the world. Our analysis comprises complementary multiple levels of resolution: visual; density; and unconstrained cluster analyses are performed to tease out 1) whether evidence of spatial segregation of activities is visible; 2) whether these activity areas are recurrent over time; and 3) what may cause this variability. We conclude with a discussion of what the patterns seen at Bombrini mean for our construal of Upper Paleolithic behavioral strategies and of how to best integrate spatial analysis with other lines of evidence to do so.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Space and time in the Upper Palaeolithic: a mixed traditions approach to the study of prehistory

Keywords

Spatial Coverage