Zooarchaeological Analysis of a Late Pleistocene Cave Site in Northwestern Italy, Arma Veirana

Summary

Italy serves as a critically important region for better understanding the late Pleistocene as it was home to Neandertals and other hominins. Archaeological excavation in northwestern Italy at the cave site of Arma Veirana, with layers dating back to 44 ka, intends to provide insight into this ambiguous period in prehistory. Preliminary data from zooarchaeological analysis of 1,414 specimens indicate that Neandertals primarily hunted medium-sized bovid/cervids, including Capra ibex, Cervus elaphus, and Capreolus capreolus to transport back to the site for butchering: 11.6% of faunal remains display cut marks and percussion marks. A number of these remains also show sign of burning (14.2%), and charred fat deposits have been found in micromorphological samples. This zooarchaeological analysis will help highlight behaviors used by hominins at this cave over time, and contribute to a better understanding of Neandertal subsistence behaviors shortly before their extinction ~40 ka.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22543