RT Journal Article
T1 Unravelling technological behaviors through core reduction intensity. The case of the early Protoaurignacian assemblage from Fumane Cave
A1 Lombao Vázquez, Diego
A1 Falcucci, Armando
A1 Moos, Elena
A1 Peresani, Marco
K1 Lithic technology
K1 Experimental Archaeology
K1 Reduction Intensity
K1 Volumetric Recontruction Method
K1 Scar Density Index
K1 Protoaurignacian
AB This paper investigates core reduction intensity in the early Protoaurignacian lithic assemblage from Fumane Cave in northeastern Italy. Reduction intensity serves as a key tool to characterize blank selection strategies, raw material management, and the variability of knapping strategies throughout the reduction sequence by reconstructing the operatory field of core assemblages. Finally, it also aids in addressing the relationship between blades and bladelets, providing valuable insights into the behavioral and chrono-cultural significance of laminar productions within the Aurignacian technocomplex. To achieve these research goals, experimental work employing 3D scanning technology was conducted. This facilitated the comparison of different methods and variables for measuring reduction intensity, including the percentage of non-cortical surface, the Scar Density Index (SDI), and a novel adaptation of the Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM). Results demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of adapting the VRM for the study of reduction intensity in Upper Paleolithic laminar cores, and the provided R scripts and datasets will enable this method to be applied to other contexts with minimal need for modification to the workflow. Analysis of reduction intensity measures applied to the Protoaurignacian assemblage from Fumane Cave reveals slight variations based on factors such as the abundance and proximity of selected raw materials for blank production. Notably, the most prevalent raw material variety, the Maiolica, yields a higher number of less reduced cores, while reduction levels across all cores discarded at the site remain relatively high. The observed variability in the operatory field and the interrelation between blade and bladelet productions underscore the complexity and flexibility of Protoaurignacian behavior. This inherent complexity challenges any definitive separation between the operatory fields of blade and bladelet productions. These findings are particularly important to emphasize the importance of considering reduction intensity when examining technological variability and human behavior in Aurignacian studies. The proposed adaptation of the VRM and the effective combination with other measures of reduction, promises to allow future research to incorporate reduction intensity as a vital temporal component within studies on stone tool production. This integration offers a pathway to enhancing our understanding of the adaptive behaviors exhibited by Homo sapiens across diverse ecological settings and provides a clearer framework for better framing the development of the Upper Paleolithic.
PB Elsevier
SN 0305-4403
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33049
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33049
LA eng
NO Journal of Archaeological Science Volume 160, December 2023, 105889
NO This study was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under grant agreement no. 431809858 (project title: “Investigating Early Upper Paleolithic Technological Variability and Cultural Dynamics South of the Alps”; recipient: A.F.). Fieldwork and research at Fumane Cave are coordinated by the Ferrara University (M.P.), with the collaboration of Italian and European research centers and with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Archaeological Superintendence SAPAB, public institutions (Lessinia Regional Natural Park, B.I.M. Adige, Municipality of Fumane), private associations, and companies. D.L. was supported by a postdoctoral Xunta de Galicia grant (ED481B-2022-048). The Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA) received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “María de Maeztu” program for Units of Excellence (CEX-2019-000945-M).
DS Minerva
RD 23 abr 2026