Investigating Early Upper Paleolithic technological variability and cultural dynamics south of the Alps

The Aurignacian is often viewed as the result of the spread of modern humans into Europe. However, the biocultural processes that favored the success of the Aurignacian industries across a range of environmental settings and climatic conditions are yet to be fully understood. The same is true for the cultural trajectories that occurred during this period, and its relation to the so called transitional technocomplexes.

In this debate, the regions south of the Alps provide a unique test case due to the high geographical and ecological variability of the region and the presence of several Aurignacian and transitional Uluzzian sites. This project aims to address several interrelated questions: are there differences in the lithic technological systems and techno-economic behavior of Aurignacian foragers across the different regions of Italy? Is there evidence of cultural contact between the makers of Aurignacian and Uluzzian industries? How does the diachronic development of the Aurignacian in Italy progress and how does it compare to the regions north of the Alps?

To shed light on these issues, we will characterize and compare the lithic technology and the behavioral patterns of modern humans at the sites of Fumane Cave and Bombrini in northern Italy as well as Castelcivita and Serino in southern Italy. We will perform extensive technological investigations of the lithic assemblages from several archaeological units using different methods of analysis. Furthermore, we will evaluate the stratigraphic integrity of the cultural deposits using lithic refittings and radiocarbon dating. Results will be statistically processed to model patterns of intra- and inter-site variability and diachronic change. In a next step, we will investigate convergences and divergences with Aurignacian sites north of the Alps.

This project will provide new critical information to test several hypotheses regarding the spread of modern humans across Europe and investigate the diachronic variability of the Aurignacian on various geographic scales. Finally, the project will suggest proxies for better understanding mechanisms of cultural evolution during the formation of the European Upper Paleolithic.