Bone tools, ornaments and other unusual objects during the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Italy

TL;DR

This paper synthesizes evidence from Italy on bone tools, ornaments, and pigments during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition, highlighting technological and symbolic behaviors associated with Neandertals and Modern Humans.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the technological and symbolic artifacts across different Paleolithic cultures in Italy, emphasizing the emergence of modern behaviors.

Findings

Neandertal bone tools are mostly unshaped fragments.

Organized production of fine bone tools appears in Uluzzian and Protoaurignacian.

Ornaments and pigments indicate symbolic activities during Uluzzian and Protoaurignacian.

Abstract

The arrival of Modern Humans (MHs) in Europe between 50 ka and 36 ka coincides with significant changes in human behaviour, regarding the production of tools, the exploitation of resources and the systematic use of ornaments and colouring substances. The emergence of the so-called modern behaviours is usually associated with MHs, although in these last decades findings relating to symbolic thinking of pre-Sapiens groups have been claimed. In this paper we present a synthesis of the Italian evidence concerning bone manufacturing and the use of ornaments and pigments in the time span encompassing the demise of Neandertals and their replacement by MHs. Current data show that Mousterian bone tools are mostly obtained from bone fragments used as is. Conversely an organized production of fine shaped bone tools is characteristic of the Uluzzian and the Protoaurignacian, when the complexity inherent in the manufacturing processes suggests that bone artefacts are not to be considered as expedient resources. Some traces of symbolic activities are associated to Neandertals in Northern Italy. Ornaments (mostly tusk shells) and pigments used for decorative purposes are well recorded during the Uluzzian. Their features and distribution witness to an intriguing cultural homogeneity within this technocomplex. The Protoaurignacian is characterized by a wider archaeological evidence, consisting of personal ornaments (mostly pierced gastropods), pigments and artistic items.