Trapezoids and Double Truncations in the Epigravettian Assemblages of Northeastern Italy
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Eurasian Prehistory, I(/): 83- 106. TRAPEZOIDS AND DOUBLE TRUNCATIONS IN THE EPIGRAVETTIAN ASSEMBLAGES OF NORTHEASTERN ITALY Silvia Ferrari and Marco Peresani University ofFerrara, Dipartimento delle Risorse Nalura/i e Culturali, Corso Ercole I d'Este 32, 1-44100 Ferrara. Italy; [email protected] (Marco Peresani) Abstract Trapezoids represent a significant category of tools among the innovative geometric implements in the lithic assem blages of European late glacial complexes, particularly those late Epigravettian industries from the Mediterranean region to the southern Ukrainian plain. The recent recovery of several artifacts from two excavlllions in the Venetian Pre-Alps (northern Italy) prompted a large-scale examination of the chronological, and geographical distribution of trapezoids as well as the first study of their techno-morphological features. Results show an evident 'ariability in those morphological and dimensional parameters investigated and seem to suggest that the prepar-.ttion of different shapes of blanks to obtain microliths might have occurred in the ambit of economical behaviors. Specifically, these economic choices involve an in vestment in the manufacture ofmicroliths and this is evident in the intensi"e retouch of the tools. position of the so-called hi-truncated bladelets. INTRODUCTION These were included in a group of geometric mi Trapezoids are well known from the Meso croliths known as Divers (Daniel and Yignard, lithic and Early Neolithic technocomplexcs. 1953), and distinct from the trapezes in their ra These geometric implements, produced by double tios of length to breadth (lamelles a deux lronca transverse truncation from laminar blanks, were tures, G.E.E.M .. 1969; jleche tranchante, Bar identified at the end of nineteenth century, when riere, 1956; Escalon de Fonton, 1953; Trapeze G. Chierici ( 1875) and A. de Mortillet ( 1896), de etire, Daniel and Yignard, 1953), or by the or scribed the Trapezes and Rhomboi'des. In the thogonal disposition of both the truncations in re twentieth century, many scholars addressed the spect to the blank axis (Rectangles, lleinzelin de typological definition and classification criteria of Braucourt, 1962; Daniel and Yignard, 1953) and these artifacts (Heinzelin de Braucourt, 1962; were therefore considered as belonging to the Daniel and Vignard, 1953; Barriere, 1956; Boh truncated-pieces category (Tixier, 1963; Laplace, mers and Wouters, 1956; Tixier, 1963; Laplace, 1964a). 1964a; Rozoy, 1967; G.E.E.M., 1969; Hinout, At the end of the nineteenth century the mi 1973; Broglie and Kozlowski, 1983), giving rise croburin method had been identified among the to a more and more detailed spectra of types and lithic complexes (Siret, 1893; Breuil, 1921) and varieties that, in some cases, were obviously was considered implicit in typological classifica linked to the regional context While recent stud tions in the following years (Heinzelin de Brau ies seem to support the morphological distinction court, 1962). Truncation, by contrast, does not re of principal types from the in classifying lithic ar quire systematic blade fragmentation through tifacts, some scientists are at variance about the such a method, since truncation can be produced 84 S. Ferrari & M. Pcrcsani by transverse fractures obtained by means of flex ger Dryas period, excavations of two mountain ion or percussion. sites conducted by the Trento Natural Science Initially classified as points, and successively Museum and the Ferrara University both devoted defined as armatures microlithiques, arrowheads, to investigating human occupation at the preal or projectile points, trapezoids were the subject of pine fringe provided insights. Since the lithic as hypotheses concerning their functional signifi semblages recovered from the extensive excava cance (de Mortillct, 1883; Dechclette. 1924; Frii tion at the Bus de Ia Lum site on the Cansiglio Johanscn, 1919). In the last few decades interest Plateau (Peresani et a!., 1999-2000) and from a in improving traccological analyses and experi test trench at La Cogola Rockshelter on the Car mentation peaked, as did debates on whether bonare Pass (Dalmcri eta/., 1995) yielded tens of these were multifunctional tools, or transverse, trapezoidal pieces, we considered these assem oblique, or piercing arrowheads, with or without blages viable for assessing the general spread of various barbs and edges hafted on projectile this particular type of a1tifact. weapons (Barton, 1992; ance, 1971; Rozoy, As a basis for further research devoted to the 1978 and, recently, uzhnyj, 1989; 1993; 2000). functional significance of trapezoids among the Regard ing these two latter possibilities, the finds late glacial technocomplexes and for the special recovered in European Paleolithic and Mesolithic purposes of thi article, we conducted a large sites like Stellmoor, Holmegaard IV, Loshult, scale re-examination of the evidence reported in Tvaerrnose, Vinkel Mose, and Shikaevka II in the literature about the occurrence of similar western Siberia, provided an essential contribu pieces. Cultural and chronological extra-regional tion to the investigation of hafting methods. Fi affinities, techno-typological features, chronol nally, traccological evidence tends to indicate use ogy, and the environmental contexts of northern in hunting tasks for these pieces (Tringham eta/., Italian implements are presented below and con 1974; Odell , 1978; Lcmorini, 1997; Winiarska sidered in relation with the site settlement system Kabacinska, 1992) but revealed improper use too ofthe eastern Italian Alps. (Odell, 1978). Widespread in Europe from the second half TRAPEZOIDS IN THE LATE of ninth millennia cal. B.C. during Late Mesoli GLACIAL EUROPEAN CULTURES thic, the presence of these geometries among the A broad, preliminary overview of the litera late glacial cultures has always been neglected ture concerning Europe and its neighboring re due to their very low frequency and geographical gions revealed a wide distribution of trapezoids discontinuity. Both the sn1dies of lithic assem from the end of Last Glacial Maximum up to the blages and the detailed fieldwork repo1ts count, beginning of Holocene. By focusing on the sites describe, and classify trapezoids as rare or occa that have been 14C dated or the li thic industries sional pieces but have elicited minimal interest for with undoubted cultural attribution. it is possible a large-scale examination in defining Late Upper to show how the utilization of this implement con Paleolithic cultural phases. cerned both a large temporal interval and geogra In northeastern Italy, few trapezoids have phic area, from the Near East to the Great Euro been recovered during research in the last forty pean Plain. We arbitrarily subdivided the overall years from late glacial Epigravettian sites exca evidence into two main chronological steps, the vated at the foot of the Pre-Alps, or in the moun older one coinciding with the Oldest Dryas inclu tain region (Ferrari, 2000-200 I). Such a scarce ding the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, and number of implements is usually associated with the later one including the late glacial interstadials very rare geometric pieces, like triangles and lu up to the Pleistocene/ Holocene boundary, in order nates, and with the imperceptible appearance of to assess the chronological occurrence of these morphologically defined microburins. This me geometric mjcroliths. thod was systematically adopted at the end of the Epigravettian, when a dramatic increase in the End of the Last Glacial Maximum a nd the frequency ofmicroliths occurred. Concerning the Oldest Dr yas Recent Epigravettian and in particular the Youn- Trapezoids were documented during this pe- Trapezoids and double truncations in the Epigravettian 85 riod in some parts of southern Ew-ope, like the blages (i.e. at La Gare de Couze, layers from G to Balkans, the Italian peninsula, and Crimea, and B, layer C dated to 11.730±3 I 0 B.P.; Bordes, De outside of Europe in the Near East (Syria. Jordan). Sonneville-Bordes, 1979), while in Aquitania, ln the Near East, the Kebaran culture shows a sig some bitruncated pieces were found within the nificant increase in trapezes a dos (Cauvin and Laborien complex (between I 0,350 B.P. and Coqueugniot, 1988; Kaufman, 1988), as well as 9870 B.P. Lc Tensorer, 1981 ). the presence of trapezoids at Umm el Tiel (layer An important area for their occurrence is 6: 16,320:1:200 B.P.; layer 5: 14,650±70 B.P.), El Middle Europe, where Ahresburgian sites pro Kown (Syria), and eve-David (13,400± 150; vided evidence of use for this microlithic imple 12,610±130 B.P.). Northward, in Transcaucasia, ment later on at ca. I 0,320±250, 981 0± I 00 B. P. such implements arc part of the Shan-Koba Cul (Bohmers, I 960; i.e. Stell moor). Complexes from ture that occupies the ecological zone of the Belgium to western Poland show a step of devel northern slopes of Caucasia and Crimea (Ko opment with microliths (Dewez, 1979; Kobusic zlowski, I 977). The data is scarce for the Balkan wicz and Kabacinski, I 992; Ottc, 1983). Peninsula, and only the site of Kadar I in Bosnia, which dates back to the end of the Last Glacial Italy Maximum (TL dates: layer IE/2b, 17,200± I ,400; ln Italy, trapezoids were noted at several Late layer IE/2a, 16,200± I ,050), yielded some pieces. Upper Paleolithic sites in Sicily and along the During this first chronological step, the fre Adriatic and Tyrrenian coastal belts (Fig. l). The quency of trapezoids in assemblages appears oldest evidence was recorded in southern Italy rather uniform, numbering two or three pieces per (Table 1): Sicily, and the Apulian and Latium Re site, except for the Near East assemblages, where gions. Some sites in western Sicily, Nebrodi 1 such occurrences tend to be more important • Mounts, and Egadi Islands (Acqua Fitusa Cave, San Teodoro Cave, Levanzo Cave) show a cul Late glacial interstadials a nd the beginning tural succession that includes a bipartite Late Epi Holocene gravettian, from the Oldest Dryas to the B0lling During the late glacial interstadials and espe chronozones.