Anthropic Artifacts and Donkey Horseshoe Traces Looking Like Fossil Human Footprints

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A Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017, 277-288. Modena

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Anthropic artifacts and donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints: a case study from the Roccamonfina volcano (central Italy) with implication for human ichnology

Adolfo Panarello, Lisa Santello, Matteo Belvedere & Paolo Mietto

A. Panarello, Laboratorio di Ricerche Storiche e Archeologiche dell’Antichità, Dipartimento di Scienze Umane, Sociali e della Salute, Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale, Via Sant’Angelo SNC, Campus Folcara, I-03043 Cassino (FR), Italy; [email protected]; [email protected] L. Santello, Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, I-35137 Padova, Italy; [email protected] M. Belvedere, Office de la culture, Paléontologie A16, Hôtel des Halles, P.O. Box 64, CH-2900 Porrentruy 2, Switzerland; Museum für Naturkunde Berlin - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] P. Mietto, Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, I-35137 Padova, Italy; [email protected]

KEYWORDS - Human Ichnology, Footprint Formation, Track Preservation, Brown Leucitic Tuff, Roccamonfina Volcano, Central Italy.

ABSTRACT - Fossil footprints of Middle Pleistocene hominids, locally known as “Ciampate del Diavolo”, were discovered in 2001 on the North-Eastern slope of the Roccamonfina volcano (central Italy, municipality of Tora and Piccilli, Caserta). The imprints occur on a surface of Brown Leucitic Tuff (BLT), dated to 349 ± 3 ka. After this discovery, e this tuffaceous formation was investigated in more detail on the North-Eastern, Eastern and South-Eastern side of the Roccamonfina volcano, with the aim of locating other fossil footprints. In 2003 another succession of nine hollows fully compatible with human fossil footprints for stratigraphic position, pattern and dimensional range was found on the same ridge but at a higher level. This second site, known locally as Cantarelle di Carangi, is positioned at a distance of about 1.8 km from the first fossiliferous area (municipality of Marzano Appio, middle-central Italy, Caserta province). Further surveys and archaeological excavations were carried out in the Cantarelle di Carangi site during 2008 to better understand, contextualize and confirm the potential ichnological value of the findings of 2003. Ichnological and stratigraphical analyses, combined with findings during the excavations and historical data, however, tell a different story. What was supposed to be a new ichnosite with Pleistocene fossil footprints, is very likely the result of anthropic digging, erosion made by animals, and weathering. In any case, the discovery shows how careful researchers have to be in interpreting possible fossil footprints, especially in conditions of poorly preserved traces.

RIASSUNTO - [Impronte umane simulate da artefatti e ferri d’asino: un caso-studio dal vulcano di Roccamonfina (Italia centrale) con implicazioni per l’icnologia umana] - Nel 2001, sul versante nord-orientale del vulcano Roccamonfina, nel Comune di Tora e Piccilli (provincia di Caserta, Italia centrale), furono scoperte orme umane fossili del Pleistocene Medio, le quali erano note localmente con il nome di “Ciampate del Diavolo”. Esse sono impresse su una superficie di Tufo Leucitico Bruno (BLT), che è stata datata a 349 ± 3 ka. Dopo questa scoperta la stessa formazione è stata oggetto di indagini accurate sui versanti nord-orientale, meridionale e sud-orientale del vulcano Roccamonfina, con il proposito di individuare altre orme fossili. Nel 2003, sullo stesso crinale ma ad una quota più elevata, è stata trovata un’altra successione di nove cavità completamente compatibili con impronte fossili umane per la loro posizione stratigrafica, per lo schema d’andatura da loro disegnato e per il loro range dimensionale. Questo secondo sito, conosciuto localmente come “Cantarelle” di Carangi (Comune di Marzano Appio, provincia di Caserta, Italia centrale), si trova a circa 1,8 km dal sito delle “Ciampate del Diavolo”. In questo secondo sito, nel corso del 2008 sono state effettuate ulteriori indagini e lavori di pulizia per avere un quadro più chiaro e per contestualizzare e confermare l’eventuale potenziale icnologico delle evidenze ritrovate. Le analisi icnologiche e stratigrafiche, in combinazione con i risultati dei lavori di pulizia del sito e dei dati storici disponibili, tuttavia, raccontano una storia diversa. Quello che doveva essere un nuovo icnosito con impronte fossili del Pleistocene, è molto probabilmente il risultato di scavi antropici e di azioni erosive ad opera di animali e di agenti atmosferici. In ogni caso, la scoperta è di grandissima importanza perché mostra quanto attento dev’essere un ricercatore per evitare di essere ingannato, nel momento in cui interpreta possibili impronte fossili, specialmente quando esse si presentano in un pessimo stato di conservazione. Quello di “Cantarelle” di Carangi è un caso-studio di fondamentale importanza per tutti coloro che si accingono a studiare le impronte fossili di ominidi e animali.

INTRODUCTION both in dimensional range and in pattern data (Fig. 2). Further studies and surveys of the Cantarelle di Carangi In April 2003, during an extended survey along the area were carried out during October and December North-Eastern side of the Roccamonfina volcano, within 2008, attempting to further understand existing data and an area surrounding the Ciampate del Diavolo nearby site search for more new evidence. During these fieldworks (Mietto et al., 2003), a succession of hollows, here called some other track-like depressions, surrounding the “α-trackway”, was noted by one of the authors (AP) and “α-trackway”, were found within the Cantarelle di Carangi local inhabitants of Cantarelle di Carangi. The new site area. However, their poor state of preservation and location is located in the same formation (Brown Leucitic Tuff) within an ancient quarry-zone did not provide evidences and about 1850 m South-East, but at a higher level, than to classify them as actual footprints. The tuff-ground is the Ciampate del Diavolo site (Fig. 1). These depressions strongly weathered and none of the hollows found in 2008, have, at a first glance, a great similarity with the Middle just like the depression of the “α-trackway”, show clear Pleistocene human footprints from the Ciampate del anatomical details or other useful elements to demonstrate Diavolo site (Mietto et al., 2003; Avanzini et al., 2008) that the hollows are actual fossil tracks. This area has

ISSN 0375-7633 doi:10.4435/BSPI.2017.23 278 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

Fig. 1 - General location map for of the studied area. Modified from Santello (2010). been actually exposed to prolonged and uninterrupted in order to find and to highlight objective evidences useful weathering and frequently visited by both quarrymen to distinguish actual fossil human footprints from pseudo- and chestnut farmers with pack animals in historical and tracks even when they are located in the same geological recent times (Fig. 2). formation and they are highly similar. Alignments of hollows and depressions similar to those we managed to survey and analyse are not rare in quarry areas and can be very misleading for scientific GEOLOGICAL SETTING interpretation (Panarello et al., 2017), thus we have selected for study only the potential segment of trackway The studied area lies within an ancient tuff quarry which really appeared as a possible human fossil trail. This known as Cava delle Cantarelle (Cantarelle quarry) trackway, the “α-trackway” (Fig. 2) is preserved in the present on the North-Eastern slope of the Roccamonfina same formation as the Ciampate del Diavolo trackway. volcano, not far from the small village of Carangi 40Ar/39Ar dating on the tuffs cropping out at the Ciampate (Marzano Appio, Caserta). The Roccamonfina is a del Diavolo provided an age of 349 ± 3 ka (Scaillet et Quaternary volcano of central-southern Italy, located al., 2008; Santello, 2010), placing this site in the Middle between the Roman Comagmatic and the Campanian Pleistocene. regions, along the Tyrrhenian margin. The activity of Here we discuss about the importance of a the Roccamonfina began about 630 ka and ended around multidisciplinary approach to the study of human tracks, 53 ka (De Rita & Giordano, 1996) and it is commonly A. Panarello et alii - Donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints 279

Fig. 2 - The Carangi site. a) Photo from the North of the Carangi Site, after the survey campaign in October 2008. The blue arrow indicates the position of the “α-trackway”. b) View of the “α-trackway”, as appeared at the time of its discovery on April 2003. subdivided into three main epochs (Rouchon et al., 2008): Wings (2014). The mesh was then imported in Kitware the first one at 630-385 ka, the second at 385-230 ka, and Paraview to create high resolution depth maps, following the third at 170-53 ka. The Carangi site is preserved on a the procedure of Belvedere et al. (2013). The parameters layer of the Brown Leucitic Tuff, a formation associated of each figured model are shown in Tab. 1, according to to the second eruptive phase (Santello, 2009, 2010). the method suggested by Lockley et al. (2015). The surface on which the potential human ichnites are preserved was dated by 40Ar/39Ar method in the same way as it was done on the neighbouring Ciampate del RESULTS Diavolo site and the result of this dating demonstrate the chronological equivalence of the two surfaces (349 ± 3 ka) “α-trackway” (Mietto et al., 2003; Avanzini et al., 2008; Scaillet et al., Description - Nine aligned depressions interpreted as 2008; Santello, 2010). Furthermore the two surfaces show belonging to a trackway, the “α-trackway” (Fig. 4), have also the same petrography and geochemistry (Santello, been numbered in sequence from West to East from α-1 2010). At Carangi site all eight units of the BLT succession to α-9. The “α-trackway” is narrow and sinuous and is (LS1 to LS8) are documented, whereas at the Ciampate del entirely confined in a deep trough, which, in some parts, Diavolo only six of them occur. Moreover, in the Carangi shows evident metal tool marks. All hollows of the track site, all units are characterized by lithic fragments larger regularly alternate in the left/right positions with respect to and more irregular than at the Ciampate del Diavolo (Fig. a hypothetical medial axis. The length of the best preserved 3). All these data support the hypothesis that the Carangi ones ranges between 20 and 27 cm, and their width ranges site was closer to the volcanic emission point than the from 9.5 to 13 cm. The “α-trackway” is flanked upstream Ciampate del Diavolo site (Santello, 2009, 2010). Some of by a clear break of the tuff-slope created by repeated cuts these units (especially those from LS3 to LS7) are strongly made by unknown quarry men for the extraction of tufa lithified by a zeolitization process. Aggregates of zeolite blocks for building purposes. The “α-trackway” is also minerals (K-chabazite and phillipsite) cemented the matrix flanked downstream by a deep groove (30-40 cm wide and allowing the preservation of ichnites in the BLT formation. 60-80 cm deep), called “donkey trail” (Fig. 5). No one of the hollows of the “α-trackway” shows displacement rims. Starting from the most proximal limit MATERIALS AND METHODS of “α-1”, the trackway develops toward the North-East for a total length of 4.44 m. The “α-trackway” could join The succession of depressions, labelled “α-trackway”, with a short segment of another trough which begins was georeferenced with a Garmin Etrex 10 (accuracy of ± about 10 m away, roughly in the same direction. Such a 3 m) and entirely surveyed by detailed photogrammetry segment descends towards the village of Carangi crossing made by using Canon EOS 550D and Sony NEX 6 cameras. the eastern side of the “Cantarelle” quarry area. The pictures were processed with Agisoft Photoscan Pro The slope of the “α-trackway” is slightly ascending and then scaled to obtain a photogrammetric 3D model in the first 1.80 m from its starting point, then becomes of the surface, following the procedures of Mallison & descending, while the width of the trough varies from 28 280 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

cm (near “α-6” hollow) to 40 cm (near “α-2” and “α-3” hollows). Natural and anthropic alterations of the original tuff formations caused by an intensive and prolonged use of metal tools can be clearly seen everywhere in the inner and outer sidewalls of the “α-trackway” and of the general trough, but they are mainly evident at the upstream edge of the trace “α-2” and on the inner margins of the hollows from α-5 to α-9 (Fig. 6). Anatomical details are not visible, neither in the 3D-scans nor in the high-resolution photogrammetry, thus measurements of the foot morphology could not be carried out. However, considering the straight-line distance between the proximal edge and the distal end of each hollow as a step, we can estimate that the step-length ranges between 44 and 58 cm.

“α-1”, “α-2” and “α-3” hollows (Fig. 7) Description - The “α-1” hollow, though barely visible, is probably the hollow that most resembles the footprint of human left foot. It is 20 cm long and about 9.5 cm wide, and 2 cm deep. Areas of depression within this hollow are apparently localized in positions compatible with those of the heel and the ball of a human left foot, but there are no evidence of the toe. It is worth noting that every depression on the bottom of the “α-1” hollow appears more similar to a break and/or to an exfoliation of the original tuff ground due more to weathering, than to true pressure zones. Besides, each depression is surrounded by some small, randomly located ridges. Finally, there is a discontinuity along its lateral margin and there are no displacement rims. The “α-2”and “α-3” hollows cannot be objectively outlined because of the lack of clearly defined contours. The bottoms of the hollow show the same randomly located breaks and/or exfoliations of the original tuff ground described for the “α-1” hollow.

Remarks - All mentioned features suggest caution in the identification of α“ -1”, “α-2” and “α-3” hollows as true footprints because, although deteriorated, they do not show unequivocal evidence of pressures of human feet on a soft ground. They more truly look like natural/artificial depressions of the surface.

“α-4” hollow (Fig. 8) Description - The “α-4” hollow lies in the position of a right foot. It is sub-rectangular, elongated in the direction of the movement, with a length of 22 cm and a width of 11 cm. The internal shape of the trace, with its regular depressions, vaguely resembles that of the human footprint. The hypothetical forefoot area is sub-circular and is diagonally crossed by the evident mark of a pointed metal tool (possibly a small pick), pointed out by white arrows (Fig. 8c).

Remarks - The supposed hallux, too small compared to the size of the trace, actually is a hole left by a lava clast, enlarged by human activity. It is virtually impossible to refer the rises and the depressions in the middle-hollow to those of a medial arch.

Fig. 3 - Stratigraphical logs and correlations between the Carangi and Ciampate del Diavolo sites. A. Panarello et alii - Donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints 281

FIGURED Number of Camera Image Figure Focal Lenght Error Resolution MODEL images Model Resolution α-Trail Fig. 8 60 Sony NEX-6 3568 x 2368 16 mm 1.07497 pix 0.0021696 m/pix Canon EOS α-1 Fig. 11a 21 5184 x 3456 18-50 mm 0.492722 pix 0.000439314 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-2 Fig. 11b 25 5184 x 3456 18-37 mm 0.525427 pix 0.000454148 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-3 Fig. 11c 13 5184 x 3456 21-35mm 0.510031 pix 0.000399469 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-4 Fig. 12 12 5184 x 3456 18-37 mm 0.401685 pix 0.000483772 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-5 Fig. 13 9 5184 x 3456 18-24 mm 0.586247 pix 0.000497047 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-6 Fig. 14 8 5184 x 3456 18-32 mm 0.326476 pix 0.000481366 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-7 Fig. 15 10 5184 x 3456 18 mm 0.729478 pix 0.00065608 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-8 Fig. 16 8 5184 x 3456 18-27 mm 0.352993 pix 0.00049792 m/pix 550D Canon EOS α-9 Fig. 17 13 5184 x 3456 18-34 mm 0.443513 pix 0.000497332 m/pix 550D Tab. 1 - Parameters of the photogrammetric models.

“α-5” hollow (Fig. 9) chisels and small hoes), and therefore they are quite fully Description - The “α-5” hollow lies in the position of altered by the man-made cutting of the tuff. a left foot, it is sub-rectangular, with a rounded heel, with the walls of the distal part absent, 25 cm long, and 13 cm Remarks - The lateral and medial margins of this wide. No internal details are visible. The sidewalls and trace are clearly rectified through the action of metal the bottom of the depression show striations and holes tools (chisels and/or horseshoes). Moreover, although that can be referred to the use of metal tools (especially it occupies a left position in the general pattern of the

Fig. 4 - The “α-trackway”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). 282 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

Fig. 5 - The groove called “donkey trail” (white arrow) aside the “α-trackway” (black arrow). “α-trackway”, it appears deeper in its medial part and not in the lateral side as one could expect.

“α-6” hollow (Fig. 10) Description - The “α-6” hollow lies in the position of a right foot. It is sub-rectangular, with a rounded heel, 25 cm long and 13 wide. As the previous hollow, also “α-6” is “open” in the distal part. No internal details are visible, but some parallel striae in the proximal part of the depression are clearly visible.

Remarks - The bottom and the sidewalls of this trace show marks by metal tools: the parallel striae are compatible with those left by horseshoe’s crampoons. Moreoever, the right side of its lateral side appears very regular and, although no clear tool-marks are found, it is very likely that it was rectified by human activity.

“α-7” hollow (Fig. 11) Description - The “α-7” hollow lies in the position of a left foot and is a sub-rectangular depression located on the upper edge of the trough, with a very linear left margin. No internal details are visible. The distal limit of the hollow is a big rounded and smoothed lava clast which is still in place and which is followed by a regular slight man-made excavation. The maximum width of this trace is 12 cm and the maximum length is 25 cm. Fig. 6 - Signs left by metal tools. a) Holes left by metal chisels (pointed out by red arrows) in the proximity of track-like hollow “α- Remarks - The left margin of this trace is clearly 9”. b) Linear cut (pointed out by yellow arrows) made by axes along rectified through the action of a metal tool (chisel and/or the upstream side of track-like hollow “α-7”. Scale bar is 10 cm. hoe) and no objective medial margin somehow referable A. Panarello et alii - Donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints 283

Fig. 7 - Details of track-like hollows. a) Zenithal photo of “α-1”. b) Contour-lines of “α-1” (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map of “α-1”. d) Zenithal photo of “α-2”. e) Contour-lines of “α-2” (step: 1 mm). f) Depth map of “α-2”. g) Zenithal photo of “α-3”. h) Contour-lines of “α-3” (step: 1 mm). i) Depth map of “α-3”. Scale bar is 10 cm.

to a left footprint is visible. Finally, the lateral area of the Remarks - The morphology of the hollow looks really hollow is too narrow and elongated to have been created like a human footprint, although the heel-strike zone and by a pressure of a human foot. the hallux impression are no clearly preserved.

“α-8” hollow (Fig. 12) “α-9” hollow (Fig. 13) Description - The “α-8” hollow lies in the position of Description - The “α-9” hollow is the deepest of the a right foot, and it is kidney-shaped with the concavity “α-trackway” and lies in the position of a left foot. This facing its the medial part. The maximum width is 10 cm hollow has a maximum width of 12 cm and a maximum and the maximum length is 25 cm. length of 22 cm. The bottom is corrugated and brownish, 284 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

Fig. 8 - Track-like hollow “α-4”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm.

Fig. 9 - Track-like hollow “α-5”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm.

Fig. 10 - Track-like hollow “α-6”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm. A. Panarello et alii - Donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints 285

Fig. 11 - Track-like hollow “α-7”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm. and looks like smoothed by organic process of alteration. by the fact that both sites are probably located on the The contour-lines and depth map (Fig. 13b-c) show that same stratigraphic layer and by the succession of left the larger number of depressions is located in the medial and right track-like hollows, aligned in a very narrow- part of the hollow, where in a human footprint there is gauge trackway, which reminds an actual succession of the slight rise due to the plantar arch. Two longitudinal footprints. striae are evident on the wide and deep proximal margin: However, the lack of unequivocal morphological they are regular and parallel, with a spacing of six cm. No details within the footprints (e.g., plantar arch or hallux anatomical detail can be observed in the trace, whereas impressions), quite clear in the Ciampate del Diavolo marks left by metallic tools and small areas of breakage site, the lack of displacement rims, and the fact that the are clearly visible, especially on the medial sidewall. “α-trackway” is within a quarry area, provided good insights that the traces might not be fossils, but recent Remarks - Longitudinal striae and bioglyphs produced man-made structures created to ease and to steady the by metallic tools suggest that “α-9” is unlikely a human movements of men and of pack animals. footprint. Thus, these hollows are believed to have formed after the consolidation of the pyroclastic deposit and not necessarily when it was still mild and soft. Moreover, all DISCUSSION preserved structures of “α-trackway” were surrounded by a variety of carved incisions associable to the use of Taking into account the proximity of the “α-trackway” various metal tools, especially picks and hoes (Panarello site to the Ciampate del Diavolo one (Mietto et al., 2003; et al., 2017). The Carangi track-like structures, hence, Avanzini et al., 2008; Baucon et al., 2008, 2012) it was can well be considered as new evidences in the record thought that “α-trackway” could really be a segment of the bioerosional structures with a high potential for of a prehistoric pathway preserving some human fossil future etno-archeological studies of the area (Baucon footprints. This hypothesis was initially supported et al., 2008). Finally, a comparison of the “α-trackway”

Fig. 12 - Track-like hollow “α-8”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm. 286 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

Fig. 13- Track-like hollow “α-9”. a) Zenithal photo. b) Contour-lines (step: 1 mm). c) Depth map. Scale bar is 10 cm. with other similar rock structures located both in Italy hollows “α-6” and “α-9” show two parallel striae in and abroad (Panarello et al., 2017), strongly supports the their proximal border, matching in spacing (they are 6 hypothesis that the “α-trackway” is actually a man-made cm distant) and configuration the crampons of the iron structure, created in historical age, altered by natural horseshoe discovered (Fig. 14). The step lengths of the weathering and by human and animal activity on the site “α-trackway” (range 44-58 cm) are compatible both with (Panarello, 2008; Panarello et al., 2017). A local 80-year those of a human (Kim et al., 2008) or of a donkey. old quarryman (Mario Rivalli), reported that donkey was the unique pack animal used both by quarrymen and by the farmers harvesting in the chestnut groves very common CONCLUSIONS in the surroundings. No surprise, then, that during the excavation and cleaning of the site for the analysis of the In order to come to the conclusion that a hollow on tracks, a donkey horseshoe was found. the ground is a fossil trace, at least some basic conditions This horseshoe is 12.5 cm long and 8.5 cm wide must be verified: 1) the hollow must be found within (Fig. 14a) and provides the first- evidence of the size of an environment in which taphonomic processes of the donkey hooves and of the horseshoes used by local preservation are possible; 2) the hollow must be located people in historical time. The width is very important, on the top-surface of a sedimentary layer; 3) the age of because it is fully consistent with the width of the traces the layer must be chronologically compatible with that of of the “α-trackway”, that range from 9.5 cm, where the the hypothetical trackmaker; 4) displacement rims must be hollows are deeper and the ranpes walls more vertical, visible on the borders of the hollow, to document that the to 13 cm, where they are shallower. In addition, the hollow was caused by the emplacement of a still soft and

Fig. 14 - Comparison between “α-9” and the horsehoe found. a) One of the donkey horseshoes found within Cantarelle di Carangi area. b) Engraved striae on the proximal part of track-like hollow “α-9”. Scale bar is 10 cm. A. Panarello et alii - Donkey horseshoe traces looking like fossil human footprints 287 not lithified surface; 5) anatomical details of the supposed precious help during the survey and the cleaning of the Carangi trackmaker must be visible (Day & Wickens, 1980; Day, area. Moreover, we want to thank Francesco Cortellessa and his 1991; Berge et al., 2006; Bennett et al., 2009, 2010, 2013, son Andrea for having been with one of the authors (A.P.) during 2016; Bromley et al., 2009; Morse et al., 2010; Raichlen the exploration of the places in which the "α-trackway” was found. We acknowledge Rino Panarello and Antonio Paone for their kind et al., 2010; de Lumley et al., 2011; Meldrum et al., 2011; help in well understanding the normal way of progression of a Bates et al., 2013; Bennet & Morse, 2014; Dingwall et al., pack-donkey. Last but not least, we would like to thank Terry Gray 2013; Ashton et al., 2014; Masao et al., 2016; Panarello for the improvement of the English. et al., 2017). Therefore, on the basis of the features of the “α-trackway”, the most logical conclusion is that this track REFERENCES is actually a succession of hollows created by quarrymen and/or chestnut farmers to balance and steady the walking Ashton N., Lewis S.G., De Groote I., Duffy S.M., Bates M., Bates R., Hoare P., Lewis M., Parfitt S.A., Peglar S., Williams C. & of pack animals. The severe weathering and erosion is Stringer C. (2014). Hominin footprints from Early Pleistocene explained by long lasting exposure (probably hundreds deposits at Happisburgh, UK. 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Ar/ Ar radiometric dating applied Baucon A., Privitera S., Morandi Bonacossi D., Canci A., Neto to samples taken from the surface of Carangi gave the age De Carvalho C., Kyriazi E., Laborel J., Laborel-Deguen of 349 ± 3 ka (Santello, 2010), basically equivalent to that F., Morhange C. & Marriner N. (2008). Principles of of the surface of the Ciampate del Diavolo site on which Ichnoarchaeology: new frontiers for studying past times. In true and undisputed human fossil footprints (the so-called Avanzini M. & Petti F. (eds), Italian Ichnology, Studi Trentini Ciampate del Diavolo) are documented. This latter site di Scienze Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 43-72. is located 1.815 km from Carangi site (Santello, 2010) at Baucon A., Bordy E., Brustur T., Buatois L.A., Cunningham T., 296 ± 3 metres a.s.l.; De C., Duffin C., Felletti F., Gaillard F., Hu B., Hu L., Jensen α S., Knaust D., Lockley M., Lowe P., Mayor A., Mayoral E., 2. the gait pattern of the “ -trackway” hollows and Mikula R., Muttoni G., Neto de Carvalho C., Pemberton S.G., their size do not differ from human fossil footprints Pollard J., Rindsberg A.K., Santos A., Seike K., Song H., Turner reported in literature. This is true even if the same human- S., Uchman A., Wang Y., Yi-ming G., Zhang L. & Zhang W. like footprints of the “α-trackway” do not preserve (2012). A History of Ideas in Ichnology, Developments in unquestionable and measurable anatomical details; Sedimentology, 64: 3-43. 3. therefore, ichnological analyses must be Belvedere M., Jalil N.-E., Breda A., Gattolin G., Bourget H., always accompanied by thorough archaeological and Khaldoune F. & Dyke G.J. (2013). Vertebrate footprints from sedimentological analyses, and integrated also with the Kem Kem beds (Morocco): A novel ichnological approach local historical studies of the human activities in the area to faunal reconstruction. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 383-384: 52-58. (Panarello et al., 2017). Bennett M.R., Falkingham P., Morse S.A., Bates K. & Crompton R.H. (2013). Preserving the Impossible: Conservation of Soft- Sediment Hominin Footprint Sites and Strategies for Three- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dimensional Digital Data Capture. Plos One, 8: e60755. Bennett M.R., Gonzalez S., Huddart D., Kirby J. & Toole E. (2010). This work is a contribution to the call for papers arising from Probable Neolithic footprints preserved in inter-tidal peat at the Fourth International Congress on Ichnology “Ichnia 2016 - Kenfig, South Wales (UK). Proceedings of the Geologists’ Ichnology for the 21st century: (palaeo)biological traces towards Association, 121: 66-76. sustainable development”, held in Idanha-a-Nova (Portugal), 6-9 Bennett M.R., Harris J.W.K., Richmond B.G., Braun D.R., Mbua E., May 2016. Kiura P., Olago D., Kibunja M., Omuombo C., Behrensmeyer We thank Bruno De Santis (Mayor of Marzano Appio in 2008) A.K., Huddart D. & Gonzalez S. (2009). Early hominin foot and the local authorities of the City of Marzano Appio, of the “Parco morphology based on 1,5-million-year-old footprints from Regionale Roccamonfina-Foce del Garigliano”, the “Soprintendenza Ileret, Kenya. Science, 323: 1197-1201. Archeologica per le Province di Salerno, Benevento, Avellino e Bennett M.R. & Morse S.A (2014). Human footprints: fossilised Caserta” and Aldo Integlia, owner of the “Cantarelle” area, for locomotion?. 216 pp. Springer, Cham, Heidelberg, New York, their support and their permission to survey and study the examined Dordrecht, London. sites. We sincerely thank Domenico Campanile (member in 2008 Bennett M.R., Reynolds S.C., Morse S.A. & Budka M. (2016). of “Parco Regionale “Roccamonfina-Foce del Garigliano”) and Footprints and human evolution: Homeostasis in foot function? all the inhabitants of the Carangi village (especially Mario Rivalli Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 461: and his daughter Elisabetta) for their friendly encouragement, 214-223. their valuable support and their kind willingness in giving us all Berge C., Penin X. & Pellé È. (2006). New interpretation of Laetoli the necessary information about the examined pathway and about footprints using an experimental approach and Procrustes the recent evolution of the “Cantarelle” quarry area. We would like analysis: Preliminary results. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 5: also to acknowledge Marco Avanzini, Marco De Angelis, Gennaro 561-569. Farinaro, Fabio Petti, Stefano Castelli, Armando Carlone, Antonio Bromley R.G., Milàn J., Uchman A. & Steen Hansen K. (2009). D’Andreta, Dante Grillo, Enrico Vitale and Fulvio Salzillo for their Rheotactic Macaronichnus, and human and cattle trackways in 288 Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (2), 2017

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