Grotta di Castelcivita. Above: Cave location (indicated by white arrow) at the foot of the Alburni massif in the Campania region of southern Italy. Bottom: Excavation trench of Upper Paleolithic layers. Credit: University of Tübingen
An international team of researchers from the universities of Tübingen (Dr. Armando Falcucci), Siena and Bologna analyzed the cultural remains left by groups of early Homo sapiens at the Grotta di Castelcivita in southern Italy, dating to before the great eruption known as the Campanian Ignimbrite.
Originating in the still-active Phlegrean Fields some 40,000 years ago, this explosive event is believed to be the most powerful volcanic eruption ever recorded in the Mediterranean. Crucially, the Grotta di Castelcivita is one of the rare archaeological sites where volcanic ash has sealed a high-resolution archaeological sequence.
Using a suite of cutting-edge methodologies to carefully reconstruct the methods used to make stone tools – the most durable artefacts discovered in prehistoric excavations – researchers have shown that cultural development at Castelcivita preceded both the deposition of volcanic strata and the sub-contemporary cold climate phase known as Heinrich Stadial 4, which lasted about 2 millennia.
Examples of remains of material culture discovered in the uppermost layers of the Grotta di Castelcivita before the final closure of the archaeological sequence by a volcanic eruption. Microbodies (a) were extracted from nuclei (b) that bear the negatives of these removals. In addition to stone tools, over a hundred seashells of various species were collected from the shores of the Mediterranean and were perforated for decorative purposes (c). On the right, one of the microdots is shown on a fingertip. Credit: University of Tübingen
The most notable cultural innovation recorded at the site is the production of miniaturized stone points from rocks collected near the cave with the most suitable fracture properties. These micro-tools were probably intended to be incorporated into multi-component firearms.
The discovery challenges long-held speculation that natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and cooling were major drivers of major changes in the lifeways of hunter-gatherers throughout human prehistory.
The study, published in Scientific reportsinstead, he posits that cultural innovation among early Homo sapiens came from mechanisms of cultural transmission and the establishment of large-scale networks that spread beyond the Alps.
Overall, this research represents a significant step toward understanding how Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherer societies developed sophisticated strategies to thrive in changing environments.
Grotta di Castelcivita is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe, containing a high-resolution stratigraphic sequence with evidence of the replacement of Neanderthals by early Homo sapiens groups around 43,000 years ago.
Excavations and research at this site are carried out with the permission of the Italian Ministry of Culture Prehistory and Anthropology Research Unit, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment of the University of Siena, under the direction of Adriana Moroni.
More information:
Armando Falcucci et al, Technocultural Shift of Pre-Campanian Ignimbrites in the Aurignacian Sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, Southern Italy, Scientific reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59896-6
Provided by the University of Tübingen
Citation: Ancient Volcanic Eruption Not Catalyst for Early Homo Sapiens Cultural Innovations, Scientists Say (2024, July 5) Retrieved July 6, 2024, from https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ancient-volcanic-eruption-catalyst-early .html
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