The environmental conditions during Tardiglacial human settlement (19,000 – 11,500 years cal BP), in the region of the Eastern Italian Alps began with the Wurmian deglaciation, a process that determined the retreat of the icecaps from the cirques in the Piedmont. The earliest Epigravettian occupations of the Tagliente rock shelter represent the first human settlement at the beginning of the Tardiglacial on the Prealpine fringes (17,000 and 16,000 years cal BP). Human recolonization in the Venetian Prealps is accompanied by the expansion of the forest but seems to be limited at first to valley floors and Prealpine plateaus before expanding, during a second phase, to altitudes above 1,000 m. This reference model is based on the link between the altimetric position and economic and functional orientation of the activities and points to a logistic management of the Alpine territory in the ecotone mountain zone – Alpine prairies. The Early Holocene marks the expansion and the intensification of settlement in the region, with the discovery of several dozen sites attributed to the Sauveterrian. This process of anthropic recolonization of the mountain is characterized by the existence of many transformations in Epigravettian and Sauveterrian societies. From a technical viewpoint, the facial operative scheme appears to be an original Epigravettian feature during the first part of the Alleröd. The facial laminar scheme consists in working the volume over a wide and slightly curved surface and maintaining this architecture throughout production, using direct hard hammer percussion. The blades have a rectilinear profile and a robust configuration and are intended for use without retouch or are transformed into backed knives. Micro-wear analysis points to the use of these objects in keeping with the physical properties (robustness and quality of the cutting edge), mainly for butchery activities and/or cutting soft animal matter. During the Early Sauveterrian, lithic production revolves around two main operative themes. The first and main theme is the production of bladelet blanks (bladelets, bladelet-type flakes, flakes) for making armatures (Sauveterre points, geometric arrow heads). The second is much less frequent and consists of blades. As regards the territorial occupation system of Epigravettian human groups, no clear modification has been identified during the Recent Dryas in north-eastern Italy. However, we observe that the open-air camps near wetlands appear to be more geographically limited, with an absence of spatial organization and less lithic material. They also comprise frequent spatio-temporal segmentation of lithic production sequences. These elements point to increased mobility in the territory from smaller and ephemeral camps.
Peuplement tardiglaciaire et holocène ancien des Préalpes de la Vénétie (Italie nord-orientale) : éléments de confrontation
Rossella DUCHES;Federica FONTANA;Marco PERESANI;Davide VISENTIN
2018
Abstract
The environmental conditions during Tardiglacial human settlement (19,000 – 11,500 years cal BP), in the region of the Eastern Italian Alps began with the Wurmian deglaciation, a process that determined the retreat of the icecaps from the cirques in the Piedmont. The earliest Epigravettian occupations of the Tagliente rock shelter represent the first human settlement at the beginning of the Tardiglacial on the Prealpine fringes (17,000 and 16,000 years cal BP). Human recolonization in the Venetian Prealps is accompanied by the expansion of the forest but seems to be limited at first to valley floors and Prealpine plateaus before expanding, during a second phase, to altitudes above 1,000 m. This reference model is based on the link between the altimetric position and economic and functional orientation of the activities and points to a logistic management of the Alpine territory in the ecotone mountain zone – Alpine prairies. The Early Holocene marks the expansion and the intensification of settlement in the region, with the discovery of several dozen sites attributed to the Sauveterrian. This process of anthropic recolonization of the mountain is characterized by the existence of many transformations in Epigravettian and Sauveterrian societies. From a technical viewpoint, the facial operative scheme appears to be an original Epigravettian feature during the first part of the Alleröd. The facial laminar scheme consists in working the volume over a wide and slightly curved surface and maintaining this architecture throughout production, using direct hard hammer percussion. The blades have a rectilinear profile and a robust configuration and are intended for use without retouch or are transformed into backed knives. Micro-wear analysis points to the use of these objects in keeping with the physical properties (robustness and quality of the cutting edge), mainly for butchery activities and/or cutting soft animal matter. During the Early Sauveterrian, lithic production revolves around two main operative themes. The first and main theme is the production of bladelet blanks (bladelets, bladelet-type flakes, flakes) for making armatures (Sauveterre points, geometric arrow heads). The second is much less frequent and consists of blades. As regards the territorial occupation system of Epigravettian human groups, no clear modification has been identified during the Recent Dryas in north-eastern Italy. However, we observe that the open-air camps near wetlands appear to be more geographically limited, with an absence of spatial organization and less lithic material. They also comprise frequent spatio-temporal segmentation of lithic production sequences. These elements point to increased mobility in the territory from smaller and ephemeral camps.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
