Neandertals on the beach: Use of marine resources at Grotta dei Moscerini (Latium, Italy)

Abstract

Excavated in 1949, Grotta dei Moscerini, dated MIS 5 to early MIS 4, is one of two Italian Neandertal sites with a large assemblage of retouched shells (n = 171) from 21 layers. The other occurrence is from the broadly contemporaneous layer L of Grotta del Cavallo in southern Italy (n = 126). Eight other Mousterian sites in Italy and one in Greece also have shell tools but in a very small number. The shell tools are made on valves of the smooth clam Callista chione. The general idea that the valves of Callista chione were collected by Neandertals on the beach after the death of the mollusk is incomplete. At Moscerini 23.9% of the specimens were gathered directly from the sea floor as live animals by skin diving Neandertals. Archaeological data from sites in Italy, France and Spain confirm that shell fishing and fresh water fishing was a common activity of Neandertals, as indicated by anatomical studies recently published by E. Trinkaus. Lithic analysis provides data to show the relation between stone tools and shell tools. Several layers contain pumices derived from volcanic eruptions in the Ischia Island or the Campi Flegrei (prior to the Campanian Ignimbrite mega-eruption). Their rounded edges indicate that they were transported by sea currents to the beach at the base of the Moscerini sequence. Their presence in the occupation layers above the beach is discussed. The most plausible hypothesis is that they were collected by Neandertals. Incontrovertible evidence that Neandertals collected pumices is provided by a cave in Liguria. Use of pumices as abraders is well documented in the Upper Paleolithic. We prove that the exploitation of submerged aquatic resources and the collection of pumices common in the Upper Paleolithic were part of Neandertal behavior well before the arrival of modern humans in Western Europe.

Fig 1. Map showing the location of Grotta dei Moscerini (41°14’21.01” N; 13°28’42.16” E), Grotta del Fossellone (41°13’26.29” N; 13°04’50.53” E) and Grotta di Sant’Agostino (41°14’01” N; 13°30’13.08” E).

Fig 2

(A) Plan view of Grotta dei Moscerini. (B) Cross-sectional view of the cave with estimated extent of cultural deposits prior to the Holocene sea rise. The numbers correspond to layers in Fig 3. Drawing by Sylvain Soriano based on field drawings by the late Aldo Segre.

Fig 3. Stratigraphic section of the main excavation area at Grotta dei Moscerini.

Numbers to the left are meters below datum, numbers in smaller font are layers. Red shading indicates all layers with the retouched shells described in the present paper. Blue shading corresponds to layers of which the lithic industry was analyzed by us. The grey dots mark layers that contained one or more pumices. Based on Segre’s observations, layer 16, layers 35–36 and especially layer 44 contained pumices but we did not find these pumices in the material stored at Anagni. Drawing by Sylvain Soriano based on field drawings and information provided by Aldo Segre, courtesy of Aldo Segre.

Fig 4

(A-B) Glycymeris; (C-D) Callista chione; (E) internal face of Callista chione; (F) internal face of Glycymeris. A-D photos by Carlo Smriglio. E-F photos courtesy of Barbara Wilkens (permission in S4 File).

Fig 5

Variations of density of lithic artifacts per layer (in blue) at Moscerini cave in the main excavation compared to the number of retouched shells per layer (in orange). Lithic pieces with broad provenience (layers 1–5, N = 4; layers 12–17, N = 36) where not included here. The internal test pit (layers Int 1. to Int. 4) is excluded from the analysis since the size of its excavated surface is unknown.

Fig 6

(A, B) Modern left valve of Callista chione: (A) external (dorsal) surface; (B) internal (ventral) surface. Glossary of valve parts as in [24]. (C) no. PV7, fragment of a right valve with umbo and hinge, retouch on external face affected by dissolution. This is a beached specimen. (D) no. 3, left valve, retouched fragment of distal fringe. Two slightly abraded serpulid calcareous tubes are encrusted on the internal face. Serpulid worms generally attach themselves to the outer valve; the presence of remnants of the worm protective tube indicates that the bivalve died at sea and the shell was later beached. (E) FIB (Focused Ion Beam) image of a well preserved serpulid tube, on Moscerini no. 185 layer 24, a specimen gathered from the sea floor; (F) FIB image of an abraded serpulid tube, on Moscerini no. 153 layer 21, beached specimen. Both images courtesy of Carlo Smriglio and Andrea di Giulio. The photographs were taken at the LIME (Interdepartmental Laboratory of Electron Microscopy) of Roma Tre University with a Dualbeam FIB/SEM-Helios Nanolab (FEI Company, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Scale bar of C and D = 1 cm.

Fig 7

Specimens of Callista chione some gathered from the sea floor (A, B, D) and some washed up on the beach (C, E). (A) No.74, unretouched umbo. The unabraded and shiny surface indicates that the bivalve was gathered from the sea floor. (B) No. 16, left valve, the break to the right is posterior to the retouch but the retouched edge is complete; note the shiny dorsal surface. Pits are post-depositional, not borings due to marine organisms because they are present also in retouched areas; (C) No. 33, the retouched edge is broken on the left side, the internal and external surfaces have an opaque, chalky appearance with dissolution indicating that the shell was washed up and collected on the beach. (D) no. 14, mesial part of a right valve covered with postdepositional concretions and a retouched edge broken on the right side but the break is prior to retouch; the unabraded and shiny dorsal surface shows that the shell was gathered from the sea floor. (E) No. 24, left valve with an intact portion of the fringe to the right, the left side is broken but the fracture is prior to the retouch; the eroded band following the growth lines and the opaque external surface indicate a beached specimen. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Fig 8. General morphology of retouched shell tools, Figs C-L are from the Pigorini Museum.

(A) No. 13, almost complete small shell preserving the umbo and the hinge. The retouched edge is on the dorsal face, a rare occurrence. (B) No.73, almost complete shell preserving the umbo and the hinge; burnt after retouch. (C) No. 106182, the retouched edge is complete. (D) No. 106190 with three complete retouched edges. (E) No. 106192 the edge is complete. (F) No. 106183 the retouched edge is complete, burnt after retouch. (G, H, I, K) Nos. 106189, 106184, 106185, 106185 the retouched edge is complete. (J, L) Nos. 106188, 106195 the breaks at the base do not affect the retouch. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Fig 9

(A and C) Nos. 139 and 106191 burnt after retouching. (B) No. 136, left valve with retouch on distal fringe, the left side is broken. (D) No. 134, the retouched edge is intact; the lateral breaks precede the retouch. (E). No. 20, a very small denticulate, 17 mm long with retouch on the external face. This is one of a kind. (F) No. 106014, flint scraper from level 14, with an edge comparable to the fan-shaped edges of retouched shells. Note however that this is really a side scraper on a flake; the symbol indicates the position of a cortical butt and the debitage direction. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Fig 10. Pumices from layers 19, 20, 21, 22, 37.

(A) layer 19 no. 1; (B) layer 20 no. 6; (C) layer 21 no. 19; (D,E,H,I) layer 22 nos. 37,38,26, and no number; (F-G) layer 20 no. 5; (J) layer 37 no number. Scale of A-H = 1 cm; scale of I, J = 5 cm.

Fig 11. Whole pumices from layers Interno 1c, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30 and fragments from layer 21, 29 and Interno 3.

(A) Interno 1c, no number; (B) layer 21 no. 16; (C) layer 21 no. 18; (D) layer 21 no. 17; (E) layer 22 no. 25; (F) layer 22 no. 27; (G) layer 22 no. 39; (H) layer 23 no. 11; (I) layer 23 no. 8; (J) layer 23 no. 12; (K) layer 25 no. 4; (L) layer Interno 4A; (M) layer 23 no. 13; (N) layer 30 no. 7; (O) layer 24 no. 21; (P) three fragments from layer 21; (Q) three fragments from Interno 3; (R) fragment from layer 29. Scale = 1 cm.

Fig 12

Total alkali (Na₂O + K₂O) vs silica (SiO₂) diagram [(TAS), 67] illustrating the composition of glasses in the Moscerini cave pumice, recalculated on an anhydrous basis. Data of glasses in the Ischia pumice are reported for comparison.

Fig 13. Map of location of the Santa Lucia cave.

Fig 14

(A-B) Pumice from Santa Lucia cave (Toirano, Liguria, Italy). The white circle on A marks the area of the microscope photo in C showing the porous texture of the pumice. (D) Plan of the Santa Lucia cave, the arrow indicates the excavation area.

Fig 15. Total alkali vs silica diagram (TAS) for the Santa Lucia cave pumice and trachyte/phonolite rocks from the Campi Flegrei and the island of Ischia that have both Sr < 100 μg/g and Ba < 200 μg/g.

For literature data on Campi Flegrei see [–77]; on the island of Ischia see [–79].