189 research outputs found
The Balzi Rossi geocultural site (Liguro-Provençal Coast, Nw Italy) – An iconic example to discuss the connection between geoscience and cultural heritage
No full textGeocultural sites are locations where the connection between human history and geo-features is meaningful. In areas currently divided by national boundaries, it is crucial to determine how the landscape influenced the settlement of past human populations. The Balzi Rossi geosite is a longlasting investigated archaeological area including caves, rock shelters, and open-air archaeological sites located along the Liguro-Provençal Coast, in the Italian territory, not far from the border with France. Therein, a stratigraphic record preserving more than 200 ky of human exploitation of natural resources and response to north-western Mediterranean sea-level fluctuations and climate change is preserved. Local archaeological evidence encompasses the occupational phases of the Neanderthal population and the appearance of Homo sapiens, thus attributing to the Balzi Rossi cliff a very high scientific value. The SPHeritage Project is aimed at deepening interdisciplinary investigations, towards the sustainable
promotion of local geocultural heritage in collaboration with community leaders and stakeholders. In this contribution, we discuss the results of a survey performed among an international team of
scientists involved in the research project to assess the scientific and cultural value of the site. Additionally, the outcomes of a World Cafè initiative that involved local community leaders and stakeholders confirm the uniqueness of the Balzi Rossi site and its high potential of promotion. Such activities highlight the possibility of reinforcing the connection between geocultural sites spread along the Liguro-Provençal Coast through the planning of outdoor paths and multimedia activities based on innovative tools. These proposals may improve the territorial governance and strengthen the ‘sense of place’ in local population
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An assessment of puberty status in adolescents from the European Upper Paleolithic
No full textChildhood and adolescence are two life history stages that are either unique to humans, or significantly expanded in the human life course relative to other primates. While recent studies have deepened our knowledge of childhood in the Upper Paleolithic, adolescence in this period remains understudied. Here, we use bioarchaeological maturational markers to estimate puberty status of 13 Upper Paleolithic adolescents from sites in Russia, Czechia, and Italy to: 1) evaluate the feasibility of the application of bioarchaeological puberty assessment methods to Upper Paleolithic (Homo sapiens) skeletal individuals, 2) estimate the timing and tempo of puberty in Upper Paleolithic adolescents compared to other archaeological populations analyzed using the same method, and 3) characterize adolescence in the Upper Paleolithic by contextualizing the results of this puberty assessment with data on individual and population-level health, morbidity and burial practices. Our results revealed that while puberty had begun by 11–14 years of age for the majority of individuals, there was a lot of variability, with the adolescents from Arene Candide (AC1 and AC16), both aged around 16 years when they died, taking several years longer to progress through puberty than their peers. Assessing the age of menarche was challenging due to the paucity of female adolescents, but based on the available evidence, appears to have occurred between 16 and 17 years of age. For some, full adulthood had been achieved by 17–22 years, similar to the patterns seen in modern wealthy countries, and in advance of historic populations living in urbanized environments. The bioarchaeological analysis of puberty among Upper Paleolithic adolescents has important implications for the study of the emergence of adolescence within human life histories, as well as for understanding the developmental plasticity of sexual maturation across past and present human populations
A geoarchaeological review of Balzi Rossi, Italy: A crossroad of Palaeolithic populations in the northwest Mediterranean
No full textThe Balzi Rossi archaeological complex (comprised of caves, rock shelters, and open-air sites) is a globally significant site for Palaeolithic culture and understanding the transition from Neanderthal to Anatomically Modern Human populations in Europe. It also retains some of the earliest evidence of human interactions with their coastal environment. Balzi Rossi has been subject to excavation for over 150 years - traditionally as individual site locations - with most deposits removed when the discipline of archaeology was nascent, and the science not yet developed. The consequence was the unfortunate loss of materials and critically important stratigraphic context. However, valuable information regarding the Palaeolithic population, their coastal environment, and earlier sea-level change, remains in the literature and in museum repositories. In this work we have compiled and reviewed the extensive resources, available largely in French and Italian, to provide a summary and catalogue for each individual site. These "Site Summaries" are available as appendices to this review, which provides a comprehensive synopsis of the history of excavations conducted at Balzi Rossi, a reconstruction of stratigraphy where possible, the evidence of Palaeolithic occupations, the evidence of Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations, and an assessment of the chronological constraint available for both the Palaeolithic populations and sea level. Finally, this synopsis identifies gaps in knowledge and provides comments on pathways for future research, suggesting a consilient approach that can be applied in other archaeological contexts
A geoarchaeological review of Balzi Rossi, Italy: A crossroad of Palaeolithic populations in the northwest Mediterranean
No full textThe Balzi Rossi archaeological complex (comprised of caves, rock shelters, and open-air sites) is a globally significant site for Palaeolithic culture and understanding the transition from Neanderthal to Anatomically Modern Human populations in Europe. It also retains some of the earliest evidence of human interactions with their coastal environment. Balzi Rossi has been subject to excavation for over 150 years – traditionally as individual site locations – with most deposits removed when the discipline of archaeology was nascent, and the science not yet developed. The consequence was the unfortunate loss of materials and critically important
stratigraphic context. However, valuable information regarding the Palaeolithic population, their coastal environment, and earlier sea-level change, remains in the literature and in museum repositories. In this work we have compiled and reviewed the extensive resources, available largely in French and Italian, to provide a summary and catalogue for each individual site. These ‘Site Summaries’ are available as appendices to this review, which provides a comprehensive synopsis of the history of excavations conducted at Balzi Rossi, a reconstruction of
stratigraphy where possible, the evidence of Palaeolithic occupations, the evidence of Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations, and an assessment of the chronological constraint available for both the Palaeolithic populations and sea level. Finally, this synopsis identifies gaps in knowledge and provides comments on pathways for future research, suggesting a consilient approach that can be applied in other archaeological contexts
Description du mobilier lithique collecté. Rapport de prospection inventaire diachronique, années 2015– Société du Pays Fertois, La Ferté-Bernard (Sarthe, France)
No full textEvaluating watershed service availability under future management and climate change scenarios in the Pangani Basin
No full textWatershed services are the benefits people obtain from the flow of water through a watershed. While demand for such services is increasing in most parts of the world, supply is getting more insecure due to human impacts on ecosystems such as climate or land use change. Population and water management authorities therefore require information on the potential availability of watershed services in the future and the trade-offs involved.
In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is used to model watershed service availability for future management and climate change scenarios in the East African Pangani Basin. In order to quantify actual “benefits”, SWAT2005 was slightly modified, calibrated and configured at the required spatial and temporal resolution so that simulated water resources and processes could be characterized based on their valuation by stakeholders and their accessibility. The calibrated model was then used to evaluate three management and three climate scenarios.
The results show that by the year 2025, not primarily the physical availability of water, but access to water resources and efficiency of use represent the greatest challenges. Water to cover basic human needs is available at least 95% of time but must be made accessible to the population through investments in distribution infrastructure. Concerning the trade-off between agricultural use and hydropower production, there is virtually no potential for an increase in hydropower even if it is given priority. Agriculture will necessarily expand spatially as a result of population growth, and can even benefit from higher irrigation water availability per area unit, given improved irrigation efficiency and enforced regulation to ensure equitable distribution of available water. The decline in services from natural terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. charcoal, food), due to the expansion of agriculture, increases the vulnerability of residents who depend on such services mostly in times of drought. The expected impacts of climate change may contribute to an increase or decrease in watershed service availability, but are only marginal and much lower than management impacts up to the year 2025
Description du mobilier lithique collecté. Rapport de prospection inventaire diachronique, années 2015– Société du Pays Fertois, La Ferté-Bernard (Sarthe, France)
No full textAperçu techno-typologique de l'industrie lithique du secteur II, niveau 3a, d'Isernia La Pineta (Molise, Italie)
No full textPrésentation du petit outillage lithique du niveau 3c du site Paléolithique inférieur d'Isernia La Pineta (Molise, Italie)
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