Raw material provisioning and mobility patterns throughout the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic Transition in NW Tuscany

Project Information

MobiliTy

Grant agreement ID: 101061427

DOI

10.3030/101061427

Project closed

EC signature date 20 July 2022

Start date 1 October 2022

End date 30 September 2024

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 172 750,08

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DI PISA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MobiliTy (Raw material provisioning and mobility patterns throughout the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic Transition in NW Tuscany)

Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The MobiliTy project explores key questions about the transition from Neanderthals to early Homo sapiens, focusing on human mobility and resource utilisation patterns in north-western Tuscany during the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic. Globally, this period, spanning approximately 60,000–40,000 years ago, represents a major cultural and biological shift, as Homo sapiens progressively replaced Neanderthals across Europe. Examining the contrasting behaviours and adaptive strategies of these two species sheds light on human evolution, including technological, social, and cognitive developments that may have contributed to the success of Homo sapiens.
The primary aim of MobiliTy is to analyse stone tools and raw materials to map patterns of mobility and resource procurement, revealing how the landscape influenced ancient human movements. Lithic artefacts, due to their durability, provide valuable indicators of past human behaviour. By identifying and studying the materials used for tool-making, researchers can trace the distances travelled by Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens groups in search of resources, offering insights into their social structures and adaptability.
The project also employs raw material microscopic characterisation analyses to better understand the origins of raw materials. By coupling raw material characterisation with technological analyses of archaeological artefacts, it becomes possible to understand which raw materials were used for specific production purposes and how human groups employed these resources during their movements across the landscape. Through resource characterisation and the examination of potential prehistoric routes, MobiliTy provides a detailed picture of past landscapes and how humans interacted with them in north-western Tuscany. This area is particularly significant as it bridges a geographical gap between the northern and southern sections of the western Italian Peninsula.
Through its interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological, geological, and technological analyses, MobiliTy has the potential to significantly impact heritage conservation strategies, providing a model for future research into ancient human adaptations across Europe. By building a detailed understanding of early human adaptability, MobiliTy also has potential implications for modern studies on resilience and adaptation, informing both cultural heritage management and broader discussions on human-environment interactions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the MobiliTy project, extensive field and laboratory analyses were conducted. Main achievements include the identification of Neanderthal persistence in north-western Tuscany and the application of novel analytical methods, providing new insights into resource strategies and social structures. Field surveys identified raw material outcrops, which were sampled, georeferenced, and analysed to establish the types of siliceous rocks utilised by prehistoric humans. Lithic artefacts from various sites (Buca della Iena, Grotta del Capriolo, Grotta all’Onda, Tecchia d’Equi, and Pontecosi) were meticulously examined to understand production processes through a method called chaine opératoire. Additionally, the archaeological assemblages were analysed using the Raw Material Unit approach, which involves grouping artefacts with similar macroscopic characteristics (such as colour, texture, and inclusions) of the raw material. These two approaches allow researchers to determine which materials were used in each stage of production, from introduction and utilisation to abandonment on site.
Stereomicroscope analysis proved essential for refining the characterisation of raw materials down to the grain and microfossil level, providing insight into the specific types of rocks selected, the distances travelled to acquire them, and the associated production and maintenance techniques.
Radiometric dating was also refined to establish accurate timelines for site occupations. The results indicate that Neanderthals persisted in north-western Tuscany longer than previously documented, with some sites showing evidence of Neanderthal presence close in time to the arrival of Homo sapiens in other parts of the western Italian Peninsula. These findings were reinforced through stratigraphic analysis and palaeoenvironmental data, adding depth to our understanding of the prehistoric landscape. For example, pollen analyses from Buca della Iena reveal a mixed open forest environment, highlighting the ecological conditions in which these groups lived.
Overall, the project has laid crucial groundwork for understanding the resource strategies and mobility patterns of the last Neanderthals and the first Homo sapiens in this region, setting a foundation for future studies on early human adaptation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The MobiliTy project has set a new standard in archaeological studies on early human adaptation by combining petrographic analysis, low-magnification stereomicroscopy, and GIS-based landscape modelling. Unlike previous studies in the region, MobiliTy has developed a geo-referenced database of lithic raw materials in Tuscany, enabling reproducible research in raw material provenance. The refined radiometric dates and palaeoenvironmental data provide one of the most comprehensive timelines for the transition from Neanderthals to Homo sapiens in Italy.
This approach has uncovered previously unknown settlement patterns and resource procurement behaviours. Notably, the project discovered that Neanderthals predominantly occupied coastal plains, while early Homo sapiens, to date, have only been found in the inland Serchio Valley. These findings enhance our understanding of Neanderthal social structures and resilience while providing a comparative framework for the adaptability of Homo sapiens.
To encourage wider application and future research, all datasets and documentation generated adhere to FAIR principles, promoting their use for predictive modelling and further studies on human resilience and environmental adaptation. The project’s geo-referenced database and findings can support predictive modelling, enabling future innovations in archaeological and environmental research, and aiding in site management and conservation practices. To expand the utility of these findings, future support for extending the geo-referenced database across more regions and integrating it with predictive modelling efforts will enable ongoing research in archaeology and environmental conservation.