Mauro Rubini , Paola Zaio , Alessandro Gozzi , Nunzia Libianchi , Luciano Bruni , Ferdinando Spanò , Claudio Di Biasi , Ivana Fiore , Margherita Mussi , Flavio Altamura
{"title":"Funerary practices and post-mortem manipulations by the early Holocene hunter-gatherers of Riparo Blanc (Mount Circeo, central Italy)","authors":"Mauro Rubini , Paola Zaio , Alessandro Gozzi , Nunzia Libianchi , Luciano Bruni , Ferdinando Spanò , Claudio Di Biasi , Ivana Fiore , Margherita Mussi , Flavio Altamura","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105077","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Riparo Blanc is a rockshelter of Mount Circeo on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy. It was first excavated in the sixties of last century without attracting much scientific attention, even if it was one of the first radiocarbon-dated sites of Italy and also provided ample evidence of the early use of marine resources. Overall, the chronology of the site was not well understood at this pioneering stage, and while part of the record was recognized as Mesolithic, the remaining one was believed to be of later prehistoric and historic times. This included sparse human remains as well as a rather well preserved burial. New excavations in 2016–2019, and new radiocarbon dates, established a detailed stratigraphic sequence and chronology, reassessing Riparo Blanc as a major burial site of the early Holocene. We provide detailed information on the remains of a minimum of 7 individuals (5 adults and 2 infants). While complete/incomplete primary burials are recorded, the taphonomical investigation of the disarticulated sparse remains leads to hypothesize either secondary burials, or rituals and possibly even cannibalism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article 105077"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X25001099","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"0","JCRName":"ARCHAEOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Riparo Blanc is a rockshelter of Mount Circeo on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy. It was first excavated in the sixties of last century without attracting much scientific attention, even if it was one of the first radiocarbon-dated sites of Italy and also provided ample evidence of the early use of marine resources. Overall, the chronology of the site was not well understood at this pioneering stage, and while part of the record was recognized as Mesolithic, the remaining one was believed to be of later prehistoric and historic times. This included sparse human remains as well as a rather well preserved burial. New excavations in 2016–2019, and new radiocarbon dates, established a detailed stratigraphic sequence and chronology, reassessing Riparo Blanc as a major burial site of the early Holocene. We provide detailed information on the remains of a minimum of 7 individuals (5 adults and 2 infants). While complete/incomplete primary burials are recorded, the taphonomical investigation of the disarticulated sparse remains leads to hypothesize either secondary burials, or rituals and possibly even cannibalism.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports is aimed at archaeologists and scientists engaged with the application of scientific techniques and methodologies to all areas of archaeology. The journal focuses on the results of the application of scientific methods to archaeological problems and debates. It will provide a forum for reviews and scientific debate of issues in scientific archaeology and their impact in the wider subject. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports will publish papers of excellent archaeological science, with regional or wider interest. This will include case studies, reviews and short papers where an established scientific technique sheds light on archaeological questions and debates.