Buca della Iena and Grotta del Capriolo: new chronological, lithic, and faunal analyses of two late Mousterian sites in Central Italy

Abstract

New radiocarbon, lithic, faunal, and documentary analyses of two sites, Buca della Iena and Grotta del Capriolo, excavated in the 1970s, enhance our understanding of late Neanderthal settlement in the northwestern Italian peninsula and provide insights into their demise. Reassessment of stratigraphical and fieldwork documentation identified areas of stratigraphic reliability, supporting robust interpretations. Radiocarbon dating reveals broadly contemporaneous occupations at both sites between 50–40 ka cal BP, with Buca della Iena showing occupation from approximately 47 to 42.5 ka cal BP. Lithic analyses demonstrate the consistent application of the same chaîne opératoire across both sites. Faunal analyses indicate that carnivores, particularly Crocuta spelaea, were the dominant accumulating agents in Buca della Iena, while limited preservation at Grotta del Capriolo prevents detailed taxonomic determination. However, hominin presence at both sites is evidenced by cut-marked bones. This study provides new perspectives on the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition in the northwestern Italian peninsula.