Mobility and social identity in the Mid Upper Paleolithic: New personal ornaments from Poiana Cireșului (Piatra Neamț, Romania)

Abstract

Most of the Paleolithic art and ornaments discovered in Romania come from the site of Poiana Cireșului. Four Paleolithic layers have been studied at this site—the oldest one belongs to the Early Gravettian period between 30 ka and 31 ka BP. The ornaments discovered in this layer include perforated shells from three species of mollusks: freshwater Lithoglyphus naticoide and Lithoglyphus apertus as well as Homalopoma sanguineum (an exclusively Mediterranean species). Poiana Cireșului is one of the very few Gravettian sites where perforated Homalopoma sanguineum shells were found, and the importance of this discovery is stressed even more by the very long distance between the site and the nearest source located over 900 km away. This find suggests the connection of communities here with the Mediterranean area as well as a possible movement of populations from the south of the continent to the east of the Carpathians with significant implications in understanding human group mobility and the origin of the Early Gravettian in this area. Furthermore, Poiana Cireșului is the only Gravettian settlement where Lithoglyphus naticoides shells were used. The unique association of perforated shells—not found in any other Gravettian settlement—contributes to the identity of the Paleolithic community of Poiana Cireșului through their ornaments.

Personal Ornaments in the Mid Upper Palaeolithic East of the Carpathians

“…The ornaments discovered in the third Gravettian layer (26/27 ka uncal. BP) at Poiana Cireșului are completely different from those found in the first level and include an association of perforated shells not found in any other Gravettian settlement (Nițu et al, 2019). The perforated shells come from three species of molluscs: freshwater Lithoglyphus naticoide and Lithoglyphus apertus as well as Homalopoma sanguineum (an exclusively Mediterranean species).…”

“…Ornaments made of shells of the (Taborin 1993a, b;d'Errico, Jardón-Giner, Soler-Mayor 1993;d'Errico et al 2005;Avezuela 2010) and after the experiments we have made (Cârciumaru, Țuțuianu-Cârciumaru 2012 ;Nițu et al 2019), it has been concluded that all the Lithoglyphus shells of Poiana Cireșului were perforated from the inside by pressure exerted with an antler or hardwood sharp point inserted through the aperture after the shell had been fastened to a fixed blank. The position of the orifice on the last whorl of the shell was chosen so as not to endanger the resistance of that specimen, on the one hand, and to ensure an efficient hanging, so that the centre of gravity should determine a relatively similar position for all items and, finally yet importantly, answer the aesthetic requirements intended.…”

“…Administratively, the settlement is part of the city of Piatra Neamț, Neamț County. The settlement deposit has been investigated in several stages, but systematic archaeological excavations were carried out since 1998 (Cârciumaru et al 2002(Cârciumaru et al -20032007;2007-20082012), showing the exceptional potential of this settlement for defining the cultural aspects of the Upper Paleolithic in the Bistrița valley and Eastern Carpathians (Cârciumaru, Nițu 2018;Cârciumaru et al 2016;2018;Nițu et al 2019). The following cultural sequence has been identified: -layer 1, Epigravettian (over 1,500 lithic items), located in the upper part of the deposit, around 50 cm depth; -layer 2, Gravettian (numbered Gravettian I), which is found between 170 and 210 cm depth and has been dated several times, being placed between 19,320 ± 80 B.…”

“…The Poiana Cireșului-Piatra Neamț settlement has provided almost all the art objects (94%, N=82) and over 85% (N=64) of the ornaments found in the Romanian Mid Upper Palaeolithic (Cârciumaru, Nițu 2018 ;Cârciumaru et al 2018 ;Nițu et al 2019). Most of them were discovered in archaeological campaigns carried out in the last 6 years (2013-2018).…”

“…4, A, n° 1-41) and 3 of Lithoglyphus apertus ( fig. 4, A, n° 42-44) were recovered from the Gravettian III layer (Cârciumaru, Țuțuianu-Cârciumaru 2012;Nițu et al 2019). Ten specimens of L. naticoides found in 2004 and two others recovered in 2006 were considered to be part of the same necklace or bracelet as they were concentrated in a small area.…”