The Open Aurignacian Project. Volume 3: Grotta della Cala in southern Italy
- 1. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
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2.
University of Siena
Description
Overview
This repository houses a comprehensive dataset comprising high-resolution 3D meshes of lithic artifacts (n = 420) and bone tools (n = 3). Lithics include cores, blanks (e.g., blades, bladelets, and flakes), and retouched tools recovered from the Aurignacian sequence at Grotta della Cala (40.00108243N, 015.38095416E) in Marina di Camerota, Salerno, Campania, southern Italy (Benini et al., 1997). The artifacts derive from four excavation spits (AU13–AU10), all attributed to the Early Aurignacian (Falcucci et al., in preparation).
Grotta della Cala has been redated recently by Higham et al. (2024) using radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. These methods have refined the chronological boundaries between the preceding Uluzzian layer and the Early Aurignacian. Notably, OSL dating from spit AU12 (X7042, 38,390–34,682 cal BP at 68.3% probability) and radiocarbon dating from spit AU10 (OxA-35601, 38,840–37,637 cal BP at 68.3% probability) suggest that the Aurignacian sequence was deposited after 40,000 years ago, following the Campanian Ignimbrite volcanic super-eruption (Giaccio et al., 2017). This sequence is of paramount importance for understanding biocultural processes occurring after this major volcanic event and during Heinrich Stadial 4.
The 3D scanning of lithic artifacts was performed using an Artec Space Spider (n = 369) and an Artec Micro (n = 51), both from Artec Inc. Scanning followed standardized best practices for lithic digitization (Falcucci, 2022; Göldner et al., 2022), ensuring precise capture of artifact details, even for small bladelets. This dataset is part of the Open Aurignacian Project, dedicated to promoting collaborative research in lithic technology and advancing Open Science principles in archaeology (Marwick et al., 2017).
Description of the dataset
Dataset Description
This repository includes 3D meshes in PLY format of lithic artifacts and bone tools. They are organized as follows:
Lithics:
Cala_3D_Meshes.zip: A compressed folder containing 3D meshes of lithics in PLY format.Cala_3D_Dataset.csv: A metadata CSV file with detailed attributes for each artifact.
Each artifact has been assigned a unique identifier in the format "Ca" followed by a sequential number, allowing for cross-referencing with techno-typological data presented in related publications.
The CSV file includes the following metadata attributes:
- ID: Unique identifier for each artifact (e.g., "Ca_1").
- Scanner: Identifies the scanner used (Artec Space Spider or Artec Micro).
- Spit: Stratigraphic origin, limited to Early Aurignacian layers (AU13–AU10).
- Raw_material: Categorization by raw material (e.g., chert, jasper, limestone, quartzite).
- Class: Broad artifact class (e.g., blank, core, core-tool, tool).
- Blank: Detailed blank classification (blade, bladelet, flake, other, undetermined).
- Technology: Technological classification (e.g., initialization, maintenance, optimal, semi-cortical, other).
- Cortex: Estimated percentage of cortex coverage (0%, 1–33%, 33–66%, 66–99%, 100%).
- Preservation: Breakage classification for blanks (e.g., complete, distal, mesial, proximal, undetermined). For cores and most core-tools, preservation is marked as "other" due to undetermined breakage.
- Volume: Artifact volume in cubic millimeters.
- Surface: Artifact area in square millimeters.
- Length, Width, Thickness: Maximum linear dimensions in millimeters based on technological orientation.
- Core_classification: Technological categories for cores and core-tools (e.g., bipolar, carinated, platform cores including multi-platform, narrow-sided, semi-circumferential, and core shatters).
Bone Tools:
Ca_3D_Bone_Tools.zip: A compressed folder containing 3D models of bone tools identified in the Aurignacian spits. This includes two antler Split-Based Points (Ca_SBP_8a, Ca_SBP_8b) and one bone awl (Ca_Awl_8c). The alphanumeric codes (8a, 8b, and 8c) correspond to the figures in the associated publication (Falcucci et al., in preparation).
Research and Usage Notes
Users are encouraged to consult the GitHub repository associated with the main publication on the Aurignacian sequence at Grotta della Cala for further techno-typological data and analytical resources. This dataset is intended to foster open collaboration and reproducibility in lithic analysis, aligning with best practices in archaeological research.
Licensing and Citation
Please cite this repository and related publications when using this dataset in your research. Licensing details and citation formats are provided in the repository documentation.
References
Benini A., Boscato P. & Gambassini P. (1997) Grotta della Cala (Salerno): industrie litiche e faune uluzziane ed aurignaziane. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, 48: 37-95.
Falcucci A. (2022) MicroStone: Exploring the capabilities of the Artec Micro in scanning stone tools. protocols.io. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.81wgb6781lpk/v1
Giaccio B., Hajdas I., Isaia R., Deino A. & Nomade S. (2017) High-precision 14C and 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Campanian Ignimbrite (Y-5) reconciles the time-scales of climatic-cultural processes at 40 ka. Scientific Reports, 7: 45940. doi:10.1038/srep45940
Göldner D., Karakostis F.A. & Falcucci A. (2022) Practical and technical aspects for the 3D scanning of lithic artefacts using micro-computed tomography techniques and laser light scanners for subsequent geometric morphometric analysis. Introducing the StyroStone protocol. PLoS One, 17: e0267163. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0267163
Higham T., Frouin M., Douka K., Ronchitelli A., Boscato P., Benazzi S., Crezzini J., Spagnolo V., McCarty M., Marciani G., Falcucci A., Rossini M., Arrighi S., Dominici C., Devièse T., Schwenninger J.-L., Martini I., Moroni A. & Boschin F. (2024) Chronometric data and stratigraphic evidence support discontinuity between Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens in the Italian Peninsula. Nature Communications,15: 8016. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51546-9
Marwick B., d’Alpoim Guedes J., Barton C.M., Bates L.A., Baxter M., Bevan A., Bollwerk E.A., Bocinsky R.K., Brughmans T., Carter A.K., Conrad C., Contreras D.A., Costa S., Crema E.R., Daggett A., Davies B., Drake B.L., Dye T.S., France P., Fullagar R., Giusti D., Graham S., Harris M.D., Hawks J., Heath S., Huffer D., Kansa E.C., Kansa S.W., Madsen M.E., Melcher J., Negre J., Neiman F.D., Opitz R., Orton D.C., Przstupa P., Raviele M., Riel-Savatore J., Riris P., Romanowska I., Smith J., Strupler N., Ullah I.I., Van Vlack H.G., VanValkenburgh N., Watrall E.C., Webster C., Wells J., Winters J. & Wren C.D. (2017) Open science in archaeology. SAA Archaeological Record, 17: 8-14. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/3D6XX
Notes
Funding statement and acknowledgements
Research and fieldwork at Grotta della Cala are coordinated by Adriana Moroni of the University of Siena. The digitization of lithic artifacts received support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under grant agreement no. 431809858, with the project titled "Investigating Early Upper Paleolithic Technological Variability and Cultural Dynamics South of the Alps", awarded to Armando Falcucci. Access to scanning instrumentation was provided by the Department of Geosciences, Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology working group at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.
We extend our heartfelt remembrance to Paolo Gambassini, whose dedication and professionalism made this study possible. Our gratitude goes to the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino for their permissions and ongoing support of the decades-long research conducted by the University of Siena at Grotta della Cala. We are also thankful to the researchers and students who have actively contributed to the excavations at Grotta della Cala over the years. Finally, we acknowledge the Municipality of Camerota, particularly Mayor Dr. Mario Salvatore Scarpitta and Councillor for Culture Dr. Teresa Esposito, for their logistical support. Ongoing research at Grotta della Cala is conducted under the permission of MiC (MIC|MIC_DG-ABAP_SERV II|30/09/2021|0032649-P| [34.61.07/1.14.1/2019]).