A peculiar exploitation of ungulates at Grotta di Santa Croce: bone grease rendering and nutritional patterns among Neanderthals in southern Italy

ABSTRACT

Evidence acquired in the past years highlighted the high complexity of Neanderthal subsistence strategies in terms of the spectrum of exploited species (mammals, birds, aquatic resources). However, in many sites diet was mainly focused on the acquisition and processing of large and medium-sized ungulates. In these cases, the evaluation of killing profiles and skeletal frequencies has allowed to highlight behavioural variability among Mousterian populations living in different geographical areas. In the frame of these studies, zooarchaeology and taphonomy of the Middle Palaeolithic phases (MIS 4/MIS 3) from the external deposit of Grotta di Santa Croce (Apulia, southern Italy) are presented in this paper. Faunal assemblage is almost exclusively composed of horse and aurochs remains. The sample, which is not altered by carnivore activities, mainly consists of intensively fractured limb bone shafts and isolated teeth. Epiphyses, tarsal/carpal bones, and phalanges are quite rare, as well as unidentified spongy bone fragments. Analysis of tooth eruption and wear points to the exploitation of adult individuals, rather than juveniles and sub-adults. Body part profiles, as well as mortality ones point to a specific hunting behaviour that may reflect particular nutritional needs. The hypothesis of an intense exploitation of fats is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Middle Palaeolithic
• bone grease
• hunting selection
• nutritional pattern
• southern Italy

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Gruppo Scout of Bisceglie, the Municipality of Bisceglie and the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Barletta-Andria-Trani e Foggia for supporting research at Grotta di Santa Croce.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.