Fig 6 - uploaded by Margherita Mussi
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— L'entrée de la grotte du Prince avant les fouilles du prince Albert Ier de Monaco (d'après Villeneuve et al.. 1906- 1919). Il est probable que l'accès à la grotte, encore libre dans sa partie interne, ait été malaisé pour les hommes du Paléoli thique supérieur.
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Steatite is a soft, variously coloured and sometimes translucid mineral. It is found in mountainous areas, within metamorphic outcrops, and occasionally as river pebbles. Talcum powder is made by scratching and grinding it. During the Upper Palaeolithic, it was used to make pendants and figurines. Talcum powder was possibly used for tanning hides,...
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Using the recent discovery of the Hohle Fels figurine as a catalyst, in this article we briefly review the history of scholarship regarding Upper Paleolithic figurines that are often referred to as "Venus" figurines. We integrate this review with a critical examination of the assumptions underlying the "Venus hypothesis"-the perspective that these...
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Citations
... Systematic excavation campaigns were coordinated by Antonio Mario Radmilli between 1953 and1956. Numerous valuable specimens, comprising human and faunal remains, included: (i) 436 344 artefacts and more than 45 000 vertebrate bones (43 893 in Alhaique, 1996) referred to as being Final Upper Paleolithic (Radmilli 1953a;1953b;1974); (ii) bones used as tools, with at least 294 engraved remains identified as hares, and wolves, and containing geometric incisions (Marshack, 1968;Ceruleo and Radmilli, 1980;Mussi, 1991;Zampetti, 1991;Mussi and Zampetti, 1993;Venditti et al., 2016;di Maida and Mussi, 2017); and (iii) 79 remains of Homo sapiens, among which 39 were identified as craniodental elements (De Vecchis, 1957;Radmilli, 1974), representing a minimum of 14 individuals, four of which younger than 15 years of age (Radmilli, 1974). ...
... These activities documented the presence of a further archaeological deposit outside the cave, identifying 4400 tools recovered in six stratigraphic units (Rolfo et al., 2015). Despite the richness of the archaeological and paleontological remains, Grotta Polesini was poorly investigated, except for the mobiliary art (Marshack, 1968;Ceruleo and Radmilli, 1980;Mussi, 1991;Zampetti, 1991;Mussi and Zampetti, 1993;Venditti et al., 2016;di Maida and Mussi, 2017). The faunal remains were listed by Radmilli (1974) and generally discussed within the broader Italian context by Sala (1983). ...
... Numerous pebbles, scapulae of animals and flint flakes were decorated with naturalistic incisions or geometric patterns. Some pebbles featured impressive depictions of aurochs (Mussi, 1991), hares (Venditti et al., 2016), wolves (di Maida andMussi, 2017) and stickmen (Ceruleo and Radmilli, 1980). In some cases, finer details were included in the representations, such as the fur of wolves. ...
Grotta Polesini is one of the most famous paleontological and archaeological sites of central Italy, which testifies to its human occupation during the Lateglacial. The site comprises a cave system where systematic excavation campaigns have been carried out since the 1950s. In 1974, 656 mammal remains were collected but never studied. This fossil collection is here described for the first time through taxonomic and stable isotope analyses of the enamel of selected mammal teeth. The aim is to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental and climatic conditions of the site and to offer new information on terrestrial ecosystems during the Lateglacial in central Italy. The faunal assemblage studied herein, in addition to other species reported in previous works, suggests cold climate conditions. We also describe a right radius of an adult individual of Homo sapiens , increasing the human fossil record of the site. Carbon isotope data point to a scenario dominated by C3 plants in open and dry habitats, such as grasslands and steppes, in accordance with the pollen data from central Italy. The oxygen isotope data suggest the use of water resources with a local origin, i.e. local precipitation and surface waters with a provenance from the nearby Apennine chain. The ecology of the taxa influenced the oxygen isotope values, especially in the case of semi‐obligate to non‐obligate drinker species.
... The decoration of faces was done by abrasion, polishing and incision ( fig. 15 B) (M. Mussi, 1991). ...
This article is intended to be a challenge with a view to creating repertories of Palaeolithic pendants,
classified in terms of cultures and the raw material used. Recently, a significant number of Gravettian stone
pendants have been found in Romania, which has prompted us to start this project with precisely this category.
The journal Annales d’Université Valahia Targoviste, Série d’Archéologie et d’Histoire has offered to publish any
study meant to complete this attempt at compiling Palaeolithic pendants, regardless of culture and raw material
used.
... Recently, a team of researchers have had the idea of reassessing the chronology of some representative Unfortunately, the initial archaeological context of these valuable Palaeolithic figurines was largely unknown (M. Mussi, 1991). That is perhaps why, at the time, their authenticity was disputed by many prehistorians, including G. de Mortillet and E. Riviere. ...
A number of Palaeolithic Venus figurines, which have become famous, are actually devoid of any
archaeological context. This aspect is often forgotten and many of them are even considered as representative of
such artefacts. Furthermore, including them mainly in the Gravettian culture has not been justified by any stratigraphic arguments or information related to absolute or cultural dating. In the absence of such evidence, a false postulate has been formulated by attributing them, in an exaggerated manner, to the Gravettian culture. The discovery of the Epigravettian figurine from Piatra Neamț 1, with a cultural stratigraphic context and coherent C14 dates, should trigger a re-evaluation of older finds.
... As in the case of perforated dove shells and red deer atrophic canines mentioned earlier, steatite was also utilized before the Neolithic. It was used during various phases of the Palaeolithic in Italy and France to produce both personal ornaments, such as beads and pendants, and female figurines (Alhaique, Bietti, Cristiani, Castiglioni, & Ferro, 2006;Mussi, 1991;Vanhaeren & d'Errico, 2003). The most extensive use of steatite for the production of adornment objects occurred during the 5th millennium cal. ...
The Early Neolithic is an interesting period for observing the changes that took place in material culture and also in the ideology that influenced the production of personal ornaments. Objects of adornment are useful for understanding how past peoples differentiated themselves on the basis of gender, age, or group affiliation. The Early Neolithic in Italy developed throughout the entire sixth millennium cal. BC, during which the first farming communities settled in the Italian peninsula and islands, with diverse Neolithic groups related to wider-ranging cultural spheres. Early Neolithic ornaments were mainly ring bracelets, manufactured beads and perforated shells or teeth. Through their choice and the raw materials used for their production, individuals and groups emphasized their diverse identities based on shared traditions. Focusing on some of the more significant sites, this article considers similarities and differences in forms and raw materials employed for ornaments by different Early Neolithic groups and how these could have been useful attributes to emphasise identities and in particular the membership of particular social or cultural groups.
... Ces populations proviennent ultimement des steppes eurasiatiques mais se sont surtout dé veloppé es en Europe centrale, puis ont migré vers l'ouest, dont la France et l'Italie. Les statuettes fé minines sché matiques y sont abondantes, comme en Moravie ou en Autriche, et bien particuliè res au Gravettien italien du moins dans la partie septentrionale (Mussi, 1991 ;Fig. 10A et B). ...
... Ces populations proviennent ultimement des steppes eurasiatiques mais se sont surtout dé veloppé es en Europe centrale, puis ont migré vers l'ouest, dont la France et l'Italie. Les statuettes fé minines sché matiques y sont abondantes, comme en Moravie ou en Autriche, et bien particuliè res au Gravettien italien du moins dans la partie septentrionale (Mussi, 1991 ;Fig. 10A et B). ...
... Flint and jasper come from distances of 40-200 km, greatly exceeding the MP ranges. Also steatite, used to carve female figurines during the Gravettian tradition (30-18 ka cal BP), was obtained through faraway contacts (Mussi, 1991). Together with 18 UP burials from the extensive excavations of 1860-1905, these "Venuses" gave the Grimaldi caves great fame and made these caves an important place in the history of Paleolithic research. ...
... En Provence orientale, nous avons pu trouver la même utilisation de la stéatite. Il est vrai qu'un tel matériau est parfait pour réaliser des objets d'art (voir aussi, à ce propos, Bartoli et al., 1977 ;Mussi, 1988Mussi, , 1991White, 2004). D'abord par sa dureté, il se prête très facilement à tout façonnage. ...
La description et l’étude tracéologique de 14 objets en stéatite de tradition gravettienne, provenant de trois sites du Massif de l’Estérel (site de plein air des Gâchettes 1, grotte Rainaude, grotte de la Bouverie), sont proposées dans cet article. Des interprétations technologiques sont fournies sur la base d’observations tracéologiques des surfaces des objets. L’étude de ces objets est particulièrement intéressante en raison des comparaisons possibles avec des objets en stéatite provenant des grottes de Grimaldi.
... Nowadays, no less than 12 Paleolithic sites were inventoried: seven caves (Prince, Baousse da Torre, Barma Grande, Cavillon, Florestan, Enfants, and Costantini), three shelters (Bombrini, Mochi, and Lorenzi) and two open-air sites (Ex-Birreria, Ex-Casino). Although the majority are known for their Upper Paleolithic remains e with their famous Venus and sepultures (Rivi ere, 1887; Mortillet de, 1898;de Villeneuve et al., 1906e1912;Breuil, 1930;Mussi, 1986;Formicola, 1988Formicola, , 1997Mussi, 1991Mussi, , 1995Delporte, 1993;Frayer, 1995;Bolduc et al., 1996;Malerba and Giacobini, 1997;Mussi et al., 1997;Onoratini et al., 1997a,b;White and Bisson, 1998;Henry-Gambier, 2001;Mussi et al., 2004;Henry-Gambier, 2008;Mussi et al., 2008;de Lumley et al., 2011) e each of these sites has Middle Paleolithic deposits with Mousterian evidence. Several papers have been published from the beginning of the 20th century and until recently to discuss this topic, but generally consider individual or a few sites of Balzi Rossi. ...
Balzi Rossi (Grimaldi) is a worldwide famous complex of Paleolithic sites located on the Franco-Italian border (Ventimiglia, Liguria). Especially known for its Upper Paleolithic occupations, each site also contained Middle Paleolithic deposits in which Mousterian evidence were early unearthed. The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology of Monaco conserves a large part of these collections originated from Villeneuve's excavations at the end of the 19th century. This fieldwork based on forward-looking methods and commissioned by Prince Albert the 1st of Monaco involved several caves (Prince, Cavillon, and Enfants) and one shelter (Lorenzi). The few Barma Grande artefacts included were donated later on. Despite the challenges provided by this kind of assemblages, excavated over a century ago and at most composed of two thousands of pieces, it was very important to conduct an exhaustive study on these underestimated or unpublished Mousterian components. Indeed, different approaches evaluated their reliability and yielded new insights on Mousterian context and behaviors in the Balzi Rossi between MIS 5–3 embedded in new results and programs of researches.
... Anche al Riparo Mochi sono state trovate tre piccole perle perforate in steatite, che richiamano nella forma i canini atrofici di cervo (Kuhn & Stiner 1998). Questa varietà di steatite proviene, come i diaspri, dalle formazioni ofiolitiche dell'Appennino ligure orientale ed emiliano; è dunque da escludere una sua provenienza alpina o francese (Mussi 1991). Rostri fossili di belemnite, reperiti nelle locali formazioni del Cretaceo inferiore, tra Monte Grammondo e Col du Berceau (Patrick Simon, com. ...
