The journey into Paglicci Cave
by Prof. Annamaria Ronchitelli

 

It was way back on 22 September 1971 when, at the end of the annual excavation season, Arturo Palma di Cesnola, Franco Mezzena and Paolo Gambassini discovered, on the roof of layer 22, gravettian (dating back some 30,000 years) in the Paglicci Cave

a human skull pertaining to the burial of a teenage girl. In November of the same year the burial was completely unearthed and recovered

 

 

 

 

 

 

During this work, the hip and humerus of another burial, positioned orthogonally to the first, at roughly the same level, were grazed. But still under about 6m of archaeological deposit.
Almost twenty years were needed to reach this second inhumation, excavating from the layers above, down through the Epigravettian and Gravettian deposits. The skeleton skimmed in 1971, a young woman who also lived in the Gravettian period but lived somewhat later, was finally reached in 1988-89.

Both burials had grave goods, many ornaments, were sprinkled with ochre and constitute one of the finds that have made Paglicci an internationally important Palaeolithic site.

Paglicci Cave

“The Paglicci Cave sequence is formidable – as Palma di Cesnola said in an interview – there are no words to define it. A twelve-metre sequence that contained everything from the Lower Palaeolithic to the end of the Upper Palaeolithic …I spent 30 years excavating this fabulous cave”.

 

In fact, Arturo Palma di Cesnola conducted his research, in collaboration with Franco Mezzena, in the years 1971-2001, and in 2002 Annamaria Ronchitelli, both from the University of Siena, took over as scientific director, always under the aegis of the local Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio.

Research history and main findings

The Paglicci cave discovered by Raffaello Battaglia in 1955, it was initially investigated by Francesco Zorzi on behalf of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona in 1961-63, in collaboration with Palma di Cesnola and Franco Mezzena then students.

Early years of research interrupted prematurely by Zorzi’s death, but rewarded by important discoveries. These included a partial burial (lower limbs and pelvic fragments), a probably intentional deposit of ‘relics,

both dating from the Final Epigravettian, around 17,000 years ago, and some artistic engravings on bone or stone with animal subjects, usually aurochs (wild oxen), horses and deer, and birds from the Evolved Epigravettian, around 18,000 years ago.

And, extraordinary in Italy for their uniqueness that persists to this day, the Palaeolithic wall paintings found in the innermost room of the cave, hands and horses possibly the work of the Gravettians.

The structure of the cave

Grotta Paglicci is in fact part of a karstic system that includes: the external area, once called “il Riparo” (the Shelter), actually an ancient hall frequented during the Middle Palaeolithic period whose vault has since collapsed;

 

 

 

 

 

 

the cave of the Pillars; the current entrance hall of the cave, where the main excavation area is located, two other intermediate halls and finally, at the bottom, the hall and apse with the paintings.

Returning to the research

no less exceptional were the findings from the Palma di Cesnola excavations. These include other engraved movable art objects, one of which is from the Gravettian period, dating back some 28,000 years,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the hind leg of a horse painted on a fragment of a limestone slab that has probably collapsed from the vault of the present first room, where it may have formed a frieze (Early Epigravettian, c. 19,000 years ago),

the engraved boulders at the entrance (Evolved Epigravettian, ca 18,000 years ago),

 

 

 

 

 

the two burials mentioned above (photo Burial PAII and Burial PAIII). Also hearths, bone plans,

ornamental objects (such as intentionally drilled teeth and shells, lithic industry and abundant meal remains.

All this in 30 years

four weeks in autumn, year after year, down 12 m, taking a few cm of soil at a time, following the succession of stratigraphic levels, over a small area, bucket by bucket,

each to be sieved with 1.5 cm mesh dry and in water; consolidate, survey and photographic documentation;

 

and then pick out the material washed with tweezers, sorting flints, mammal bones and teeth, micromammal bones and teeth, charcoal, ornaments, all labelled, bagged and sent to the various workshops.

Dozens and dozens of students and enthusiasts have succeeded one another over this long period of time, in exciting but sometimes monotonous and tiring work. To all of them goes our warmest gratitude, knowing full well how low and heavy the ground is, for making the research at this amazing site possible.

 

WE ENTER…

What is Grotta Paglicci?

 

is one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in Europe. This archaeological site was identified by Dr. Michele Bramante (owner of the agricultural land where it is located) who was the first to point it out.

Following the interest of various universities and museum organisations, several excavation campaigns were carried out in the 1960s (directed by F. Zorzi, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona), with the support and solidarity of the property owner, and then the extensive research by the University of Siena began. In particular, excavations were directed for many years by Prof. Arturo Palma di Cesnola (1971-2001) and, more recently, by Prof. Annamaria Ronchitelli (2002-2006).

Thousands of artefacts have been found inside the cave. These include lithic industries, faunal remains, human remains and movable art objects (bones and stones decorated with engravings). In addition, there is the only example of Palaeolithic wall paintings known to date in Italy.

Two Palaeolithic burials have also been found, under the direction of Prof. Palma di Cesnola, dating back to around 30,000 years ago (a girl about 12-13 years old and a woman about 25 years old, both with rich grave goods) that are among the oldest in Europe.

The importance of the Paglicci Cave

is underlined not only by the artistic finds, but also by the recent studies carried out by the team of Prof. Annamaria Ronchitelli and Prof. Francesco Boschin, who have identified and catalogued the remains of the oldest domestic dog to have lived in Italy (dating back between 14,000 and 20,000 years), as well as a pestle from around 32,000 years ago with starch granules that shed light on the vegetable component of the diet of the time.

Some of the human remains, which have been studied from a genetic point of view, have made important contributions to our knowledge of how ancient European sapiens populations spread.

Historical background

 

The Paglicci Cave has had a troubled life, due to both geo-environmental events and inconsiderate human intervention. In fact, the karstic composition and geographical position, in full exposure on a valley, and the seismic events that abound in the area, have exposed the cave to erosion and landslide phenomena.

Added to this is the human factor linked to local myths and traditions. In fact, it was believed that a local brigand, a certain Gabriele Galardi nicknamed ‘Jalarde’, had hidden his treasure in this cave. For this reason, some treasure hunters carried out disastrous excavations at the site. They even carried out demolitions with explosives, destroying part of the deposit and encouraging landslides.

The Paglicci cave was only saved thanks to the stubborn and obstinate defence by the owners and the interest of Prof. Raffaello Battaglia of the University of Padua, the palethnologist Francesco Zorzi (director of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Verona) with his collaborator Franco Mezzena, who made the first discoveries and identified the wall paintings, the geologist Angelo Pasa, and Prof. Fiorenzo Mancini of the University of Florence.

It reached its current notoriety thanks to the systematic research of Prof. Arturo Palma di Cesnola of the University of Siena and, more recently, Prof. Annamaria Ronchitelli of the same University.

We enter the cave

 

At the mouth of the present entrance, on the upper left wall, there are engravings in the form of deep indentations and straight or curved lines, possibly stylised figures of symbolic value. They date back to around 18,000 years ago.

Two steps and we are in the first room, the ‘atrium’:

is the site of systematic excavations that began in 1961 and have revealed (so far) a stratigraphy of 12 metres (levels 1-30).

It is thanks to this stratigraphic sequence that Paglicci is recognised as one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in Europe. Above the Middle Palaeolithic levels, the series covers the entire Upper Palaeolithic time span, allowing us to reconstruct the climatic and cultural evolution of 30,000 years of practically uninterrupted Prehistory.

MIDDLE PALAEOLITHIC

Layers 30-29:

these are the oldest, investigated very marginally, and correspond to levels 4-3 of the survey in the outer area, an ancient hall now open to the sky: we are around 250-200 thousand years ago, within the early phase of the Middle Palaeolithic, the era of Neanderthal Man. The fauna of these latter levels indicates an arid continental climate and a steppe landscape, transitioning at the top to grassland.
The lithic industry fits into the Acheulean technocomplex, and is characterised by the production of small tools alongside some bifaces.

The bifacial is, we might say, the most popular Palaeolithic tool in the collective imagination: it is rather large, retouched on both faces to obtain a shape generally almond-shaped (‘amygdala’ from the Greek) with lateral shears, a point and a part suitable for gripping opposite the point. In Apulia, the discovery of bifaces is frequent, especially in the Gargano area, in surface collections.

Layers 28-26:

correspond to level 2 of the exterior. We are still in the ancient phase of the Middle Palaeolithic, about 150,000 years ago. The chemism of the soil destroyed much of the fauna and even the stones. From the few identifiable remains, we can assume a wet temperate period. Lithic production changed and aimed at obtaining rather large and thick chips, with retouching repeated several times on the same piece, perhaps to resharpen the cutting edge as it wore down (the so-called Quina retouch from the French site of the same name).

Layer 25:

barren, probably connectable to layer 1 of the outer survey, when the ceiling of the hall collapses, human frequentation becomes sporadic and it is rather the hyena that establishes its lair among the boulders.

UPPER PALAEOLITHIC

Layer 24:

after an abandonment of around 100,000 years, man returned to the cave 40,000 years ago: now it is groups of Homo sapiens who will continue to establish their temporary camps until 13,000 years ago.
The oldest techno-complex is the Aurignacian: the climate is dry temperate, the lithic industry is characterised by the production of lamellae, which can be marginally retouched and are straight in the lower levels, ‘crooked’ in the upper levels. A bone awl is present.

Layers 23-18B:

constitute the Gravettian series, a complex that developed between 30-25 thousand years ago and evolved in three phases (ancient, evolved and final). The climate is overall colder than the present day, sometimes intensely cold, emphasised by the presence of the marmot (evolved phase, layers 21-20) and the prevalence, among ungulates, of ibex and horses.

Layers 20 to 21:

The lithic production is characterised by the deep-backed points, which were placed in series on shafts to form a composite arrow used in hunting activity: the use of a bow or propeller is therefore probable.

On the other hand, other artefacts were used in domestic activities, both lithic and bone, the latter consisting of points/points made mainly from horse bones.

Layer 23:

From these levels come truly exceptional finds (in chronological order):
in the ancient phase, a sandstone millstone that has preserved some starches, including wild oats, a rare testimony to the harvesting and food use of vegetables, transformed into flour;

Layers 22 to 21:

at the ancient/evolved phase transition, two burials, of an adolescent girl (12-13 years old) the oldest (PAII, roof layer 22), of a young woman (18-20 years old) the most recent (PAIII, base layer 21A). Both are sprinkled with ochre with artefacts and ornaments;

Layer 20:

in the evolved phase, the oldest piece of movable art on the site, an aurochs femur on which is engraved the profile of an ibex overlaid with a series of geometric features and motifs (Layer 20C).

Layer 18A-3:

these are the strata of the Epigravettian, also subdivided into three phases (ancient-evolved-final) datable between 25-13 thousand years ago. The climate, still cold in the first two phases, turns temperate in the final phase, with the appearance, among ungulates, of forest species such as deer and wild boar.
The lithic industry sees, in the ancient phase, the presence of deep-backed points with a cran to facilitate the insertion of the shaft.

In the later phases, this element disappears, and the backs gradually tend to become microlithic with the appearance of geometric shapes (half-moons, triangles). In the industry on bone, thin Gravettian awls (next figure on the left) are rarefied, spear points appear (next figure on the right) and, only in the early phase, artefacts in stagstones.

These levels are also characterised by the exceptional nature of the finds:
In the ancient (and later) phase, dog remains have been found, among the oldest in Europe, demonstrating an early domestication of the wolf: the dog, this precious friend, has thus been our faithful companion for 20,000 years!

Layer 14:

A limestone slab with, painted, the rear train of a running horse belongs to this phase (layer 14); it presumably collapsed from the ceiling where the entire figure may have been part of a frieze that has unfortunately been lost. It is surprising how the style and chronology (around 19,000 years) coincide with those of some paintings in the famous Lascaux cave in France.

Layers 8 to 9:

From layers 9-8 (dating from around 18,000 years ago) of the evolved phase come a number of movable artworks, animal subjects, but also geometric motifs, engraved on bone, pebble or stone. Aurochs heads, as well as birds and naturalistic ‘pictures’ (a nest undermined by a snake).

The hunting scene depicting a horse, flanked prospectively by two deer, fleeing pursued by a swarm of soaring arrows is remarkable; the liveliness and dynamism of this scene contrasts with the depiction, on another support, of a horse struck by darts and dying.

 

Works of art, although rarer, were found in the final phase. Of certain importance is the discovery of a partial burial (lower part of the body), which unfortunately took place during the first years of excavation and is undocumented (layer 5base, dating to around 15,000 years ago). Also from the same layer is a limestone slab on which rested two humeruses belonging to two individuals of different ages: a kind of shrine suggesting a sort of ‘relic’ collection.

Here, this amazing series comes to an end due to the collapse of part of the ceiling that prevented human groups from entering the cave until fairly recent times.

From the atrium, continuing the tour, one can descend, by crawling through a low passage, to Room 1 and, via a tunnel artificially dug into the deposit by the underground, to Room 2, both of which have sporadic traces of Palaeolithic frequentation and are in communication with each other through a narrow passage.

Room 1 is accessed from room 3, the hall of paintings, via a narrow, artificially excavated corner corridor: originally, the fill reached about 30 cm from the ceiling, effectively obstructing the entrance to the hall of paintings.

The currently clearly visible paintings, located at the back of the cave in a room that, as mentioned, is not easily accessible, include two horses, one of which is upright, and a series of hands.

Their great importance lies in being the ONLY proven example of Palaeolithic wall paintings in Italy and in their antiquity: they probably date back to the Gravettian period.
Here, with the exceptional encounter with the symbolic world of these ancestral peoples, our visit to Grotta Paglicci comes to an end. All that remains is for us to go back and see the light of day again…

 

The Cave is located in the locality of Paglicci, in the municipality of Rignano Garganico in the province of Foggia.

This archaeological area is very delicate and under study. It cannot be visited physically, but it is possible to see part of the finds and its appearance in the Municipality of Rignano Gargano at Paglicci Palaeolithic Museum. In the rooms of the Museum, the evolution of Man is narrated through an original layout in which it is possible to immerse oneself in the environments of the past with the use of 3D reconstructions and video projections. With the help of tablets you can listen to audio contributions and observe drawings and reconstructions.

Contacts
info@grotta-paglicci.it