Marmotta Neolithic site. New analysis about lithic tools

These days we returned to the Pigoniri Museum to continue our work with the materials of the Marmotta site. In this case, the team members were Niccolo Mazzucco (use-wear analysis), Denis Guibaud (lithic knapping technology), Caroline Hamon (morphology, technology and use-wear of macro-tools related to grinding, and elaboration of polished instruments), Marta Portillo (phytoliths analysis), Alba Masclans (morphology, technology and use-wear of polished axes and adzes) and Gerard Remolins (GIS and recovery of graphical information). All under the direction and supervision of Mario Mineo.
We also had the opportunity to visit Lake Bracciano -where the site is located- and to celebrate the super-team that we have in the Marmotta, which is getting bigger every day!

In recent months we have incorporated the aforementioned Denis Guibaud, as well as Eva Birgitta Andersson Strand and Christina Margariti (Copenhaguen University) to work with the tools and remains linked to the textile production

Strontium isotopic analyses to characterise mobility at "La Marmotta"

We started sampling for strontium isotopic analyses to characterise mobility at La Marmotta. We did a pilot study on the first excavated materials – chemically consolidated – and the more recent ones (not chemically consolidated) to check if consolidated tooth enamel preserved the original strontium signature. These studies will be key to assess the use of chemically consolidated teeth in strontium isotopic studies and, in a second stage, to provide insights in the Neolitisation process in the Mediterranean (Silvia Valenzuela and Ariadna Nieto)

Pottery and food remains analysis in neolithic site of "La Marmotta" (Italy)

Recently, we have begun to study the first sample of pottery vessels of La Marmotta archaeological site. The objective is to evaluate its function and the possible conservation of residues. Also, we have begun to work on the analysis of food remains.

This work has been carried out in the Pigorini Museum thanks to the collaboration of Amaia Arranz, Miriam Cubas, Julien Vieugue and Izaro Quevedo. This is a study carried out within the framework of two projects coordinated by Mario Mineo, Juan F. Gibaja and Niccolo Mazzucco:

- "La difusión del neolítico en el Mediterráneo centro-occidental: agricultura, innovaciones tecnológicas y carbono 14" . Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Programa I+D (HAR2016-75201-P)
- "Expansión y desarrollo del neolítico en el Mediterráneo central: tecnología y producción de alimentos en el asentamiento lacustre de La Marmotta (Roma, Italia)" Proyectos Intramurales para Arqueología en el Exterior (201818008). Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidad / CSIC.

MAY 14th 2019: "Knowing the complex Neolithic societies: ‘La Marmotta’ a village on the shores of Lake Bracciano (Roma, Italy)"

Next TALK at University of Copenhagen - Centre for Textile Research 

MAY 14th 2019

Knowing the complex Neolithic societies: ‘La Marmotta’ a village on the shores of Lake Bracciano (Roma, Italy)

A lecture by:
Mario Mineo (Museo delle civiltà –MPE L. Pigorini)
Niccolò Mazzucco (Spanish National Research Council, IMF-CSIC)
Juan F. Gibaja (Spanish National Research Council, IMF-CSIC)

The lakeshore settlement of ‘La Marmotta’ represents some of the earliest evidence for seafaring farmers in Italy (ca. 5690-5250 cal BC) and one of the earliest wetland sites of the entire Central Mediterranean Basin. The site is unique for the richness and variety of organic materials preserved (i.e. fragments of textile and textile tools, foodstuff, wood and plant crafts, house remains, pirogues, etc.), especially if compared with the rest of Early Neolithic sites in the Italian Peninsula. Nevertheless, for a number of reasons, the site is still not integrated within the debate on the Neolithization process. We have currently started a research project to analyze the complex society of La Marmotta. This has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of many specialists from numerous international institutions.

Talking About Harvesting Techniques... Changes and Innovations at Neolithic Times

Today we have been giving a talk on our projects on Neolithic Harvesting Techniques 

(NEO-INNOVA, ÉXODO, QUANT) - ASD-CSIC / MSCA-IF

http://www.asd-csic.es/research/ongoing-projects/the-spread-of-the-neolithic-in-the-central-western-mediterranean-agriculture-technological-innovations-and-14c/

https://www.asd-csic.es/research/ongoing-projects/quant/

https://niccomazzucco.wixsite.com/quant

Thanks to all that attended the talk!

The new project in the Neolithic site of La Marmotta (Roma, Italia).

Back to Barcelona after spending an incredible and intense week studying the Neolithic site of La Marmotta and showing its wonders to the companions of the EEAHR (CSIC's research institution in Rome).

The first days Millán Mozota worked in 3D photogrammetry and Gerard Remolins invested his time in the recovery and reconstruction of all the graphical & spatial information (physical & digital) of the excavated archaeological deposits.

Later, they were joined by Niccolò Mazzucco and Juan F. Gibaja, who together with Mario Mineo, met to evaluate studies to be carried out, organizational strategies, proposals for papers, etc.
On Wednesday we were visited by colleagues from the EEAHR who came to learn about the site and the work we are doing. It was a wonderful afternoon in which we were able share experiences and surprises with each of the objects we saw from La Marmotta.

On Thursday they invited us to give a lecture at their headquarters. A very nice place where we explained La Marmotta site, the recent project that we have obtained and the research team recruited for such works.

We thank Mario Mineo for his kindness and collaboration, also the National Museum L. Pigorini to open its doors and of course the colleagues from Rome's CSIC, and especially to EEAHR director's, José Ramón Urquijo and its vice-director, Antonio Pizzo, for their involvement in this project, which allowed us to have accommodation at their residence and of course to give the aforementioned lecture.

We will meet soon with other specialists with whom we will work more materials from La Marmotta: Miriam Cubas, Amaia Arranz and Julien Vieugue.

Project: Expansión y desarrollo del neolítico en el Mediterráneo central: tecnología y producción de alimentos en el asentamiento lacustre de La Marmotta (Roma, Italia). 
Proyectos Intramurales para Arqueología en el Exterior (201818008). 
Funding: CSIC and Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

Sickles tools in south of France...

Recently, two of us (Bernard Gassin and Juan F. Gibaja) travelled through the south of France. Our aim was to analyze the lithic instruments of several emblematic sites of the Early Neolithic: Jean Cros, Grotte Gazel, Leucate, Font Juvenal and Baume de Ronze.

We spent three intense days of work in Carcassonne, Toulouse and Narbonne.

Next year we will return to the south of France to work with other archaeological deposits. We want to get an accurate view of the sickles of the first agricultural communities that came to this territory.

We thank the curators of the museums and research centres we have visited. We want to give special thanks to Professor Jean Guilaine, Elsa Defranould, Marion Audoly, Aurélie Devos, Sylvie Philibert and Claire Manen for their help and kindness.

 Toulouse

Narbonne

 lithic tool from Jean Cros 

  Geometrics from Grotte Gazel 

Bernard Gassion working in Carcassonne 

Participation in the 24th EAA Annual Meeting held in Barcelona

This week we have participated with several presentations at the 24th EAA Annual Meeting (Barcelona)

The presentation were:

- THE SPREAD OF CROP HARVESTING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: A VIEW FROM THE SOUTHERN BALKANS
Mazzucco, Niccolo; Gibaja, Juan Francisco; Conolly, James; Naumov, Goce; Fidanoski, Ljubo

- THE DIFFUSION OF NEOLITHIC HARVESTING TOOLS INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA, DEMIC DIFFUSION OR CULTURAL INNOVATION?
Capuzzo, Giacomo; Mazzucco, Niccolò; Ibañez, Juan José; Gibaja, Juan Francisco

- A SPARK IN THE DARK. ‘LA MARMOTTA’ LAKESHORE VILLAGE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE IMPRESSED WARE NEOLITHIC
Mineo, Mario; Mazzucco, Niccolo; Gibaja, Juan F.; Mozota, M.; Gassin, B.

We show some pictures of the presentation A SPARK IN THE DARK. ‘LA MARMOTTA’ LAKESHORE VILLAGE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE IMPRESSED WARE NEOLITHIC
Mario Mineo and Niccolo Mazzucco. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Conference around the use-wear Analysis

We have recently participated in the International Archaeological Campus in Bedmar (Andalusia, Spain).

We have explained the methodology we use to analyze the use of lithic instruments. Among the examples of sites studied, we explain our project around the analysis of the Neolithic sickles tools in the Mediterranean area

We want to thank Marco Antonio Bernal for his invitation and the archaeologists for their kindness

Analysis of Neolithic sickles from northern Greece

At the end of June, we travelled to Thessaloniki to analyze several Neolithic sites in northern Greece. Thanks to professors Kostas Kotsakis and Maria Pappa we were able to study the deposits of Paliambela, Thermi and Kyparissi. 

To know more about the work of these two researchers, we invite you to consult their profiles in Academia.edu: 

https://culture.academia.edu/MariaPappa

https://auth.academia.edu/KostasKotsakis

The results have been superb and we hope to publish them in the near future.

We want to thank them for their collaboration, as well as the staff of the laboratories where we were working, and especially Angeliki Kita, for the help.

In the coming months, we will return to Greek lands to continue studying new deposits.

Niccolò Mazzucco and Angeliki Kita