The Open Aurignacian Project. Volume 1: Fumane Cave in northeastern Italy
2022-03-18

<strong>Overview:</strong> This repository contains a large dataset of 3D meshes of lithic artifacts (n = 732) from the early and late Protoaurignacian units (A2, A1, D3d base, D3d, D3b alpha, and D3b) at Fumane Cave in northeastern Italy (Bartolomei<em> et al.</em>, 1992). At Fumane, the Protoaurignacian stratigraphic sequence spans from about 41 to 37 ky cal BP (Higham<em> et al.</em>, 2009) and several studies have focused on the lithic technology (Bertola<em> et al.</em>, 2013; Broglio<em> et al.</em>, 2005; Falcucci<em> et al.</em>, 2017; Falcucci, 2018; Falcucci &amp; Peresani, 2018; Falcucci<em> et al.</em>, 2018; Falcucci<em> et al.</em>, 2020). The importance of the site for understanding the earliest phases of the Upper Paleolithic in Mediterranean Europe is well acknowledged (Conard &amp; Bolus, 2015). Recently, all complete blades and bladelets from the best preserved area of the cave were 3D-scanned using a protocol that relies on both Micro-CT and Artec Spider scanners (Göldner<em> et al.</em>, 2021; Göldner<em> et al.</em>, in preparation). Our main goal was to conduct a geometric morphometric assessment of the laminar products and test hypotheses related to stone tool production and, more broadly, past human behavior (Falcucci<em> et al.</em>, in preparation; Falcucci &amp; Peresani, in preparation). We hope that this open-access repository will encourage archaeologists to conduct more collaborative and comparative studies across academic institutions, enhancing Open Science practices in archaeological sciences. <strong>Future release: </strong>A forthcoming version of this repository will contain the 3D models (in .ply format) of all cores recovered at the site. <strong>Description of the repository:</strong> We uploaded two folders containing the same specimens in two different formats (i.e., .ply and .wrl). The Excel file named "Fumane_Blades_Bladelets_Dataset" contains all relevant information to use this repository effectively. We have included the artifacts' ID, the scanner used to obtain the model (Micro-CT or Artec Spider), and the unit of provenience. A few discreet (raw material, blank type, technological phase, cortex coverage, and presence of retouch) and metric (linear dimensions) attributes complete the list. <strong>References:</strong> Bartolomei G., Broglio A., Cassoli P.<em> et al.</em> 1992. La Grotte de Fumane. Un site aurignacien au pied des Alpes. <em>Preistoria Alpina</em>, 28: 131-179. Bertola S., Broglio A., Cristiani E.<em> et al.</em> 2013. La diffusione del primo Aurignaziano a sud dell'arco alpino. <em>Preistoria Alpina</em>, 47: 17-30. Broglio A., Bertola S., De Stefani M.<em> et al.</em> 2005. La production lamellaire et les armatures lamellaires de l’Aurignacien ancien de la grotte de Fumane (Monts Lessini, Vénétie). In F. Le Brun-Ricalens (ed.): <em>Productions lamellaires attribuées à l’Aurignacien</em>, pp. 415-436. MNHA, Luxembourg. Conard N.J. &amp; Bolus M. 2015. Chronicling modern human’s arrival in Europe. <em>Science</em>. Falcucci A., Conard N.J. &amp; Peresani M. 2017. A critical assessment of the Protoaurignacian lithic technology at Fumane Cave and its implications for the definition of the earliest Aurignacian. <em>PLoS One</em>, 12: e0189241. Falcucci A. &amp; Peresani M. 2018. Protoaurignacian Core Reduction Procedures: Blade and Bladelet Technologies at Fumane Cave. <em>Lithic Technology </em>43: 125-140. Falcucci A. 2018. Towards a renewed definition of the Protoaurignacian. <em>Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte</em>, 27: 87-130. Falcucci A., Peresani M., Roussel M.<em> et al.</em> 2018. What’s the point? Retouched bladelet variability in the Protoaurignacian. Results from Fumane, Isturitz, and Les Cottés. <em>Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences</em>, 10: 539-554. Falcucci A., Conard N.J. &amp; Peresani M. 2020. Breaking through the Aquitaine frame: A re-evaluation on the significance of regional variants during the Aurignacian as seen from a key record in southern Europe. <em>Journal of Anthropological Sciences</em>, 98: 99-140. Falcucci A. &amp; Peresani M. In preparation. Back to the Point: Integrated 3D model analysis for the study of the selection and modification of Protoaurignacian bladelets. <em>PLoS One</em>. Falcucci A., Karakostis F.A., Göldner D. &amp; Peresani M. In preparation. Bringing shape into focus: Assessing differences between blades and bladelets and their technological significance in 3D form. <em>Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports</em>. Göldner D., Karakostis F.A. &amp; Falcucci A. 2021. StyroStone: A protocol for scanning and extracting three-dimensional meshes of stone artefacts using Micro-CT scanners. <em>protocols.io</em>, https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bzbfp2jn. Göldner D., Karakostis F.A. &amp; Falcucci A. In preparation. 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. <em>PLoS One</em>. Higham T., Brock F., Peresani M.<em> et al.</em> 2009. Problems with radiocarbon dating the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Italy. <em>Quaternary Science Reviews</em>, 28: 1257-1267.