cristina lemorini | Università degli Studi "La Sapienza" di Roma (original) (raw)
Papers by cristina lemorini
Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2024
The goal of this paper is to investigate the medieval domestic pan known as 'testello' through an... more The goal of this paper is to investigate the medieval domestic pan known as 'testello' through an integrated approach that combines morphological analysis with experimental archaeology and the analysis of technological traces. The testello is a flat container with edges a few centimeters high, traditionally used in Italy for crafting bread and flatbreads. We conducted an analysis of a sample of testelli from the medieval town of Cencelle (Viterbo, Italy). The application of experimental and traceological techniques, which have been relatively underutilized in the examination of medieval ceramics in Italy, has yielded numerous new insights into the material culture of Cencelle. This has prompted us to contemplate new methodologies for the production of domestic tools and the dynamics of social organization within a medieval town.
So far, hammer-stones used by capuchins have only been described in detail, with archeological ap... more So far, hammer-stones used by capuchins have only been described in detail, with archeological approaches, in
the long-term study site of Serra da Capivara, where capuchins use lithic tools to crack open low-resistance food
items, dig the soil to access embedded resources, or pound on conglomerate cliffs to pulverize them (stone-onstone).
Our work provides the first technological and techno-morpho-functional, use-wear and residue analysis of
a sample of lithic materials collected at six nut-cracking sites used by bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus
libidinosus) living in the Ubajara National Park (Cear´a, Brazil), a population not habituated to the presence of
researchers at the time. Shell remains at the sites were dominated by macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) nuts.
Technological and techno-morpho-functional analysis identified six lithic hammer-stones, four tool fragments
and fifteen flakes on the bases of their morphology, their technological traits (flakes), their potential percussion
marks of use observed at the naked eye, and their potential function. Use-wear and residue (e.g., starch grains)
analyses unambiguously linking lithic tools to the processing of food items have been found on two hammerstones,
one hammer-stone fragment, two flakes and two micro-flakes. Our study adds one more geographical
site where an archeological approach has been taken to describe tools used by capuchins. We report that cracking
of hard-shelled nuts by wild robust capuchins may unintentionally produce flakes like those produced by stoneon-
stone behavior observed in the same species, by long-tailed macaques cracking Elaeis guineensis nuts, by
western chimpanzees cracking Panda oleosa nuts and by Pliocene/Pleistocene hominins. The detailed analysis of
lithic tools used by capuchin monkeys to process hard-shelled nuts, therefore, represents a significant
improvement towards the construction of a representative reference collection of tools for this important model
taxon for stone tool use in non-human primates.
Trace analysis stands as a well-established methodology, contributing significantly to the interp... more Trace analysis stands as a well-established methodology, contributing significantly to the interpretation of socio-cultural and economic aspects within ancient communities. Understanding the importance of wear on the surfaces of archaeological remainslinked to technological and functional aspects-involves using shared protocols. These protocols include standardized procedures for both macroscopic and microscopic observation. Notably, over the last decade, there is been a growing emphasis on applying additional quantitative methods. These methods specifically investigate details of the microtopography related to wear. While trace analysis can be individually applied to study archaeological remains, its value as an independent, non-invasive, and non-destructive analytical method is maximized when combined with other independent analyses (such as residue analysis, technological analysis and raw material studies) and/or related disciplines (including zooarchaeology, paleobotany, and anthropology). This holistic approach not only strengthens confidence in the interpretation of traceological results but also enhances the reliability of archaeological interpretations. This session is aimed to involve the participants to discuss about: 1-the integration of traceological studies with other disciplines and/or techniques as an avenue for methodological improvements; 2-the benefits of using traceology integrated with other methodologies to identify and interpret the archeological evidence; 3-the limits and the critical aspects of combining different approaches and the suggestions for overcome these constrains. We invite scholars to present cases studies from Paleolithic to Medieval Era dealing with multidisciplinary methodologies including macro and microscopic analysis of technological and/or functional aspects of material culture. We encourage contributions exploring materials beyond stone, such as ceramics, metal, hard animal materials, wood, and glass. Additionally, we invite submissions covering diverse surfaces, ranging from objects and artwork to architectural features.
Science, 2023
The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined t... more The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined
to Ethiopia’s Afar Triangle. We describe sites at Nyayanga, Kenya, dated to 3.032 to 2.581 million
years ago and expand this distribution by over 1300 kilometers. Furthermore, we found two
hippopotamid butchery sites associated with mosaic vegetation and a C4 grazer–dominated fauna.
Tool flaking proficiency was comparable with that of younger Oldowan assemblages, but pounding
activities were more common. Tool use-wear and bone damage indicate plant and animal tissue
processing. Paranthropus sp. teeth, the first from southwestern Kenya, possessed carbon isotopic
values indicative of a diet rich in C4 foods. We argue that the earliest Oldowan was more widespread
than previously known, used to process diverse foods including megafauna, and associated with
Paranthropus from its onset.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
The so-called husking tray is a pottery shape attested during the 7th and the first half of the 6... more The so-called husking tray is a pottery shape attested during the 7th and the first half of the 6th millennium BC in the Near East. These vessels are large trays with internal surfaces crossed by scored patterns. In this article we scrutinize the hypothesis that this type of ceramic forms were used for cereal-processing and bread baking, further supported by ethnographical and experimental evidence. Fragments belonging to this pottery form have been found at several archaeological sites in the Syrian Jazira. During the late Neolithic period the area was inhabited by societies based on agriculture as evidenced by storage facilities, harvesting and processing implements and archaeobotanical remains. The results of use-alteration and phytolith analyses from a selection of husking tray assemblages from settlements of this area Tell Sabi Abyad I, Tell Halula, Tell Kashkashok II, Khaneke, Tell Khazna II are discussed here. Use-alterations distributions over their surfaces showed patterns related to the detachment of plant foods such as ‘bread-like ’ materials, according to experimentally-produced records. In turn, phytolith results indicated the nature of the plant material adhered to the vessel surfaces which is dominated by Pooideae grasses. Multicellullar or anatomical connected phytoliths from the husks of wheat and barley were common in these assemblages. Overall, these results suggest a functionality related to the processing of cereals into bread. This integrated approach further supports the hypothesis that husking trays were used for baking. In conclusion, it allows a better understanding of Late Neolithic culinary practices.
Comptes Rendus Palevol
The following article presents a summary of the research undertaken on percussion tools in the P... more The following article presents a summary of the research undertaken on percussion tools in the Palaeolithic. It reports on current work, presented during the XVIIIth Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques (UISPP) World Congress (Paris, 2018). Finally, possible research topics are proposed and the importance of this gesture record in human evolution is emphasized.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2005
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi, 1999
This study presents a ballistic and functional evaluation of the projectile points from sites G1 ... more This study presents a ballistic and functional evaluation of the projectile points from sites G1 and G3 at Gobero through experimentation and use-wear analysis. This kind of approach, which is often combined with more traditional typological analyses, has been successfully carried out in many archaeological studies related to lithic industries. In particular, experimentation and use-wear analysis allow the interpretation of the ballistic features of the projectile points, their functional potential, and some of the hunting tactics adopted by prehistoric communities. This study on the Gobero sample shows that different morphologies of arrowheads have the same functional potential. On the other hand, they have a different durability according to the raw materials of which they are made. Our experimentation demonstrated that fossil wood and quartz arrowheads are fragile; conversely, chert and (green) vitric tuff have a high degree of resistance, which reduces the fragmentation of the a...
Open Archaeology
It is well known that many Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites were uncovered during the past ce... more It is well known that many Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites were uncovered during the past century in the Iron Gates region of the North-Central Balkans. The application of diverse analyses on the bioarchaeological remains and artefacts raised many questions, but also offered new ideas about the Mesolithic–Neolithic transitional period in the Middle and Lower course of the Danube. Communities in the Iron Gates consumed fish and exploited the riverbank in prehistory. The stable isotope analyses are implying that these human groups fed on aquatic resources in some periods more than others. Fish remains were also found in settlements, and based on fish-related imagery on sculpted boulders and other artefacts, the bond between the people, river, and the ecosystem was compelling. The idea of this article is to present the possible ways of fish processing at Lepenski Vir using chipped stone tools. Three integrated methodologies, with high levels of interpretation, were applied: use-we...
Bread contains human knowledge: from knowledge concerning fertility of the land to farming method... more Bread contains human knowledge: from knowledge concerning fertility of the land to farming methods harvesting, and seed processing, not to mention the different possibilities of consumption of cereals and the different ways in which they are cooked. In bread, we find all those components: the transformation of the natural landscape, technological and economic development which over the centuries have led to the building of a social organization, with a precise division and distribution of tasks and roles.The paper traces clues and indications of bread production in prehistoric periods
Quaternary International, 2016
Chronique des activités archéologiques de l’École française de Rome, 2014
Environment and daily life in the Campagna Romana of the late Lower Palaeolithic: the case-study of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy), 2023
The site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy) is located about 22 kilometers northwest ... more The site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy) is located about 22 kilometers northwest of Rome.
Excavation campaigns conducted from 1985 to 2013 revealed 1200 square meters of deposits referable to a river that was
active during the Middle Pleistocene. Two main sedimentary phases have been recognized. Initially, a fluvial episode
led to the deposition of thousands of skeletal remains (mainly mammals, but also amphibians, reptiles, and birds) along
with lithic and bone artifacts. Successively, a swampy phase occurred, during which some elephants (Palaeoloxodon
antiquus) were trapped in muddy ponds. The skeleton of one of these individuals is surrounded by lithic implements that
were carried at (and/or knapped on) the spot. The taphonomic analysis of the skeleton and artifacts context - including
technology, refitting, use-wear, residues, and spatial analyses - indicates that the elephant carcass had been subjected to a
butchering activity aimed at collecting meat and fat for food, possibly in more than one episode, as well as bones as raw
material for making tools. The evidence collected at the site and the comparison with other relevant sites allow for some
considerations about the daily dietary needs of the humans who frequented the site and the resources available there.
Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
During the Lower Paleolithic, the interaction between hominins and elephants through the medium o... more During the Lower Paleolithic, the interaction between hominins and elephants through the medium of lithic tools is testified by numerous sites in Africa, Europe, and Asia. This interaction ensured hominins a large source of food and of knappable raw material, bone. The availability of the huge package of resources represented by these animals had a deep impact on hominins behavior and their strategies of exploitation of the landscape. This article, for the first time, documents this behavior with a spatial and chronological viewpoint. At the Late Lower Paleolithic site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Rome), the outstanding in situ find of a quite entire carcass of Palaeoloxodon antiquus surrounded by lithic tools of small dimensions allowed us to explore the relation between the elephant, fatally entrapped in muddy sediments, and the hominins that exploited its carcass with their lithic toolkit. The application of an integrated approach including technology, refitting, use-wear, res...
Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2024
The goal of this paper is to investigate the medieval domestic pan known as 'testello' through an... more The goal of this paper is to investigate the medieval domestic pan known as 'testello' through an integrated approach that combines morphological analysis with experimental archaeology and the analysis of technological traces. The testello is a flat container with edges a few centimeters high, traditionally used in Italy for crafting bread and flatbreads. We conducted an analysis of a sample of testelli from the medieval town of Cencelle (Viterbo, Italy). The application of experimental and traceological techniques, which have been relatively underutilized in the examination of medieval ceramics in Italy, has yielded numerous new insights into the material culture of Cencelle. This has prompted us to contemplate new methodologies for the production of domestic tools and the dynamics of social organization within a medieval town.
So far, hammer-stones used by capuchins have only been described in detail, with archeological ap... more So far, hammer-stones used by capuchins have only been described in detail, with archeological approaches, in
the long-term study site of Serra da Capivara, where capuchins use lithic tools to crack open low-resistance food
items, dig the soil to access embedded resources, or pound on conglomerate cliffs to pulverize them (stone-onstone).
Our work provides the first technological and techno-morpho-functional, use-wear and residue analysis of
a sample of lithic materials collected at six nut-cracking sites used by bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus
libidinosus) living in the Ubajara National Park (Cear´a, Brazil), a population not habituated to the presence of
researchers at the time. Shell remains at the sites were dominated by macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) nuts.
Technological and techno-morpho-functional analysis identified six lithic hammer-stones, four tool fragments
and fifteen flakes on the bases of their morphology, their technological traits (flakes), their potential percussion
marks of use observed at the naked eye, and their potential function. Use-wear and residue (e.g., starch grains)
analyses unambiguously linking lithic tools to the processing of food items have been found on two hammerstones,
one hammer-stone fragment, two flakes and two micro-flakes. Our study adds one more geographical
site where an archeological approach has been taken to describe tools used by capuchins. We report that cracking
of hard-shelled nuts by wild robust capuchins may unintentionally produce flakes like those produced by stoneon-
stone behavior observed in the same species, by long-tailed macaques cracking Elaeis guineensis nuts, by
western chimpanzees cracking Panda oleosa nuts and by Pliocene/Pleistocene hominins. The detailed analysis of
lithic tools used by capuchin monkeys to process hard-shelled nuts, therefore, represents a significant
improvement towards the construction of a representative reference collection of tools for this important model
taxon for stone tool use in non-human primates.
Trace analysis stands as a well-established methodology, contributing significantly to the interp... more Trace analysis stands as a well-established methodology, contributing significantly to the interpretation of socio-cultural and economic aspects within ancient communities. Understanding the importance of wear on the surfaces of archaeological remainslinked to technological and functional aspects-involves using shared protocols. These protocols include standardized procedures for both macroscopic and microscopic observation. Notably, over the last decade, there is been a growing emphasis on applying additional quantitative methods. These methods specifically investigate details of the microtopography related to wear. While trace analysis can be individually applied to study archaeological remains, its value as an independent, non-invasive, and non-destructive analytical method is maximized when combined with other independent analyses (such as residue analysis, technological analysis and raw material studies) and/or related disciplines (including zooarchaeology, paleobotany, and anthropology). This holistic approach not only strengthens confidence in the interpretation of traceological results but also enhances the reliability of archaeological interpretations. This session is aimed to involve the participants to discuss about: 1-the integration of traceological studies with other disciplines and/or techniques as an avenue for methodological improvements; 2-the benefits of using traceology integrated with other methodologies to identify and interpret the archeological evidence; 3-the limits and the critical aspects of combining different approaches and the suggestions for overcome these constrains. We invite scholars to present cases studies from Paleolithic to Medieval Era dealing with multidisciplinary methodologies including macro and microscopic analysis of technological and/or functional aspects of material culture. We encourage contributions exploring materials beyond stone, such as ceramics, metal, hard animal materials, wood, and glass. Additionally, we invite submissions covering diverse surfaces, ranging from objects and artwork to architectural features.
Science, 2023
The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined t... more The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined
to Ethiopia’s Afar Triangle. We describe sites at Nyayanga, Kenya, dated to 3.032 to 2.581 million
years ago and expand this distribution by over 1300 kilometers. Furthermore, we found two
hippopotamid butchery sites associated with mosaic vegetation and a C4 grazer–dominated fauna.
Tool flaking proficiency was comparable with that of younger Oldowan assemblages, but pounding
activities were more common. Tool use-wear and bone damage indicate plant and animal tissue
processing. Paranthropus sp. teeth, the first from southwestern Kenya, possessed carbon isotopic
values indicative of a diet rich in C4 foods. We argue that the earliest Oldowan was more widespread
than previously known, used to process diverse foods including megafauna, and associated with
Paranthropus from its onset.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
The so-called husking tray is a pottery shape attested during the 7th and the first half of the 6... more The so-called husking tray is a pottery shape attested during the 7th and the first half of the 6th millennium BC in the Near East. These vessels are large trays with internal surfaces crossed by scored patterns. In this article we scrutinize the hypothesis that this type of ceramic forms were used for cereal-processing and bread baking, further supported by ethnographical and experimental evidence. Fragments belonging to this pottery form have been found at several archaeological sites in the Syrian Jazira. During the late Neolithic period the area was inhabited by societies based on agriculture as evidenced by storage facilities, harvesting and processing implements and archaeobotanical remains. The results of use-alteration and phytolith analyses from a selection of husking tray assemblages from settlements of this area Tell Sabi Abyad I, Tell Halula, Tell Kashkashok II, Khaneke, Tell Khazna II are discussed here. Use-alterations distributions over their surfaces showed patterns related to the detachment of plant foods such as ‘bread-like ’ materials, according to experimentally-produced records. In turn, phytolith results indicated the nature of the plant material adhered to the vessel surfaces which is dominated by Pooideae grasses. Multicellullar or anatomical connected phytoliths from the husks of wheat and barley were common in these assemblages. Overall, these results suggest a functionality related to the processing of cereals into bread. This integrated approach further supports the hypothesis that husking trays were used for baking. In conclusion, it allows a better understanding of Late Neolithic culinary practices.
Comptes Rendus Palevol
The following article presents a summary of the research undertaken on percussion tools in the P... more The following article presents a summary of the research undertaken on percussion tools in the Palaeolithic. It reports on current work, presented during the XVIIIth Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques (UISPP) World Congress (Paris, 2018). Finally, possible research topics are proposed and the importance of this gesture record in human evolution is emphasized.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2005
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi, 1999
This study presents a ballistic and functional evaluation of the projectile points from sites G1 ... more This study presents a ballistic and functional evaluation of the projectile points from sites G1 and G3 at Gobero through experimentation and use-wear analysis. This kind of approach, which is often combined with more traditional typological analyses, has been successfully carried out in many archaeological studies related to lithic industries. In particular, experimentation and use-wear analysis allow the interpretation of the ballistic features of the projectile points, their functional potential, and some of the hunting tactics adopted by prehistoric communities. This study on the Gobero sample shows that different morphologies of arrowheads have the same functional potential. On the other hand, they have a different durability according to the raw materials of which they are made. Our experimentation demonstrated that fossil wood and quartz arrowheads are fragile; conversely, chert and (green) vitric tuff have a high degree of resistance, which reduces the fragmentation of the a...
Open Archaeology
It is well known that many Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites were uncovered during the past ce... more It is well known that many Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites were uncovered during the past century in the Iron Gates region of the North-Central Balkans. The application of diverse analyses on the bioarchaeological remains and artefacts raised many questions, but also offered new ideas about the Mesolithic–Neolithic transitional period in the Middle and Lower course of the Danube. Communities in the Iron Gates consumed fish and exploited the riverbank in prehistory. The stable isotope analyses are implying that these human groups fed on aquatic resources in some periods more than others. Fish remains were also found in settlements, and based on fish-related imagery on sculpted boulders and other artefacts, the bond between the people, river, and the ecosystem was compelling. The idea of this article is to present the possible ways of fish processing at Lepenski Vir using chipped stone tools. Three integrated methodologies, with high levels of interpretation, were applied: use-we...
Bread contains human knowledge: from knowledge concerning fertility of the land to farming method... more Bread contains human knowledge: from knowledge concerning fertility of the land to farming methods harvesting, and seed processing, not to mention the different possibilities of consumption of cereals and the different ways in which they are cooked. In bread, we find all those components: the transformation of the natural landscape, technological and economic development which over the centuries have led to the building of a social organization, with a precise division and distribution of tasks and roles.The paper traces clues and indications of bread production in prehistoric periods
Quaternary International, 2016
Chronique des activités archéologiques de l’École française de Rome, 2014
Environment and daily life in the Campagna Romana of the late Lower Palaeolithic: the case-study of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy), 2023
The site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy) is located about 22 kilometers northwest ... more The site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Latium, Italy) is located about 22 kilometers northwest of Rome.
Excavation campaigns conducted from 1985 to 2013 revealed 1200 square meters of deposits referable to a river that was
active during the Middle Pleistocene. Two main sedimentary phases have been recognized. Initially, a fluvial episode
led to the deposition of thousands of skeletal remains (mainly mammals, but also amphibians, reptiles, and birds) along
with lithic and bone artifacts. Successively, a swampy phase occurred, during which some elephants (Palaeoloxodon
antiquus) were trapped in muddy ponds. The skeleton of one of these individuals is surrounded by lithic implements that
were carried at (and/or knapped on) the spot. The taphonomic analysis of the skeleton and artifacts context - including
technology, refitting, use-wear, residues, and spatial analyses - indicates that the elephant carcass had been subjected to a
butchering activity aimed at collecting meat and fat for food, possibly in more than one episode, as well as bones as raw
material for making tools. The evidence collected at the site and the comparison with other relevant sites allow for some
considerations about the daily dietary needs of the humans who frequented the site and the resources available there.
Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
During the Lower Paleolithic, the interaction between hominins and elephants through the medium o... more During the Lower Paleolithic, the interaction between hominins and elephants through the medium of lithic tools is testified by numerous sites in Africa, Europe, and Asia. This interaction ensured hominins a large source of food and of knappable raw material, bone. The availability of the huge package of resources represented by these animals had a deep impact on hominins behavior and their strategies of exploitation of the landscape. This article, for the first time, documents this behavior with a spatial and chronological viewpoint. At the Late Lower Paleolithic site of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Rome), the outstanding in situ find of a quite entire carcass of Palaeoloxodon antiquus surrounded by lithic tools of small dimensions allowed us to explore the relation between the elephant, fatally entrapped in muddy sediments, and the hominins that exploited its carcass with their lithic toolkit. The application of an integrated approach including technology, refitting, use-wear, res...
LA GROTTA DELLE VENERI DI PARABITA (LECCE), 2020
La Grotta delle Veneri divenne nota nella letteratura paletnologica in seguito al rinvenimento, a... more La Grotta delle Veneri divenne nota nella letteratura paletnologica in seguito al rinvenimento, al suo interno, di due statuine femminili dette Veneri: da qui il suo nome.Ma non solo: la sua importanza risiede anche nella frequentazione ininterrotta che la vide occupata dal Paleolitico medio fino all’età del Bronzo senza soluzione di continuità.Un periodo lunghissimo nel corso del quale si sono avvicendati tutti gli aspetti della preistoria meridionale, lasciando in essa tracce cospicue della loro presenza. All’inizio ci fu l’uomo di Neanderthal con la sua cultura, il Musteriano (80.000-35.000 anni fa), seguito da una fase di transizione detta Uluzziano che segna l’arrivo del Sapiens con le diverse fasi del Paleolitico superiore (35.000-10.000 anni fa): il Gravettiano, l’Epigravettiano antico e a foliati, l’Epigravettiano finale o Epiromanelliano. Durante il Gravettiano furono inumati insieme un uomo e una donna con uno scarno corredo costituito da un ciottolo e un raschiatoio tinti di ocra e un copricapo fatto con canini atrofici di cervo. Alla fine del Paleolitico superiore gli abitanti della grotta incisero una grande quantità di ossa e pietre, circa 500, con una sintassi geometrico-lineare allora in voga in Italia e in Europa. È una delle espressioni artistiche del Sapiens il cui significato è per noi incomprensibile, al pari della grande arte “naturalistica” che aveva dipinto sulle pareti di molte grotte animali quali bisonti, cavalli, cervi, leoni dall’indubbio contenuto simbolico. Con l’arrivo del Neolitico (VI-IV millennio a.C.) cambiò la vita dei cacciatori-raccoglitori: alla caccia si sostituì un’economia basata su agricoltura e allevamento, che richiese una nuova suppellettile come contenitori in ceramica, strumenti levigati e non solo scheggiati come asce e accette insieme a oggetti di carattere cultuale quali le pintadere, specie di timbri per tatuare o per imprimere marchi.Nacquero nuovi riti e credenze, si affermò una religiosità di tipo agrario con al centro il protagonismo della Terra da cui dipendono le sorti delle creature viventi.La grotta ha restituito tutti gli aspetti della ceramica neolitica dalla impressa agli stili dipinti fino alle fasi finali di Serra d’Alto e Diana. In essa si svolsero riti come lo scavo di buche, una delle quali intercettò la sepoltura paleolitica, offerte di oggetti pregiati e di vasi finemente decorati.Nel corso del Neolitico si sviluppò una rete di rapporti, grazie anche alla navigazione, che permise scambi e contatti con le regioni affacciate sul Mediterraneo, creando un mondo interconnesso che caratterizzerà anche i periodi successivi. Con l’Eneolitico (IV-III millennio a.C.) si diffusero nuove fogge e nuovi costumi funerari: molte grotte divennero sedi di sepolture collettive e una nuova tipologia vide la nascita di seppellimenti sotto tumulo dove, accanto all’inumazione, veniva praticata l’incinerazione.Le forme ceramiche sono ispirate agli aspetti classici di Gaudo e Laterza con interessanti rimandi alla cultura transadriatica di Cetina. Nel II millennio continua la frequentazione della grotta ma con un carattere più dimesso e una suppellettile di uso quotidiano come grandi contenitori e attrezzi per la lavorazione del latte quali i bollitoi. Si conclude così la vicenda millenaria di Grotta delle Veneri, punto di riferimento per le genti che di volta in volta popolarono il territorio, incubatrice di miti e credenze con cui nutrì la vita di intere generazioni dando loro un senso, una memoria da tramandare e una storia da raccontare.