The Open Aurignacian Project. Volume 2: Grotta di Castelcivita in southern Italy

Overview

The repository contains an extensive dataset (n = 538) comprising 3D meshes representing various classes of lithic artifacts such as cores, blades, bladelets, flakes, and retouched tools. These artifacts originate from the Protoaurignacian (rsa') and Early Aurignacian (gic, ars) layers of Grotta di Castelcivita (40.49563600N, 015.20922177E) in southern Italy (Gambassini, 1997). The layers date back to approximately 41,000 to 39,800 years ago (Douka et al., 2014).  A new technological assessment of the rsa’–ars sequence has been conducted utilizing the models included in this repository (Falcucci et al., in preparation). Grotta di Castelcivita holds significant importance for the study of Early Upper Paleolithic cultural dynamics due to its substantial archaeological content and the presence of the Campanian Ignimbrite geochronological marker, which seals the archaeological sequence of the site (Giaccio et al., 2008).

The artifacts in this dataset were 3D-scanned using an Artec Space Spider and an Artec Micro, both from Artec Inc. in Luxembourg. The scanning process adhered to recently published protocols (Falcucci, 2022; Göldner et al., 2022b; Göldner et al., 2022a). The use of the Artec Micro was particularly instrumental in digitizing extremely small lithics, such as retouched bladelets with length values around 1 cm. The creation of this open-access repository is intended to encourage archaeologists to participate in collaborative initiatives, thereby contributing to the advancement of research in the field of lithic technology and facilitating broader access to the prehistoric record. This initiative aligns with the promotion of Open Science practices in archaeological sciences, as advocated by Marwick et al. (2017).

Description of the dataset

This repository includes a zipped folder containing 3D meshes in ply format (CTC_3d_Meshes.zip), accompanied by a csv file containing crucial information essential for the scientific utilization of the models (CTC_3D_Dataset.csv). The unique ID assigned to each item, compiled by A. Falcucci during data collection, comprises the site abbreviation (CTC) and a progressive numeric system. The attributes in the csv file are listed and described below:

• ID: A unique identifier for each lithic artifact, consisting of the site abbreviation (CTC) and a numeric progression.
• Scanner: Information indicating which scanner was used for obtaining the 3D models, either the Artec Spider or the Artec Micro.
• Layer: Stratigraphic layer of provenience, categorized as rsa’, gic, or ars.
• Raw_material: Classification of lithics based on raw material’s macro-categories, including coarse-grained chert, fine-grained chert, limestone, quartzite, radiolarite, and undetermined.
• Class: Sorting of artifacts into classes such as blank, core, core-tool, hammerstone, and tool.
• Blank: Classification of knapped artifacts according to the blank category (blade, bladelet, flake, other, and undetermined).
• Technology: Sorting of artifacts into technological categories, including initialization, maintenance, optimal, other, semi-cortical, and undetermined.
• Cortex: Estimated percentage of cortex, categorized as 0%, 1-33%, 33-66%, 66-99%, and 100%.
• Preservation: Classification of blanks based on their degree of breakage, such as complete, distal, mesial, proximal, and undetermined. Cores and core-tools are not classified here.
• Volume: Volume of artifacts in cubic millimeters.
• Surface: Surface area of artifacts in square millimeters.
• Length, Width, and Thickness: Maximal linear dimensions in millimeters of artifacts based on their technological orientation.
• Core_classification: Classification of cores and core-tools into various technological categories, including bipolar, carinated, platform cores, and core shatters.

This detailed list enhances the utility and encourages the reuse of the 3D models for scientific purposes. Additionally, the unique ID enables the collection of additional techno-typological information available in the published dataset associated with the lithic technology paper: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10639552. We strongly recommend that users of the 3D models refer to the GitHub repository to obtain the most up-to-date techno-typological information. Additionally, we kindly ask users to provide proper attribution for both datasets.

References

Douka K., Higham T., Wood R. et al. (2014) On the chronology of the Uluzzian. J. Hum. Evol., 68: 1-13. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.12.007

Falcucci A. (2022) MicroStone: Exploring the capabilities of the Artec Micro in scanning stone tools. protocols.io. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.81wgb6781lpk/v1

Gambassini P. (1997) Il Paleolitico di Castelcivita: Culture e Ambiente. Electa, Naples

Giaccio B., Isaia R., Fedele F.G. et al. (2008) The Campanian Ignimbrite and Codola tephra layers: Two temporal/stratigraphic markers for the Early Upper Palaeolithic in southern Italy and eastern Europe. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 177: 208-226. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.10.007

Göldner D., Karakostis F.A. & Falcucci A. (2022a) 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. PLoS One, 17: e0267163. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0267163

Göldner D., Karakostis F.A. & Falcucci A. (2022b) StyroStone: A protocol for scanning and extracting three-dimensional meshes of stone artefacts using Micro-CT scanners V.2. protocols.io. doi:dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.4r3l24d9qg1y/v2

Marwick B., d’Alpoim Guedes J., Barton C.M. et al. (2017) Open science in archaeology. SAA Archaeological Record, 17: 8-14. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/3D6XX