Abstract
We present the study of a composite, yet continuous sedimentary succession covering the time interval spanning 2.6–0.36 Ma in the intramontane basin of Anagni (central Italy) through a dedicated borecore, field surveys, and the review of previous data at the three palaeontological and archaeological sites of Colle Marino, Coste San Giacomo and Fontana Ranuccio. By combining the magneto- and chronostratigraphic data with sedimentologic and biostratigraphic analysis, we describe the palaeogeographic and tectonic evolution of this region during this entire interval. In this time frame, starting from 0.8 Ma, the progressive shallowing and temporary emersion of the large lacustrine basins and alluvial plains created favorable conditions for early hominin occupation of the area, as attested by abundant tool industry occurrences and fossils. This study provides new constraints to better interpret the hominin migratory dynamics and the factors that influenced the location and spatial distribution during the early occupation of this region.
Highlights
We present the study of a composite, yet continuous sedimentary succession covering the time interval spanning 2.6–0.36 Ma in the intramontane basin of Anagni through a dedicated borecore, field surveys, and the review of previous data at the three palaeontological and archaeological sites of Colle Marino, Coste San Giacomo and Fontana Ranuccio
In contrast to the great improvements achieved on the chronologic constraints of the archaeological sites mentioned above, no new investigations have been delivered at Colle Marino (CM) since its discovery[6], despite the potential for groundbreaking implications of the findings reported at this site, which is located two kilometers east of Coste San Giacomo (CSG) and Fontana Ranuccio (FR)
Down-core variations of κ are associated with similar changes in anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) intensity which suggests that these fluctuations are mainly controlled by changes in magnetic mineral concentration. κ values range between 8.22 × 10–5 SI and 3.69 × 1 0–4 SI with an average of 1.78 × 1 0–4 SI
Summary
We present the study of a composite, yet continuous sedimentary succession covering the time interval spanning 2.6–0.36 Ma in the intramontane basin of Anagni (central Italy) through a dedicated borecore, field surveys, and the review of previous data at the three palaeontological and archaeological sites of Colle Marino, Coste San Giacomo and Fontana Ranuccio. The abovementioned Ceprano site, as well as FR, where one of the richest bone-tool assemblages of Italy was r ecovered[6,10,13,14], along with four human teeth[15,16,17], lithic a ssemblage[18], and a large vertebrate bone fossil record, which constitutes the local fauna for the homonymous, Late Galerian Faunal Unit of the Aurelian Mammal Age[19,20] Other localities in this region contain hominin remains attributed to Homo heidelbergensis such as those recovered during excavations at the Cava Pompi site of Pofi in 1961 and 1976 along with lithic and bone industries[21,22]. An age of 408 ± 10 ka was suggested for the FR Acheulian lithic assemblage, revising previous estimations of ca. 458 k a6, along with similar ages around 400 ka for the Lademagne, Isoletta, and Cava Pompi sites b y12
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