The Archaeological Excavations in the Castel Corno Caves (Isera, Trento, Italy): Burial Places and Settlement of a Small Alpine Community Between the 25th and 17th Centuries Bc

Description

The Archaeological Excavations in the Castel Corno Caves presents the results of two different excavation campaigns in a prehistoric archaeological site in a deep cave in Trentino Alto Adige (Castel Corno, Isera, Trento, Italy). The excavations uncovered a number of tombs deep in the cave and, outside, the remains of a settlement. The site is significant for the excellent preservation of the artefacts and of the animal and human bones, a result of the depth of the cave. Despite damage caused by grave robbers, a considerable quantity of data was recovered enabling the partial reconstruction of human activity in this area. In the tombs the remains of seven individuals were excavated. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the tombs can be dated between the end of the Copper Age and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age (25th-21st centuries BC), but the occupation of the site, for ritual and settlement purposes, continued at least until the end of the Early Bronze Age (18th-17th centuries BC). Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of Figures Figure 1: Localization of the site of the Castel Corno Caves. Figure 2: Panoramic view of Castel Corno and localization of the caves. (image taken from Google Earth Pro V. 7.3.4.8642, on 31 August 2021). Figure 3: Chambers plans and cross sections (image modified from Chiocchetti 1985). Figure 4: Excavation photos from 1974 (left: Chamber 1; right: Sondage 1 in Chamber 1). Figure 5: Chamber 3, Zone 1: cavity entrance. Figure 6: Chamber 3, Zone 1: Tomb 1 plan (A and B are the reference points of the section represented in Figure 7). Figure 7: Chamber 3, Zone 1: cumulative section (see Figure 6). Figure 8: Chamber 3, Zone 1: Harris matrix. Figure 9: Access corridor to Chamber 1. Figure 10: Chamber 1, 1999 sondage: composite plan (the elevations indicated are in meters above sea level). Figure 11: Chamber 1, 1999 sondage: sections A-B and C-D (see Figures 10 and 13) Figure 12: Chamber 1, 1999 sondage: Harris matrix. Figure 13: Chamber 1: cave plan with placement of 1974 and 1999 sondages (black dot-dashed line) and of the recent illegal excavation (red dashed line). The virtual grid created before the excavation is represented with black dashed lines. Figure 14: Correlation between surfaces and fabrics color. There are 12 different kinds of fabric recorded in the site. In the drawings below the outer surface is the one to the left. (Image from Regola 2005). Figure 15: Correlation between vessel and quality classes. Figure 16: Mug from Chamber 1, US 5 (number 84 in the plates). Figure 17: Baked clay platform fragments (a: from Riparo del Santuario (Lasino), b and c: from the Chamber 3 of Castel Corno). Figure 18: Baked clay platform fragment with traces of vegetal interweaving. Figure 19: Shapeless baked clay lump with traces of handling. Figure 20: Place of discovery of flint tools (image modified from Regola 2005). Figure 21: Colour of flint tools and chips. Figure 22: Metal artefacts. a: small copper residue (or of a copper alloy), b: piece of smelting slag. Figure 23: Distribution of human bones. Figure 24: Individual 3’s skull and hypothetical position of it at the time of burning. Figure 25: Reconstruction of the original position of individual 3’s skeletal remains. Figure 26: Calibration made with the software Oxcal v.4.3.2 (Bronk Ramsey 2017) and IntCal13 atmospheric curve (Reimer et al. 2013). Figure 27: Determination of tree species of US 9 and 10 (Chamber 3). Indeterminable remains have not been considered in this table. Figure 28: Determination of cereal plants of US 9 and 10 (Chamber 3). Figure 29: Determination of fruit remains of US 9 and 10 (Chamber 3). Indeterminate remains have not been considered in this table. Figure 30: Localization of hypothetical flat cultivable fields near the site (red circle: site location; yellow circle: flat fields location - image taken from google earth). Figure 31: Vessel potsherds from US 9 and 10 (Chamber 3). Figure 32: Vessel potsherds from Chamber 1 in order of excavation: US 5, 2 and 3. Figure 33: Distribution of the vessel classes in the site. Figure 34: Distribution map of Copper Age finds (orange) and sites (yellow). 1. Le Corone, 2. Vico e Bojom, 3. M. Altissimo, 4. Bersaglio, 5. Lizzana, 6. La Torretta e Dos Pipel, 7. Grotte di Castel Corno, 8. Passo Bordala, 9. M. Stivo, 10. Balteri e Last Figure 35: Distribution map of Early Bronze Age finds (orange) and sites (yellow). 1. Serravalle, 2. Castel Tierno e Montecatini, 3/4. Bersaglio e Colombo, 5. Monte Albano, 6. Molina, 7. Castel Pradaglia, 8. Grotte di Castel Corno, 9. Dosso Alto, 10. Rove Figure 36: Facial reconstruction of Individual 3 created by Viviana Conti. The 3D model of the skull was created with 3DF Zephyr (Education 5.016) and Pixologic Zbrush (2021). Facial features were estimated considering skeletal details of the skull and us 1 – Historical and Geographical Introduction Geographic and geomorphological framework History of the research Summary of research, excavations and surveys in Castel Corno Caves 2 – The Rovereto Civic Museum Excavations Excavation campaign 1998 The stratigraphy Excavation campaign 1999 Inspections between 2016 and 2018 3 – The Material Culture The pottery Forms, accessories and typology Pottery Technology Fired and baked clay Stone tools Artefacts made out of stone other than flint Shell, bone and antler artefacts Metals 4 – The Burial Places 5 – Paleoenvironmental and Economic Aspects Archaeozoology Archaeobotany Reconstruction of the environment 6 – General Discussion and Conclusions Settlement, cemetery or place of worship? Settlement in Vallagarina between the Copper and Early Bronze Ages The cultural context Catalogue of Finds Catalogue Entries Plates Appendix Bibliography