Il deposito musteriano del Riparo l'Oscurusciuto (Ginosa – TA): la fauna a grandi mammiferi delle UUSS 1÷9

Oscurusciuto rock shelter, located in the ravine of Ginosa (TA), contains a Middle Palaeolithic deposit of more than five meters thick and about 60 meters wide. Researches, begun in 1998, have highlighted a series of stratigraphic units particularly rich in lithic and faunal remains with some well-preserved fi replaces. Bones recovered fr om upper units of the stratigraphic sequence are result of Neanderthal hunting and comprise almost exclusively ungulate remains; only two elements belong to carnivores (lion and wolf). In units 9 ÷ 4 the macromammal assemblages are characterized by a dominance of aurochs in association with red deer, fallow deer, roe deer and rare horse and caprines (ibex and chamois). In the units (3 ÷ 1) a signifi cant decline in aurochs is accompanied with an increase in horse and red deer. Skeletal part fr equencies suggests that skulls and limbs of killed animals were selectively transported to the shelter. In most of the units small bones as phalanges, sesamoides, carpals and tarsals are scarce or absent. Numerous burnt fr agments testify use of bones as fuel. Analysis of some samples of unidentifi able bones provides further informations regard the exploitation of skeletal parts.