Grotta dell’Observatoire (Monaco): analisi dell’industria su materie dure animali, di un elemento di parure e prime osservazioni archeozoologiche

Observatoire Cave (Monaco): analysis Of hard animal matter industry, of an ornamental object and preliminary archaeozoological observations. An industry made of hard animal matter was unearthed in the upper levels of Observatoire Cave (Upper Group, Hearths, G-E: cfr. Protoaurignac and Aurignac Type; Units C-A, Gravettian) and described by M. Boule and L. De Villeneuve after their first excavation campaigns, carried out by Prince Albert I of Monaco at the beginning of the last century. The present study focuses on the recent taxonomic, technological and taphonomic revision of this collection (Romandini 2017). Unfortunately, no precise stratigraphic attributions are available for most of these artefacts (Boule and Villeneuve 1927: 13 and 101). Overall, the transformed objects made of animal bone and antler correspond to welldefined typological categories, obtained by specific cutting and shaping techniques. The hard animal materials used for the manufacture of tools, weapons and the single ornament, come almost exclusively from anatomical elements attributed to Cervidae: Cervidae indet., Rangifer tarandus and Capreolus capreolus, and to a lesser extent to the ibex. In the assemblage, most of the bone and antler artefacts (split-based points, double points and bone awls) bear manufacturing traces. These are finished products, which sometimes present use-related fractures and abrasions. Some bone artefacts, such as bone awls, derive from flaked shafts obtained from fractured long bones (expedients). On the other hand, the antler artefacts, as well as a few rare bone objects, result from the extraction and shaping of predetermined blanks, which were subsequently completed. The regular blanks used to make split-based points and bone awl were obtained with the technique of double parallel grooving and completed by fine scraping and abrasion. A single ornamental object, associated with a Gravettian occupation (Unit C), was obtained from an atrophic Cervus elaphus canine after preparation, thinning, and inverse bipolar perforation of the root for suspension purposes. Despite the non-optimal conservation status of the surfaces, it was possible to detect traces of ochre on the tools, armatures and ornamental remains. They are located near the split bases, at the bottom of the incisions and within the trabecular tissue. The preservation of these traces is also due to the presence of a varnish, probably applied during restoration, at the time of discovery. A preliminary detailed archaeozoological and taphonomic analysis of the faunal assemblage reveals exceptional information on the interactions between hunter-gatherer groups and the large raptors who used the cave. Certain anatomical elements of eagles and vultures show traces of butchery possibly related to the exploitation of meat and feathers.