New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy)
The Bàsura Cave (Toirano, NW Italy) became famous worldwide in 1950 for the discovery of prehistoric human footprints and of an impressive Ursus spelaeus bone deposit baptized by the first explorers “Cimitero degli Orsi” (Bear Cemetery). The bear remains belonging to the deeper layer of the deposit...
Published in: | Journal of Quaternary Science |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2022
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1119868 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3417 |
id |
ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/1119868 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/1119868 2024-04-21T08:13:00+00:00 New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) MARTA ZUNINO ELISABETTA STARNINI DANIELE AROBBA MARCO AVANZINI PAOLO CITTON MARCO FIRPO FABIO NEGRINO MARCO ROMANO ISABELLA SALVADOR IVANO RELLINI Zunino, Marta Starnini, Elisabetta Arobba, Daniele Avanzini, Marco Citton, Paolo Firpo, Marco Negrino, Fabio Romano, Marco Salvador, Isabella Rellini, Ivano 2022 ELETTRONICO http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1119868 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3417 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000765436900001 firstpage:1 lastpage:15 numberofpages:15 journal:JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1119868 doi:10.1002/jqs.3417 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85125659738 Ursus spelaeus Ursus arctos bone taphonomy micromorphology cave sediments reworking info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3417 2024-03-28T01:43:16Z The Bàsura Cave (Toirano, NW Italy) became famous worldwide in 1950 for the discovery of prehistoric human footprints and of an impressive Ursus spelaeus bone deposit baptized by the first explorers “Cimitero degli Orsi” (Bear Cemetery). The bear remains belonging to the deeper layer of the deposit have been left in situ and nowadays are one of the principal attractions for visitors. A new research project aimed at re-evaluating the legacy and collections from this important cave involved the taphonomic study of the bones, along with sedimentological, micromorphological analyses and new radiocarbon dates, in order to understand the nature and chronology of the deposit. In the present study, element quantification and surficial state of preservation of the skeletal elements were analyzed to assess the origin of bone accumulation, the composition of the assemblage in terms of age and species, and the representation of the different portions of the carcasses. The bone sorting and orientation along with oxidation pattern and micromorphological data indicate an intense reworking of sediments and bones. The site is to be considered among those known in Europe as representative of the last populations of Ursus spelaeus before the demise of this specie during the Last Glacial Maximum. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ursus arctos ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa Journal of Quaternary Science |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Ursus spelaeus Ursus arctos bone taphonomy micromorphology cave sediments reworking |
spellingShingle |
Ursus spelaeus Ursus arctos bone taphonomy micromorphology cave sediments reworking MARTA ZUNINO ELISABETTA STARNINI DANIELE AROBBA MARCO AVANZINI PAOLO CITTON MARCO FIRPO FABIO NEGRINO MARCO ROMANO ISABELLA SALVADOR IVANO RELLINI New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
topic_facet |
Ursus spelaeus Ursus arctos bone taphonomy micromorphology cave sediments reworking |
description |
The Bàsura Cave (Toirano, NW Italy) became famous worldwide in 1950 for the discovery of prehistoric human footprints and of an impressive Ursus spelaeus bone deposit baptized by the first explorers “Cimitero degli Orsi” (Bear Cemetery). The bear remains belonging to the deeper layer of the deposit have been left in situ and nowadays are one of the principal attractions for visitors. A new research project aimed at re-evaluating the legacy and collections from this important cave involved the taphonomic study of the bones, along with sedimentological, micromorphological analyses and new radiocarbon dates, in order to understand the nature and chronology of the deposit. In the present study, element quantification and surficial state of preservation of the skeletal elements were analyzed to assess the origin of bone accumulation, the composition of the assemblage in terms of age and species, and the representation of the different portions of the carcasses. The bone sorting and orientation along with oxidation pattern and micromorphological data indicate an intense reworking of sediments and bones. The site is to be considered among those known in Europe as representative of the last populations of Ursus spelaeus before the demise of this specie during the Last Glacial Maximum. |
author2 |
Zunino, Marta Starnini, Elisabetta Arobba, Daniele Avanzini, Marco Citton, Paolo Firpo, Marco Negrino, Fabio Romano, Marco Salvador, Isabella Rellini, Ivano |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
MARTA ZUNINO ELISABETTA STARNINI DANIELE AROBBA MARCO AVANZINI PAOLO CITTON MARCO FIRPO FABIO NEGRINO MARCO ROMANO ISABELLA SALVADOR IVANO RELLINI |
author_facet |
MARTA ZUNINO ELISABETTA STARNINI DANIELE AROBBA MARCO AVANZINI PAOLO CITTON MARCO FIRPO FABIO NEGRINO MARCO ROMANO ISABELLA SALVADOR IVANO RELLINI |
author_sort |
MARTA ZUNINO |
title |
New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
title_short |
New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
title_full |
New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
title_fullStr |
New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
title_full_unstemmed |
New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bones deposit from Bàsura cave (Toirano, NW Italy) |
title_sort |
new insights into taphonomic analysis of the upper pleistocene ursus spelaeus bones deposit from bàsura cave (toirano, nw italy) |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1119868 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3417 |
genre |
Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Ursus arctos |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000765436900001 firstpage:1 lastpage:15 numberofpages:15 journal:JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1119868 doi:10.1002/jqs.3417 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85125659738 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3417 |
container_title |
Journal of Quaternary Science |
_version_ |
1796933304688050176 |