317
M. R. Palombo1
, A.P.Anzidei 2
& A.Arnoldus-Huyzendveld 3
1
Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, Rome
2
Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma
3
Rocca di Papa
Palombo, M.R., Anzidei, A.P. & Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, A., 2003 - La Polledrara di Cecanibbio:
one of the richest Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus sites of the late Middle Pleistocene in Italy in:
Reumer, J.W.F., De Vos, J. & Mol, D. (eds.) - ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH (Proceedings
of the Second International Mammoth Conference, Rotterdam, May 16-20 1999) - DEINSEA 9:
317-330 [ISSN 0923-9308] Published 24 May 2003
La Polledrara di Cecanibbio site, together with the Castel di Guido site, is one of the richest deposits
with Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus of the Italian late Middle Pleistocene (= Early
Aurelian Land Mammal Age). The deposit, located NW of Rome at an elevation of about 83 m asl
was discovered in 1984. About 750 m2
of a paleosurface belonging to an ancient stream bed were
uncovered, with a high concentration of large mammal bone remains associated with lithic and
bone industry. The site is included in the terminal series of the pyroclastic deposits of the
´Sabatino´ volcanic complex, up to now correlated with the Aurelia Formation and correlated with
OIS 9. Recent stratigraphical research seems to indicate an erosive contact between the layers
including La Polledrara di Cecanibbio site and the deposits of the Aurelia Formation. Therefore,
La Polledrara might be older and can be correlated with a terminal phase of OIS 10. Among the
most common species (Bos primigenius, Elephas antiquus, Cervus elaphus, Equus caballus, Canis
aff. Canis lupus, Stephanorhinus sp.) Elephas bones are the most interesting, especially for the
presence of two well preserved skulls. They offer a broader knowledge on the morphology of the
Italian specimens of Elephas antiquus, up to now often studied on incomplete or deformed skulls.
All skeletal elements are represented: numerous tusks, mandibles, isolated molar teeth and postcranial
bones (some of them in anatomical connection), belonging at least to twenty-five individuals.
The studies, presently in progress, may contribute to the knowledge of the morphological
and biometrical variability of the Elephas antiquus populations of the late Middle Pleistocene and
test the variability of some characters considered useful for gender determination.
Correspondence: M.R. Palombo, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Università degli Studi di
Roma ‘La Sapienza’, CNR Institito di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, Piazzale Aldo Moro,
5 - 00185 Roma, Italy, e-mail: mariarita.palombo@uniroma1.it; A.P. Anzidei, Soprintendenza
Archeologica di Roma, Piazza delle Finanze 1, 00185 Roma, Italy, e-mail:
annapaola.anzidei@archeorm.arti.beniculturali.it; A. Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, Rocca di Papa
(RM), Italy, e-mail: digiter@pelagus.it
Keywords: Elephas (Palaeloxodon) antiquus, late Middle Pleistocene, Italy
La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: one of the richest
Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus sites of the late
Middle Pleistocene in Italy
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ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
INTRODUCTION
Mammal faunas referred to the late Middle
Pleistocene are known since a long time from
Latium, especially from the ‘Bassa Campagna
Romana’, where eruptive products of the
Sabatinian and Alban volcanic districts are
interbedded with sedimentary cycles that
represent alluvial fills. La Polledrara di
Cecanibbio site, together with the Castel di
Guido site (Sala & Barbi 1996), is one of the
richest deposits with Elephas (Palaeloxodon)
antiquus FALCONER & CAUTLEY, 1847 in the
late Middle Pleistocene (= Early Aurelian
Land Mammal Age, sensu Gliozzi et al.
1997) of Italy. The deposit, located on the
highest terrace of the northwestern surroundings
of Rome (Fig. 1), at an elevation of
about 83 m asl (above sea level), was discovered
in 1984 during a survey organised by
the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma
(Anzidei et al. 1989; Anzidei & ArnoldusHuyzendveld
1992; Anzidei et al. in press).
The preliminary excavation pointed out the
particular interest of the deposit because of
the wealth of archaeological and paleontological
material. During numerous excavation
campaigns, about 750 m2
of a paleosurface
belonging to an ancient stream bed were
uncovered, with a high concentration of large
mammal bone remains (over 8.000) associated
with lithic and bone industry (Fig. 2).
Excavation, recovery and restoration is still
in progress. Part of the bones has been removed
and is presently preserved in the deposits
of the Soprintendenza Archeologica of Rome,
another part is still preserved at the site,
which is destined to become a museum.
Mammal fauna
The mammal fauna consists of: Bos primigenius
BOJANUS, 1827, very abundant; Elephas
(Palaeloxodon) antiquus FALCONER &
CAUTLEY, 1847, very abundant; Cervus elaphus
LINNAEUS, 1758 advanced form, less
Figure 1 Location map of late Middle Pleistocene (Early Aurelian Mammal Age,Torre in Pietra Faunal Unit) sites in the
North and north-western area of Rome. 1: La Polledrara di Cecanibbio, 2: Castel di Guido, 3: Malagrotta, 4:Torre in
Pietra, 5: Collina Barbattini, 6: Riano Flaminio.
4
6
1
2
5
3
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PALOMBO et al.: Elephas antiquus from La Polledrara di Cecanibbio
frequent; Equus caballus ssp., very rare;
Stephanorhinus sp., very rare; Canis aff. C.
lupus LINNAEUS, 1758, only one largely
incomplete skeleton;?Bison priscus
(BOJANUS, 1827);?Hippopotamus ex group of
Hippopotamus amphibius LINNAEUS, 1758.
With respect to taxonomical composition and
evolutive degree, this fauna may be included
Figure 2 Excavation plane of the squares L14 (partim) and I14.
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ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
in the Torre in Pietra Faunal Unit (Caloi &
Palombo 1990; Gliozzi et al. 1997), it can be
correlated with the oxygen isotopic stages
(OIS) 10-8. Various associations in the Campagna
Romana originating from the layers of
the Aurelia Formation (Conato et al. 1980),
(or correlated with it) can be referred to this
Unit. The more representative sites are those
of Torre in Pietra, Collina Barbattini, Riano
Flaminio, as well as Polledrara di Cecanibbio
(Fig. 1; Anzidei et al. 1989; Caloi & Palombo
1995; Caloi et al. 1998). The mammalian
assemblages are generally characterised by
the association of Elephas (Palaeoloxodon)
antiquus with large Bos primigenius accompanied
by cervids. The cervids are represented
by the yet persistent Galerian form Dama
clactoniana (FALCONER, 1868), by the archaic
form of red deer Cervus elaphus 'rianensis'
LEONARDI & PETRONIO, 1974, as well as by
Megaloceros giganteus BLUMENBACH, 1803
(here occurring for the fist time in Italy) and
roe deer, which are less frequent. Horse may
be present, at times abundantly, as may rhinoceros
[Stephanorhinus cf. S. hundsheimensis
(TOULA, 1902), S. hemitoechus (FALCONER,
1868) and S. kirchbergensis (JAGER, 1839)],
Hippopotamus, wild boar, small carnivores,
whilst the big carnivores (bears, lions and
leopards) are rarer. The overall composition
of the fauna varies at the different sites.
The horse is particularly abundant at Torre
in Pietra, whereas the urus and the elephant
are the dominant forms at La Polledrara. The
Clacton fallow deer, absent in La Polledrara,
Torre in Pietra and Castel di Guido, is, however,
abundant in Collina Barbattini. The red
deer Cervus elaphus is always present, but its
percentage varies from site to site (it is for
example abundant in Torre in Pietra and in
Riano, scarce in La Polledrara and in Collina
Barbattini; the giant deer is present in Torre
in Pietra and in Castel di Guido). The occurrence
of Hippopotamus is noteworthy with
sparse remains in Via Aurelia, in Castel di
Guido and in Malagrotta; the urus Bos primigenius
is generally abundant in all the associations
(Caloi and Palombo 1995, Caloi et
al. 1998). The composition of Campagna
Romana large mammal assemblages belonging
to the Torre in Pietra F.U., suggess cooltemperate
climate conditions, corresponding
to the positive oscillations of OIS 9, or of a
terminal phase of OIS 10, as well as the presence
of an open environment along the
coast, whereas, inland, deciduous forests,
widespread in moister temperate conditions.
GEOLOGICAL AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL
SETTING
La Polledrara di Cecanibbio is located near
Rome, upon a relict of the lower footslopes
of the Sabatini volcanic structure, dated to
the Middle Pleistocene (Di Filippo 1993).
The absolute level of the site is 83 m asl,
whereas the local morphology is gently undulating.
Stratigraphy at the site has become
exposed through Holocene slope erosion, and
was partly disturbed by modern ploughing.
The regional geology is made up of the following
formations (Dragone et al. 1967;
Servizio Geologico d’Italia 1963; Servizio
Geologico d’Italia 1986; Compagnoni et al.
1986): (1) at the base, the ‘Ponte Galeria’ formation,
age about 0.9-0.7 My, composed of
sands, pebbly sands and clays of deltaic and
lagoonal facies, preceeding the volcanic activity;
(2) pyroclastic fall products from the
Sacrofano and local scoria cones, locally reworked,
composed of graded alternating scorialapilli
layers, rich in pumiceous elements
towards the top. The uppermost part of the
pyroclastic fall deposits is dated generally at
0.26 My. Local top level: 88 m asl. (3) intercalated
within the former sequence: the ‘Red
tuff with black scorias’ pyroclastic flow unit,
dated 0.49-0.43 My. This ignimbrite has an
alkaline-trachytic composition and is made
up of a micro-pumiceous matrix, locally lithified,
containing large black pumices. Local
top-level 80 m asl. (4) at the top: travertine
and clay deposits of lacustrine facies; local
top level 91 m asl.
The La Polledrara archaeological remains
are embedded within the thin lacustrine layers
belonging to the ‘Cornazzano-Valle
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PALOMBO et al.: Elephas antiquus from La Polledrara di Cecanibbio
Santa’ basin, intercalated in the terminal
pyroclastic fall series (Bottino 1976; Corda et
al. 1978; Locardi & Orsini 1990). The lacustrine
environment has been linked to subsidence
along faults, known to have occurred
during the late Middle Pleistocene (De Rita et
al. 1996). The sediments are made up mainly
of light grey ashy tuffites, locally sandy at
the base. Often they overly directly a medium-grained
granular tuffite, rich in analcimised
leucite. Within the lacustrine sediments
there may occur whitish layers, composed
mainly of fluorite. Geological survey has
revealed the spatial distribution of the latter
ones, as limited to a narrow N-S belt crossing
exactly the archaeological site (ArnoldusHuyzendveld
& Anzidei 1993) (Fig. 3). On
the base of the excavation data, the La
Polledrara site has been associated with a
small ephemeral river, having cut various
Figure 3 La Polledrara di Cecannibio, reconstruction of the
stream course, on the basis of soil survey in the surrounding
areas: 1: red tuff with black scorias; 2: granular tuffite; 3: fluorite;
4: grey ashy tuffite; 5: presence of fossil bones; 6: reconstruction
of the course; 7: outer curve, rather steep; 8: inner curve,
gradual and terraced.
Figure 4 Scheme of a braiding river landscape type, with indicated the presumed position of the site (*) (after Williams
& Rust 1969, in: Reineck & Singh 1980: 283, modified).
*
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ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
bends into the granular tuffite (Anzidei &
Arnoldus-Huyzendveld 1992) (Fig. 4). The
infill as found, was composed of light grey
ashy tuffite. Bone remains were found, both
embedded in the valley fill as well as scattered
along the stream borders. They are frequently
associated with small fluoritic aggregates,
covering the paleosurface and, more
rarely, with large imprints of radial gypsum
crystals (Anzidei et al. 1989). The depth of
the encountered fluvial incision did not
exceed 1.5 m, and total valley width ranged
up to 40 m. Bend radius was supposedly 120
- 200 m. Lateral bed-displacement signs were
encountered. The longitudinal profile of the
water stream must have been smoothly graded,
with a general current direction to the
south.
The pyroclastic fall deposition still active
during the lifetime of the site, with a consequential
high sediment charge of the river
system, points to the existence of a typical
‘young’ paleo-landscape, characterised by
fluvial-marshy environmental features, such
as stagnant waters and braiding stream channels
(Arnoldus-Huyzendveld & Anzidei
1993). Final fossilisation of the animal bones
took place by their transformation into fluoro-apatite.
The formation of this highly resistant
material is linked to the occurrence of
post-volcanic, highly mineralised, fluids,
rising upward along fractures and then forming
‘fumaroles’ (Mastrangelo 1976). This
phenomenon can be linked directly to the
known N-S direction of the neotectonic structural
alignments. The state of conservation of
the bones points to a moment of fossilisation
rather soon after (or even before) their complete
burial.
The age of the La Polledrara site has been
associated with the ‘Aurelia’ formation (ois
9; age 0.37-0.27 My), together with ‘Castel
di Guido’ and related sites (Anzidei et al.
1989). The latter formation fills up the fluvial
Figure 5 La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: detail of the paleosurface excavated in 1985/86. Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus bones are
visible: at the lower right a jaw, at the centre a tusk, a femur and a humerus.
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PALOMBO et al.: Elephas antiquus from La Polledrara di Cecanibbio
incisions created during the marine lowstand,
associated to OIS 10 (Conato et al.
1980; Malatesta & Zarlenga 1988). Recent
field work on stratigraphical sections led to
the conclusion that the contact between the
lacustrine deposits and the Aurelian formation
may not be heteropical, but instead erosive.
Thus, the La Polledrara site might be
slightly older than the Aurelian Formation
sites, and eventually belong to a final
moment of OIS 10 (Anzidei et al. in press).
THE ELEPHANT
Elephas bones are very abundant in the fauna
of La Polledrara, especially in the levels that
originated in a phase of river flooding, leading
to the bone deposition along the margins
of the channel and in a last phase of overall
deposition of lake and marshy sediments
outside the former streambed. Until now
1,411 remains have been examined, making
up a significant sample, but not including all
elephant remains encountered. In fact, some
bones removed from the site still await restoration,
whereas others have been identified in
only partially excavated portions of the site.
The taxonomic and taphonomic study of the
deposit, the fauna and the industry is still in
progress. The study of the Elephas antiquus
remains may contribute to a better knowledge
of the morphological and biometrical variability
of the late Middle Pleistocene Elephas
antiquus populations of of Italy. Bone preservation
varies greatly because of the large
number of intervening factors. It ranges from
bones in partial anatomical connection to isolated
whole bones with a very fresh surface,
or fragmented bones with sharply fractured
edges, to bones and bone fragments with a
variable degree of rolling, differential erosion
and epiphiseal or cancellous bone abrasion
(Fig. 5). All skeletal elements are represented:
six quite complete skulls, numerous
tusks (many almost complete), mandibles,
isolated molar teeth and postcranial bones
(some of them in anatomical connection),
belonging at last to twenty-five individuals.
The partial articulated remains of two elephant
skeletons have been recovered and, in
addition, one complete foreleg, one hand, two
partial hind legs, some dorsal vertebrae and
ribs of two disarticulated vertebral column
(Figs. 6 and 7). Very recently, another skeleton
has been found at the top of the fossiliferous
levels, near the margin of the fluvialmarshy
landscape. The remains, very well
preserved, consist of the almost complete
vertebral column (only sacral and caudal vertebrae
lack, the cervical vertebrae are in anatomical
connection, the dorsal and the lumbar
are slightly disarticulated), several ribs, one
fragment of scapula and one humerus, exhibiting
fracture traces typical of fresh bones.
Close to the skeleton, three implements were
encountered: one of bone and two of flint not
showing any fluvial reworking marks. The
excavation of this area is still in progress.
In the partial sample examined, the remains
Figure 6 La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: detail of the paleosurface
excavated in 1985/86. Elephas (Palaeoloxodon)
antiquus cervical and dorsal vertebrae and some ribs of a
disarticulated axial skeleton.
of large adult individuals are clearly prevailing,
whereas the remains of young or very
young individuals are but scarce. The bestrepresented
parts are the axial skeleton, in
particular vertebrae and long bones, present
in a high percentage not only with diaphysal
fragments, but also with more or less complete
bones (Fig. 7). When comparing the La
Polledrara sample with the data of the elephant
remains from Castel di Guido (Fig. 8),
one may observe how the only notable differences
concern the axial skeleton, and particularly
the vertebrae. Though it is premature
to forward hypotheses in this study phase, it
is not to be excluded that the higher percentage
of axial skeleton remains at the La
Polledrara site may be partly linked to a higher
presence of only partially disarticulated
skeletons.
The elephant skulls of la Polledrara are
very interesting and offer a broader knowledge
on the morphology of the Italian specimens
of Elephas antiquus, up till now often
studied on incomplete or deformed skulls.
The better preserved skulls are those of two
fully grown elephants (Figs. 2 and 9) which
exhibit a short and broad brow with a transverse
occipito-frontal torus, very prominent
and reaching the posterior border of the nasal
choanae, as in females and males of E. namadicus
FALCONER & CAUTLEY, 1846. The anterior
margin of the torus is high, robust, with
strong crests for the insertion of the trunk
muscles. A less developed occipito-frontal
torus is also present in the Italian specimens
of Viterbo (Trevisan 1949) and Pian dell’Olmo
324
ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
Figure 7 La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: detail of the paleosurface
excavated in 1985/86. Elephas (Palaeoloxodon)
antiquus connected bones of complete left manus, in posterior
view.
Figure 8 Diagrams showing the distribution of total number (left) and percentages (right) of Elephas (Palaeoloxodon)
antiquus different skeletal bones in the samples of la Polledrara di Cecanibbio and Castel di Guido.
325
PALOMBO et al.: Elephas antiquus from La Polledrara di Cecanibbio
(Maccagno 1962), whereas in the German
skull kept in the Stoccarda Museum (Osborn
1942) the torus is very little developed. The
praemaxillary bones are very enlarged also
proximally; the incisive alveoli are swollen,
and a broad, almost triangular shallow
depression occupies their centre.However, the
parietal-occipital region is more transversally
enlarged than the distal edge of the fan. In
posterior view, the occipital exhibits an
approximately oval contour; a great distance
separates the deep occipital fossa from the
foramen magnum; in lateral view, the occipital
passes into the parietal and frontal surfaces
by an almost rectangular bend.
In the examined sample (Figs. 10, 11 and
12), the penultimate and ultimate molars prevail,
whereas the first three teeth are less
represented. Taking into account the morphological
variability related to ontogenetic
growth, two morphotypes have been recognised:
the first has thick and less folded enamel
loops; in the second one, the enamel is relatively
thin, densely and regularly folded, the
laminae are more closely packed. However,
the differences are not very important. The
worn lamina exhibit more or less strongly
folded enamel surfaces, from initial to medium
wear, in the M3. The plication ranges
from relatively regular to more sharpened, in
both cases it extends until the lingual and
buccal side. An accentuated plication (medial
Figure 9 Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus Falconer &
Cautley, 1847, skull (specimen no. 3412) in frontal view.
Figure 10 La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: Elephas
(Palaeoloxodon) antiquus left incomplete hemi-mandible
(specimen no. 2712) with d4 and the alveolus of d3.
Figure 11 Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus right M3 of a
male individual (specimen no. 606). Upper photo: occlusal
surface; lower photo: buccal view.
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ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
pillar) is frequently present on the posterior
side of the lamina. This fold is generally ‘C’shaped,
as has frequently been recorded in
not very advanced E. antiquus samples from
the Middle Pleistocene of Italy (Palombo
1986). The pillar is in some cases flanked by
two or (rarely) four large and sharper folds.
Plications became more regular in the very
worn laminae. The average enamel thickness
range from 1.5 mm in the first tooth, to 2.8
mm in the last molar. The lamellar frequency
range from 8 to 5. The enamel thicknesses,
lamellar frequency, hypsodontia index of the
elephant teeth of La Polledrara, fall in the
range of variability of E. antiquus of late
Middle Pleistocene of Italy (Palombo 1986,
1995).
According to Maglio (1973), several authors
consider Elephas antiquus as a younger
synonym of Elephas namadicus, as a result of
which only one species would be present in
the Pleistocene of Eurasia. In effect, Falconer
and Cautley named Elephas antiquus, the
European straight-tusked elephant, in 1847,
while the species Elephas namadicus was
erected in 1846 for Pleistocene Indian specimens.
Consequently, if the two species are
identical, as alleged by several authors, the
name E. namadicus has priority. Never-theless,
there are some reasons for treating the
straight-tusked elephant of Europe as a species
distinct from, although closely allied to,
its Asian relative E. namadicus. Firstly, the
different routes (towards north-western and
towards north-eastern) of diffusion followed
by the ancestral population, which (originating
itself in Africa) have colonised the
Eurasia territories via Anatolia. As a result,
the two groups of populations maintain a different
areal distribution during the Middle
and the early Late Pleistocene. This fact
could hamper genetic flow between the two
groups, allowing a speciation process.
Secondly, in spite of their great variability,
some biometrics and morphological characters
of the molars seem to differentiate the
specimens of E. antiquus from those of E.
namadicus. Additional evidence supplied by
the study of La Polledrara specimens allows
us to hypothesise that both species are probably
valid. As a matter of fact, if the two species
resemble each other in basic morphology
of skull, some distinctive biometrics characters
are present as is showed by La Polledrara
skulls. The skulls exhibit, compared to the
average morphological and biometrics characters
of Elephas namadicus, a parieto-occipital
region which is less strongly convex in
the horizontal direction; consequently the
zygomatic process of the temporal are pushed
to the front in a minor degree; the distal edge
of the fan (tusk sockets and triangular, flattened
area between them) is proportionally less
enlarged. Thus, taking into account the few
available data and until additional evidence
becomes available, we prefer to retain both
specie as valid.
INDUSTRY
Lithic industry and a some bone industry of
the Lower Paleolithic type has been recovered
in association with the faunal remains.
Lithic industry, consisting of about 400
implements, is made from small flint pebbles.
The choppers and chopper-scrapers are the
largest tools (max. dimensions = 80 x 60 x 35
Figure 12 Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus right M3 of a
female individual (specimen no. 3528). Upper photo: occlusal
surface; lower photo: buccal view.
mm); the other tools, pebbles and flakes, are
smaller. There are various types of scrapers,
many of them with a rather thick retouched
edge; gradually becoming end-scrapers in
some pieces. There are a large number of
notches, denticulates and multiple tools, both
on pebbles, cores and flakes. Many tools are
not typologically well defined, with a kind of
halfway form between two types (side scraper/end
scraper; retouched chopper/side scraper
on chopper). The tools with only one
retouched edge are not common; generally
they show two, three or four retouched edges.
This intensive exploitation of pebbles was
certainly caused by the difficulty in obtaining
raw material: siliceous pebbles do not belong
to the volcanic nature of the area and certainly
were brought to the site by humans. The
lithic industry shows various degrees of rolling
and soil sheen. The artefacts, almost all
located in the marginal area of the stream,
have been displaced by water and their position
in relation to the bones is fortuituous.
Only in the western sector of the excavation,
in a small area with stagnant water deposits,
where the partially articulated remains of two
elephants have been found, there was a perfectly
preserved lithic industry with use-wear
traces (polish and striations) indicating
butchering activity.
Only six clearly worked bones have been
found, all made from the diaphysis of elephant
long bones. Some artefacts are presented
here: (1) Concave side-scraper on diaphysis
fragment, with a direct, continuos, unidirectional
retouch. Cortical bone is preserved on
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PALOMBO et al.: Elephas antiquus from La Polledrara di Cecanibbio
Figure 13 Concave side-scraper on diaphysis fragment, with a direct continuous unidirectional retouch (170 x 139 x 52 mm).
328
the dorsal face, while spongy tissue is exposed
on the ventral face (170 x 139 x 52 mm;
Fig. 13). (2) Diaphysis fragment with two
longitudinal unidirectional flake scars, which
partially removed the cortical surface. On the
opposite side, spongy tissue is exposed. Both
extremities have been sharpened by a series
of contiguous bifacial negative flake scars
(240 x 136 x 62 mm; Fig. 14). (3) denticulate
side-scraper on diaphysis fragment. The margin
has been sharpened by a few large negative
flake scars on the internal part of the bone,
were the spongy tissue is preserved. The distal
extremity has been reduced and pointed
by short bifacial negative flake scars (263 x
99 x 49 mm). Other fragments of elephant
diaphysis and bovid epiphyses have been
modified by multiple scars and probably used
by man; some elephant bone flakes with butt,
bulb of percussion and ventral ripples, are
probably due to human activity.
CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary analysis of the sample of
elephant specimens from La Polledrara di
Cecanibbio on the one hand confirms the
morphological and biometrical characters of
the late Middle Pleistocene Italian population
of E. antiquus, on the other hand emphasises
the problems related to the taxonomical identity
of E. antiquus versus E. namadicus. The
features of the La Polledrara elephant skull
seem to support a separation between these
two species, as have been already hypothesised
on the basis of their areal distribution.
However, the range of morphological and
biometrical variation of European paleoloxodontine
elephants still remains poorly
known. We need more additional evidence
and analytical data to resolve this question.
Concerning the paleo-environmental conditions
of La Polledrara di Cecanibbio, all available
data point to the occurrence, of a flat
fluvial-marshy landscape, with open spaces
and moderately covered woodlands, even if
the faunal assemblages recorded from various
sites of the same area are characterised by a
different frequency - of species inhabiting
open or forest environments (Caloi et al.
1998). The indications of a relatively temperate
climate inferred by the faunal assemblages
agree with the oxygen isotope data in the
Tyrrhenian record, indicating two warm
peaks for the stage 9 (Vergnaud Grazzini et
al. 1990). However, in the faunal assemblages
of La Polledrara very few taxa occur,
moreover with wide ecological tolerances,
consequently it is difficult to offer a precise
ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH DEINSEA 9, 2003
Figure 14 Diaphysis fragment with two longitudinal unidirectional
flake scars which partially removed the cortical surface.
Spongy tissue is exposed (240 x 136 x 62 mm).
paleo-environmental reconstruction for this
site; both dominant taxa indicate open grasslands
at the margin of woody areas. It is
surprising to note the scarcity (or absence?)
of Hippopotamus remains, frequent in other
mammal assemblages of the same area (Sala
& Barbi 1996).
The local stratigraphical sequence marks a
complete fluvial cycle of a single river channel;
the cycle could be divided into the following
paleo-environmental phases: (1) at first,
the occurrence of a small braiding-river channel.
In spite of its limited size and the low
slope-angle, the stream was evidently strong
enough to rework animal bones, of which the
remains were found scattered in a fragmented
and eroded state throughout the central part
of the fluvial infill; (2) a probably slightly
successive phase of river flooding, leading to
the rearrangement of large animal bones
along the margins of the channel; and (3) the
occurrence, after the silting up of the channel
and marginal areas, of a last phase, characterised
by the overall deposition of lake and
marshy sediments outside and over the former
streambed, thus allowing the preservation
of animal bones with no evidence of fluvial
transport, but incidentally carrying the
traces of some human activity.
The inferred fluvial cycle has probably
only a local meaning, i.e. marking in time
and space a relatively short episode of a single
shifting channel of a braiding system, the latter
draining a landscape with a still unmature
geomorphology. The lifetime of the archaeological
site coincides with a phase of the final
local volcanic activity, the latter probably
limited to pyroclastic ash falls and the outbreak
of volcanic gases through fractures. But
both these processes were essential in bone
preservation, through burying and chemical
transformation.
The studies of the Elephas antiquus
remains may improve the knowledge of the
morphological and biometrical variability of
the late Middle Pleistocene Elephas antiquus
of Italy and contribute to a better comparison
with Western and Eastern European specimens,
as well as with Elephas namadicus.
Moreover, the presence of various pelvic and
carpal bones may help to test the variability
of some characters considered useful for the
gender determination.
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Received 09 July 1999
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