Paleolithic Site of Notarchirico (Venosa Basin)

Paleolithic Site of Notarchirico (Venosa Basin)
Nation: Italy
Region: Basilicata
Province: Potenza
Municipality: Venosa

Site composed of over eleven levels frequented in the Lower Paleolithic period named Acheuelan (600,000-300,000 years ago).

In each of the levels, lithic instruments are preserved such as: limestone choppers, scrapers, serrated tools, flint-stone indentations and animal remains such as: ancient elephant (Elephas Paleoloxodon antiquus), Mammuthus armeniacus, bison (Bison schoetensacki), wild ox (Bos primigenius), rhinocerous (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus), deer (Cervus elaphus acoronatus, Megaceros verticornis, M. solilhacus), bears (Ursus deningeri), etc. The faunas represent remains of animals carried away or deposited by waters or hunting  remains to witness the strong presence of man during the Middle Pleistocene.

An important find is a human bone dated 300,000 years.

The deposits have a sedimentary and volcanic origin. The former present a series of facies that characterize fluvial environments. The volcanic one are composed of an accumulation of white ashes alternated with pumice lenses.

Constraint: the realization of a park has been planned

Deterioration risk: minimal, the main levels are protected by structures

Type of deterioration: controlled

Bibliography: Angelelli F. et alii (1978) - Fauna quaternaria di Venosa. Cenni preliminari, Atti XX Riunione Scientifica dell'istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria.

Loreto Le grotte del Paleolitico

Notarchirico Resti di Bue

Notarchirico Area dell'elefante

Notarchirico Industrie litiche