Table 1.
The Late Upper Palaeolithic burials.
| site | 14C-dating | individuals | grave features | objects | references |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arene Candide, cave, Italy | VIb: 10 585 ± 55 BP (OxA-11000) VIII: 10 655 ± 55 BP(OxA-11001) XII: 10 720 ± 55 BP (OxA-11002) XIV: 10 735 ± 55 BP (OxA-11003) X: 11 605 ± 445 BP (GX-16960-A) XII: 11 510 ± 385 BP (GX-16964-K) direct dates, Epigravettian |
20 (infants, adults both sexes) | grave pits, single and double burials, secondary burials, disturbed burials | red ochre, perforated red deer canines and shells. 2 pairs of elk antlers | [6–8] |
| Grotta Romanelli | level A: 10 320 ± 130 BP (GrN-2305) 9880 ± 100 BP (GrN-2056) 11,800 ± 600 BP (R-58) 9050 ± 100 BP (R-54) level B: 11 930 ± 520 BP (R-56) level C: 9790 ± 80 BP (GrN-2154) 10 390 ± 80 BP (GrN-2153) level D: 10 640 ± I00 BP (GrN-2055) final Epigravettian |
1 adult male 2 children |
[7,9] | ||
| Grotta Polesini | 10 900 ± 80 BP (R-1265) Epipalaeolithic |
14 (MNI)—10 adults, 4 children | red ochre on bones, perforated red deer canines, shells | [9] | |
| Riparo di Villabruna | 10 040 ± 120 BP (R-2022) layer; 12 140 ± 70 BP (KIA-27004)—direct date, final Epigravettian |
Adult, male∼25 years | stone block covering, decorated w. red painted geometric motifs grave pit |
[9–11] | |
| Grotta Maritza | 13 000–10 000 BP final Epigravettian | 1: adult male, partially preserved and articulated 2: 7–8-year-old child—partial skeleton |
close to the cave wall | flint tools, perforated shells | [7,9,12] |
| Riparo di Tagliente | 13 070 ± 70 BP (OxA-3531) 13 270 ± 70 BP (OxA-3532) direct dates, final Epigravettain |
1: adult male 2: child |
covered by stone blocks with red ochre, one with engravings (lion) | [9,10,12,13] | |
| Riparo di Romito | 10 250 ± 450 BP (R-298) 11 150 ± 150 BP (R-300) 4: 11 340 ± 90 (LTL3032A) 5: 10 862 ± 70 (LTL3033A) 9: 13 915 ± 70 (LTL3034A) Epigravettian |
9 (MNI) in 7 graves (5 single, 2 double burials) | grave pits, stone block with engraving | [9,13–16] | |
| Grotta Vado all'Arancio | ∼ 13 400 BP Epigravettian | adult male with 1–2-year-old child in extended position | grave pit | flint tools and perforated shells | [7,12,17] |
| Grotta dei Fanciulli | level C: 11 130 ± 100 BP (GifA-94197) direct date, Epigravettian level B: younger than 11 000 BP Epigravettian |
two infants, 2 and 3 ± 1-year-olds, extended position adult female, poorly preserved |
grave pit grave pit |
several hundred perforated shells on the waist and pelvis area perforated shells in level, association unclear |
[9,12] |
| Grotta di San Teodoro | 12 200 ± 400 BP (charcoal from overlying heath) Epigravettian 12 580 ± 130 BP (ETH-34451) direct date, San Teodoro 1 |
5 (MNI), 4 male and one female (?) | use of red ochre, antler small cobbles | [7,13,18–20] | |
| Grotta Addaura Caprara | 12 890 ± 60 BP (KIA-36055) direct date, Addaura 1 | 1 adult female | [20] | ||
| La Madeleine | 10 190 ± 100 BP (GifA-95457) direct date, Azilian |
2–4-year-old infant | grave pit, stones around the head | use of red ochre, perforated shell pendants, 2 perforated deer canines, 2 fox canines | [21,22] |
| Roc de Cave | 11 210 ± 140 BP (GifA-95048) direct date, late Magdalenian or Azilian |
juvenile incomplete skeleton | perforated deer teeth necklace | [21,23] | |
| Rochereil | Azilian (1 + 2?) and probably late Magdalenian (3) | 1: male, 40–50 years 2 unknown, fragmented/ cremated? 3 child skull |
red ochre | [24–26] | |
| Le Peyrat (Saint Rabier) | 11 430 ± 140 BP (GifA-99117) Azilian level |
5: adult male | red ochre on the bones | [27,28] | |
| Los Azules | 9540 ± 120 BP (CSIC-260) layer above 9430 ± 120 BP (CSIC-216)– layer below Azilian |
male, 40–50 years | grave pit | red ochre, painted cobbles, atypical animal remains, shells, harpoons, endscrapers, burins and debitage (tool kit) | [29–31] |
| La Paloma (lost) |
Azilian | young child | grave pit | [31] | |
| Aven des Iboussières | 10 210 ± 80 BP (OxA-5628) Fauna from layer 4C) Azilian |
4 adults 5 children (MNI) fragmentary remains (426 fragments) | red ochre on bones (layer 4C), red ochre, flint artefacts, faunal remains within layer, engraved animal bones, fish vertebrae, shells, perforated animal teeth (197 red deer canines), perforated stones and bones within find horizon | [32–35] | |
| Bonn-Oberkassel | 11 570 ± 100 BP (male) (OxA-4790) 12 180 ± 100 BP (female) (OxA-4792) direct dates, Late Palaeolithic |
adult male and female | red ochre, domestic dog bone or antler animal figurine, bone pin | [4,5,36,37] | |
| Neuwied-Irlich | 12 310 ± 120 (OxA-9736) 11 910 ± 70 (OxA-9847) 11 965 ± 65 (OxA-9848) 12 110 ± 90 (UtC-9221) direct dates, Late Palaeolithic |
4 (MNI) adult female (?), 2 infants, 1 neonate | red ochre, perforated red deer incisor with carvings on the root, 2 flint tools, 1 antler point | [5,38] |