Hunter-gatherers entered northern Italy earlier than previously estimated

Fabio Santaniello and a team from the University of Trento discovered evidence that hunter-gatherers from Spain moved into northern Italy earlier than researchers previously believed.

The team conducted excavations at Riparo Mochi, a rock shelter located near the border of France and Italy. The researchers uncovered more than 7,500 artifacts, including an intact hearth and marine shells. Microscopic analysis of Noailles burins, which are pointed stone tools used for carving bone and antler, showed wear marks on the sides.

These marks suggest the people used the tools to cut meat and animal skins. Radiocarbon dating of the shells placed them between 30,000 and 30,800 years old. This finding pushes back the timeline of the Noaillian culture's presence in northern Italy by 2,000 to 3,000 years. The team suggests that a cold and dry climate in Europe during this period likely forced human migrations toward milder climates in the east.

This new data aligns with previously recorded dates for the same culture in southern Italy.