Reconsidering lithic transport in Middle Palaeolithic assemblages: curated and expedient strategies in the Abric Romaní mobile toolkits Irene González-Molina, M. Gema Chacón, Bruno Gómez de Soler, Francesca Romagnoli, Manuel Vaquero Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2025 Mobility and its relationship with lithic technology is a major debate in the study of Neanderthal groups, especially regarding the selection of mobile tools for transport. This study analyses the mobile toolkits from levels M and P of the Abric Romaní (Capellades, Barcelona), a key site for studying Neanderthal behaviour due to its high stratigraphic resolution. The mobile toolkits, introduced already knapped into the site, come from two distinct technological contexts: level M, with a discoid and expedient technology, and level P, with a more curated Levallois and laminar technology. The aim of this paper is to determine whether the composition of these toolkits is primarily influenced by the need for mobility or by the technological strategies of the context. The results indicate that the composition of the mobile toolkits is at least partly related to the general technological context of each level. However, an increase in complexity is observed in some of the selected elements in both mobile toolkits, as well as an interest in backed flakes and combined with the presence of ordinary flakes. This analysis will provide new insights into the interactions between lithic technology and mobility, enhancing our understanding of how Neanderthals adapted their behaviour to the needs of movement and subsistence.
Using GIS and Geostatistical Techniques to Identify Neanderthal Campsites at archaeolevel Ob at Abric Romaní Maria Joana Gabucio, Amèlia Bargalló, Palmira Saladié, Francesca Romagnoli, M. Gema Chacón, et al. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2023 Although intra-site spatial approaches are considered a key factor when interpreting archaeological assemblages, these are often based on descriptive, qualitative, and subjective observations. Currently, within the framework of research into spatial taphonomy and palimpsest dissection, several studies have begun to employ more quantitative and objective techniques, implementing tools such as geostatistics and geographic information system (GIS) methods. This is precisely the approach that the Abric Romaní team is following. In this work, we present GIS and geostatistics methods applied to the faunal and lithic assemblages from archaeolevel Ob, including an analysis of the spatial structure, the identification of clusters and sectors, size and fabric analyses, the projection of vertical profiles, and the reconstruction of a digital elevation model of the paleosurface. The results obtained indicate a clustered distribution, primarily concentrated into four dense accumulations. The predominance of remains < 3 cm in length and the absence of preferential orientations make it possible to rule out a generalised postdepositional movement affecting most of the site, although some local movement has been identified. The horizontal and vertical spatial analyses allow us to identify accumulations of a single material (lithic or faunal) in addition to mixed accumulations (lithic and faunal). Integrating all this data with the results of previous studies (zooarchaeological, refits, combustion structures, and partial lithic technological analyses), we evaluate and combine the interpretations proposed previously using different approaches, thereby improving the overall interpretation of the archaeolevel Ob. Finally, we also develop a preliminary comparison between Ob and some other levels at the same site (in particular M and P).
The origin of caring behaviors: hygiene and social care in Homo neanderthalensis. A critical review Andrea García-Basanta, Francesca Romagnoli Complutum, 2023 Desde el siglo XX, se estudian las patologías neandertales mediante el análisis de sus huesos. Sin embargo, el cuidado de la salud en poblaciones del Paleolítico medio, y sus implicaciones, no han sido estudiadas hasta muy recientemente. En la última década algunos autores comenzaron a considerar este tema para una mejor comprensión de las sociedades paleolíticas a partir de la bioarqueología del cuidado. Este trabajo es la primera síntesis crítica de los datos sobre neandertales. El conjunto estudiado incluye 16 yacimientos en Europa y Asia. Permite discutir los comportamientos sanitarios y sus implicaciones a nivel individual, poblacional y social. Nuestro estudio muestra que los comportamientos asistenciales se atestiguaban sistemáticamente en estas poblaciones y permite discutir aspectos técnicos y sociales e inferir capacidades cognitivas y emocionales. Esta investigación tiene una importante implicación social y contribuye a la creación de un vínculo directo entre el Paleolítico medio y los aspectos sociales de la atención sanitaria que todos hemos experimentado en los últimos años, debido al COVID-19, poniendo la Arqueología del Paleolítico en el centro de una reflexión sobre “qué nos hace humanos” y destacando su papel para proponer temas que tienen repercusión en los debates más actuales en nuestro mundo contemporáneo.
The research project vemos: A proposal for making marginalised groups visible in archaeological museums Diana Zárate-Zúñiga, Lourdes Prados Torreira, Francesca Romagnoli Midas, 2023 La interpretación del pasado sufre de los sesgos eurocéntricos y androcéntricos que son propios de nuestra sociedad occidental actual. Esto queda claramente reflejado en los museos arqueológicos en los que solo una parte de la sociedad está representada y valorada por su aportación activa a la construcción de la vida del grupo. En este artículo presentamos el proyecto de investigación VEMOS (2021-2024) que, integrando de manera sistemática la investigación científica en arqueología y la socialización del conocimiento, se propone visibilizar los grupos tradicionalmente marginados de la Historia: mujeres, infancia, senectud, otros grupos étnicos, otras identidades de género. El objetivo es hacer de los museos espacios abiertos e inclusivos de reflexión en el que todos y todas puedan verse representados como individuos activos en la construcción cultural del pasado. Esto no solo es posible porque el registro arqueológico nos permite identificar esta realidad polisémica, sino que también es un deber para construir en el presente una sociedad más igualitaria y justa. El proyecto propone presentar soluciones de fácil realización para que los museos puedan implementar sus exposiciones permanentes integrando la perspectiva inclusiva de género, así como integrar a otros grupos olvidados por la investigación tradicional.
Preface Francesca Romagnoli, Florent Rivals, Stefano Benazzi Updating Neanderthals Understanding Behavioural Complexity in the Late Middle Palaeolithic, 2022
Horashim East: a newly discovered Middle Palaeolithic site in central Israel Ella Assaf, Viviane Slon, Francesca Romagnoli Journal of Quaternary Science, 2022 Horashim East is a newly discovered Middle Palaeolithic open‐air occurrence in central Israel, revealed during a thematic prehistoric survey. Hundreds of lithic items were found, including an early‐stage biface, Levallois cores and products. As only a few open‐air settlements are known from the Middle Palaeolithic Levant, the discovery of Horashim East sheds new light on human land‐use patterns during this period and reinforces the notion that central‐eastern Israel was favourable for human settlement throughout the Palaeolithic.
Reconsidering lithic transport in Middle Palaeolithic assemblages: curated and expedient strategies in the Abric Romaní mobile toolkits I González-Molina, MG Chacón, B Gómez de Soler, F Romagnoli, ... Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 17 (7), 156 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
El discurso sobre las mujeres en el pasado: el análisis crítico de algunas salas del Museo Arqueológico Nacional de Madrid F Romagnoli, RC Ruano, DMZ Zúñiga, AG Basanta La socialización del patrimonio arqueológico: enfoques feministas … , 2025 2025
The Contribution of 2D and 3D Geometric Morphometrics to Lithic Taxonomies: Testing Discrete Categories of Backed Flakes from Recurrent Centripetal Core Reduction G Bustos-Pérez, B Gravina, M Brenet, F Romagnoli Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology 7 (1), 5 , 2024 2024 Citations: 9
A catalogue of Neandertal sites. Technical Report I Janković, S Benazzi, K Harvati, F Romagnoli, R Pinhasi, F Rivals, ... Institute for Anthropological Research , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Integrating Neandertal Legacy: Education Kit and Gudelines for Best Practices S Mihelić, I Janković, F Romagnoli, JL Voisin Zagreb: Institut za antropologiju , 2024 2024
El origen de los comportamientos de cuidado: higiene y cuidado social en Homo neanderthalensis. Una revisión crítica A García-Basanta, F Romagnoli Complutum 34 (2), 283-302 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
El proyecto de investigación VEMOS: una propuesta para visibilizar a los grupos marginados en los museos arqueológicos D Zárate-Zúñiga, LP Torreira, F Romagnoli MIDAS. Museus e estudos interdisciplinares , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
El origen de los comportamientos de cuidado: higiene y cuidado social en Homo neanderthalensis. Una revisión crÃtica/[en] The origin of caring behaviors: hygiene and social … A GarcÃa-Basanta, F Romagnoli Complutum 34 (2), 283-303 , 2023 2023
From Novices to Experts: Skill Development and Knowledge Transmission in Prehistory V Forte, N Castañeda, F Romagnoli Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 30 (1), 1-8 , 2023 2023 Citations: 14
Using GIS and Geostatistical Techniques to Identify Neanderthal Campsites at archaeolevel Ob at Abric Romaní MJ Gabucio, A Bargalló, P Saladié, F Romagnoli, MG Chacón, ... Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 15 (3), 24 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
A geometric morphometric approach to testing discrete categories of backed flakes from recurrent centripetal core reduction G Bustos-Pérez, B Gravina, M Brenet, F Romagnoli 2023
The origin of caring behaviors: hygiene and social care in Homo neanderthalensis. A critical review A Garcia-Basanta, F Romagnoli COMPLUTUM 34 (2), 283-302 , 2023 2023
On Microliths in Middle Palaeolithic: Start from scratch. Discussing problems andperspectives looking at shared taxonomies F Romagnoli, M Ciesla, P Elefanti, D Mihailović, T Pereira, D Stefański, ... Hugo Obermaier Society 64th Annual Meeting in Aarhus, 88-89 , 2023 2023
Un proyecto con y para la sociedad: reinventando los museos de arqueología y antropología, la visibilización de los grupos marginados para la Historia, construyendo una … DMZ Zúñiga, RC Ruano, F Romagnoli, CL Ruiz, LP Torreira Boletín del Museo Arqueológico Nacional, 585-595 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
Combining quantitative approaches to differentiate between backed products from discoidal and Levallois reduction sequences G Bustos-Perez, B Gravina, M Brenet, F Romagnoli Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 46, 103723 , 2022 2022 Citations: 12
Updating Neanderthals: Understanding Behavioural Complexity in the Late Middle Palaeolithic F Romagnoli, F Rivals, S Benazzi Academic Press , 2022 2022 Citations: 26
Siguiendo los trazos de la Infancia a través de las evidencias arqueológicas: Una revisión diacrónica sobre objetos, prácticas de socialización y entornos en las sociedades del … F Romagnoli, AG Basanta Boletín de la Asociación Española de Amigos de la Arqueología, 39-67 , 2022 2022 Citations: 3
Exploring a novelty in the Middle Palaeolithic of Croatia: Preliminary data on the open-air site of Campanož M Banda, F ROMAGNOLI, D Komšo, M Čuka, I Karavanić Quartär, 29-56 , 2022 2022 Citations: 3
Des coquillages comme outils de boucherie ? Approche expérimentale et amorce de réflexion sur la question des pratiques de boucherie au Paléolithique moyen en contexte littoral … É Campmas, S Costamagno, A Souron, V Facincani, M Arbosti, ... PALEO, 376-395 , 2022 2022
Taphonomic effects in Archaelogical contexts: An analytical experimental protocol to improve archaeomalacology research D Cuenca-Solana, L Manca, F Romagnoli, É Campmas PALEO, 396-413 , 2022 2022 Citations: 2
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Lithic recycling in a Middle Paleolithic expedient context: evidence from the Abric Romaní (Capellades, Spain) M Vaquero, A Bargalló, MG Chacón, F Romagnoli, P Sañudo Quaternary International 361, 212-228 , 2015 2015 Citations: 134
Searching for lazy people: the significance of expedient behavior in the interpretation of Paleolithic assemblages M Vaquero, F Romagnoli Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 25 (2), 334-367 , 2018 2018 Citations: 97
Quantitative stone tools intra-site point and orientation patterns of a Middle Palaeolithic living floor: A GIS multi-scalar spatial and temporal approach F Romagnoli, M Vaquero Quartär 63, 47-60 , 2016 2016 Citations: 72
Moving things: Comparing lithic and bone refits from a Middle Paleolithic site M Vaquero, MC Fernández-Laso, MG Chacón, F Romagnoli, J Rosell, ... Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 48, 262-280 , 2017 2017 Citations: 71
Neanderthal Use of Callista chione Shells as Raw Material for Retouched Tools in South-east Italy: Analysis of Grotta del Cavallo Layer L Assemblage with a New … F Romagnoli, F Martini, L Sarti Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 22 (4), 1007-1037 , 2015 2015 Citations: 64
Neanderthal retouched shell tools and Quina economic and technical strategies: an integrated behaviour F Romagnoli, J Baena, L Sarti Quaternary International 407, 29-44 , 2016 2016 Citations: 62
Lithic refitting and intrasite artifact transport: a view from the Middle Paleolithic M Vaquero, F Romagnoli, A Bargalló, MG Chacón, B Gómez de Soler, ... Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 11 (9), 4491-4513 , 2019 2019 Citations: 52
Here and now or a previously planned strategy? Rethinking the concept of ramification for micro-production in expedient contexts: Implications for Neanderthal socio-economic … F Romagnoli, B Gómez de Soler, A Bargalló, MG Chacón, M Vaquero Quaternary International 474 (part B), 168-181 , 2018 2018 Citations: 52
Neanderthal lithic procurement and mobility patterns through a multi-level study in the Abric Romaní site (Capellades, Spain) BG de Soler, M Soto, J Vallverdu, M Vaquero, A Bargallo, MG Chacon, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 237, 106315 , 2020 2020 Citations: 50
A second life: Recycling production waste during the Middle Palaeolithic in layer L at Grotta del Cavallo (Lecce, Southeast Italy) F Romagnoli Quaternary International 361, 200-211 , 2015 2015 Citations: 43
The challenges of applying refitting analysis in the Palaeolithic archaeology of the twenty-first century: an actualised overview and future perspectives F Romagnoli, M Vaquero Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences , 2019 2019 Citations: 39
Testing a hypothesis about the importance of the quality of raw material on technological changes at Abric Romaní (Capellades, Spain): Some considerations using a high … F Romagnoli, A Bargalló, MG Chacón, BG de Soler, M Vaquero Journal of lithic studies 3 (2), 635-659 , 2016 2016 Citations: 38
Evaluating the performance of the cutting edge of Neanderthal shell tools: A new experimental approach. Use, mode of operation, and strength of Callista chione from a … F Romagnoli, J Baena, AIP Naranjo, L Sarti Quaternary International 427, 216-228 , 2017 2017 Citations: 36
Direct radiocarbon dating and genetic analyses on the purported Neanderthal mandible from the Monti Lessini (Italy) S Talamo, M Hajdinjak, MA Mannino, L Fasani, F Welker, F Martini, ... Scientific reports 6 (1), 29144 , 2016 2016 Citations: 30
Time uncertainty, site formation processes, and human behaviours: New insights on old issues in High-Resolution Archaeology F Romagnoli, Y Nishiaki, F Rivals, M Vaquero Quaternary International 474 (part B), 99-102 , 2018 2018 Citations: 29
Updating Neanderthals: Understanding Behavioural Complexity in the Late Middle Palaeolithic F Romagnoli, F Rivals, S Benazzi Academic Press , 2022 2022 Citations: 26
Neanderthal spatial patterns and occupation dynamics: a focus on the central region in Mediterranean Iberia A Eixea, MG Chacón, A Bargalló, A Sanchis, F Romagnoli, M Vaquero, ... Journal of World Prehistory 33 (3), 267-324 , 2020 2020 Citations: 22
Risorse Litiche E Comportamento Tecnico Dei Neandertaliani: Variabilità Culturale E Adattamento All'ambiente Nel Salento. Grotta Del Cavallo, Strati LN E Grotta Mario … F Romagnoli Università degli Studi di Firenze , 2012 2012 Citations: 22
Grotta del Cavallo (scavi L. Sarti). Tradizione e innovazione nella sequenza musteriana sulla base dell'indicatore litico. L Sarti, F ROMAGNOLI, L Carmignani, F Martini Preistoria e Protostoria della Puglia , 2017 2017 Citations: 21
Neanderthal technological variability: A wide-ranging geographical perspective on the final Middle Palaeolithic F Romagnoli, V Chabai, B Gravina, D Hérisson, E Hovers, MH Moncel, ... Updating Neanderthals, 163-205 , 2022 2022 Citations: 20
