"This homogeneity in spatial distribution hinted at an underlying structure in how these ancient humans utilized the space," said Amélie Vallerand, the UdeM doctoral student who led the study, co-authored by UdeM's Julien Riel-Salvatore and UGenoa's Fabio Negrino.
"By tallying the number of contiguous units of the same type of clusters, we could discern patterns to help us identify the activities carried out by these groups," said Vallerand. "Applying quantitative and statistical methods allowed us to significantly reduce bias, and to provide compelling evidence that goes beyond qualitative descriptions of the spatial organization."
Combining these spatial analyses with studies of lithic technology, faunal remains and marine shells, the researchers were able to paint a comprehensive picture of the behavioral similarities and differences between these ancient populations.
Among the similarities:
- Both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens exhibited a structured use of space, organizing their living areas into distinct high and low-intensity activity zones. This suggests a shared cognitive capacity for spatial organization.
- The central tendencies of occupation for both groups were established through thousands of years of reoccupation: the recurring position of the site's inner hearths and a refuse pit persisting across levels highlights the continuity of the layout.
- The organization of all three levels was conditioned by land-use and mobility strategies: they articulate around variations in occupation duration, reoccupation intervals, number of occupants, and nature of activities undertaken. Hence, planning and organization were key.
But there were also differences:
- Neanderthal occupations showed a lower intensity pattern compared to those of Homo sapiens : artifact densities were lower-deposit and fewer clusters were identified.
- There are distinct distributions pattern and use of space for each of the levels: Neanderthals used Riparo Bombrini sporadically as part of a high mobility system in the context of rapid climatic change, while Homo sapiens alternated between short-term and long-term base camps to adjust to their new territory.
