On May 26th and 27th, the University of Siena will host a two-day experimental archaeology event as part of LAST NEANDERTHALS, a Synergy Grant project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and led by Principal Investigators Omry Barzilai, Francesco Berna, and Stefano Benazzi. This ambitious international initiative aims to investigate on the extinction of Neanderthals by expanding archaeological research across Eastern and southeastern Europe and into Central and Western Asia.
The focus of the event will be the reproduction of the Levallois technique, an advanced method of stone knapping, and the use of stone tools by Neanderthals, documented at the Middle Paleolithic site of Oscurusciuto (Ginosa, Puglia). The experiment will include two main stages:
1. Experimental flint knapping and the reproduction of Paleolithic tools.
2. The performance of ancient work activities using the replicated tools, such as hide scraping, butchering, bone engraving, and more.
The flint knapping demonstrations will be led by Prof. Stefano Grimaldi (University of Trento), an expert in prehistoric technologies. Through live demonstrations of lithic reduction, participants will gain insights into Neanderthal technical skills and problem-solving abilities. Dr. Isabella Caricola (University of Haifa), a specialist in use-wear analysis, will be on-site to select and test the replicated artefacts for their functional performance. The resulting experimental wear traces will contribute to future interpretations of tool use at the Oscurusciuto site.
This initiative forms part of a broader methodological framework aimed at reconstructing behavioral patterns through material culture. The outcomes will contribute to the project’s overarching goal: to build a scientifically grounded narrative about the last Neanderthals by integrating archaeological, paleoenvironmental, and technological data across a vast geographic area. The event will be open to the academic community and shared through the University’s communication channels.
