Evidence of raw material selection in Acheulean lithic tools of Notarchirico (MIS 15, Southern Italy)

A nondestructive technological, petrographic and granulometric analysis of 75 lithic artifacts excavated by M. Piperno in the 1980s in the Early Paleolithic site of Notarchirico (Venosa, Southern Italy) was carried out to check their compatibility with the lag deposit of level B (MIS 15) and the hypothesis of lithological selection for knapping. A total of 289 clasts selected via a virtual grid superimposed to orthophotographs of three areas documenting the palaeosurface of level B (MIS15) were petrographically analyzed in situ to identify the petrofacies of the lag deposit from which the artifacts were collected. The results obtained proved the lithic artifacts are compatible with clasts of level B from a granulometric, petrographic and morphological point of view and that only some of the available lithotypes in level B were used to knap artifacts. Although limestones, cherts, marls and sandstones were available in level B, the latter are not present among lithic artifacts as lithotype. Moreover, the size and rock texture resulted to be stronger selection criteria than lithology. In fact, since the maximum length of stone tools are higher than those of level B’s clasts, this points to a supply area of lithic raw material larger than the investigated paleosurface.