Imbalances, Splits and Non-compliance: Discussion about the Lithic Structure and Interpretation of an Epigravettian Case-study

However much the structural biases of lithics are considered an useful index of site function, when this type of evidence is evaluated through the computation of the main typological components, it does not reflect the complexity of actions, interventions and of many among the possible mechanisms involved in the formation processes of paleolithic sites. Only through a wide technological approach which involves the analysis of every component of the reduction sequences, the cultural association has disentangled and its interpretation in terms of behavioral ecology and landscape ecology is enforced. In the study-case here presented attention has been paid to an Epigravettian lithic assemblage found at Grotta del Clusantin in the Carnic Pre-Alps, a site viewed as functionally focused in predation and exploitation of marmots during the first Late-glacial human occupation of the Pre-Alpine belt. The lithic assemblage groups a basic tool equipment, possibly subjected to modifications and fairly limited re-arrangements, integrated with productive matrixes the potentiality of which remains nevertheless confined within the spectra of hunting and its strictly correlated activities. It provides the grounds on which models of population could be applied as it has been made in other regions, but that have not to neglect possible variants due to the size of the territory and the variability of hunting parties.