FRANCHTHI CAVE - 2008

Franchthi Cave. K.D. Vitelli (ASCSA) reports on continuing study and analytical programmes.
Study of the Pal and Mes ornaments was completed, focusing on those made from Columbella rustica. Study of the Neo material was begun, revealing abundant shell ornaments which change the overall picture of Neo ornaments. The Initial Neo and ENeo are dominated by Columbella and Cyclope beads, which establish an element of continuity with the Mes. In parallel, more ‘typical’ Neo ornaments, i.e. geometric beads
and pendants, appear as early as the Initial Neo. The rate of change, both in terms of the composition of the ornaments and the techniques of production, is considerably higher in the Neo than the Pal and Mes periods.
Faunal analysis continued to focus on trench H1-B: analysis of material from periods 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2, 3 and 4 is now complete. Taxonomic abundance at Franchthi Cave is unusual in several respects, and provides important information about the anc. environment and subsistence. First, in all periods except period 2, small game taxa (birds, small mammals and reptiles) outnumber ungulates in absolute abundance. In period 2, the numbers of ungulate and small game specimens are more or less equal. Although small game have been shown to be an important part of LPal economies, at Franchthi they are interesting for their early appearance, their consistency across the sequence and their sheer numbers. Despite relative stability in the representation of small game versus ungulate taxa, there is substantial taxonomic change within the small game and ungulate categories themselves. In the early part of the sequence, wild ass (Equus hydrantinus) dominates the ungulate
assemblage. However, red deer (Cervus elaphus) steadily increase in number until they surpass the equids in period 3. Wild boar (Sus scrofa), wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and aurochs (Bos primigenius) never play more than distinctly secondary roles. The small game assemblage is comprised primarily of hare (Lepus europaeus) and birds (namely partridge and pigeon). The exception is a pronounced peak in period 3, when fish (primarily gilthead sea bream; Sparus aurata) become the most common taxonomic group in the assemblage. This peak is all the more pronounced given that fish are virtually absent from the sequence until period 2 when they comprise less than 15% of small game taxa. They return to this same low frequency in period 4.