L'area delle risorgive nel sistema insediativo mesolitico: alcuni esempi dal pordenonese

Abstract

The authors present the work undertaken on the lithic material collected in the spring area between Orcenico Superiore and Savorgnano (Pordenone-Italy). The sites are located on an NE-SW elongated Lateglacial gravel ridge, which to the present day is to be considered a stable area (i.e. preserved from alluvial and erosive action of Tagliamento and Meduna rivers). Different periods are represented in the lithic industries, spanning from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. This paper presents the results of the study carried out on the Mesolithic industries, mainly to be ascribed to the Castelnovian tradition. The typological composition of the assemblages shows different activities which could be associated with residential camps, without any particular specialization although this kind of interpretation could be biased by the non systematic nature of the findings. Different operational chains were in place, aiming to produce either bladelets or flakes. Raw materials are mostly of local origin, although few pieces were brought in from the Prealps, showing a North-South mobility along river routes. At the same time, there are scarce lithic materials imported from the upper part of the Udine plain, which is rich in good quality flint pebbles. Further technological and typological differences show a rather neat separation between sites on either sides of Tagliamento river. When we consider the distribution of Mesolithic sites in Friuli, a logistical settlement system seems to emerge: bigger sites are located at the edge of ecologically differentiated areas in connection with stable water sources such as the spring area between Orcenico and S. Vito al Tagliamento and the piedmont; complementary to those, task-related short-term sites characterised by less materials and fewer lithic types are found in the Prealps at middle altitude.