Arma Veirana 2022 Season Post 8: Tutto Bene!

Ciao friends! We have been hard at work in the lab this past week getting the final faunal remains coded into our system for further analysis, which we will begin shortly. The work has been extremely rewarding and humbling, looking through thousands of small animal bone fragments for hints of human and Neandertal influence such as cut marks and fire. As we continue to build our relationship with the local landscape and people, it becomes even more evident that this valley must have been a place of beauty, serenity, and shelter for ancient peoples and animals of all kinds for a long time. The sense of place is strong and it is easy to see why.

We took two days off so Jamie, Caley, and Noor could travel to Nice to bring Nonna Deb to the airport, who graciously and with much energy provided 4 year-old Noor with entertainment and care for three weeks. 

Now Noor plays sweetly in the lab while we work, entertaining us with her fantastic imagination 😊

During our two days off, we students took some personal time to rest, explore, and soak up the local culture and scenery. We were giddy to get back to the beach, so we took the local bus into Albenga and spent a long day getting our fill of the salty air and water, not to mention the gelato 😉

The gelato here is to die for 😁

There really is no better way to get a sense of place and learn the local landscape than by foot, so some of us took off on a hike to put our walking legs to the test. Our hike took us across the Neve Valley and up into the mountains, winding along narrow paths across exposed rock and through dense forest, until we emerged atop the world with a view that went as far as the Mediterranean Sea! We chose to let our feet be our means of transportation for these 12 miles, yet the people of the past had no other choice but to let their legs carry them. It is humbling to imagine trekking through this, at times unforgiving, landscape while carrying supplies, infants, and carcasses of hunted animals to and from shelters. Alongside longer periods of occupation revealed by the thick Black Mousterian layer, the cave site Arma Veirana also shows evidence of periods of infrequent habitation. The individuals who occupied the cave during those times came and went, traveling through the valley from the coast into the mountains and back, leaving layers of sediment with evidence of the occasional fire and remains of meals. We came to appreciate the strength, mobility, and logistics this must have required on such rugged terrain and were glad to have the opportunity to rest the remainder of the day.

The start of our hike showed us an incredible view of Erli across the valley

As always, olive trees accompanied us on our path

The mountains here are a mix of lush greenery and imposing exposed rock faces. The dry exposed sections are impacted by the heavy sunlight, which results in a varied mix of plants and wildlife, while the other slope is covered in wetter, cooler, wooded terrain. Within the tree cover old farming terraces and roads are still visible. 

At the top of the world, we finally make it to the peak of Monte Alpe!

The following day after returning from our days off, our Da Lisetta team gave us the sweetest surprise- a cake with our picture on it! Not only do they provide us with incredible Italian meals, they have become our friends and make Erli our home away from home. Beyond that, our friend Alberto has developed a strong interest and investment into our archaeological endeavors at Arma Veirana and has hired a lawyer to promote our cause and our goal to acquire a permit so we can return next season to continue excavation! 

We cannot express our gratitude enough, grazie mille!