Intra-site Organization of the Repeated Neanderthal Occupation of Unit A9, Grotta di Fumane (Pre-Alps, Italy)

Abstract The repeated use of spaces has been extensively studied for many years in Paleolithic archaeology through various disciplines and techniques. Caves and rockshelters are typically the most suitable contexts for these studies due to their characteristics. However, certain key elements make deciphering these reoccupations possible, which would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible. Among these elements, the density of archaeological materials and the presence of combustion features emerge as key to unravel occupation events at a site. This study focuses on Unit A9, a late Middle Paleolithic (MIS3) context with Mousterian featured by Discoid technology, which provides a high-resolution record of both archaeological materials and combustion features. In this study, these records have been combined with paleotopographic reconstructions, spatial studies, and archaeostratigraphy to interpret how space was managed by the Neanderthal groups that visited the cave during Unit A9. The results allow us to identify at least two separate phases of occupation of the cave, which occurred during the same seasons and with an organized management of space maintained over time.