The site of S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) is located on the south-western coast of Sardinia, in an area characterized by Quaternary dunes and Palaeozoic reliefs rising up to 300 m. A now- collapsed rockshelter once opened in the eolianites. It is now just on the sea shore, while in the early Holocene the sea-level was lower and the coastline at a distance of a few km. A first skeleton, SOMK 1, was discovered by amateurs. It was covered with ochre, and associated with a Charonia lampas shell. During scientific excavations the partial remains of a second skeleton, SOMK 2, were unearthed. In 2011 a third partial skeleton, SOMK 3, was found associated with another Charonia lampas shell, with large Cypraea shells, and with many specimens of Columbella rustica. The C14 dates on human bones and on charcoal, as well as sedimentological analysis, all suggest that the deposit accumulated rather quickly after wildfires, between 9,000 and 8,000 cal BP. Overall there is scarcely any evidence of the use of the shelter for non-funerary purposes. The fauna includes exclusively endemic species that are typical of Sardinia during the Upper Pleistocene and early Holocene and is dominated by Prolagus sardus, an extinct ochotonid.
The site of S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) is located on the south-western coast of Sardinia, in an area characterized by Quaternary dunes and Palaeozoic reliefs rising up to 300 m. A now- collapsed rockshelter once opened in the eolianites. It is now just on the sea shore, while in the early Holocene the sea-level was lower and the coastline at a distance of a few km. A first skeleton, SOMK 1, was discovered by amateurs. It was covered with ochre, and associated with a Charonia lampas shell. During scientific excavations the partial remains of a second skeleton, SOMK 2, were unearthed. In 2011 a third partial skeleton, SOMK 3, was found associated with another Charonia lampas shell, with large Cypraea shells, and with many specimens of Columbella rustica. The C14 dates on human bones and on charcoal, as well as sedimentological analysis, all suggest that the deposit accumulated rather quickly after wildfires, between 9,000 and 8,000 cal BP. Overall there is scarcely any evidence of the use of the shelter for non-funerary purposes. The fauna includes exclusively endemic species that are typical of Sardinia during the Upper Pleistocene and early Holocene and is dominated by Prolagus sardus, an extinct ochotonid.
Mesolithic burials at S'Omu e S'Orku (SOMK) on the south-western coast of Sardinia / Melis, Rita T.; Mussi, Margherita. - STAMPA. - (2016), pp. 733-740.
Mesolithic burials at S'Omu e S'Orku (SOMK) on the south-western coast of Sardinia
MUSSI, Margherita
2016
Abstract
The site of S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) is located on the south-western coast of Sardinia, in an area characterized by Quaternary dunes and Palaeozoic reliefs rising up to 300 m. A now- collapsed rockshelter once opened in the eolianites. It is now just on the sea shore, while in the early Holocene the sea-level was lower and the coastline at a distance of a few km. A first skeleton, SOMK 1, was discovered by amateurs. It was covered with ochre, and associated with a Charonia lampas shell. During scientific excavations the partial remains of a second skeleton, SOMK 2, were unearthed. In 2011 a third partial skeleton, SOMK 3, was found associated with another Charonia lampas shell, with large Cypraea shells, and with many specimens of Columbella rustica. The C14 dates on human bones and on charcoal, as well as sedimentological analysis, all suggest that the deposit accumulated rather quickly after wildfires, between 9,000 and 8,000 cal BP. Overall there is scarcely any evidence of the use of the shelter for non-funerary purposes. The fauna includes exclusively endemic species that are typical of Sardinia during the Upper Pleistocene and early Holocene and is dominated by Prolagus sardus, an extinct ochotonid.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
