Middle and Upper Palaeolithic of the Veneto area: new data from the Mousterian and Late Epigravettian layers of Riparo Tagliente (Stallavena di Grezzana, Verona, Italy)

The malacological assemblage found in the Epigravettian layers at Tagliente rock shelter, at the end of the excavation campaign which took place in the year 2004, is composed by 707 specimens in most cases with evident alteration s of the surface. 602 specimens belongs to Cyclope shells: this suggests that they were purposely chosen by man. 243 specimens have at least one hole: these perforation are always located near the border of the labium and have subcircular outline and irregular margins with sharp edges; in the Glycymeris sp. and in the Aporrhais sp. there is evidence of polishing. The stereomicroscopic analysis showed that there were traces of a reddish colouring due to ochre, along the sutures and inside some of the specimens. Further analysis with scanning electron microscope will be carried out on wear traces as well as on the origin of the perforations.