The Swabian Jura (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) and particularly the Ach and Lone Valleys, contains cave sites with a rich archaeological record referred to Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Although the scientific research started during the last century, it is only over the last decades that annual archaeological campaigns with multidisciplinary approach aimed at investigating the cave sites through modern application, regarding excavations methods as well as theoretical issues.

Among the archaeological record, organic tools in bone, antler and ivory are frequently recovered, regardless the occupation phase of the sites. In 2007, Barth concluded the analyses on the Gravettian organic tools assemblages, by highlighting how some of the cave sites representing the region have been characterized by a contemporaneous human frequentation; it is demonstrated that one or several human groups inhabited the caves and left hints of shared material culture and technological skills. Besides, the research shed a light on the complementary use of the caves in terms of Chaine Opératoire, as some sites hint at processing of raw material with a low percentage of finished tools, whereas others are mostly characterized by finished artifacts and, conversely, a lack in intermediate products (i.e. matrix blank, preforms). The resulting framework finds reliable comparison with parallel refitting studies conducted on lithic assemblages from the same layers and cave sites.               
The present thesis project aims at the investigation of more recent Magdalenian layers from Hohle Fels, Brillenhöhle, Geißenklosterle (from the Ach Valley), Vogelherd and Langmahdhalde (from the Lone Valley). The goal is to assess the presence of a shared tradition in organic tools technology and common subsistence strategies concerning the exploitation of primary resources involved in the manufacturing. This will involve the contribution of zoo-archaeological research in terms of available resources, in order to interpret the resulting data with a technological and economical approach. Furthermore, a use-wear analysis is programmed for the understanding of past activities in which the tools have been involved, increasing the possibility to reconstruct the past human behavior and economy in the Swabian Jura during the late Upper Paleolithic.

• Gargani E., Starkovich M.B., Conad N.J., 2021. Technological analysis of Magdalenian bone needles from the occupation in the Swabian Jura. 62nd Annual Meeting in Brno, Hugo Obermaier online conference, April 6th – April 8th 2021. Poster contribution.

• Thun U.H.1, Gargani E.1, Bertolini M., 2020. Use-wear analysis of bone and antler tools from Farneto (Bologna, Italy) and Sa Osa (Oristano, Italy) archaeological sites. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 32, pp: 1-13. 1Joint First Authors.

• Gargani E., Starkovich B., Conard N.J., 2020. Reconstructing past human behavior: preliminary analyses of organic tools from the Magdalenian occupation in the Swabian Jura. Poster Session, EVEREST STEVE Meeting: Annual Meeting of Students in Evolution and Ecology, Online, 13 November 2020

• Gargani E., 2020. Of Harpoons and Needles: technological variability in the osseous artifact assemblages in the Swabian Magdalenian. Paléolithique récent et Mésolithique en France, en Allemagne et en Belgique : recherches actuelles. Séminaire organisé dans le cadre du Programme de Formation Recherche du CIERA par le PCR « du dernier maximum Glaciaire à l’optimum climatique dans le Bassin parisien et ses marges. Habitat, société et environnement » et le séminaire « Derniers chasseurs », Jeudi 30 Janvier 2020, Paris (France).

• Gargani E., Bertolini M., Usai A., Thun U.H., 2019. Analisi tecno-funzionale su manufatti in osso provenienti dal sito pre-nuragico di Sa Osa (Cabras, Oristano): un approccio sperimentale. AIAZ IX Congress (28th november-1st December) 2018, Ravenna (Italy).

• Gargani E., Bertolini M., Thun U.H., 2018. Functional analysis of bone and antler industry from Farneto (Bologna, Italy) and Sa Osa (Oristano, Italy) archaeological sites. UISPP XVIII Congress (4th-9th june) 2018, Paris (France).

• Machkovski A., Gargani E., Akhavan Kharazian M.S., 2017. The Role of Landscape Transformation in Human Adaptation Strategies. Apheleia project, Session II “Education, training and communication in cultural management of landscape”, Maçao (Portugal).

• Brunelli E., Catelli E., Gargani E., Gazzoli D., Mussi M., 2016. Ornamenti e pigmenti a Grotta di Pozzo (AQ): livelli Epigravettiani e livelli Sauveterriani. IV Conference Proceedings “Il Fucino e le aree limitrofe nell’antichità”, Avezzano (Italy), Archeoclub della Marsica: pp.87-96.

• Mussi M., Brunelli E., Cancellieri E., Catelli E., D’Angelo E., De Angelis G., Di Bianco L., Fiore I., Gala M., Gargani E., Melis R., Piarulli F., Ruta G., 2016. La sequenza del Tardoglaciale e dell’Olocene antico di Grotta di Pozzo (L’Aquila), nelle montagne dell’Italia centrale – The Lateglacial and early Holocene sequence of Grotta di Pozzo (L’Aquila), in the mountains of central Italy. Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria (IIPP), AIQUA – Associazione Italiana per lo Studio del Quaternario. Incontri annuali di Preistoria e Protostoria,1.

• Hohle Fels (Blaubeuren, Germany), June 2020. Directors: Prof. Nicholas J. Conard, Maria Malina and Alexander Janas (University of Tübingen).

• Langmahdhalde (Niederstotzingen, Germany), June 2020. Directors: Prof. Nicholas J. Conard, Dr. Mohsen Zeidi and Alexander Janas (University of Tübingen).

• Pirro Nord (Apricena, Italy), August 2018. Directors: Prof. Marta Arzarello et al. (University of Ferrara).

• Hohle Fels (Blaubeuren, Germany), July 2018. Directors: Prof. Nicholas J. Conard and  Maria Malina (University of Tübingen).

• La Ferrassie (Les Eyzies de Tayac en Dordogne, France), September 2016. Directors : Laurent Chiotti (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle)

• Rio Secco (Clauzetto, Italy), July 2016. Directors: Dr. Matteo Romandini (University of Ferrara)

• Fumane cave (Molina, Italy), July 2016. Directors: Prof. Marco Peresani (University of Ferrara) and Dr. Rossella Duches (MUSE- Museo delle Scienze, Trento).

• Valle Giumentina (Abbateggio, Italy), June 2015. Directors: Dr. Elisa Nicoud (CNRS France) and Dr. Daniele Aureli (University of Bologna).

• Vogelherd (Blaubeuren, Germany) August 2014, Laboratory activities. Directors: Dr. Maria Malina and Dr. Mohsen Zeidi (University of Tübingen).

• Grotta di Pozzo (Orucchio, Italy), July 2014. Directors: Prof. Margherita Mussi and Dr. Luca di Bianco (University of Roma La Sapienza).

• Coppa Nevigata (Manfredonia, Italy), September 2013. Directors: Prof. Alberto Cazzella et al. (University of Roma La Sapienza).

• Oratino, La Rocca (Campobasso, Italy), July 2013. Directors: Prof. Alberto Cazzella and Dr. Michela Danesi (Universiy of Roma La Sapienza)

• Montenero in Sabina (Rieti, Italy), May 2012. Director: Dr. Federico Giletti.