This campaign at the Grotta di Fumane concentrated on a sector investigated over an area of c. 5.5 m2 where the Mousterian micro-sequence of unit A10, characterised by anthropised levels alternating with breccias.
The stratigraphic excavation was carried out in 33 cm squares from which the sediment was aspirated, washed, and sieved in order to recover bones, burnt bones, flints, malacofauna, micro-mammal remains, charcoal (from floatation and sieving). Part of the sediment was sampled for micro-morphological analysis. During the excavation, the flints ≥3cm, bones ≥5cm, hearthstones, compact charcoal fragments more than a few millimetres in size and were surveyed using a total station, noting the layer number, spatial co-ordinates and, where possible, slope and orientation.

The excavations uncovered numerous hearths in the Mousterian levels. Each was sectioned, documented, and sampled in order to gain the maximum amount of information about the type of use, possible use of grass and animal fat, combustion temperature, and possible reuse during seasonal occupation of the cavern. Levels A10I.1, A10I.2, A10I.2biog, A10IBRII, A10III.2, A10III.1, A10IIIBRIII, A10III.1/A10IV.1, A10IV.2, and A10IV.1 produced flint flakes relating to the Levallois and Discoid methods, partially transformed into retouched tools such as scrapers, some convergent scrapers and numerous herbivore bones from deer and megaloceros, roe deer and ibex.

These levels offered the possibility of testing a new analytical technique aimed at identifying organic residues and integrated into the functional analysis of the stone and animal bone tools. This search for organic molecules was made possible at Fumane thanks to collaboration with the TRACEOLAB Laboratory at the University of Liege. For Fumane, the project foresees a first test to check for the presence of organic residues in the sediments and on a large sample of stone tools collected according to a rigid protocol set up to avoid any form of contamination.