During this season’s excavations on the Lower Palaeolithic site of Cala Bianca two sondages were opened in the deposit in which the Pleistocene series is preserved intact. This series presents a gulley morphology caused by the erosion to which it is subject. The site was the object of a preliminary investigation in the 970s-80s carried out by Prof. P. Gambassini of Siena University who identified the following sequence: – layer 1: (at the base): yellowish-grey clays and silty marle with abundant marine fossils, cut at the top by the erosion surfaces; – layer 2: large-grained Aeolian sands, red with more compact white veining characterised by the presence of gravel lenses; – layer 3: Aeolian sands slightly finer than the ones above, uniform, bright brick-red in colour; – layer 4: Brown Aeolian sands, fine, with limestone concretions and interspersed by a volcanic level (Layer 4a) of light coloured pyroclastite.

Lithic industry was found at Cala Bianca (partly in layer 2) constituted by bifacials on thick supports, associated with implements on cobbles and flakes with a smooth heel. Observation of the sediments suggest this industry can be attributed to the MIS 12 (c. 450.000 years ago). A more developed Acheulean industry constituted by more carefully flaked bifacials, also associated with implements on cobbles, scrapers and denticulates on large flakes, came from the surface. Recently, its compatibility with the tephra 4a of the Cala Bianca series has been identified. The new geo-chronological research undertaken at Cala Bianca is therefore of great importance as for the first time we have an absolute dating which makes it possible to fix the stratigraphic sequence of this site to a point in time, and consequently also the lithic industry it contains.

The sondages
Sondages calanchi 1 (Cala Bianca, SondC1): a section c. 3 m long and 1 m wide was opened at the foot of the gullies. Sediment samples were taken.
The stratigraphic sequence (from top to bottom):
1) Red sands with dense white variegations; absence of manganese, absence of archaeological material (upper layer).
2) Red sands with a large clay content compared to the preceding layer, and with dense white variegations, substantial manganese content, absence of archaeological material (lower layer).
Sondages pianoro 1: a trench 1 × 2 m (quadrants A1 and A2) was opened on the plateau above the gullies. A first spit 10 cm deep was dug in both quadrants and a second spit also 10 cm deep, in quadrant A1. Sediment samples were taken. The sediment was formed by pedogenised red sands, with the presence of lithic materials that showed no signs of wear and had sharp corners at their summits.