Positano - The prehistoric caves

The prehistoric caves

Along the Positano coast there is an impressive number of caves and shelters of varying dimension and depth. In the nineteen fifties Prof. Antonio M Radmilli of Pisa University initiated a study of the Italian Mesolithic.
In the entire area traces of an economy based on mollusc gathering have been found. The caves in which the excavations were conducted were those which were most likely to have been inhabited by humans in prehistoric times: Grotta La Porta, Grotta del Mezzogiorno and Grotta Erica.

Approaching from Amalfi, Grotta La Porta can be found at the entrance to Positano, and corresponds with a marine inlet of the same name. Prior to the anterior part of the cavern collapsing, Grotta La Porta would have been an exceptionally large cave. At the time of the excavations it was possible to locate the original extension of the cave thanks to the presence of an accumulation of debris. In addition to the conspicuous quantity of mollusc shells, archaeologists also found a pebble engraved with the head of an animal, probably that of a horse - evidence of the Palaeolithic period: the animal would have been that which the hunter intended to catch and the stone on which it was engraved would have been used before the hunt in a ritual of propitiation.

The Grotta del Mezzogiorno or Grotta delle Soppressate can be found beyond the cliff of San Germano, at 80 meters above sea level; within its interior human bones were found, unfortunately in very poor condition.

Grotta Erica is situated close to the Colli di San Pietro hills, close to Villa di Rocca Fiorita, 1 meter above sea level. It is a narrow cavity inside which mollusc shells and a stalagmite roughly one meter above the current surface have been found.

At the start of excavation work these three caves were chosen because in the preceding years remains had been found which had provided evidence of there having once been an important prehistoric settlement here. The caves also had many features in common: remains of land and marine molluscs and a small quantity of mammals, amphibians, birds and fish had been found in all three. It is evident that the economy was based largely on the gathering of marine molluscs, from the beaches and lagoons, rather than from the cliffs, thereby indicating the presence of low lagoon covered coasts prior to the subsequent geological settlement.

The remains of mammals are represented by the bones of wild boar, ibex, deer and roe deer indicating that the Lattari Mountains were covered in vegetation and that animals which inhabit the scrub land and forests lived there in fairly favourable conditions. Tools and equipment which are housed in the L. Pignorini Museum in Rome, testify to the differences between the sedentary lifestyle of the mollusc gatherers and the nomadic tendencies of hunters.

There are other caves which have a sandy and pebble floor and are bereft of any prehistoric remains, such as the Grotta Capriglione in the San Pietro area in the Capriglione wood; the Grotta del Cretale, between the Valley of the Arienzo torrent and the stairway which leads to Nocelle; the Grotta di Vigna Pendente with another cavity at a distance of roughly 500 meters away.

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