Javier Fernández-López de Pablo | University of Alicante / Universidad de Alicante (original) (raw)

Articles in peer-reviewed journals by Javier Fernández-López de Pablo

Nature Communications, 2019

Demographic change lies at the core of debates on genetic inheritance and resilience to climate c... more Demographic change lies at the core of debates on genetic inheritance and resilience to climate change of prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Here we analyze the radiocarbon record of Iberia to reconstruct long-term changes in population levels and test different models of demographic growth during the Last Glacial-Interglacial transition. Our best fitting demographic model is composed of three phases. First, we document a regime of exponential population increase during the Late Glacial warming period (c.16.6-12.9 kya). Second, we identify a phase of sustained population contraction and stagnation, beginning with the cold episode of the Younger Dryas and continuing through the first half of the Early Holocene (12.9-10.2 kya). Finally, we report a third phase of density-dependent logistic growth (10.2-8 kya), with rapid population increase followed by stabilization. Our results support a population bottleneck hypothesis during the Last Glacial-Interglacial transition, providing a demographic context to interpret major shifts of prehistoric genetic groups in southwest Europe.

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The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition was a process of cultural and biological replacement,... more The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition was a process of cultural and biological replacement, considered a turning point in human evolutionary history. Various hypotheses have been used to explain the disappearance of Neanderthals from Eurasia. However, very few studies have explicitly examined the causative role of demography on Neanderthal and anatomically modern humans (AMH) interaction. Here we use an integrative method based on computational modelling and the analysis of archaeological data to construct an agent based model that explores the influence of demographic variables (birth and death rates) and mobility (home range size) on the bio-cultural interaction between AMH and Neanderthals during the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic on the Iberian Peninsula (50 ka to 30 ka BP). Our simulation results are consistent with the current radiocarbon framework for the disappearance of Neanderthals in this region. This suggest that the extinction of Neanderthals could be explained by inter-specific differences in demographic behaviour and mobility patterns compared with AMH.

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El Collado is an open air site containing evidence of 14 burials and a shell midden archaeologica... more El Collado is an open air site containing evidence of 14 burials and a shell midden archaeological deposit with different phases of human occupation dated to the Early Holocene. Previous studies have produced 14 radiocarbon dates using bone collagen samples from human burials. However, no attempt has been made to date the stratigraphic sequence to address the formation time of the shell midden and establish a chrono-stratigraphic framework for the study of bio-archaeological and cultural assemblages. We critically evaluate the available radiocarbon record of the site and present 6 new AMS radiocarbon dates on ungulate bones with anthropic fractures and bivalves from the three major stratigraphic horizons. Then, we integrate our results with previously published AMS radiocarbon determinations on human samples into a chronological Bayesian model, constraining the radiocarbon distributions with prior information about the samples stratigraphic provenance. Finally, we correlate the results of the chronological model with the regional archaeological sequence and the available data on coastal evolution at regional and local scales. The vertical distribution of the radiocarbon dates makes evident some strati-graphic disturbance caused by the repeated presence of pit graves, agricultural activities and low stratigraphic control of the excavation process. However, once the problematic determinations are identified as outliers, the remaining radiocarbon dates grouped according the major stratigraphic divisions , and the calibrated distributions modelled-constrained, the resulting Bayesian phase model reveal high agreement index (Ac ¼ 103). The shell midden formation took place from the bottom of the sequence, spanning 1022e1965 calibrated years (CI 95.4%). The occupations documented at Phase 1 (Level IV) are dated to the Early Holocene (9828e9551 cal BP). The Phase 2 (Level II), encompass radiocarbon evidence of both burial and occupational activities dated to 9437 to 8477 cal BP, spanning 779e985 calibrated years (CI 95.4%). Finally, the Phase 3 (Level I) records Late Mesolithic occupations deposited between 8509 and 8391 cal BP for the start boundary and 8499e8060 cal BP for the end boundary (CI:95.4%). There are no individual radiocarbon dates during or postdating the chronological span of the 8.2 ka climatic event (8300e8140 cal BP).

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The 1980s excavations at the El Collado, a large open-air Mesolithic site on the Eastern coast of... more The 1980s excavations at the El Collado, a large open-air Mesolithic site on the Eastern coast of Spain, revealed a sequence of human occupations consisting of a large shell midden and 14 human burials dated to the Mesolithic period. Human palaeodietary reconstructions based on bone collagen d 13 C and d 15 N isotope ratios, identified a variable contribution of marine proteins, ranging from fully terrestrial diets to a maximum input of 25%. Most subsequent research on Mediterranean coastal and dietary adaptations refers to the site's funerary record and palaeodietary study, but the composition of its shell midden has remained unstudied. This work reports the first systematic study of a representative sample of mollusc and a comparatively small assemblage of fish bone recovered from the different stratigraphic horizons of El Collado site. Results indicate a mixed marineeterrestrial mollusc composition of the shell midden. The edible land snail Sphincterochila candidissima and the marine bivalve Cerastoderma glaucum are the best represented species throughout the archaeological sequence. The pattern of intertidal resource exploitation is clearly dominated by bivalves (C. glaucum, Glycimeris violacescens, and Ruditapes decussatus) and gastropods (Cerithium vulgatum, Hexaplex trunculus) inhabiting mud and sand flats in coastal lagoon environments. The presence of rocky shore intertidal species is minimal, mostly related to the manufacture of pierced shell ornaments made from Columbella rustica. On the other hand, fish bone assemblages are overwhelmingly dominated by the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) a coastal species frequent in brackish water coastal lagoons and estuaries, both on rocky and sandy grounds. The biometric analysis of C. glaucum records differences on shell size amongst the different layers, suggesting variations of marine productivity throughout the archaeological sequence.

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Local perceptions of environmental and climatechange, as well as associated adaptations made by l... more Local perceptions of environmental and climatechange, as well as associated adaptations made by localpopulations, are fundamental for designing comprehensiveandinclusivemitigationandadaptationplansbothlocallyandnationally. In this paper, we analyze people’s perceptions of environmental and climate-related transformations in com-munities across the Western Solomon Islands throughethnographic and geospatial methods. Speciﬁcally, we docu-mented people’s observed changes over the past decadesacross various environmental domains, and for each change,we asked respondents to identify the causes, timing, andpeople’s adaptive responses. We also incorporated thisinformation into a geographical information system databaseto produce broad-scale base maps of local perceptions of environmental change. Results suggest that people detectedchanges that tended to be acute (e.g., water clarity, loggingintensity, and agricultural diseases). We inferred from theseresults that most local observations of and adaptations tochange were related to parts of environment/ecosystem thatare mostdirectly orindirectlyrelated to harvesting strategies.Ontheotherhand,peoplewerelessawareofslowerinsidious/ chronic changes identiﬁed by scientiﬁc studies. For theSolomon Islands and similar contexts in the insular tropics, abroader anticipatory adaptation planning strategy to climatechange should include a mix of local scientiﬁc studies andlocal observations of ongoing ecological changes.

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Twelve pollen-inferred aridity major and minor events (S1 to S12) have been identified at Salines... more Twelve pollen-inferred aridity major and minor events (S1 to S12) have been identified at Salines playa lake (SE Iberian Peninsula, 475 m asl, 38° 30′ 02″ N 00° 53′ 18″ W) from the Lateglacial to the Early Holocene (Boreal). These dry events consist of an increase in the aridity quotient calculated as a function of selected pollen taxa at 13.4, 13, 12.55, 12.2, 11.9, 11.45, 11, 10.6, 10.3, 10, 9.5 and 8.3 ka cal BP. These dry events correspond to the previous identified cold spells such as the Younger Dryas, as well as the 8, 7, 6 and 5 Bond events, and 11.4 and 9.3 events. This climate record highlights the complex glacial-interglacial transition in extra-tropical latitudes, with centennial-scale abrupt climate fluctuations, a signature scarcely recorded in other palaeoecological records of the SE Iberian Peninsula. This work has major implications for the study of human socio-ecological systems and resilience in SE Iberia during the Epipaleolithic and Mesolithic periods.

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Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2014

Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological re... more Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological record for the study of human socio-ecological systems at regional scales. However, the difficulty in developing suitable chronological frameworks from surface assemblages has limited their use. Additionally, surface scatters are composed of artifacts that can accumulate across multiple occupational episodes. A challenge to chronology building in such surface contexts is the necessity to assess the probability of occupation during each time period. We describe a new method of dating surface lithic assemblages using empirical Bayesian methods, with an example from northeastern Spain. We use Bayesian methods to estimate the probability of occupation during 11 temporal periods (c.13,000-4,200 cal BP) for a sample of 25 lithic surface. A Bayesian approach allows us to combine prior knowledge, with different degrees of uncertainty, about the temporal sensitivity of projectile forms statistically derived from a regional calibration data set of 35 dated assemblages to estimate the age of each surface collections probabilistically. This approach provides new insight into the settlement history of the Maestrat in the first half of the Holocene, during the transition from foraging to food production and offers a powerful tool to archaeologists for the dating of surface collections.

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Located on the Iberian Mediterranean coast, El Collado is an open-air site where a rescue excavat... more Located on the Iberian Mediterranean coast, El Collado is an open-air site where a rescue
excavation was conducted over two seasons in 1987 and 1988. The archaeological work
excavated a surface area of 143m2 where 14 burials were discovered, providing skeletal remains
from 15 individuals. We have obtained AMS dates for 10 of the 15 individuals by
means of the direct dating of human bones. The ranges of the probability distribution of the
calibrated dates suggest that the cemetery was used during a long period of time (781–
1020 years at a probability of 95.4%). The new dates consequently set back the chronocultural
attribution of the cemetery from the initial proposal of Late Mesolithic to an older
date in the Early Mesolithic. Therefore, El Collado becomes the oldest known cemetery in
the Iberian Peninsula, earlier than the numerous Mesolithic funerary contexts documented
on the Atlantic façade such as the Portuguese shell-middens in the Muge and Sado Estuaries
or the funerary sites on the northern Iberian coast.

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Plos One, Aug 20, 2014

Despite the ubiquity of terrestrial gastropods in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene archaeologica... more Despite the ubiquity of terrestrial gastropods in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene archaeological record, it is still unknown when and how this type of invertebrate resource was incorporated into human diets. In this paper, we report the oldest evidence of land snail exploitation as a food resource in Europe dated to 31.3-26.9 ka yr cal BP from the recently discovered site of Cova de la Barriada (eastern Iberian Peninsula). Mono-specific accumulations of large Iberus alonensis land snails (Ferussac 1821) were found in three different archaeological levels in association with combustion structures, along with lithic and faunal assemblages. Using a new analytical protocol based on taphonomic, microX-Ray Diffractometer (DXR) and biometric analyses, we investigated the patterns of selection, consumption and accumulation of land snails at the site. The results display a strong mono-specific gathering of adult individuals, most of them older than 55 weeks, which were roasted in ambers of pine and juniper under 375°C. This case study uncovers new patterns of invertebrate exploitation during the Gravettian in southwestern Europe without known precedents in the Middle Palaeolithic nor the Aurignacian. In the Mediterranean context, such an early occurrence contrasts with the neighbouring areas of Morocco, France, Italy and the Balkans, where the systematic nutritional use of land snails appears approximately 10,000 years later during the Iberomaurisian and the Late Epigravettian. The appearance of this new subsistence activity in the eastern and southern regions of Spain was coeval to other demographically driven transformations in the archaeological record, suggesting different chronological patterns of resource intensification and diet broadening along the Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean basin.

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"The land snail Sphincterochila candidissima from archeological records in Villena (SE Spain) was... more "The land snail Sphincterochila candidissima from archeological records in Villena (SE Spain) was studied isotopically to estimate the Younger Dryas (YD)–early Holocene transition in the western Mediterranean.
Live-collected individuals exhibited body ( 21.8 1.6%) and shell ( 5.8 1.4%) d13C values typical of a C3 plant diet, probably combined with carbonate ingestion. Calculations of a carbon ﬂux balance-mixing model suggest that living specimens experienced similar metabolic rates, with comparable ratio of input and output ﬂuxes of bicarbonate from the snail hemolymph. All fossil shells showed comparable d13C values among each other, but values were 2% higher than living specimens. This may be explained by higher water stress at the YD–Holocene transition or by the Suess effect. Shell d18O values averaged þ1.3 0.8% for living individuals, 0.5 0.8% for Holocene (8.4–10.2 cal ka BP) specimens and þ0.4 0.6% for YD (12.0–12.4 cal ka BP) snails. An oxygen ﬂux balance-mixing model suggests that YD shells precipitated during relative humidity (RH) values of 79–82%, after which RH increased gradually reaching maximum values of 87–88% at 8.4–8.6 cal ka BP and, from there, RH eventually declined to present values of 82%. Comparisons with other snail data suggest that the xerophilous
Sphincterochila records different environmental signatures fro other contemporaneous taxa."

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Current knowledge about the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the Central and Western Mediterran... more Current knowledge about the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the Central and Western Mediterranean European regions is deeply limited by the paucity of Late Mesolithic human osteological data and the presence of chronological gaps covering several centuries between the last foragers and the first archaeological evidence of farming peoples.In this work, we present new data to fill these gaps. We provide direct AMS radiocarbon dating and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope analysis were carried out on bone collagen samples of two single burials from the recently discovered open-air Late Mesolithic site of Casa Corona (Villena, Spain). The results shed new light on the chronology and subsistence patterns of the last Mesolithic communities in the Central Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula. Radiocarbon results date the human remains and funerary activity of the site to 6059-5849 cal BC, statistically different from other Late Mesolithic sites and the earliest Neolithic contexts, and bridging the 500 yrs chronological gap of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition from the area. Isotopic evidence shows that diet was based on terrestrial resources despite the proximity to the site of lagoon and marine ecosystems. This and previous isotope studies from the region suggest a lower reliance upon marine resources than for Atlantic and Cantabrian sites, although intra-regional patterns of neighbouring Mesolithic populations exhibit both fully terrestrial diets and diets with significant amounts of aquatic resources in them. We hypothesize that in the Central Mediterranean region of Spain the Late Mesolithic dietary adaptations imposed structural limits on demographic growth of the last foragers and favoured rapid assimilation by the earliest Neolithic populations.

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Quaternary International, Jan 1, 2011

Arenal de la Virgen and Casa Corona, located in the upper Vinalopó Valley (SE of the Iberian Peni... more Arenal de la Virgen and Casa Corona, located in the upper Vinalopó Valley (SE of the Iberian Peninsula), are open-air Mesolithic sites dated to the Middle Holocene e 8600-7800 cal BP. Recent excavations have provided evidence of non-marine assemblages dominated by terrestrial (Sphincterochila candidissima and Iberus alonensis) and fresh water gastropods (Melanopsis tricarinata tricarinata) associated with habitation structures. These sites represent the first documented cases of systematic land snail consumption at
open-air residential camps in the Iberian Mediterranean Region. This report presents the assemblage composition and modern ethological parameters, and discusses taphonomic processes, gathering strategies, seasonal patterns and their implications in subsistence practices. The pattern of occurrence of these species is contrasted with lake environmental records at a local scale to trace paleoecological conditions in the study area.

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RESUMEN: Los trabajos de excavación desarrollados en el yacimiento prehistórico del Arenal de la ... more RESUMEN: Los trabajos de excavación desarrollados en el yacimiento prehistórico del Arenal de la Virgen (Villena, Alicante) han permitido documentar la primera ocupación perilacustre del Mesolítico de Muescas y
Denticulados en la Península Ibérica. Presentamos los datos cronoestratigráficos, paleoambientales, la cultura material del yacimiento, los datos de subsistencia y hábitat. A continuación se discute la información obtenida en el marco de los procesos culturales y de las dinámicas medioambientales que marcaron la transición del Holoceno inicial al Holoceno medio en la fachada mediterránea. Los resultados sitúan la ocupación del yacimiento en uno de los momentos más húmedos del Holoceno, revelando una posición avanzada en el desarrollo del Mesolítico de Muescas y Denticulados.
Palabras clave: Mesolítico de Muescas y Denticulados. Península Ibérica. Paleoambiente. Hábitat al aire libre.

ABSTRACT: Fieldwork carried out in the prehistoric site of Arenal de la Virgen (Villena, Alicante) have provided thorough evidences for the first lacustrine occupation belonging to Notches and Denticulates Mesolithic in the Iberian Peninsula. In this paper we present chronostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental data along with material culture, subsistence and habitat record. The whole information is discussed in the context of cultural processes and environmental dynamics that took place along Early and Middle Holocene transition in the Iberian Mediterranean region. The results point out an advanced chronology in the Notches and Denticulates Mesolithic period and situate the occupation in one of the most humid periods during the
Holocene.
Key words: Notches and Denticulates Mesolithic. Iberian Peninsula. Palaeoenvironment. Open-air settlement.

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Recent marine and lake core studies in the Western Mediterranean Basin and Iberia have changed th... more Recent marine and lake core studies in the Western Mediterranean Basin and Iberia have changed the traditional perception of Holocene climate change. Particularly important in this region, the 8,200 cal BP event is marked by colder and more arid conditions. During this episode, we identify a pattern of abandonment episodes at five Late Mesolithic sites. We suggest that such desertion episodes are correlated with adjustments in the logistic mobility system undertaken in the context of broader structural changes in regional settlement organization.

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"In this paper, we present a global view of the principal traits of the evolution of Neolithic ge... more "In this paper, we present a global view of the principal traits of the evolution of Neolithic geometric microliths in
Eastern Spain (principally in Catalonia and the Valencia region). Our discussion addresses two aspects. The first
concerns the morpho-technological and functional relations of these pieces, as well as their diachronic transformation.
Following this orientation, we present a summary of recent typological, technological and traceological studies. The
second aspect concerns the relationship between microliths and their archaeological context with particular focus on
economic data, as well as funerary conditions, which permit us to develop new lines of research and hypotheses."

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Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological re... more Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological record for the study of human socio-ecological systems at regional scales. However, the difficulty in developing suitable chronological frameworks from surface assemblages has limited their use. Additionally, surface scatters are composed of artifacts that can accumulate across multiple occupational episodes. A challenge to chronology building in such surface contexts is the necessity to assess the probability of occupation during each time period. We describe a new method of dating surface lithic assemblages using empirical Bayesian methods, with an example from northeastern Spain. We use Bayesian methods to estimate the probability of occupation during 11 temporal periods (ca. 13,000–4,200 cal BP) for a sample of 25 lithic surface assemblages. A Bayesian approach allows us to combine prior knowledge, with different degrees of uncertainty, about the temporal sensitivity of projectile forms statistically derived from a regional calibration data set of 35 dated assemblages to estimate the age of each surface collections probabilistically. This approach provides new insight into the settlement history of the Maestrat in the first half of the Holocene, during the transition from foraging to food production, and offers a powerful tool to archaeologists for the dating of surface collections.

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Papers by Javier Fernández-López de Pablo

The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2015

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Nature Communications, 2019

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Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2014

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Plos One, Aug 20, 2014

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Quaternary International, Jan 1, 2011

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Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological re... more Surface assemblages represent the most accessible, representative sample of the archaeological record for the study of human socio-ecological systems at regional scales. However, the difficulty in developing suitable chronological frameworks from surface assemblages has limited their use. Additionally, surface scatters are composed of artifacts that can accumulate across multiple occupational episodes. A challenge to chronology building in such surface contexts is the necessity to assess the probability of occupation during each time period. We describe a new method of dating surface lithic assemblages using empirical Bayesian methods, with an example from northeastern Spain. We use Bayesian methods to estimate the probability of occupation during 11 temporal periods (ca. 13,000–4,200 cal BP) for a sample of 25 lithic surface assemblages. A Bayesian approach allows us to combine prior knowledge, with different degrees of uncertainty, about the temporal sensitivity of projectile forms statistically derived from a regional calibration data set of 35 dated assemblages to estimate the age of each surface collections probabilistically. This approach provides new insight into the settlement history of the Maestrat in the first half of the Holocene, during the transition from foraging to food production, and offers a powerful tool to archaeologists for the dating of surface collections.

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The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2015

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Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013

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Global and Planetary Change

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Biological Reviews, 2020

Over the past decade, a major debate has taken place on the underpinnings of cultural changes in ... more Over the past decade, a major debate has taken place on the underpinnings of cultural changes in human societies. A growing array of evidence in behavioural and evolutionary biology has revealed that social connectivity among popu- lations and within them affects, and is affected by, culture. Yet the interplay between prehistoric hunter–gatherer social structure and cultural transmission has typically been overlooked. Interestingly, the archaeological record con- tains large data sets, allowing us to track cultural changes over thousands of years: they thus offer a unique opportunity to shed light on long-term cultural transmission processes. In this review, we demonstrate how well-developed methods for social structure analysis can increase our understanding of the selective pressures underlying cumulative culture. We propose a multilevel analytical framework that considers finer aspects of the complex social structure in which regional groups of prehistoric hunter–gatherers were embedded. We put forward predictions of cultural transmission based on local- and global-level network metrics of small-scale societies and their potential effects on cumulative cul- ture. By bridging the gaps between network science, palaeodemography and cultural evolution, we draw attention to the use of the archaeological record to depict patterns of social interactions and transmission variability. We argue that this new framework will contribute to improving our understanding of social interaction patterns, as well as the con- texts in which cultural changes occur. Ultimately, this may provide insights into the evolution of human behaviour.

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Vaquer, J.; Briois, F. (dirs.), La fin de l’Âge de Pierre en Europe du Sud: Actes de la Table Ronde de l’EHESS (Carcassonne 5-6 septembre 2003), Toulouse, Archives d’Écologie Préhistorique, 2006

Les productions réalisées sur silex en plaquettes, associées à celles de grandes lames extraites ... more Les productions réalisées sur silex en plaquettes, associées à celles de grandes lames extraites de nucléus, se placent parmi les manifestations technologiques les plus remarquables du Néolithique final et de l'Énéolithique de la région de Valence. L'exploitation et l'utilisation de ce type de silex se limitent d'ailleurs à ces deux périodes et sont marquées par la singularité de quelques uns des produits élaborés (grands couteaux et poignards) et par l'existence d'une très vraisemblable circulation de matériaux bruts. Le gisement de la Ereta del Pedregal (Navarrés, Valencia), un important établissement d'habitat, est celui qui a livré les meilleures données sur l'appro-visionnement en silex en plaquettes, tant sur le plan des variétés exploitées (les unes locales, d'autres sans doute de provenance étrangère), que sur celui des procédés de transformation. En ce qui concerne ces derniers aspects, on a ainsi pu observer des destinations techno-industrielles différentes selon les classes de plaquettes : celles d'origine locale ont été employées pour la fabrication de pointes de flèches, tandis que celles qui semblent avoir une autre origine, ont été utilisées préférentiellement pour la mise en forme d'outils coupants. Cette seconde production paraît se placer au moment initial de la séquence néo-énéolithique si l'on se fie aux indications strati-graphiques disponibles dans le site de la Ereta. Mots-clés : plaquettes de silex, matières premières locales et allochtones, technologie, typologie, pointes de flèches, couteaux, poignards, chronologie contextuelle et stratigraphique.
Abstract : Tabular flint use in the late prehistory of Valencian country (Mediterranean Spain). The on tabular flint lithic production is one of the more significant technological characteristics of the Late Neolithic and Eneolithic periods in the Valencian country. The exploitation and the use of this type of flint is reduced to these periods, and it's usually associated with craft productions (large knives and daggers) and raw material circulation networks. The site of Ereta del Pedregal (Navarrés, Valencia), an important establishment of habitat, has delivered the best ensemble of tabular flint with two differents techno-industrial destinations according two varietys : the local tabular flint was employed to manufacture arrowheads, while the no local tabular flint were used preferentially to fabricate cutting tools. This second production in the site of Ereta, according to the stratigraphic available data, appears to be placed at he initial time of the neo-eneolithic sequence.

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This work presents a review of current research lines, new discoveries and discussion points abo... more This work presents a review of current research lines, new
discoveries and discussion points about Late Mesolithic and
Early Neolithic art in Eastern Spain. First, we will review the post-
Palaeolithic sequence to give an account of recent advances
in chronology and interpretative changes in cultural affiliation
of some styles. Then, we will focus on the main spatio-temporal
patterns of stylistic variation at the macro-regional scale. Such
a perspective is more suitable for analysing the relationship
between social contexts of art production with the underlying
mechanisms of the neolithisation process (spread of farming,
cultural interaction between foragers and farmers, ethnicity and
social networks among different Neolithic groups).
We will argue that the Neolithic transition in the study area
involved an abrupt change in artistic traditions and belief systems.
For this presentation, we provide an updated overview of the
post-Palaeolithic artistic sequence as an empirical framework for
further discussions about the neolithization process in Eastern
Spain.
The Iberian Mediterranean region harbours one of the
richest post-Palaeolithic rock art records of Southern Europe. The
current data is irregularly distributed over the archaeological
sequence. During the Late Mesolithic (of Castelnovian tradition),
the art record is fragmentary, quantitatively meaningless and
geographically sparse. Technically, it consists of linear and
geometric (non figurative) motifs engraved on small slabs.
To date, no parietal evidence has been definitely attributed
to this chronological horizon. On the basis of technical and
graphic conceptions, no phylogenetic relationships can be
established regarding the engraved Upper Magdalenian or Early
Epipaleolithic parietal and mobile art.
In contrast, the record of figurative and geometric
representations on both rock and portable art dated to the Early
Neolithic is overwhelmingly higher and varied. It encompasses
different rock art styles with figurative and geometric motifs,
also represented in ceramic wares found in archaeological
contexts. Three main styles are dated at the Neolithic period: the Macroschematic, the Schematic and the Levantine rock art.
The Macroschematic art is geographically restricted to the
central region of Mediterranean Spain. Its distribution is delimited by the settlement territory of the earliest Cardial Neolithic sites. It mainly consists of large representations of individual or double anthropomorphic figures with upraised arms, series of parallel curved lines and zigzags and other schematic motifs interpreted as human, vegetation or bull representations. This imagery reflects a strong symbolic and religious component, closely connected with iconographic concepts identified in the material culture of
other Mediterranean Neolithic cultures.
The Schematic rock art displays a wider geographical
distribution and more extended chronology, from the Early
Neolithic through the Bronze Age. Schematic motifs include
very simplistic representations of anthropomorphic and
zoomorphic figures (sheep, deer) and other geometric ones
such as bars, broken lines, triangles, suns or dots created with
digital imprints. Recent studies on rock art and material culture
have allowed the identification of an iconographic body of
Early Neolithic representations, which displays formal and
conceptual similarities with the Macroschematic art. In fact,
motifs of both styles are well documented on Early Neolithic
ceramic decorations during the Cardial and Epicardial phases.
A noticeable variability in rock art sites in terms of motifs, location
patterns, number of representations and composition complexity
suggest different social contexts of production and use.
Finally, the Levantine style is characterized by figurative and
naturalistic representations of animals and human figures often in
scenes with a clear narrative sense (animalistic scenes, individual
and collective hunting events, social aggregations and warfare
confrontations). It is widely distributed along the Mediterranean
regions of the Iberian Peninsula except for Central and Northern
Catalonia.
Stylistic variability within the Levantine rock art gives
account of both regional variations and chronological differences also reflected in technical and composition conceptions. From a regional perspective, it suggests the emergence of intergroup identity processes that operated at different geographic scales.
The chronology and cultural affiliation of the Levantine rock
art has been deeply discussed during last decades. Chromatic
stratigraphy, by means of superimposition of Levantine figures to Macroschematic and Early Schematic motifs, clearly indicates
a Neolithic chronology. Previously accepted, Levantine
mobiliar evidences on impressed ceramics have been recently
discarded and attributed to the Schematic style. In addition, the
representation of some objects associated with Levantine human figures, such as bracelets, some specific types of geometric microliths (crescents or long trapezes) and bifacial arrow points argues for a Neolithic chronology as well, encompassing more advanced archaeological phases (Middle Neolithic, Late Neolithic and Eneolithic). Recently, the relative chronology based on radiocarbon dating on oxalate crusts brackets the production of Levantine figures between the 6th and the 2nd millennium cal. BC.

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Documenta Praehistorica, Jan 1, 2009

This paper explores how Early Holocene climate changes in the Western Mediterranean would have af... more This paper explores how Early Holocene climate changes in the Western Mediterranean would have affected Late Mesolithic settlement distribution and subsistence strategies in Iberian Peninsula, thereby giving rise to various adaptive scenarios. The current radiocarbon data set concerning the Neolithisation process has revealed the rapidity of the spread of farming in Iberia. Considering both the implications of the last hunter-gatherers’ adaptation strategies and the population dynamics of agro-pastoral communities, we address the migration patterns underlying the Mesolithic-
Neolithic transition. In conclusion, we propose that the initial colonization process was the result of two successive and spatially heterogeneous migrations: Maritime Pioneer Colonization and targeted migration to places favorable to the new economic system.

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"Abstract: We present a state of research regarding to the previous approaches, archaeological si... more "Abstract: We present a state of research regarding to the previous approaches, archaeological sites and the archaeological and paleo-biological information about the last hunter- gatherers on the Valencian region in the Mediterranean
façade of Iberia. The main stratigraphic reference is still Cocina cave, excavated by L. Pericot (1941-1945), which was also the base of the J. Fortea’s proposal about the Epipaleolithic Complexes. A synthesis from the current paleo-environmental, chronological, industrial economic and anthropological
data is presented. The Geometric Mesolithic, whose new denomination is now established, is framed between the Notches and Denticulate Mesolithic and the beginning of the Neolithic periods in the regional archaeological sequence."

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Resumen: El tiempo transcurrido desde la declaración del Arte Rupestre en el arco mediterráneo de... more Resumen: El tiempo transcurrido desde la declaración del Arte Rupestre en el arco mediterráneo de la Península Ibérica como Patrimonio Mundial ha sido testigo de una revolución tecnológica global. La generalización del uso de los Sistemas de Posicionamiento Global o el creciente empleo de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica en la investigación y gestión del Patrimonio Arqueológico son dos de los principales hitos de este proceso de renovación.
Sin embargo, la incorporación de estas herramientas no ha ido siempre acompañada de la introducción de protocolos normalizados de adquisición, producción y publicación de datos espaciales. Este problema ha derivado
en situaciones prácticas de fragmentación de la información geoespacial y de imprecisión locacional. En este contexto urge el desarrollo de acciones coordinadas entre las distintas administraciones e instituciones implicadas
en la gestión e investigación del Arte Rupestre. La presente comunicación plantea posibles líneas de trabajo en este sentido empleando como marco de referencia el paradigma de las Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales.

Palabras clave: Arte Rupestre, arco mediterráneo, Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Infraestructuras de
Datos Espaciales ■

Abstract: Since the declaration of the Rock Art at the mediterranean façade in the World Heritage list, we have witnessed a global technological revolution. The use of Global Position Systems and the growing use of Geographical Information Systems are the main poles of this renewal process.However the use of these technologies has not been followed always by the introduction of normalized protocols on the production and publication of spatial data. This problem is responsible of practical situations of fragmented spatial information and locational inaccuracies. In this context, it is necessary coordinate actions by the different administrations and institutions involved on the rock art research and management. This text explores different proposals using as reference the Spatial Data
Infrastructures paradigm.

Keywords: Rock art, mediterranean façade, Geographical Information Systems, Spatial Data Infrastructures ■

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Resumen Se presenta un avance de los resultados obtenidos en la excavación de un nuevo yacimiento... more Resumen
Se presenta un avance de los resultados obtenidos en la excavación de un nuevo yacimiento neolítico ubicado
en el núcleo de arte rupestre levantino Valltorta-Gasulla. Su secuencia presenta diversos niveles arqueológicos
comprendidos entre el Mesolítico Reciente y el Neolítico Final. Se incide en la aproximación a las características
de las ocupaciones desde los estudios tafonómicos, y en su integración en el proceso de neolitización a escala
regional.
Abstract
We present an advance of the excavation results of a new Neolithic site located in Valltorta-Gasulla Rock Art
nucleus. Their sequence presents diverse archaeological levels between the Recent Mesolithic and Final Neolithic
periods. We make a first approach to the characteristics of the occupations from the taphonomy, and the site is
integrated in the neolithisation process to regional scale.

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La presente comunicación constituye un primer avance sobre los trabajos caracterización morfológi... more La presente comunicación constituye un primer avance sobre los trabajos caracterización morfológica y tecnológica de las
industrias líticas talladas que durante los últimos años hemos realizado diferentes contextos de hábitat neolíticos del área
septentrional del País Valenciano.La producción lítica de este periodo incorpora dos novedades significativas:
1.-La documentación del tratamiento térmico en la producción laminar y en la fabricación de puntas de flecha, sobre los que
se presentan diversos testimonios.
2.-El empleo de la técnica de microburil en la fracturación de los soportes laminares como un procedimiento técnico
estrechamente ligado a la fabricación de armaduras geométricas del Neolitico Final y el Eneolítico.
Estos aspectos son valorados en el marco de la evolución de las industrias líticas del Neolítico en la fachada mediterránea
de la Peninsula Ibérica.

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"RESUMEN: En el presente trabajo se aborda el estudio de las flechas en el Arte Levantino a parti... more "RESUMEN: En el presente trabajo se aborda el estudio de las flechas en el Arte Levantino a partir de su contrastación con los proyectiles en piedra tallada recuperados en los yacimientos mesolíticos y neolíticos más próximos a los abrigos pintados del núcleo de la Valltorta-Gasulla. El análisis de las diferentes modalidades de representación y las distintas propuestas de enmangue inferidas a partir de los proyectiles arqueológicos permiten acotar los paralelos arqueológicos posibles. En este sentido cobra especial relevancia el geometrismo asociado a las fases evolucionadas del Neolítico. Aparte de la dimensión cronológica, las diferencias advertidas a nivel mediterráneo en la conformación de los proyectiles y en su representación gráfica se inscriben en los procesos de regionalización de esta manifestación.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Neolítico, Arte Rupestre Levantino, microlitos geométricos, puntas de flecha.

ABSTRACT: The arrow-heads in the Levantin Rock Art: apports from the projectil analysis from the archaeological record of the Riu de les Coves (Alt Maestrat, Castelló). In this paper we study the arrow-heads of Levantin Rock in contrast camparation with the lithic projectiles founded in the Mesolithic and Neolithic sites of Valltorta-Gasulla prehistoric art core. The analysis of the differents ways of representation and the patterns of use, inferred after the use-wear study of archaeological projectiles, shows the importance of the armament associated to the late Neolithic phases. The differences in the Mediterranean context about the projectil techonology and their representation in the rock art, suggest the existence of regionalisation process.
KEY WORDS: Neolithic, Levantin Rock Art, microlits, arrow-heads."

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Se presenta el estudio de un total de cinco yacimientos localizados en el tramo superior del Riu ... more Se presenta el estudio de un total de cinco yacimientos localizados en el tramo superior del Riu de les Coves (Alt Maestrat, Castellón).
Partiendo de los problemas derivados de la naturaleza de la información manejada se aborda su contextualización en el marco de la
secuencia arqueológica y del hábitat del Holoceno inicial en el Maestrazgo y en el contexto regional. Los resultados obtenidos permiten
por un lado, relativizar la idea de una secuencia local continua e ininterrumpida desde el Magdaleniense superior hasta el Mesolítico
Reciente, y por otro, la sucesión de dos modelos diferentes de ocupación del territorio.
Palabras clave: Epipaleolítico, Mesolítico, secuencia arqueológica, poblamiento.
In this paper we present the study of five different sites located in the Riu de les Coves (Alt Maestrat, Castellón). Bearing in mind the problems
related with the nature of the managed data, they will be contextualized in the Early Holocene archaeological sequence of the
Maestrazgo area and also on a broader regional context. The results allow us, on the one hand, to reconsider the general idea about a
continuous and interrupted local sequence from the Upper Magdalenian to the Late Mesolithic, and in the other hand, to establish two
different settlements models successive on time.
Key words: Epipaleolithic, Mesolithic, archaeological sequence, settlement

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"Geometric microliths and arrow points have received a special attention by the research as chron... more "Geometric microliths and arrow points have received a special attention by the research as chronological and cultural markers. In this
work we’ll present the results of the morphological, technological and use-wear studies from different sites –villages and burials– of the Mediterranean
side (Cataluña and País Valenciano).
During the Early and the Middle Neolithic the geometric microliths used like projectiles have a good representation. However during the Late
Neolithic and the Chalcolithic periods the importance of the projectiles elements is major in the bifacial arrow heads than the microliths."

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IV Congreso del …, Jan 1, 2008

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Les grandes lames de silex ont été traditionnellement considérées, au sein de la culture matériel... more Les grandes lames de silex ont été traditionnellement considérées, au sein de
la culture matérielle, comme un des éléments les plus caractéristiques de l’Énéolithique de la région valencienne, en raison de leur présence généralisée - surtout - dans les mobiliers funéraires des nombreuses grottes sépulcrales de cette période. Hormis la simple constatation de la taille exceptionnelle de quelques exemplaires par rapport aux produits laminaires des étapes plus anciennes du Néolithique, aucune étude approfondie n’a été consacrée à ces lames. L’objectif de cet article est d’entreprendre une telle approche dans une perspective globale et analytique. Nous rendrons ici compte des matières premières employées et de leur problématique, des modules typométriques documentés et de leur signification, des caractéristiques morphotechniques liées au débitage de tels modules, des techniques probables d’extraction et des morphologies observées en relation avec des paramètres fonctionnels. Tous ces points renvoient aux grands thèmes que sont la circulation des matériaux et des objets finis et bien sûr les relations culturelles qui en dérivent.

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http://ojs.uv.es/index.php/saguntum/article/view/1894/1403, 2002

La industria lítica proveniente de los registros de superficie localizados en el Barranco de Olu... more La industria lítica proveniente de los registros de superficie localizados en el Barranco de Olula (Almansa), permite plantear en esta zona la existencia de ocupaciones al aire libre anteriores a la Edad del Bronce. Se presenta la documentación valorando de forma crítica los proble- mas del registro del que proceden. Por último, se contextualiza esta información en al marco del poblamiento de la Prehistoria Reciente del Corredor Almansa-Vinalopó y de otras áreas próximas.

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Session #420: Over the past years, the study of Early to Mid-Holocene coastal adaptations has eme... more Session #420: Over the past years, the study of Early to Mid-Holocene coastal adaptations has emerged as a key research topic to understand processes of economic intensification and human resilience to environmental change. As the sea level rose during the Lateglacial Interstadial coastal configuration dramatically changed, inducing sedimentary infilling of estuaries and bays. Those sea-level changes were translated into loss of human settlement areas, reduction of hunting territories, and modification of coastal biotopes. A key debated issue, is to determine to what extent Early to Mid-Holocene changes on coastal biotopes and marine biological productivity affected patterns of human exploitation of coastal resources. This session aims to present new multidisciplinary findings that include:

• Archaeological records of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods both in terms of change in settlement distribution over time along coasts and hinterlands, and in past dietaries (bioarchaeological remains of animals - invertebrates and vertebrates- as well as geochemical analysis);

• Paleogeographical studies recording geosystem adjustment to sea-level rise (multiple-core analysis, 3D modelling, time-slice reconstruction);

• Paleoecological studies focusing in coastal biotope reconstructions (palynology, aquatic fauna, geochemical analysis);

• Spatial and temporal correlations between archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records of the socio-ecosystem changes;

• Comparisons of European coastal areas (Mediterranean, Atlantic, Baltic, Black Sea) in order to highlight similarities and discrepancies.

Thus, we encourage participation of researchers that are interested in understanding of past human-coastal environment feedbacks during the Early to Mid-Holocene. Ultimately, this session aims to take benefit of past evidences in order to better understand resilience of societies to current global changes.

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Data-driven chronology is one of the most exciting and fast-moving developments in archaeological... more Data-driven chronology is one of the most exciting and fast-moving developments in archaeological science in recent years. As the logistics of doing fieldwork for primary research becomes ever more problematic, and in many countries the database of results from developer-funded fieldwork grows to an unprecedented size, many workers are 'digging' through 'grey literature' and legacy data in order to uncover new insight about the past. In doing so, new methods have been developed, particularly in statistics, GIS and modelling. Some of these, such as the use of summed radiocarbon, have provoked debate about how much we can read into the patterns of change suggested by the data at face value. Can these methods be used for case studies with short chronological frameworks, and if so, how short? In this session, we explore case studies where new data-driven methods have been applied to archaeological problems, especially in chronology. We invite papers exploring aspects of large radiocarbon databases, papers exploring the value of 'traditional' chronological (e.g. pottery seriation) approaches in today's data-driven world, or other data-rich chronological studies, including methodological advances in statistics, Bayesian modelling and GIS. We seek to open a forum where regional studies especially can be presented, allowing the cross-fertilization of ideas and lively debate. We welcome proposals of papers (of up to 15 minutes) to our session. Please include a paper title and an abstract of between 200 and 300 words, your institutional affiliation and contact details. All submissions to be made online by 15 th February 2018. For further information or enquiries on the session, please contact Rowan McLaughlin (r.mclaughlin@qub.ac.uk) To submit an abstract, or for further information on the EAA Annual Meeting 2018, please visit: www.e-a-a.org/EAA2018/

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At the interface: Investigating coupled human and natural system from natural scientific and arch... more At the interface: Investigating coupled human and natural system from natural scientific and archaeological perspective. Challenges and opportunities It is clear that during the Holocene period both the trajectories of environmental and human history were influenced by marked changes. These changes occurred on smaller or larger scales in time and space. It must be assumed that the developments are influenced by each other, even if this happened in asynchronous intensity. It is precisely this asynchronousness, which research has ofen tempted to see the human in this equation as a passive element, especially in contrast to the present situation of the Anthropocene. The question of causality ofen arises, which cannot be answered directly from the data. In recent years, however, it has also become clear that in order to write a meaningful history of the development of human societies in their environment, it is necessary to combine both humanities and natural sciences in close cooperation. It is not enough to bring together the results of separate teams in the end. The nature of Coupled human-environment systems also necessitates a closely interlinked investigation of these systems. In our session we want to approach this topic. We hope for contributions that make clear how such a coupled investigation can look like in practice. We would also be pleased to receive contributions that focus on the causal interdependencies in human-environment relationships. What tools can be used to prove causality? In particular, the session will focus on the relationship between human societies and local or global climate change, but case studies highlighting the collaboration between archaeology and other natural sciences are also welcome.

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