Manuel Santonja | CENIEH - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Manuel Santonja

Boletín de la Asociación …, 2010

... Cambiar idioma Idioma Català. Cambiar. Manuel Santonja Alonso (1918-2010), in memoriam. ... 4... more ... Cambiar idioma Idioma Català. Cambiar. Manuel Santonja Alonso (1918-2010), in memoriam. ... 46, 2010-2011 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Homenaje a D. Manuel Santonja Alonso) , págs. 11-16. ...

Trabajos de Prehistoria

Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distr... more Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0)

Colegio de Arqueólogos de Madrid, 2016

Stone Tools, Diet, and Sociality (S.D.S.), 2017

Proposition d'une methode de classement des outils sur galets du Paleolithique inferieur. App... more Proposition d'une methode de classement des outils sur galets du Paleolithique inferieur. Application aux sites d'El Pinedo, Toledo, El Aculadero (Puerto de Santa Maria).

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2021

Abstract Probably, one of the biggest questions about the Acheulean is focused on the functional ... more Abstract Probably, one of the biggest questions about the Acheulean is focused on the functional aspects of its lithic industry and, more specifically, its link to subsistence activities developed by hominins during the Early Stone Age. Historically, tecno-functional research on ESA techno-complex has focused on the role played by flakes and LCT in the processing of animal carcasses, but less attention has been payed to other possible activities related with subsistence and tool making. Previous traceological studies on African Lower Paleolithic lithic industries have shown the complexity of activities made with the earliest lithic tools, including not only the processing of animal carcasses, but also activities dedicated to processing wood, non-woody plants and underground storage organs (USOs). In this paper we present the use-wear results obtained from the analysis of the Early Acheulean lithic tools with potentially functional edges which are part of the lithic assemblage from the Thiongo Korongo archaeological site (TK) (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). The three main levels of the archaeological site, TKSF, TKLSC and TKLF, have been used as samples. From 466 lithic artefacts analyzed, 16 pieces present sufficient preservation of use related traces that are able to clearly identify the activities developed when compared with experimental reference collections. As a result, we have identified activities mainly related with the cutting and scraping of wood and non-woody plants, including USOs. In addition, some pieces have also presented traces indicating the processing of animal carcasses. These data provides important information about different activities developed in TK by early hominids, allowing us to make broader inferences about the different subsistence activities carried out during the Acheulean in Eastern Africa.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2018

Taphonomic studies, along with modern analogs arisen from experimentation, have been developed to... more Taphonomic studies, along with modern analogs arisen from experimentation, have been developed to discern the agents responsible for bone accumulations. A special focus has been given to carnivores, which may produce bone accumulations or interact with hominins by ravaging bones from archaeological sites. Although a great effort has been made to study several carnivore species (namely, felids, hyenids and canids), a limited knowledge concerning some scavenging species such as the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) remains. The present study shows the results of an experiment carried out at Olduvai Gorge (Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania) which aimed at assessing the impact of striped hyenas on a goat carcass. After human butchering, the goat carcass was deposited in an area near the FLK North site, where nocturnal carnivores are very active. The orientation and arrangement of the bone assemblage were documented daily and recorded with the aid of photogrammetric techniques. The behaviour of the carnivores acting on the carcasses was recorded by a motion camera picture. The only carnivore involved in the modification of the bone assemblage was the striped hyena. The results show that the post-ravaging behaviour of this species is similar to that previously documented for the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Oddly, after one night of carnivore ravaging, the experimental sample showed anisotropy. The carnivore ravaging carried out by the striped hyena modified the orientation pattern of the simulated archaeological site. Thus, carnivore ravaging may also impact the spatial orientation pattern of archaeological sites.

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2017

In the eastern Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, Spain) ... more In the eastern Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, Spain) has produced some of the earliest evidence of Middle Paleolithic stone tool traditions together with evidence of equid and cervid carcasses defleshed by hominins. Based on the numerical age of 317-240 ka derived from OSL, ESR and AAR dating methods for the lower part of the Cuesta de la Bajada sedimentological sequence (level CB3), as well as the biochronological inferences for the small and large mammal associations, the site can be attributed to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 or the end of MIS 9. As amphibians and reptiles have precise environmental and climatic requirements and do not differ at species level from the extant herpetofauna of the Iberian Peninsula, they can contribute to the reconstruction of the landscape and climate. In this paper, the fossil amphibians and squamate reptiles from Cuesta de la Bajada are studied for the first time. The mutual ecogeographic range and habitat weighting methods were applied to the herpetofaunal assemblages to estimate quantitative data for the landscape and climate reconstructions. The climate is shown to have been colder and wetter than today in the interior of eastern Spain, with mean annual temperature up to 2.5 C lower and mean annual precipitation slightly higher than at present. The monthly climatic reconstruction shows differences in the distribution of precipitation over the course of the year, with more abundant precipitation from late autumn to spring (i.e. from October to May), and more or less similar precipitation to today during the summer months (July and August). This suggests there was stronger rainfall seasonality between winter and summer than currently occurs. The paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on the herpetofaunal assemblage depicts a poorly forested (15e20%) patchy landscape with a large representation of dry meadows and scrubland habitats together with well-evidenced aquatic habitats. These reconstructions are consistent with other proxies recovered at Cuesta de la Bajada (pollen, small and large mammals) as well as other European MIS 8e9 paleoclimatic records. We can thus correlate levels CB2 and CB3 with the later part of MIS 8 (265-257 ka) or with a humid fluctuation within the MIS9b (303-290 ka). It is also possible to provide a new description of the environmental and climatic conditions that occurred in inner Spain during a cold period of the late Middle Pleistocene.

Quaternary International, 2017

Ambrona is located in a karst landscape, and occupies a key geographic position, a transit area w... more Ambrona is located in a karst landscape, and occupies a key geographic position, a transit area with natural routes connecting the three main drainage basins in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The site dates from the middle of MIS 11 and consists of fluvial-lacustrine deposits. Investigation of Ambrona, traditionally linked to that of Torralba (both sites are in the province of Soria, in Spain), has played a significant role in increasing our knowledge of the Acheulean in Europe, especially in the debate on hunting versus scavenging. Over the course of a century, more than 3400 m 2 have been excavated at Ambrona by four teams, led respectively by the Marquis of Cerralbo (1914e1916), C. Howell (1961e1963), C. Howell and L.G. Freeman (1980e1983), and M. Santonja and A. P erez-Gonz alez (1993e2000). In this paper we present, in their stratigraphic context, the results of our technological analysis of complete lithic series found during the excavations of the Lower Stratigraphic Member at Ambrona carried out from 1993 to 2000. During this period we excavated 685 m 2. Only in Level AS3 was a large part of the lithic industry found in primary position, whereas the assemblages in the other levels had been greatly influenced by sedimentary processes. The whole lithic assemblage comprises 728 items. We shall analyze the chaînes op eratoires evidenced in each of the five identified levels, according to the raw materials used. Tools made on flake include very specialized types, but retouching is usually not intense; tool-maintenance processes are barely documented. The knapping methods used were mainly discoidal, bifacial and multipolar. Except for a few local limestone items, the knapped stones found at Ambrona (quartz, quartzite and limestone) were brought to the site, sometimes from dozens of kilometers away. The study of this collection confirms its attribution to the Acheulean techno-complex, with its characteristic handaxes and cleavers.

Quaternary Geochronology, 2016

Dose saturation represents a fundamental limitation for obtaining finite optically stimulated lum... more Dose saturation represents a fundamental limitation for obtaining finite optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) quartz ages over Middle Pleistocene timescales. Single-grain OSL studies typically reveal significant intra-and inter-sample variability in quartz dose saturation properties at the individual grain level. This enhanced variability may offer the potential to obtain extended-range chronologies exceeding the traditional upper age limits of multiple-grain OSL dating. However, there have been relatively few detailed assessments of single-grain OSL properties over high dose ranges. In this study we investigate extended-range single-grain OSL dating potential at Cuesta de la Bajada, one of the most important Ancient Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula. The quartz samples from this site exhibit exceptional dose saturation properties and contain significant populations of individual 'supergrains' with bright OSL signals, very high characteristic saturation dose (D 0) limits of 200 to >600 Gy, and doseresponse curves that closely conform to single saturating exponential functions. Assessments of OSL signal composition and the ability to successfully recover a known laboratory dose of 470 Gy support the potential for obtaining high equivalent dose (D e) values with reasonable fitting uncertainties. A series of novel sensitivity tests are used to assess potential biases in supergrain D e estimation over high dose ranges related to (i) thermally transferred signal contributions, (ii) choice of dose-response curve fitting function, and (iii) insufficient dose saturation properties of individual grains. The single-grain D e values obtained using the standard quality assurance criteria and novel sensitivity tests are consistent at 2s, and are in agreement with quartz Ti-centre ages obtained on two of three paired electron spin resonance (ESR) samples collected from Cuesta de la Bajada. These comparisons support the suitability of our single-grain OSL results and suggest there may be good potential for using quartz supergrains to establish extended-range chronologies at some Middle Pleistocene sites. Comparisons with other singlegrain OSL studies across the Iberian central plains suggest that favourable dose saturation properties may be influenced by regional-scale geological controls. The importance of undertaking single-grain OSL dating at Cuesta de la Bajada is also demonstrated by the results of synthetic aliquot experiments, which reveal multiple-grain age offsets of 60e170 ka when unsuitable grain types are inadvertently included in the final age calculations. The single-grain OSL results indicate that the main archaeological horizon at Cuesta de la Bajada (unit CB3) accumulated between 264 ± 22 and 293 ± 24 ka. These ages are consistent with the chronologies of other key early Middle Palaeolithic sites in the region (Ambrona AS6 and Gran Dolina TD10) and indicate that the Ancient Middle Palaeolithic techno-complex likely spread across Iberia from at least Marine Isotope Stage 9 onwards.

Actas De Las I Jornadas De Patrimonio Historico Artistico Vol 1 1982 Isbn 84 500 8274 9 Pags 363 364, 1982

Zephyrvs, Dec 21, 2009

En fechas más cercanas, desde los años 60 del pasado siglo, resultaría especialmente significativ... more En fechas más cercanas, desde los años 60 del pasado siglo, resultaría especialmente significativa la influencia de G. Laplace. Como apunta M. Mussi, la particular metodología laplaciana

El Megalitismo En La Peninsula Iberica 1987 Isbn 84 505 6553 7 Pags 199 210, 1987

Boletin De La Asociacion Espanola De Amigos De La Arqueologia, 1995

Les principaux sites archaiques de la prehistoire europeenne, tels Vallonet, Soleihac, Abbeville,... more Les principaux sites archaiques de la prehistoire europeenne, tels Vallonet, Soleihac, Abbeville, Isernia, Karlich, Stranska-Skala, El Aculadero..., ont change d'identite apres plusieurs rencontres recentes. Les gisements et le materiel archeologique indiquent les debuts d'une occupation humaine significative depuis 500 000 BP, un million d'annees apres que l'Homo erectus ne developpe son industrie acheuleenne en Afrique. Le contexte chronologique en decoulant permet une meilleure comprehension de la stabilite acheuleenne europeenne, et de ses premieres diversifications avant le Pleistocene superieur

Studien in Memoriam Wilhelm Schule 2001 Isbn 3896463918 Pags 418 426, 2001

Boletín de la Asociación …, 2010

... Cambiar idioma Idioma Català. Cambiar. Manuel Santonja Alonso (1918-2010), in memoriam. ... 4... more ... Cambiar idioma Idioma Català. Cambiar. Manuel Santonja Alonso (1918-2010), in memoriam. ... 46, 2010-2011 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Homenaje a D. Manuel Santonja Alonso) , págs. 11-16. ...

Trabajos de Prehistoria

Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distr... more Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0)

Colegio de Arqueólogos de Madrid, 2016

Stone Tools, Diet, and Sociality (S.D.S.), 2017

Proposition d'une methode de classement des outils sur galets du Paleolithique inferieur. App... more Proposition d'une methode de classement des outils sur galets du Paleolithique inferieur. Application aux sites d'El Pinedo, Toledo, El Aculadero (Puerto de Santa Maria).

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2021

Abstract Probably, one of the biggest questions about the Acheulean is focused on the functional ... more Abstract Probably, one of the biggest questions about the Acheulean is focused on the functional aspects of its lithic industry and, more specifically, its link to subsistence activities developed by hominins during the Early Stone Age. Historically, tecno-functional research on ESA techno-complex has focused on the role played by flakes and LCT in the processing of animal carcasses, but less attention has been payed to other possible activities related with subsistence and tool making. Previous traceological studies on African Lower Paleolithic lithic industries have shown the complexity of activities made with the earliest lithic tools, including not only the processing of animal carcasses, but also activities dedicated to processing wood, non-woody plants and underground storage organs (USOs). In this paper we present the use-wear results obtained from the analysis of the Early Acheulean lithic tools with potentially functional edges which are part of the lithic assemblage from the Thiongo Korongo archaeological site (TK) (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). The three main levels of the archaeological site, TKSF, TKLSC and TKLF, have been used as samples. From 466 lithic artefacts analyzed, 16 pieces present sufficient preservation of use related traces that are able to clearly identify the activities developed when compared with experimental reference collections. As a result, we have identified activities mainly related with the cutting and scraping of wood and non-woody plants, including USOs. In addition, some pieces have also presented traces indicating the processing of animal carcasses. These data provides important information about different activities developed in TK by early hominids, allowing us to make broader inferences about the different subsistence activities carried out during the Acheulean in Eastern Africa.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2018

Taphonomic studies, along with modern analogs arisen from experimentation, have been developed to... more Taphonomic studies, along with modern analogs arisen from experimentation, have been developed to discern the agents responsible for bone accumulations. A special focus has been given to carnivores, which may produce bone accumulations or interact with hominins by ravaging bones from archaeological sites. Although a great effort has been made to study several carnivore species (namely, felids, hyenids and canids), a limited knowledge concerning some scavenging species such as the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) remains. The present study shows the results of an experiment carried out at Olduvai Gorge (Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania) which aimed at assessing the impact of striped hyenas on a goat carcass. After human butchering, the goat carcass was deposited in an area near the FLK North site, where nocturnal carnivores are very active. The orientation and arrangement of the bone assemblage were documented daily and recorded with the aid of photogrammetric techniques. The behaviour of the carnivores acting on the carcasses was recorded by a motion camera picture. The only carnivore involved in the modification of the bone assemblage was the striped hyena. The results show that the post-ravaging behaviour of this species is similar to that previously documented for the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Oddly, after one night of carnivore ravaging, the experimental sample showed anisotropy. The carnivore ravaging carried out by the striped hyena modified the orientation pattern of the simulated archaeological site. Thus, carnivore ravaging may also impact the spatial orientation pattern of archaeological sites.

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2017

In the eastern Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, Spain) ... more In the eastern Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, Spain) has produced some of the earliest evidence of Middle Paleolithic stone tool traditions together with evidence of equid and cervid carcasses defleshed by hominins. Based on the numerical age of 317-240 ka derived from OSL, ESR and AAR dating methods for the lower part of the Cuesta de la Bajada sedimentological sequence (level CB3), as well as the biochronological inferences for the small and large mammal associations, the site can be attributed to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 or the end of MIS 9. As amphibians and reptiles have precise environmental and climatic requirements and do not differ at species level from the extant herpetofauna of the Iberian Peninsula, they can contribute to the reconstruction of the landscape and climate. In this paper, the fossil amphibians and squamate reptiles from Cuesta de la Bajada are studied for the first time. The mutual ecogeographic range and habitat weighting methods were applied to the herpetofaunal assemblages to estimate quantitative data for the landscape and climate reconstructions. The climate is shown to have been colder and wetter than today in the interior of eastern Spain, with mean annual temperature up to 2.5 C lower and mean annual precipitation slightly higher than at present. The monthly climatic reconstruction shows differences in the distribution of precipitation over the course of the year, with more abundant precipitation from late autumn to spring (i.e. from October to May), and more or less similar precipitation to today during the summer months (July and August). This suggests there was stronger rainfall seasonality between winter and summer than currently occurs. The paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on the herpetofaunal assemblage depicts a poorly forested (15e20%) patchy landscape with a large representation of dry meadows and scrubland habitats together with well-evidenced aquatic habitats. These reconstructions are consistent with other proxies recovered at Cuesta de la Bajada (pollen, small and large mammals) as well as other European MIS 8e9 paleoclimatic records. We can thus correlate levels CB2 and CB3 with the later part of MIS 8 (265-257 ka) or with a humid fluctuation within the MIS9b (303-290 ka). It is also possible to provide a new description of the environmental and climatic conditions that occurred in inner Spain during a cold period of the late Middle Pleistocene.

Quaternary International, 2017

Ambrona is located in a karst landscape, and occupies a key geographic position, a transit area w... more Ambrona is located in a karst landscape, and occupies a key geographic position, a transit area with natural routes connecting the three main drainage basins in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The site dates from the middle of MIS 11 and consists of fluvial-lacustrine deposits. Investigation of Ambrona, traditionally linked to that of Torralba (both sites are in the province of Soria, in Spain), has played a significant role in increasing our knowledge of the Acheulean in Europe, especially in the debate on hunting versus scavenging. Over the course of a century, more than 3400 m 2 have been excavated at Ambrona by four teams, led respectively by the Marquis of Cerralbo (1914e1916), C. Howell (1961e1963), C. Howell and L.G. Freeman (1980e1983), and M. Santonja and A. P erez-Gonz alez (1993e2000). In this paper we present, in their stratigraphic context, the results of our technological analysis of complete lithic series found during the excavations of the Lower Stratigraphic Member at Ambrona carried out from 1993 to 2000. During this period we excavated 685 m 2. Only in Level AS3 was a large part of the lithic industry found in primary position, whereas the assemblages in the other levels had been greatly influenced by sedimentary processes. The whole lithic assemblage comprises 728 items. We shall analyze the chaînes op eratoires evidenced in each of the five identified levels, according to the raw materials used. Tools made on flake include very specialized types, but retouching is usually not intense; tool-maintenance processes are barely documented. The knapping methods used were mainly discoidal, bifacial and multipolar. Except for a few local limestone items, the knapped stones found at Ambrona (quartz, quartzite and limestone) were brought to the site, sometimes from dozens of kilometers away. The study of this collection confirms its attribution to the Acheulean techno-complex, with its characteristic handaxes and cleavers.

Quaternary Geochronology, 2016

Dose saturation represents a fundamental limitation for obtaining finite optically stimulated lum... more Dose saturation represents a fundamental limitation for obtaining finite optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) quartz ages over Middle Pleistocene timescales. Single-grain OSL studies typically reveal significant intra-and inter-sample variability in quartz dose saturation properties at the individual grain level. This enhanced variability may offer the potential to obtain extended-range chronologies exceeding the traditional upper age limits of multiple-grain OSL dating. However, there have been relatively few detailed assessments of single-grain OSL properties over high dose ranges. In this study we investigate extended-range single-grain OSL dating potential at Cuesta de la Bajada, one of the most important Ancient Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula. The quartz samples from this site exhibit exceptional dose saturation properties and contain significant populations of individual 'supergrains' with bright OSL signals, very high characteristic saturation dose (D 0) limits of 200 to >600 Gy, and doseresponse curves that closely conform to single saturating exponential functions. Assessments of OSL signal composition and the ability to successfully recover a known laboratory dose of 470 Gy support the potential for obtaining high equivalent dose (D e) values with reasonable fitting uncertainties. A series of novel sensitivity tests are used to assess potential biases in supergrain D e estimation over high dose ranges related to (i) thermally transferred signal contributions, (ii) choice of dose-response curve fitting function, and (iii) insufficient dose saturation properties of individual grains. The single-grain D e values obtained using the standard quality assurance criteria and novel sensitivity tests are consistent at 2s, and are in agreement with quartz Ti-centre ages obtained on two of three paired electron spin resonance (ESR) samples collected from Cuesta de la Bajada. These comparisons support the suitability of our single-grain OSL results and suggest there may be good potential for using quartz supergrains to establish extended-range chronologies at some Middle Pleistocene sites. Comparisons with other singlegrain OSL studies across the Iberian central plains suggest that favourable dose saturation properties may be influenced by regional-scale geological controls. The importance of undertaking single-grain OSL dating at Cuesta de la Bajada is also demonstrated by the results of synthetic aliquot experiments, which reveal multiple-grain age offsets of 60e170 ka when unsuitable grain types are inadvertently included in the final age calculations. The single-grain OSL results indicate that the main archaeological horizon at Cuesta de la Bajada (unit CB3) accumulated between 264 ± 22 and 293 ± 24 ka. These ages are consistent with the chronologies of other key early Middle Palaeolithic sites in the region (Ambrona AS6 and Gran Dolina TD10) and indicate that the Ancient Middle Palaeolithic techno-complex likely spread across Iberia from at least Marine Isotope Stage 9 onwards.

Actas De Las I Jornadas De Patrimonio Historico Artistico Vol 1 1982 Isbn 84 500 8274 9 Pags 363 364, 1982

Zephyrvs, Dec 21, 2009

En fechas más cercanas, desde los años 60 del pasado siglo, resultaría especialmente significativ... more En fechas más cercanas, desde los años 60 del pasado siglo, resultaría especialmente significativa la influencia de G. Laplace. Como apunta M. Mussi, la particular metodología laplaciana

El Megalitismo En La Peninsula Iberica 1987 Isbn 84 505 6553 7 Pags 199 210, 1987

Boletin De La Asociacion Espanola De Amigos De La Arqueologia, 1995

Les principaux sites archaiques de la prehistoire europeenne, tels Vallonet, Soleihac, Abbeville,... more Les principaux sites archaiques de la prehistoire europeenne, tels Vallonet, Soleihac, Abbeville, Isernia, Karlich, Stranska-Skala, El Aculadero..., ont change d'identite apres plusieurs rencontres recentes. Les gisements et le materiel archeologique indiquent les debuts d'une occupation humaine significative depuis 500 000 BP, un million d'annees apres que l'Homo erectus ne developpe son industrie acheuleenne en Afrique. Le contexte chronologique en decoulant permet une meilleure comprehension de la stabilite acheuleenne europeenne, et de ses premieres diversifications avant le Pleistocene superieur

Studien in Memoriam Wilhelm Schule 2001 Isbn 3896463918 Pags 418 426, 2001

Las investigaciones, sobre el primer poblamiento humano del Nw peninsular, han estado mediatizada... more Las investigaciones, sobre el primer poblamiento humano del Nw peninsular, han estado mediatizadas por las interpretaciones de las excavaciones en el yacimiento de Gándaras de Budiño por E. Aguirre y K.W. Butzer. A raíz de esta circunstancia las, escasas e intermitentes, investigaciones que se desarrollaron en este campo, partían de presupuestos metodológicos obsoletos y ajenos a las dinámicas investigadoras desarrolladas en áreas geográficas inmediatas. Aspectos cronológicos, la falta de aptitud de las materias primas empleadas (cuarcitas y cuarzos), el aspecto arcaico de las industrias líticas o la inexistencia de yacimientos en buen estado de conservación, son algunas de las líneas argumentales que se han recogido en la bibliografía generada durante décadas.
En los últimos años, la reactivación de las investigaciones, en diferentes puntos de esta región geográfica (esencialmente a la cuenca del río Miño), ha permitido reconocer un panorama sustancialmente diferente al que se derivaba de las investigaciones precedentes. Las excavaciones en los yacimientos achelenses de O Cabrón y Porto Maior han puesto de manifiesto la existencia de yacimientos en estratigrafía, con unas condiciones de conservación adecuadas y con industrias de naturaleza achelense, idénticas a la de otras regiones occidentales de la Península Ibérica. Se ha procedido también a la relación de las evidencias ocupación humana con los procesos geomorfológicos más importantes de la zona, concretamente, con los sistemas de terrazas del río Miño, aportando datos cronológicos, tanto relativos como absolutos.
En el estado actual de la investigación se puede afirmar que esta región presenta ocupaciones humanas, desde por los menos, la segunda mitad del Pleistoceno Medio, las cuales parecen en todos los casos de tecnología achelense. Ahora bien, no se descarta la identificación de otros complejos industriales coetáneos, como sucede en otras regiones peninsulares.