JOSEP VALLVERDÚ-POCH | Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (original) (raw)

Papers by JOSEP VALLVERDÚ-POCH

Quaternary International, 2017

Fecha de aceptación de la versión definitiva: 18-02-04 BIBLID [0514-7336 (2004) 57; 89-110] RESUM... more Fecha de aceptación de la versión definitiva: 18-02-04 BIBLID [0514-7336 (2004) 57; 89-110] RESUMEN: Este artículo plantea la caracterización de la extensión de las ocupaciones, las estrategias de movilidad y la planificación de la conducta mediante el registro arqueológico del nivel i del Abric Romaní. Se trata de una contribución al estado de la cuestión sobre las relaciones entre los hombres anatómicamente anteriores al hombre moderno y su medio. El registro arqueológico está fechado en torno a los 46 000 BP. La interpretación arqueológica traza una aproximación conductual, de manera que desarrollamos el carácter procesual de la interpretación y el valor sistémico de los artefactos y estructuras arqueológicas. Palabras clave. Paleolítico medio. Neandertales. Ocupaciones prehistóricas en abrigo. Abric Romaní.

Vínculos de Historia Revista del Departamento de Historia de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 2021

En 2018 se cumplió el 150 aniversario de la publicación Descripción con planos de la llamada Cuev... more En 2018 se cumplió el 150 aniversario de la publicación Descripción con planos de la llamada Cueva de Atapuerca. Este es el primer libro de carácter científico sobre la Sierra de Atapuerca. Desde entonces, varios yacimientos de este territorio burgalés comenzaron a formar parte de los inventarios arqueológicos de nuestro país. Sin embargo, hubo que esperar hasta 1978 para que un joven equipo de arqueólogos, biólogos y geólogos comenzaran a trabajar de forma sistemática en estos yacimientos. Desde entonces, 1.500 personas, entre estudiantes, profesores e investigadores, han participado, verano tras verano, en las diferentes campañas de excavación. Hasta la actualidad se ha intervenido en 15 yacimientos que permiten estudiar la evolución de los grupos humanos en Europa Occidental desde hace más de un millón de años hasta nuestros días. Este trabajo de campo se ha materializado en un millar de publicaciones científicas que ha situado al Equipo de Investigaciones de Atapuerca a la cabez...

Poster presentado en: 6th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution... more Poster presentado en: 6th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution: Madrid, Spain, 14-17 september, 2016

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019

During the course of the excavations of the San Quirce open-air archaeological site in Spain, an ... more During the course of the excavations of the San Quirce open-air archaeological site in Spain, an unusual negative structure was identified in the Holocene level dated ca. sixth millennium cal BC. A fire pit alongside a single post-hole and intense fire-burning activity was recorded. Yet, the most striking feature of the structure is the absence of any artifactual or faunal record associated to it, something without a known archaeological parallel. Its interpretation represents an archaeological challenge addressed through a multidisciplinary approach including geoarchaeological, paleobotanical techniques and experimental archaeology. Fifteen stratigraphically distinguishable combustion events showing a diachronic fire record, the significant structure's dimensions and particularly the post-hole, indicate its anthropic origin. Archaeomagnetic and micromorphological data allowed reconstructing and temporally sequencing some formation and post-depositional processes, some involving water flows. Maximum heating temperatures between 480 and 525°C were determined in one of the combustion features studied. The identification of grassy tufts would suggest a seasonal settlement of the site. We cannot yield a definite explanation for the artifactual absence, but the available data and an experimental archaeology recreation suggest that the structure could be used as a small hut/open-air bivouac, over which short-lived occupations were repeatedly carried out. Keywords Open-air camp. Sixth millennium cal BC. Start of Neolithic. Combustion structures. Duero River basin Highlights • This paper analyzes the Holocene level dated ca. Sixth millennium cal BC. • A fire pit alongside a single post-hole and intense fire-burning activity was recorded. • The most striking feature of the structure is the absence of any artifactual or faunal record. • Its interpretation represents an archaeological challenge addressed through a multidisciplinary approach. • The available data and an experimental archaeology recreation suggest that the structure could be used as a small hut/open-air bivouac.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2017

Raw material provenance and procurement studies are an essential research line to infer landscape... more Raw material provenance and procurement studies are an essential research line to infer landscape exploitation, mobility dynamics and territorial management among prehistoric hunter-gatherer groups. This paper proposes an original and intuitive method, the chert abundance ratio, aimed at quantifying lithic resource occurrence in the landscape while considering the geological natural factors of an area (chertbearing formation extent, thickness, occurrence index, size and chert content). The resource availability can be statistically compared to any archaeological assemblage distribution to define the procurement strategies, whether generalist or selective, and the mobility patterns. The study area, the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, focused in the Prades Mountains, represents a regional scenario with high chert disposal shared by several Late Upper Palaeolithic occupations. The discrimination of the procurement areas is used as a parameter for outlining the foraging radius and the territorial range, contributing to an understanding of several aspects of the settlement, such as site functions, occupation length or intensity and group size.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2017

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2016

Practically all archeological assemblages are palimpsests. In spite of the high temporal resoluti... more Practically all archeological assemblages are palimpsests. In spite of the high temporal resolution of Abric Romaní site, level O, dated to around 55 ka, is not an exception. This paper focuses on a zooarcheological and taphonomic analysis of this level, paying special attention to spatial and temporal approaches. The main goal is to unravel the palimpsest at the finest possible level by using different methods and techniques, such as archeostratigraphy, anatomical and taxonomical identification, taphonomic analysis, faunal refits and tooth wear analysis. The results obtained are compared to ethnoarcheological data so as to interpret site structure. In addition, activities carried out over different time spans (from individual episodes to long-term behaviors) are detected, and their spatial extent is explored, allowing to do inferences on settlement dynamics. This leads us to discuss the temporal and spatial scales over which Neanderthals carried out different activities within the site, and how they can be studied through the archeological record.

Quaternary International, 2016

The research for referential data on current livestock contexts is essential for correctly interp... more The research for referential data on current livestock contexts is essential for correctly interpreting archaeological records documented in prehistoric livestock spaces. Experimental programmes such as the one begun in 2014 in the Mas del Pepet pen (Rojals, Tarragona) has permitted an understanding, among other matters, of fold characteristics according to the type of livestock, the seasonality of occupations and herd management. This study also contributes to the identification of taphonomic processes that have taken place and to determine the representativeness of the botanical content in the deposit, in relation to the environment and pasture areas. Finally, the dung burning experiments conducted have provided data that will help to reveal the way manure was treated in prehistoric fold caves.

In this work is presented the analytical techniques used during the cleaning and conservation pro... more In this work is presented the analytical techniques used during the cleaning and conservation processes of two plaques with Palaeolithic engravings discovered at the archaeological site of Molí del Salt (Vimbodí, Conca del Barberá, Tarragona). After the excavation, the plaques had concre- tions at all over of their surfaces and remains of colouring material. The nature of concretions was evaluated using an optical microscopy and chemical reagents. The pigments were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental microanalysis with energy dispersive spec- trometry (EDS). Different molecular biology tools were used (PCR and sequencing) to identify microorganisms that may have intervened in the formation of concretions or in the conservation state of the pieces. The results reveal that the nature of concretions are calcitic. The composition of the colouring material is aluminium-silicate with iron oxides. The microbiological analyses shows the presence of spore-forming ...

Quaternary International, 2016

Since 2007, excavations at Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) have revealed three... more Since 2007, excavations at Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) have revealed three localities with rich archaeo-paleontological assemblages: La Mina, El Forn and Pit 1. Palaeontology, palaeomagnetism and cosmogenic analyses have dated these localities to close to 1 Ma. The presence of Mammuthus meridionalis, Hippopotamus antiquus, Stephanorhinus cf. hundsheimensis, Mimomys savini and Victoriamys chalinei stand out in the sample of macro and micro-mammals. The lithic assemblages from the three sites are made up of percussion cobbles, choppers, choppercores, cores, simple flakes, and some retouched flakes: mainly denticulates and notches. In the case of the El Forn and Pit 1 localities, two large cutting tools have been recovered: a cleaver-like tool and a pick made of hard-wearing schist. The lithic assemblage of Pit 1, which includes several refitting lithic sets, is closely associated with the remains of a young-adult Mammuthus meridionalis, in a clear butchering site context. This evidence suggests that Barranc de la Boella is the oldest European Early Acheulean site, and one of the oldest butchering site on the subcontinent during the late Early Pleistocene. The study of the variability among these three localities in similar environmental conditions, together with information from other sites, are discussed in order to gain further knowledge about the appearance of the Acheulean in Europe, and its continuity or discontinuity in relation to pre-existing technologies.

Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2012

Our microstratigraphic study, based on microfacies analyses of large thin sections, aims to impro... more Our microstratigraphic study, based on microfacies analyses of large thin sections, aims to improve our perception of level J deposits obtained by field observations during its extensive excavation. The refined understanding of pedo-sedimentary processes is at first expected to decipher the mineralogical homogeneity of carbonate sedimentary facies as a suite of depositional episodes controlled by distinctive changes in climate-linked factors (hydrology, thermal regime, vegetation) in a karstic setting. Estimating the magnitude, timing and duration of these processes at the finest level of resolution helps to sketch an image of the changing environmental setting of human occupation in this rockshelter. It provides a paleoecological reconstruction, which offers a framework for the paleoethnographic analysis of microfacies and contributes to the multidisciplinary prehistoric archaeological project undertaken at the Abric Romani.

Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2012

The main goal of this chapter is to provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site, payi... more The main goal of this chapter is to provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site, paying special attention to archeological level J. First, we will present the basic information concerning the geological and geomorphological characteristics of the Capellades region, which are fundamental to understand site formation. We will summarize the history of the archeological excavations carried out at the Abric Romaní, since the discovery of the site in 1909 to the current works. This history shows the different theoretical and methodological paradigms that dominated European Prehistory in the course of the twentieth century. Within this context, the excavation of level J will be exposed in detail. Finally, we will present the stratigraphy of the site and the chronological framework, which is largely based on U/Th dating of tufas. Keywords Abric Romaní Á Geology Á Capellades Á Research history Á Stratigraphy Á Chronology In this chapter, we will provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site in general and archeological level J in particular. First, we describe the main geological and geographical characteristics of the Capellades area, in which the Abric Romaní is located. Second, we summarize the long history of archeological research at the site through the various different excavations carried out at the rockshelter since its discovery in 1909. We then describe the the history of the excavation of level J in detail. Finally, we present chronostratigraphical data related to the site, again with special attention to level J.

Quaternary International, 2017

Fecha de aceptación de la versión definitiva: 18-02-04 BIBLID [0514-7336 (2004) 57; 89-110] RESUM... more Fecha de aceptación de la versión definitiva: 18-02-04 BIBLID [0514-7336 (2004) 57; 89-110] RESUMEN: Este artículo plantea la caracterización de la extensión de las ocupaciones, las estrategias de movilidad y la planificación de la conducta mediante el registro arqueológico del nivel i del Abric Romaní. Se trata de una contribución al estado de la cuestión sobre las relaciones entre los hombres anatómicamente anteriores al hombre moderno y su medio. El registro arqueológico está fechado en torno a los 46 000 BP. La interpretación arqueológica traza una aproximación conductual, de manera que desarrollamos el carácter procesual de la interpretación y el valor sistémico de los artefactos y estructuras arqueológicas. Palabras clave. Paleolítico medio. Neandertales. Ocupaciones prehistóricas en abrigo. Abric Romaní.

Vínculos de Historia Revista del Departamento de Historia de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 2021

En 2018 se cumplió el 150 aniversario de la publicación Descripción con planos de la llamada Cuev... more En 2018 se cumplió el 150 aniversario de la publicación Descripción con planos de la llamada Cueva de Atapuerca. Este es el primer libro de carácter científico sobre la Sierra de Atapuerca. Desde entonces, varios yacimientos de este territorio burgalés comenzaron a formar parte de los inventarios arqueológicos de nuestro país. Sin embargo, hubo que esperar hasta 1978 para que un joven equipo de arqueólogos, biólogos y geólogos comenzaran a trabajar de forma sistemática en estos yacimientos. Desde entonces, 1.500 personas, entre estudiantes, profesores e investigadores, han participado, verano tras verano, en las diferentes campañas de excavación. Hasta la actualidad se ha intervenido en 15 yacimientos que permiten estudiar la evolución de los grupos humanos en Europa Occidental desde hace más de un millón de años hasta nuestros días. Este trabajo de campo se ha materializado en un millar de publicaciones científicas que ha situado al Equipo de Investigaciones de Atapuerca a la cabez...

Poster presentado en: 6th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution... more Poster presentado en: 6th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution: Madrid, Spain, 14-17 september, 2016

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019

During the course of the excavations of the San Quirce open-air archaeological site in Spain, an ... more During the course of the excavations of the San Quirce open-air archaeological site in Spain, an unusual negative structure was identified in the Holocene level dated ca. sixth millennium cal BC. A fire pit alongside a single post-hole and intense fire-burning activity was recorded. Yet, the most striking feature of the structure is the absence of any artifactual or faunal record associated to it, something without a known archaeological parallel. Its interpretation represents an archaeological challenge addressed through a multidisciplinary approach including geoarchaeological, paleobotanical techniques and experimental archaeology. Fifteen stratigraphically distinguishable combustion events showing a diachronic fire record, the significant structure's dimensions and particularly the post-hole, indicate its anthropic origin. Archaeomagnetic and micromorphological data allowed reconstructing and temporally sequencing some formation and post-depositional processes, some involving water flows. Maximum heating temperatures between 480 and 525°C were determined in one of the combustion features studied. The identification of grassy tufts would suggest a seasonal settlement of the site. We cannot yield a definite explanation for the artifactual absence, but the available data and an experimental archaeology recreation suggest that the structure could be used as a small hut/open-air bivouac, over which short-lived occupations were repeatedly carried out. Keywords Open-air camp. Sixth millennium cal BC. Start of Neolithic. Combustion structures. Duero River basin Highlights • This paper analyzes the Holocene level dated ca. Sixth millennium cal BC. • A fire pit alongside a single post-hole and intense fire-burning activity was recorded. • The most striking feature of the structure is the absence of any artifactual or faunal record. • Its interpretation represents an archaeological challenge addressed through a multidisciplinary approach. • The available data and an experimental archaeology recreation suggest that the structure could be used as a small hut/open-air bivouac.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2017

Raw material provenance and procurement studies are an essential research line to infer landscape... more Raw material provenance and procurement studies are an essential research line to infer landscape exploitation, mobility dynamics and territorial management among prehistoric hunter-gatherer groups. This paper proposes an original and intuitive method, the chert abundance ratio, aimed at quantifying lithic resource occurrence in the landscape while considering the geological natural factors of an area (chertbearing formation extent, thickness, occurrence index, size and chert content). The resource availability can be statistically compared to any archaeological assemblage distribution to define the procurement strategies, whether generalist or selective, and the mobility patterns. The study area, the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, focused in the Prades Mountains, represents a regional scenario with high chert disposal shared by several Late Upper Palaeolithic occupations. The discrimination of the procurement areas is used as a parameter for outlining the foraging radius and the territorial range, contributing to an understanding of several aspects of the settlement, such as site functions, occupation length or intensity and group size.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2017

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2016

Practically all archeological assemblages are palimpsests. In spite of the high temporal resoluti... more Practically all archeological assemblages are palimpsests. In spite of the high temporal resolution of Abric Romaní site, level O, dated to around 55 ka, is not an exception. This paper focuses on a zooarcheological and taphonomic analysis of this level, paying special attention to spatial and temporal approaches. The main goal is to unravel the palimpsest at the finest possible level by using different methods and techniques, such as archeostratigraphy, anatomical and taxonomical identification, taphonomic analysis, faunal refits and tooth wear analysis. The results obtained are compared to ethnoarcheological data so as to interpret site structure. In addition, activities carried out over different time spans (from individual episodes to long-term behaviors) are detected, and their spatial extent is explored, allowing to do inferences on settlement dynamics. This leads us to discuss the temporal and spatial scales over which Neanderthals carried out different activities within the site, and how they can be studied through the archeological record.

Quaternary International, 2016

The research for referential data on current livestock contexts is essential for correctly interp... more The research for referential data on current livestock contexts is essential for correctly interpreting archaeological records documented in prehistoric livestock spaces. Experimental programmes such as the one begun in 2014 in the Mas del Pepet pen (Rojals, Tarragona) has permitted an understanding, among other matters, of fold characteristics according to the type of livestock, the seasonality of occupations and herd management. This study also contributes to the identification of taphonomic processes that have taken place and to determine the representativeness of the botanical content in the deposit, in relation to the environment and pasture areas. Finally, the dung burning experiments conducted have provided data that will help to reveal the way manure was treated in prehistoric fold caves.

In this work is presented the analytical techniques used during the cleaning and conservation pro... more In this work is presented the analytical techniques used during the cleaning and conservation processes of two plaques with Palaeolithic engravings discovered at the archaeological site of Molí del Salt (Vimbodí, Conca del Barberá, Tarragona). After the excavation, the plaques had concre- tions at all over of their surfaces and remains of colouring material. The nature of concretions was evaluated using an optical microscopy and chemical reagents. The pigments were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental microanalysis with energy dispersive spec- trometry (EDS). Different molecular biology tools were used (PCR and sequencing) to identify microorganisms that may have intervened in the formation of concretions or in the conservation state of the pieces. The results reveal that the nature of concretions are calcitic. The composition of the colouring material is aluminium-silicate with iron oxides. The microbiological analyses shows the presence of spore-forming ...

Quaternary International, 2016

Since 2007, excavations at Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) have revealed three... more Since 2007, excavations at Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) have revealed three localities with rich archaeo-paleontological assemblages: La Mina, El Forn and Pit 1. Palaeontology, palaeomagnetism and cosmogenic analyses have dated these localities to close to 1 Ma. The presence of Mammuthus meridionalis, Hippopotamus antiquus, Stephanorhinus cf. hundsheimensis, Mimomys savini and Victoriamys chalinei stand out in the sample of macro and micro-mammals. The lithic assemblages from the three sites are made up of percussion cobbles, choppers, choppercores, cores, simple flakes, and some retouched flakes: mainly denticulates and notches. In the case of the El Forn and Pit 1 localities, two large cutting tools have been recovered: a cleaver-like tool and a pick made of hard-wearing schist. The lithic assemblage of Pit 1, which includes several refitting lithic sets, is closely associated with the remains of a young-adult Mammuthus meridionalis, in a clear butchering site context. This evidence suggests that Barranc de la Boella is the oldest European Early Acheulean site, and one of the oldest butchering site on the subcontinent during the late Early Pleistocene. The study of the variability among these three localities in similar environmental conditions, together with information from other sites, are discussed in order to gain further knowledge about the appearance of the Acheulean in Europe, and its continuity or discontinuity in relation to pre-existing technologies.

Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2012

Our microstratigraphic study, based on microfacies analyses of large thin sections, aims to impro... more Our microstratigraphic study, based on microfacies analyses of large thin sections, aims to improve our perception of level J deposits obtained by field observations during its extensive excavation. The refined understanding of pedo-sedimentary processes is at first expected to decipher the mineralogical homogeneity of carbonate sedimentary facies as a suite of depositional episodes controlled by distinctive changes in climate-linked factors (hydrology, thermal regime, vegetation) in a karstic setting. Estimating the magnitude, timing and duration of these processes at the finest level of resolution helps to sketch an image of the changing environmental setting of human occupation in this rockshelter. It provides a paleoecological reconstruction, which offers a framework for the paleoethnographic analysis of microfacies and contributes to the multidisciplinary prehistoric archaeological project undertaken at the Abric Romani.

Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2012

The main goal of this chapter is to provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site, payi... more The main goal of this chapter is to provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site, paying special attention to archeological level J. First, we will present the basic information concerning the geological and geomorphological characteristics of the Capellades region, which are fundamental to understand site formation. We will summarize the history of the archeological excavations carried out at the Abric Romaní, since the discovery of the site in 1909 to the current works. This history shows the different theoretical and methodological paradigms that dominated European Prehistory in the course of the twentieth century. Within this context, the excavation of level J will be exposed in detail. Finally, we will present the stratigraphy of the site and the chronological framework, which is largely based on U/Th dating of tufas. Keywords Abric Romaní Á Geology Á Capellades Á Research history Á Stratigraphy Á Chronology In this chapter, we will provide a general presentation of the Abric Romaní site in general and archeological level J in particular. First, we describe the main geological and geographical characteristics of the Capellades area, in which the Abric Romaní is located. Second, we summarize the long history of archeological research at the site through the various different excavations carried out at the rockshelter since its discovery in 1909. We then describe the the history of the excavation of level J in detail. Finally, we present chronostratigraphical data related to the site, again with special attention to level J.