Rory Connolly | Trinity College Dublin (original) (raw)

Book chapters by Rory Connolly

Connolly, R. 2016. The assemblage of Bronze Age oyster (Ostrea edulis) shells from Moneen Cave. I... more Connolly, R. 2016. The assemblage of Bronze Age oyster (Ostrea edulis) shells from Moneen Cave. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Archaeological Excavations in Moneen Cave, the Burren, Co. Clare: Insights into Bronze Age and Post-Medieval Life in the West of Ireland. Archaeopress, Oxford.

Connolly, R. 2016. Prehistoric perforated marine shells from Irish caves. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Under... more Connolly, R. 2016. Prehistoric perforated marine shells from Irish caves. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and Artefacts from Ireland's Caves. Oxbow Books, Oxford.

Conference posters by Rory Connolly

International Workshop on Archaeological Soil Micromorphology Basel, Switzerland, 2nd to 4th Sept... more International Workshop on Archaeological Soil Micromorphology
Basel, Switzerland, 2nd to 4th September 2019

Prehistoric Adaptations to Cold Environments (PACE): multidisciplinary approaches January 8th - ... more Prehistoric Adaptations to Cold Environments (PACE): multidisciplinary approaches

January 8th - 9th 2019
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Campus St-Jean d’Angély
Nice, France

Here we present preliminary results of the first Raman micro-spectroscopic characterisation of Ob... more Here we present preliminary results of the first Raman micro-spectroscopic characterisation of Obsidian sources in Tenerife, Spain. Geological samples collected from seven archaeologically significant sources are analysed with the aims:

(i) To investigate and develop the potential use of Raman micro-spectroscopy in provenance studies of archaeological obsidian

(ii) To advance our understanding of the prehistoric exploitation, distribution and management of obsidian resources in Tenerife and how this relates to other aspects of social organisation, including trade and power relations

This poster presents preliminary results from a combined microscopic and biomolecular study of th... more This poster presents preliminary results from a combined microscopic and biomolecular study of thermally altered sediments associated with Neanderthal occupations at Abric del Pastor, Alicante. Lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes) from these sediments were analysed by GC-MS. Microstructural sedimentary features and processes, identified through micromorphology, provided high resolution anthropogenic and environmental signatures and frame the molecular data within a broader reconstruction of site formation processes. A combined molecular and microstratigraphic study such as this constitutes a new approach to the palaeoenvironmental dynamics of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal habitats. Preliminary results are encouraging and demonstrate the utility of this method for investigating past ecosystem structure at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

Conference Presentations by Rory Connolly

IberoArchUK 2019, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK, 17... more IberoArchUK 2019, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK, 17th May 2019

SAA 84th Annual Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. | April 10 - 14, 2019

Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) Conference Sligo, Ireland March 23 - 24, 2018

Frontiers in Archaeological Sciences: Lembersky Conferences in Human Evolutionary Studies. Octobe... more Frontiers in Archaeological Sciences: Lembersky Conferences in Human Evolutionary Studies. October 23-25, 2017, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Papers by Rory Connolly

Mateja Hajdinjak-Doubling the number of high-coverage Neandertal genomes. 9:20 Stéphane Peyrégne-... more Mateja Hajdinjak-Doubling the number of high-coverage Neandertal genomes. 9:20 Stéphane Peyrégne-Analysis of Nuclear DNA Sequences from the Neandertals of Hohlenstein-Stadel and Scladina Caves. 9:40 Benjamin Peter-gene flow between hominins was common.

Molecules, 2021

This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf... more This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under limited oxygen conditions at 150, 250, 350, and 450 °C. Our results reveal isotopic variations in wax lipids of different plant organs during short-term low-temperature combustion. We conclude that, in the absence of a detailed characterisation of the depositional environment in advance of sampling, δ2Hwax values in archaeological or otherwise highly anthropogenic environments should be interpreted cautiously. In addition, we observed that variation in δ2Hwax of leaves is minimal at temperatures ≤ 350 °C, highlighting the potential for δ2Hwax in thermally altered combustion substrates to yield palaeoclimate information, which could allow researchers to investigate links between archaeological and climatic records at a high ...

Abric del Pastor (Alcoi, Alicante) representa uno de los pocos ejemplos ibericos de yacimiento pe... more Abric del Pastor (Alcoi, Alicante) representa uno de los pocos ejemplos ibericos de yacimiento perteneciente al MIS 5/MIS 4. El estudio de los restos fosiles de pequenos vertebrados procedentes de la unidad IVd presenta una asociacion faunistica compuesta por: tres roedores (Microtus cabrerae, Eliomys quercinus y Apodemus sylvaticus), un insectivoro (Crocidura sp.), un anuro (Pelodytes sp.), dos lagartos (cf. Timon lepidus y cf. Podarcis sp.) y tres serpientes (Colubridae indet., Coronella girondica y Viperidae indet.). Todas las especies aqui descritas tienen un amplio rango de distribucion en la peninsula iberica, presentando una amplia variedad de preferencias ecologicas. La reconstruccion paleoclimatica sugiere unas condiciones mas frias y humedas que en la actualidad. El area circundante al yacimiento debio estar dominada por formaciones de porte arboreo y/o arbustivo.

SAA 84th Annual Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. | April 10 - 14, 2019

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, 2021

Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the... more Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the island of Ireland during the Palaeolithic. A butchered brown bear patella discovered in the cave during excavations by the Committee Appointed to Explore Irish Caves in 1902 was recently dated by AMS to the Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) period. As part of current investigations into the cave, this paper presents hitherto unpublished data on the archaeological and palaeontological context of the antiquarian discoveries based on detailed analysis of an unpublished notebook related to the 1902 excavation. A GIS reconstruction of the original antiquarian grid system has facilitated a visualisation of the spatial distribution of artefacts, human bones and faunal remains found at the cave. This provides a more nuanced understanding of human activities at this multi-period site and highlights the role of natural formation processes at the cave, particularly with regard to the bones of extinct fauna. Preliminary results of a recent excavation inform our interpretation of the antiquarian data. The information extracted from the unpublished notebook provides an essential foundation for any future investigations of the site or any re-evaluation of material recovered there in 1902.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we mig... more By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple burning events and long combustion times. Morphologically distinct combustion structures in a single archaeological context may indicate different functions and thus a diverse fire technology, pointing to Neanderthal behavioral variability.

Organic Geochemistry, 2020

The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source... more The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source and maturity of organic matter. This parameter is frequently employed in paleoenvironmental studies and archaeological applications. In this paper, we have evaluated the different results for this index using peak areas or concentrations from calibration curves. For this purpose, plant reference samples (Celtis Australis L.) and sediments from two archaeological sites were analysed. The results show that the values obtained depend on the method employed and, thus, interpretations may differ significantly. Consequently, the method used must be clearly stated in each particular application and results can only be compared when using the same protocol.

Scientific Reports, 2019

There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the fe... more There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the few that exist, several of them lack evidence for anthropogenic fire, raising the question of how this period of global cooling may have affected the Neanderthal population. The Iberian Peninsula is a key area to explore this issue, as it has been considered as a glacial refugium during critical periods of the Neanderthal timeline and might therefore yield archaeological contexts in which we can explore possible changes in the behaviour and settlement patterns of Neanderthal groups during MIS 4. Here we report recent data from Abric del Pastor, a small rock shelter in Alcoy (Alicante, Spain) with a stratified deposit containing Middle Palaeolithic remains. We present absolute dates that frame the sequence within MIS 4 and multi-proxy geoarchaeological evidence of in situ anthropogenic fire, including microscopic evidence of in situ combustion residues and thermally altered sediment. We als...

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2019

This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), ... more This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), a rock shelter which has yielded evidence for Middle Palaeolithic human occupation. The sedimentary sequence has been analysed for lipid biomarker n-alkane abundances (ACL, CPI), compound specific leaf wax d 2 H and d 13 C, and bulk organic geochemistry (TOC, %N, %S), providing a record of past climate and local vegetation dynamics. Site formation processes have been reconstructed through the application of soil micromorphology. Analyses of anthracological, microvertebrate and macrofaunal assemblages from selected subunits are also presented here. Our data indicates that a variable climate marked by predominantly cold conditions persisted through most of the sequence and that Neanderthal occupations in stratigraphic unit IVd, assigned to MIS 4 or late MIS 5, occurred in a landscape setting characterised by a mosaic of biotopes. The presence of key resources inside the ravine where the site is located suggests that the occupation of the rock shelter may have been strategically motivated by a subsistence and mobility strategy which focused on zones of localised ecological resilience, such as intra-mountainous valleys or ravines, during periods of global or regional environmental downturn.

Connolly, R. 2016. The assemblage of Bronze Age oyster (Ostrea edulis) shells from Moneen Cave. I... more Connolly, R. 2016. The assemblage of Bronze Age oyster (Ostrea edulis) shells from Moneen Cave. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Archaeological Excavations in Moneen Cave, the Burren, Co. Clare: Insights into Bronze Age and Post-Medieval Life in the West of Ireland. Archaeopress, Oxford.

Connolly, R. 2016. Prehistoric perforated marine shells from Irish caves. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Under... more Connolly, R. 2016. Prehistoric perforated marine shells from Irish caves. In: M. Dowd (ed.) Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and Artefacts from Ireland's Caves. Oxbow Books, Oxford.

International Workshop on Archaeological Soil Micromorphology Basel, Switzerland, 2nd to 4th Sept... more International Workshop on Archaeological Soil Micromorphology
Basel, Switzerland, 2nd to 4th September 2019

Prehistoric Adaptations to Cold Environments (PACE): multidisciplinary approaches January 8th - ... more Prehistoric Adaptations to Cold Environments (PACE): multidisciplinary approaches

January 8th - 9th 2019
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Campus St-Jean d’Angély
Nice, France

Here we present preliminary results of the first Raman micro-spectroscopic characterisation of Ob... more Here we present preliminary results of the first Raman micro-spectroscopic characterisation of Obsidian sources in Tenerife, Spain. Geological samples collected from seven archaeologically significant sources are analysed with the aims:

(i) To investigate and develop the potential use of Raman micro-spectroscopy in provenance studies of archaeological obsidian

(ii) To advance our understanding of the prehistoric exploitation, distribution and management of obsidian resources in Tenerife and how this relates to other aspects of social organisation, including trade and power relations

This poster presents preliminary results from a combined microscopic and biomolecular study of th... more This poster presents preliminary results from a combined microscopic and biomolecular study of thermally altered sediments associated with Neanderthal occupations at Abric del Pastor, Alicante. Lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes) from these sediments were analysed by GC-MS. Microstructural sedimentary features and processes, identified through micromorphology, provided high resolution anthropogenic and environmental signatures and frame the molecular data within a broader reconstruction of site formation processes. A combined molecular and microstratigraphic study such as this constitutes a new approach to the palaeoenvironmental dynamics of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal habitats. Preliminary results are encouraging and demonstrate the utility of this method for investigating past ecosystem structure at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

IberoArchUK 2019, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK, 17... more IberoArchUK 2019, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK, 17th May 2019

SAA 84th Annual Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. | April 10 - 14, 2019

Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) Conference Sligo, Ireland March 23 - 24, 2018

Frontiers in Archaeological Sciences: Lembersky Conferences in Human Evolutionary Studies. Octobe... more Frontiers in Archaeological Sciences: Lembersky Conferences in Human Evolutionary Studies. October 23-25, 2017, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Mateja Hajdinjak-Doubling the number of high-coverage Neandertal genomes. 9:20 Stéphane Peyrégne-... more Mateja Hajdinjak-Doubling the number of high-coverage Neandertal genomes. 9:20 Stéphane Peyrégne-Analysis of Nuclear DNA Sequences from the Neandertals of Hohlenstein-Stadel and Scladina Caves. 9:40 Benjamin Peter-gene flow between hominins was common.

Molecules, 2021

This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf... more This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under limited oxygen conditions at 150, 250, 350, and 450 °C. Our results reveal isotopic variations in wax lipids of different plant organs during short-term low-temperature combustion. We conclude that, in the absence of a detailed characterisation of the depositional environment in advance of sampling, δ2Hwax values in archaeological or otherwise highly anthropogenic environments should be interpreted cautiously. In addition, we observed that variation in δ2Hwax of leaves is minimal at temperatures ≤ 350 °C, highlighting the potential for δ2Hwax in thermally altered combustion substrates to yield palaeoclimate information, which could allow researchers to investigate links between archaeological and climatic records at a high ...

Abric del Pastor (Alcoi, Alicante) representa uno de los pocos ejemplos ibericos de yacimiento pe... more Abric del Pastor (Alcoi, Alicante) representa uno de los pocos ejemplos ibericos de yacimiento perteneciente al MIS 5/MIS 4. El estudio de los restos fosiles de pequenos vertebrados procedentes de la unidad IVd presenta una asociacion faunistica compuesta por: tres roedores (Microtus cabrerae, Eliomys quercinus y Apodemus sylvaticus), un insectivoro (Crocidura sp.), un anuro (Pelodytes sp.), dos lagartos (cf. Timon lepidus y cf. Podarcis sp.) y tres serpientes (Colubridae indet., Coronella girondica y Viperidae indet.). Todas las especies aqui descritas tienen un amplio rango de distribucion en la peninsula iberica, presentando una amplia variedad de preferencias ecologicas. La reconstruccion paleoclimatica sugiere unas condiciones mas frias y humedas que en la actualidad. El area circundante al yacimiento debio estar dominada por formaciones de porte arboreo y/o arbustivo.

SAA 84th Annual Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. | April 10 - 14, 2019

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, 2021

Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the... more Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the island of Ireland during the Palaeolithic. A butchered brown bear patella discovered in the cave during excavations by the Committee Appointed to Explore Irish Caves in 1902 was recently dated by AMS to the Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) period. As part of current investigations into the cave, this paper presents hitherto unpublished data on the archaeological and palaeontological context of the antiquarian discoveries based on detailed analysis of an unpublished notebook related to the 1902 excavation. A GIS reconstruction of the original antiquarian grid system has facilitated a visualisation of the spatial distribution of artefacts, human bones and faunal remains found at the cave. This provides a more nuanced understanding of human activities at this multi-period site and highlights the role of natural formation processes at the cave, particularly with regard to the bones of extinct fauna. Preliminary results of a recent excavation inform our interpretation of the antiquarian data. The information extracted from the unpublished notebook provides an essential foundation for any future investigations of the site or any re-evaluation of material recovered there in 1902.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we mig... more By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple burning events and long combustion times. Morphologically distinct combustion structures in a single archaeological context may indicate different functions and thus a diverse fire technology, pointing to Neanderthal behavioral variability.

Organic Geochemistry, 2020

The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source... more The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source and maturity of organic matter. This parameter is frequently employed in paleoenvironmental studies and archaeological applications. In this paper, we have evaluated the different results for this index using peak areas or concentrations from calibration curves. For this purpose, plant reference samples (Celtis Australis L.) and sediments from two archaeological sites were analysed. The results show that the values obtained depend on the method employed and, thus, interpretations may differ significantly. Consequently, the method used must be clearly stated in each particular application and results can only be compared when using the same protocol.

Scientific Reports, 2019

There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the fe... more There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the few that exist, several of them lack evidence for anthropogenic fire, raising the question of how this period of global cooling may have affected the Neanderthal population. The Iberian Peninsula is a key area to explore this issue, as it has been considered as a glacial refugium during critical periods of the Neanderthal timeline and might therefore yield archaeological contexts in which we can explore possible changes in the behaviour and settlement patterns of Neanderthal groups during MIS 4. Here we report recent data from Abric del Pastor, a small rock shelter in Alcoy (Alicante, Spain) with a stratified deposit containing Middle Palaeolithic remains. We present absolute dates that frame the sequence within MIS 4 and multi-proxy geoarchaeological evidence of in situ anthropogenic fire, including microscopic evidence of in situ combustion residues and thermally altered sediment. We als...

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2019

This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), ... more This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), a rock shelter which has yielded evidence for Middle Palaeolithic human occupation. The sedimentary sequence has been analysed for lipid biomarker n-alkane abundances (ACL, CPI), compound specific leaf wax d 2 H and d 13 C, and bulk organic geochemistry (TOC, %N, %S), providing a record of past climate and local vegetation dynamics. Site formation processes have been reconstructed through the application of soil micromorphology. Analyses of anthracological, microvertebrate and macrofaunal assemblages from selected subunits are also presented here. Our data indicates that a variable climate marked by predominantly cold conditions persisted through most of the sequence and that Neanderthal occupations in stratigraphic unit IVd, assigned to MIS 4 or late MIS 5, occurred in a landscape setting characterised by a mosaic of biotopes. The presence of key resources inside the ravine where the site is located suggests that the occupation of the rock shelter may have been strategically motivated by a subsistence and mobility strategy which focused on zones of localised ecological resilience, such as intra-mountainous valleys or ravines, during periods of global or regional environmental downturn.

PLOS ONE, 2019

Middle Paleolithic lithic and faunal assemblages throughout Eurasia reflect short-term Neandertha... more Middle Paleolithic lithic and faunal assemblages throughout Eurasia reflect short-term Neanderthal occupations, which suggest high group mobility. However, the timing of these short-term occupations, a key factor to assess group mobility and territorial range, remains unresolved. Anthropogenic combustion structures are prominent in the Middle Paleolithic record and conceal information on the timing and intensity and natural setting of their associated human occupations. This paper examines a concentration of eleven combustion structures from unit Xb of El Salt, a Middle Paleolithic site in Spain through a geoarchaeological approach, in search of temporal, human impact and paleoenvironmental indicators to assess the timing, intensity and natural setting of the associated human occupations. The study was conducted using micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis and compound specific isotope analysis. Results show in situ hearths built on different diachronic topsoils rich in herbivore excrements and angiosperm plant residues with rare anthropogenic remains. These data are suggestive of low impact, short-term human occupations separated by relatively long periods of time, with possible indicators of seasonality. Results also show an absence of conifer biomarkers in the mentioned topsoils and presence of conifer charcoal among the fuel residues (ash), indicating that fire wood was brought to the site from elsewhere. A microscopic and molecular approach in the study of combustion structures allows us to narrow down the timescale of archaeological analysis and contributes valuable information towards an understanding of Neanderthal group mobility and settlement patterns.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we mig... more By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple ...

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 2021

Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the... more Alice and Gwendoline Cave, Co. Clare, has produced the first evidence for human occupation on the island of Ireland during the Palaeolithic. A butchered brown bear patella discovered in the cave during excavations by the Committee Appointed to Explore Irish Caves in 1902 was recently dated by AMS to the Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) period. As part of current investigations into the cave, this paper presents hitherto unpublished data on the archaeological and palaeontological context of the antiquarian discoveries based on detailed analysis of an unpublished notebook related to the 1902 excavation. A GIS reconstruction of the original antiquarian grid system has facilitated a visualisation of the spatial distribution of artefacts, human bones and faunal remains found at the cave. This provides a more nuanced understanding of human activities at this multi-period site and highlights the role of natural formation processes at the cave, particularly with regard to the bones of extinct fauna. Preliminary results of a recent excavation inform our interpretation of the antiquarian data. The information extracted from the unpublished notebook provides an essential foundation for any future investigations of the site or any re-evaluation of material recovered there in 1902.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we mig... more By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple burning events and long combustion times. Morphologically distinct combustion structures in a single archaeological context may indicate different functions and thus a diverse fire technology, pointing to Neanderthal behavioral variability.

Quaternary Science Reviews

This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), ... more This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), a rock shelter which has yielded evidence for Middle Palaeolithic human occupation. The sedimentary sequence has been analysed for lipid biomarker n-alkane abundances (ACL, CPI), compound specific leaf wax d 2 H and d 13 C, and bulk organic geochemistry (TOC, %N, %S), providing a record of past climate and local vegetation dynamics. Site formation processes have been reconstructed through the application of soil micromorphology. Analyses of anthracological, microvertebrate and macrofaunal assemblages from selected subunits are also presented here. Our data indicates that a variable climate marked by predominantly cold conditions persisted through most of the sequence and that Neanderthal occupations in stratigraphic unit IVd, assigned to MIS 4 or late MIS 5, occurred in a landscape setting characterised by a mosaic of biotopes. The presence of key resources inside the ravine where the site is located suggests that the occupation of the rock shelter may have been strategically motivated by a subsistence and mobility strategy which focused on zones of localised ecological resilience, such as intra-mountainous valleys or ravines, during periods of global or regional environmental downturn.

Quaternary Science Reviews

Molecules, 2021

This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf... more This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under limited oxygen conditions at 150, 250, 350, and 450 °C. Our results reveal isotopic variations in wax lipids of different plant organs during short-term low-temperature combustion. We conclude that, in the absence of a detailed characterisation of the depositional environment in advance of sampling, δ2Hwax values in archaeological or otherwise highly anthropogenic environments should be interpreted cautiously. In addition, we observed that variation in δ2Hwax of leaves is minimal at temperatures ≤ 350 °C, highlighting the potential for δ2Hwax in thermally altered combustion substrates to yield palaeoclimate information, which could allow researchers to investigate links between archaeological and climatic records at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we mig... more By studying combustion structures, which conceal information about anthropogenic activity, we might learn about their makers. This is especially important for remote time periods like the Middle Paleolithic, whose archaeological record comprises numerous combustion structures. The majority of these are simple, flat, open hearths, although a small number of features situated in pit-like depressions have been recorded. Given that hearths built on a flat surface can result in pit-like color alteration of the underlying sediment, accurate identification of pit hearths is a crucial step prior to behavioral interpretation. Here we present a comprehensive study of a possible pit hearth from the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt, Spain, using a microcontextual approach combining micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, archaeomagnetism and zooarchaeology. This pit hearth involves a true depression containing a thick plant ash deposit. It reached very high temperatures, possibly multiple burning events and long combustion times. Morphologically distinct combustion structures in a single archaeological context may indicate different functions and thus a diverse fire technology, pointing to Neanderthal behavioral variability.

Organic Geochemistry, 2020

The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source... more The Carbon Preference Index (CPI) is a molecular ratio often used to assign the biological source and maturity of organic matter. This parameter is frequently employed in paleoenvironmental studies and archaeological applications. In this paper, we have evaluated the different results for this index using peak areas or concentrations from calibration curves. For this purpose, plant reference samples (Celtis Australis L.) and sediments from two archaeological sites were analysed. The results show that the values obtained depend on the method employed and, thus, interpretations may differ significantly. Consequently, the method used must be clearly stated in each particular application and results can only be compared when using the same protocol.

Scientific Reports, 2019

There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the fe... more There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the few that exist, several of them lack evidence for anthropogenic fire, raising the question of how this period of global cooling may have affected the Neanderthal population. The Iberian Peninsula is a key area to explore this issue, as it has been considered as a glacial refugium during critical periods of the Neanderthal timeline and might therefore yield archaeological contexts in which we can explore possible changes in the behaviour and settlement patterns of Neanderthal groups during MIS 4. Here we report recent data from Abric del Pastor, a small rock shelter in Alcoy (Alicante, Spain) with a stratified deposit containing Middle Palaeolithic remains. We present absolute dates that frame the sequence within MIS 4 and multi-proxy geoarchaeological evidence of in situ anthropogenic fire, including microscopic evidence of in situ combustion residues and thermally altered sediment. We also present archaeostratigraphic evidence of recurrent, functionally diverse, brief human occupation of the rock shelter. Our results suggest that Neanderthals occupied the Central Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula during MIS 4, that these Neanderthals were not undergoing climatic stress and they were habitual fire users.

Sligo Science Festival, supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Institute of Technology, Sl... more Sligo Science Festival, supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
Institute of Technology, Sligo
November 14th, 2019