Oscar Cambra-Moo | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (original) (raw)

Papers by Oscar Cambra-Moo

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2019

Puberty and adolescence represent a significant period of physical growth and maturation and a cr... more Puberty and adolescence represent a significant period of physical growth and maturation and a critical life stage in which children transition into adults within their societies. Numerous studies have observed a secular trend and have determined that puberty is now occurring earlier than in the past. This investigation represents the first application of a methodology for assessing the pubertal status of osteological remains to a prehistoric skeletal sample. Six Bronze Age adolescent skeletons from the Cerro de La Encantada archaeological site (Ciudad Real, Spain) were analyzed. Pre‐pubescence was observed at age 9 and the transition phase of the pubertal growth spurt at 15 years of age. These results were similar to those obtained from medieval, Industrial Revolution, and modern populations, both within and outside of the Iberian Peninsula. The similarity in the development of the Bronze Age adolescents to that of other past and contemporary populations suggests that the pubertal process has remained essentially unchanged across millennia until recent times. However, other interpretations, including the influence of a subpar developmental environment and potential methodological artifacts, are possible. Nevertheless, studies of this type provide important information about a crucial transitory period in human development.

For many years, researchers have been examining the multiple factors that influence the stage of ... more For many years, researchers have been examining the multiple factors that influence the stage of bone
preservation. In this sense, many studies have faced this complex challenge by reviewing the stage of bone preservation from different archaeological sites. The present study approaches the possible effect of the burial rites in postdepositional body transformations through the analysis of the final stages of preservation. To accomplish this, we have analysed the stages of preservation of adult skull bones (frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital) from two samples that come
from two Hispanic-Muslim cemeteries from different locations on the Iberian Peninsula and belongs to different periods. Our results show that skull bones present a significant side dependence in their preservation stage, in which the occipital
bone seems to be less preserved than the other three skull bones which are usually in contact with the tomb soil. Therefore, in this case, it could be asserted that a concrete extrinsic factor, skeletal position in Muslim burial rites, is related to the signal described in bone completeness and in this stage of preservation.

Trabajos de Prehistoria, 2017

El Rebollosillo is a small karstic cave located in the center of Iberia used for the disposition ... more El Rebollosillo is a small karstic cave located in the
center of Iberia used for the disposition of secondary
burials during the mid third millennium BC. We present
bioanthropological, isotopic (87Sr/86Sr, δ 13C y δ 18O)
analyses and 16 radiocarbon dates on human remains,
as well as mineralogical characterization of 6 beads (4 of
them variscite from Palazuelo de las Cuevas, Zamora), and
a quantitative analysis of 43 pottery fragments recovered
during the 1989 excavations. A minimum of 21 individu-als
have been identified, covering all age ranges and sex. Low
percentages of pathologies have been detected, mainly
dental calculus and caries, with specific cases of cribra
orbitalia, periostosis and arthritis. Only adults received
a clearly individualized treatment, suggestive of achieved
status. We interpret the evidence as a multi-staged mortuary
program, the last phase of which is documented at the site,
with previous stages perhaps carried out elsewhere, and
we evaluate these results in the context of the regional
funerary record.

Positive results have been obtained from resuming the study of the dolmen of El Portillo de las C... more Positive results have been obtained from resuming the study of the dolmen of El Portillo de las Cortes (Guadalajara, Spain) taking into account materials that are nowadays kept in the MAN (Museo Arqueológico Nacional) as well as recent fieldwork. We hereby present a new C14 date obtained from a recently found and documented skull from the MAN, and new perspectives about possible ancient interventions to rebuild the monument
and about supply sources for the community that erected it.

MUNIBE Antropologia-Arkeologia, 2016

ABSTRACT The Archaeology and Physical Anthropology represent a multidisciplinary approach from w... more ABSTRACT
The Archaeology and Physical Anthropology represent a multidisciplinary approach from which human past researchers could enrich their archaeological sites interpretations. The interaction of both disciplines permit overpass the analysis of isolated individuals in a specific archaeological context, and to reach a holistic understanding of the entire osteological remains recovered. Paleodemography deals with the study of demographic structure in this archaeological populations and their diachronic evolution, and is an essential starting point for any investigation that involve inferences related with the biology and behaviour of past populations. Taking into account the particular historical context, being an important Early-Christian monument founded in the 4th century and used as a cemetery until the 13th century, and due to the exceptional stage of preservation presented by the skeletal material, Marialba de la Ribera is one of the most important archaeological location of the NW of the Iberian Peninsula. The archaeological site was firstly excavated in the 60’s by Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI) of Madrid, who described the main building as a martyrdom church (martyrium or basilica), and recovered at least 100 skeletons of the inside and the surroundings of this monument. Posterior field works, carried out in 2009, revealed an important cemetery that finally permitted us to carry out the analysis of 269 individuals that were recovered in the different areas of the site.
This paper presents the first approach of the demographic analysis of the archaeological population recovered at the cemetery of Marialba de la Ribera (Villaturiel, León). Almost all individuals were age characterized and assigned to a concrete age group. The sample was composed by 119 non-adult and 150 adult individuals. Concerning sex determination, it was possible to ascribe 123 adult individuals and using a life table to estimate 25.55 years old as the population life expectancy at birth. Taking into account our results it seems that the archaeological population recovered at Marialba de la Ribera presents a natural or pretransitional mortality pattern in which the life expectancy at birth reaches a maximum peak in the 10-14 age group and a minimum in the senile adults group. This pattern is similar to the one described in other osteoarchaeological samples recovered in the nearby regions and with similar chronologies. Despite this, it was detected an important bias concerning the individuals from the younger group ages. Those individuals from the 0-4 age group were underrepresented and on the contrary, individuals from 5-9 age group appeared over-represented. The contrast of all this data with the heterogeneous spatial distribution of the tombs described in the cemetery has permitted us to propose that it exist an intentional use of the funerary space in the different areas of the site. It is probably that those areas still unexcavated, host the individuals of the non-adult age groups underrepresented in the sample. We expect that this preliminary result stimulates future interventions in the archaeological site, which would permit us to corroborate this hypothesis.

RESUMEN
La Paleodemografía es la disciplina que se ocupa del estudio de los parámetros demográficos de las poblaciones pretéritas y su evolución diacrónica, resultando el punto de partida de cualquier investigación posterior. En este trabajo se analizan las características paleodemográficas de los antiguos pobladores de Marialba de la Ribera (Villaturiel, León), a partir del estudio de 269 individuos recuperados en su cementerio. Este yacimiento, con una extensa secuencia cronológica desde época tardorromana a medieval, es considerado de los más importantes del noroeste peninsular. Los resultados del estudio paleodemográfico parecen concordantes con un modelo pretransicional de mortalidad natural, obteniéndose datos afines a los referidos para otras poblaciones de la región con similar cronología. Sin embargo, se ha evidenciado una subrepresentación en el grupo de 0-4 años y una sobrerepresentación en el grupo 5-9 años, que ahora podrían ser explicadas por el uso diferencial del espacio funerario y la excavación parcial del yacimiento.

LABURPENA
Paleodemografia da iraganeko populazioen parametro demografikoak eta haien bilakaera diakronikoa aztertzeaz arduratzen den diziplina. Ondoren egin beharreko edozein ikerketatarako abiapuntua izaten da. Lan honetan, Marialba de la Riberako (Villaturiel, Leon) garai bateko biztanleen ezaugarri paleodemografikoak aztertu dira bertako hilerrian berreskuratu dituzten 269 banakoren ikerketatik abiatuta. Aztarnategi hori da penintsulako ipar-mendebaldeko garrantzitsuenetako bat eta sekuentzia kronologiko zabala jasotzen du erromatar berantiarretik hasi eta Erdi Arora arte. Ikerketa paleodemografikoaren emaitzak, itxuraz, bat datoz hilkortasun naturalaren trantsizio aurreko ereduarekin eta antzeko kronologia duten eskualdeko beste populazio batzuetarako aipatutakoen antzeko datuak lortu dira. Dena den, 0-4 urte artekoen taldean ordezkaritza txikiegia eta 5-9 urtekoen taldearen gehiegizko ordezkaritza ikusi dira. Ehorzketarako eremuaren eta aztarnategiaren indusketa partzialaren arteko erabilera diferentziala izan daiteke horren guztiaren azalpena.

JOURNAL OF ANATOMY, 2017

The methodology for sex determination in human skeletal remains depends on the different bone mor... more The methodology for sex determination in human skeletal remains depends on the different bone morphologies presented by men and women. Due to their direct implications in reproduction, the whole pelvis, particularly the os coxae, shows different characteristics in either sex. The sacrum and the os coxae constitute the birth canal. In this research study, the os coxae shape is analyzed using geometric morphometrics, providing information on morphology, regardless of size or any other factor beyond the geometry itself. A total of 46 adult ossa coxae from a Spanish archaeological collection were studied using geometric morphometrics. The results show that there is a restriction on the shape of female os coxae. In contrast, male os coxae presents a greater range of variation. The biological reason for this difference is the obstetrical dilemma; a concept defined as the anatomical conflict between bipedalism and the full-term birth of a neonate whose large head requires greater dimensions in the pelvic cavity. Our experimental data reinforce the validity of the obstetrical dilemma as source of the restriction on the shape of female ossa coxae. Additionally, according to the results obtained, size itself does not represent a condition for belonging to one sex or another.

Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2015

ABSTRACT

Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, 2014

A palaeontological site with early and middle Cenomanian vertebrate remains has been located near... more A palaeontological site with early and middle Cenomanian vertebrate remains has been located near Nazaré, a village on the west coast of Central Portugal known for its large promontory with exposures of Upper Cretaceous platform carbonates and "Garumnian" siliciclastic beds. The sampled remains are rather well preserved biomineralized skeletal elements, including bones, teeth and fish scales of disarticulated and fragmented specimens. The vertebrate remains preserve their volume without signs of distortion, and many of the original biological characteristics are still visible. Their taxonomic study allows the identification of several middle Cenomanian osteichthyans, including isolated teeth of Coelodus sp., a few jaw fragments and an almost complete tooth of cf. Enchodus, and a large and articulated teleostean specimen (Teleostei indet.) with well-formed and ossified vertebrae and cycloid scales. The turtle remains are late early Cenomanian in age, and include several indeterminate fragments, besides a costal plate fragment and a complete peripheral plate corresponding to the oldest occurrence of a probable member of the clade Pan-Chelonioidea in the Iberian record. The crocodyliform specimens are represented by three osteoderms of Mesoeucrocodylia indet. and a dorsal vertebra collected from middle Cenomanian beds. This last element is attributed to Eusuchia, a clade poorly known in the European Cenomanian. The late early Cenomanian assemblage with sea turtles and associated benthic faunas have been interpreted as the record of an open inner shelf environment with bivalve biostromes of Ilymatogyra pseudoafricana and Ceratostreon flabellatum located close to an intertidal flat with mixed carbonate-sand sedimentation. The inner shelf episode was followed by the development of a lagoonal environment during the middle Cenomanian, with oyster communities of Gyrostrea ouremensis and a diverse vertebrate assemblage with several fish and crocodyliform species adapted to more restricted ecological conditions. These new discoveries increase the limited number of European locations with Cenomanian vertebrate assemblage records, and provide additional data for several less well known taxa.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2013

Facies, 2014

Lo Hueco'' (Cuenca, Spain) is an upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian Fossil-Lagerstätte that has ... more Lo Hueco'' (Cuenca, Spain) is an upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian Fossil-Lagerstätte that has provided more than 8,500 well-preserved macrofossils, including titanosaur sauropod dinosaurs. Although the facies and fossil record point to both fresh and brackish or marine water influences, a detailed study of the sulphatebearing layers of the site through petrography, fluid inclusions, and isotopes has been undertaken to evaluate the possible marine influence. The two main sulphate units of the ''Lo Hueco'' site consist chiefly of bimodal micro-to meso-lenticular gypsum crystals that grew displacively in a clayey-carbonate sediment. The well-preserved lenticular gypsum crystals are primary, as demonstrated by the presence of the original twinning and the absence of hydration textures or anhydrite relicts. Primary fluid inclusions of the lenticular gypsum crystals indicate a vadose environment of formation, with salinities between 1,800 and 14,000 ppm, pointing to a brackish but non-marine environment. Furthermore, gypsum exhibits 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values between 0.708034 and 0.708120, which are higher than those from marine evaporites of Campanian-Maastrichtian age, indicating a clear influence of fresh water. Gypsum d 34 S VCDT values (18.1 to 19.0 ± 0.5 %) and d 18 O VSMOW values (11.0 to 15.2 ± 0.5 %), on the other hand, are typical isotopic values recorded in marine evaporites of this age. This apparent contradiction between fluid inclusion and Sr isotopic data is probably the result of some recycling from Upper Cretaceous evaporites. Based on all these observations, the sulphate-bearing layers are interpreted as probably formed in a near-coastal saline mudflat of a playa lake. As a whole, this study highlights the importance of combining different proxies when dealing with evaporites formed in brackish-water environments.

Cretaceous Research, 2009

The palaeontological site of ''Lo Hueco'' was discovered in Cuenca, Spain, in 2007. It includes a... more The palaeontological site of ''Lo Hueco'' was discovered in Cuenca, Spain, in 2007. It includes a stratigraphic interval in ''Garumn'' facies belonging to the upper part of the Villalba de la Sierra Formation. A succession of versicolor marly mudstone levels (V, G1, R1, G2, R2 and M) can be observed at the site studied. This succession is partially modified by a sandy channel structure (C) and by a sulphated interval (S). The C structure and the G1, G2 and R2 (lower part) levels have an extremely rich and varied fossil concentration and have provided to date more than 8500 macroremains. These are mainly from vertebrates, but also from plants and invertebrates. In general, vertebrates are represented by mineralized bones with an early infilling of gypsum, a ferruginous crust, and a secondary precipitation of gypsum; invertebrates by internal moulds; and plants by carbonized remains. Among the vertebrates, titanosaur dinosaurs (some of them with partially articulated skeletons) are by far the most common representatives, although lepisosteid fishes, bothremydid turtles, squamate lizards, eusuchian crocodiles, and ornithischian and theropod dinosaurs are also well represented. The relative stratigraphic position and the palaeontological content of this site allow to attribute it to the upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian. Interpretation of its materials suggests a near coast muddy flood plain crossed by distributary sandy channels environment, exposed to brackish to fresh water aquatic influence.

Journal of Structural …, Jan 1, 2012

Throughout ontogeny, human bones undergo differentiation in terms of shape, size and tissue type;... more Throughout ontogeny, human bones undergo differentiation in terms of shape, size and tissue type; this is a complex scenario in which the variations in the tissue compartmentalisation of the cortical bone are still poorly understood. Currently, compartmentalisation is studied using methodologies that oversimplify the bone tissue complexity. Here, we present a new methodological approach that integrates a histological description and a mineral content analysis to study the compartmentalisation of the whole mineralised and non-mineralised tissues (i.e., spatial distribution in long bone sections). This new methodology, based on Geographical Information System (GIS) software, allows us to draw areas of interest (i.e., tracing vectorial shapes which are quantifiable) in raw images that are extracted from microscope and compared them spatially in a semi-automatic and quantitative fashion. As an example of our methodology, we have studied the tibiae from individuals with different age at death (infant, juvenile and adult). The tibia's cortical bone presents a well-formed fibrolamellar bone, in which remodelling is clearly evidenced from early ontogeny, and we discuss the existence of ''lines of arrested growth''. Concurrent with the histological variation, Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy analyses corroborate that the mineral content in the cortical bone changes differentially. The anterior portion of the tibia remains highly pierced and is less crystalline than the rest of the cortex during growth, which is evidence of more active and continuous remodelling. Finally, while porosity and other ''non-mineralised cavities'' are largely modified, the mineralised portion and the marrow cavity size persist proportionally during ontogeny.

For many years, clinical and non-clinical investigations have investigated cortical bone structur... more For many years, clinical and non-clinical investigations have investigated cortical bone structure in an attempt to address questions related to normal bone development, mineralisation, pathologies and even evolutionary trends in our lineage (adaptations). Research in the fields of medicine, materials science, physical anthropology, palaeontology, and even archaeobiology has contributed interesting data. However, many questions remain regarding the histomorphological and histochemical variations in human cortical bone during different stages of life. In the present work, we describe a study of long bone cortex transformations during ontogeny. We analysed cross-sections of 15 human humeri histomorphologically and histochemically from perinatal to adult age, marking and quantifying the spatial distribution of bone tissue types using GIS software and analysing the mineral composition and crystallinity of the mineralised cortex using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Our results allowed us to propose that human cortical bone undergoes three main ‘events’ through ontogeny that critically change the proportions and structure of the cortex. In early development, bone is not well mineralised and proportionally presents a wide cortex that narrows through the end of childhood. Before reaching complete maturity, the bone mineral area increases, allowing the bone to nearly reach the adult size. The medullary cavity is reduced, and the mineral areas have a highly ordered crystalline structure. The last event occurs in adulthood, when the ‘oldest’ individuals present a reduced mineralised area, with increasing non-mineralised cavities (including the medullary cavity) and reduced crystalline organisation.

Bone researches have studied extant and extinct taxa extensively trying to disclose a complete vi... more Bone researches have studied extant and extinct taxa extensively trying to disclose a complete view of the complex structural and chemical transformations that model and remodel the macro and microstructure of bone during growth. However, to approach bone growth variations is not an easy task, and many aspects related with histological transformations during ontogeny remain unresolved. In the present study, we conduct a holistic approach using different techniques (polarized microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction) to examine the histomorphological and histochemical variations in the cortical bone of sheep specimens from intrauterine to adult stages, using environmentally controlled specimens from the same species. Our results suggest that during sheep bone development, the most important morphological (shape and size) and chemical transformations in the cortical bone occur during the first weeks of life; synchronized but dissimilar variations are established in the forelimb and hind limb cortical bone; and the patterns of bone tissue maturation in both extremities are differentiated in the adult stage. All of these results indicate that standardized histological models are useful not only for evaluating many aspects of normal bone growth but also to understand other important influences on the bones, such as pathologies that remain unknown.

The Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) fossil site of Lo Hueco was recently discovered clo... more The Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) fossil site of Lo Hueco was recently discovered close to the village of Fuentes (Cuenca, Spain) during the cutting of a little hill for installation of the railway of the Madrid-Levante high-speed train. To date, it has yielded a rich collection of well-preserved Cretaceous macrofossils, including plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. The recovered fossil assemblage is mainly composed of plants, molluscs (bivalves and gastropods), actinopterygians and teleosteans fishes, amphibians, panpleurodiran (bothremydids) and pancryptodiran turtles, squamate lizards, eusuchian crocodyliforms, rhabdodontid ornithopods, theropods (mainly dromaeosaurids), and titanosaur sauropods. This assemblage was deposited in a near-coast continental muddy floodplain crossed by distributary sandy channels, exposed intermittently to brackish or marine and freshwater flooding as well as to partial or total desiccation events. The Konzentrat-Lagerstatt of Lo Hueco constitutes a singular accumulation of fossils representing individuals of some particular lineages of continental tetrapods, especially titanosaurs, eusuchians and bothremydid turtles. In the case of the titanosaurs, the site has yielded multiple partial skeletons in anatomical connection or with a low dispersion of their skeletal elements. A combination of new taxa, new records of taxa previously known in the Iberian Peninsula, and relatively common taxa in the European record compose the Lo Hueco biota. The particular conditions of the fossil site of Lo Hueco and the preliminary results indicate that the analysis of the geological context, the floral and faunal content, and the taphonomical features of the site provide elements that will be especially useful for reassess the evolutionary history of some lineages of European Late Cretaceous reptiles.

Isotopic studies of multi-taxa terrestrial vertebrate assemblages allow determination of paleocli... more Isotopic studies of multi-taxa terrestrial vertebrate assemblages allow determination of paleoclimatic and paleoecological aspects on account of the different information supplied by each taxon. The late Campanian-early Maastrichtian “Lo Hueco” Fossil-Lagerstätte (central eastern Spain), located at a subtropical paleolatitude of ~31°N, constitutes an ideal setting to carry out this task due to its abundant and diverse vertebrate assemblage. Local δ18OPO4 values estimated from δ18OPO4 values of theropods, sauropods, crocodyliforms, and turtles are close to δ18OH2O values observed at modern subtropical latitudes. Theropod δ18OH2O values are lower than those shown by crocodyliforms and turtles, indicating that terrestrial endothermic taxa record δ18OH2O values throughout the year, whereas semiaquatic ectothermic taxa δ18OH2O values represent local meteoric waters over a shorter time period when conditions are favorable for bioapatite synthesis (warm season). Temperatures calculated by combining theropod, crocodyliform, and turtle δ18OH2O values and gar δ18OPO4 have enabled us to estimate seasonal variability as the difference between mean annual temperature (MAT, yielded by theropods) and temperature of the warmest months (TWMs, provided by crocodyliforms and turtles). ΔTWMs-MAT value does not point to a significantly different seasonal thermal variability when compared to modern coastal subtropical meteorological stations and Late Cretaceous rudists from eastern Tethys. Bioapatite and bulk organic matter δ13C values point to a C3 environment in the “Lo Hueco” area. The estimated fractionation between sauropod enamel and diet is ~15‰. While waiting for paleoecological information yielded by the ongoing morphological study of the “Lo Hueco” crocodyliforms, δ13C and δ18OCO3 results point to incorporation of food items with brackish influence, but preferential ingestion of freshwater. “Lo Hueco” turtles showed the lowest δ13C and δ18OCO3 values of the vertebrate assemblage, likely indicating a diet based on a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial C3 vegetation and/or invertebrates and ingestion of freshwater.

Boletín de la Real …, Jan 1, 2010

Lo Hueco" ha proporcionado abundantes y diversos fósiles del Campaniense superior-Maastrichtiense... more Lo Hueco" ha proporcionado abundantes y diversos fósiles del Campaniense superior-Maastrichtiense inferior correspondientes, mayoritariamente a vertebrados, aunque también a plantas e invertebrados. El yacimiento se encuentra en un tramo en facies "Garumn" de la Formación Villalba de la Sierra. En él, se distingue una sucesión de arcillas margosas versicolores (V, G1, R1, G2, R2 y M) separadas por límites graduales. Esta sucesión resulta parcialmente modificada por un primer intervalo sulfatado (S1), que corta el nivel V mediante un límite neto; por una estructura canaliforme (C), que corta los niveles V, G1 y R1 por medio de una superficie erosiva; y por un segundo intervalo sulfatado (S2), que distorsiona, al menos, el nivel G2 mediante un límite neto. La práctica totalidad de los fósiles obtenidos proceden de cuatro conjuntos estratigráficos (estructura C, niveles G1 y G2, y parte inferior del nivel R2) que pueden considerarse unidades de acumulación y definirse como tafofacies, atendiendo a sus particularidades tafonómicas y geológicas. La estructura C mayoritariamente contiene macrorrestos de vertebrados con elevada alteración bioestratinómica (superficies de abrasión y elementos desarticulados y fragmentados) y distribución aleatoria. Por el contrario, las arcillas margosas grises (en especial el nivel G1) principalmente muestran macrorrestos con escasa alteración bioestratinómica y elementos asociados, parcialmente articulados o constituyendo esqueletos casi completos. La mayoría de los macrorrestos de vertebrados presentan: una primera precipitación de yeso (interna), una costra ferruginosa (superficial), y una segunda precipitación de yeso (externa, aunque puede atravesar la costra y la primera precipitación). Además, los macrorrestos óseos de la estructura C y el nivel G1 por lo general microscópicamente muestran microfracturas radiales y anillos ferruginosos (interiores). La excepcional riqueza y calidad de este yacimiento parece haberse concentrado en una llanura de inundación continental fangosa, atravesada por canales distribuidores arenosos, y expuesta intermitentemente a aguas dulces, salobres o marinas.

Geobios, Jan 1, 2012

Résumé/Abstract&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; Lo Hueco&am... more Résumé/Abstract&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; Lo Hueco&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; encloses an extraordinary upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian fossil assemblage, composed mainly of vertebrates but also plants and invertebrates, and concentrated in a sandy channel structure (C), two grey marly mudstone levels (G1 and G2) and the lower part of a red marly mudstone level (R2). Regarding biostratinomy, the C structure (interpreted as a distributary sandy channel) contains numerous highly altered and randomly distributed macrofossils. The G1 level (the ...

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2019

Trabajos de Prehistoria, 2017

MUNIBE Antropologia-Arkeologia, 2016

JOURNAL OF ANATOMY, 2017

Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2015

ABSTRACT

Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, 2014

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2013

Facies, 2014

Cretaceous Research, 2009

Journal of Structural …, Jan 1, 2012

Boletín de la Real …, Jan 1, 2010

Geobios, Jan 1, 2012

This project centres around two main axes of study. Firstly, the analysis of the discursive narra... more This project centres around two main axes of study. Firstly, the analysis of the discursive narratives of modernity as shaped by artistic practices and aesthetic and critical discourses. Such analysis is also taking into account the role of institutions and exhibitions in the formation of modernist practices in the different contexts across the transatlantic world during the Cold War. Secondly, the study of the influence and the role of these transatlantic configurations in the transition from modernity to post-modernity and their ongoing presence in today’s global world.

Methodologically, the project will centre on transnational studies seeking to expose the networks of collaboration and contact zones developed by artists, critics, curators as well as art and political institutions; it seeks to show in which way these contributed to the development of a transatlantic culture. This approach will permit the configuration of a new cartography of artistic practices and of extra-institutional, institutional and political relations along the transatlantic axis. Doing so will allow us to question the historiography of art during the Cold War, and contribute towards the reconstruction of these narratives brining into the equation countries such as Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Cuba. In this way the normative, western and colonialist modernity will be displaced to reveal a plurality of realities which gave way to different projects of artistic modernity that challenged and resisted dogmatic Modernism and its principles.

The concrete objectives of this project will be: to analyze the different models, meanings and notions of modern art prevalent in the transatlantic axis; to study vanguard and experimental artistic practices analyzing their aesthetic, political and social basis and their role as models for resistance against the normative, monolithic and polarized discourse imposed by the two blocs during the Cold War; to study the theoretical, aesthetic and critical discourses specific to each context; to identify contact zones and platforms of exchange and to study critically the politics of curatorial “narratives” developed in both hegemonic and subaltern centers. This data and analysis will be visualized through a geospatial and quantitative tool called Geographic Information Systems (GIS) accessible through the online platform that will be designed for the project.