Montserrat Sanz Borràs | Universitat de Barcelona (original) (raw)
Zooarchaeology, Paleontology and Taphonomy by Montserrat Sanz Borràs
Scientific Reports, 2020
The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to... more The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities to have provided a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces in a cave context. The multi-analytic study reported here of the by-products of burning recorded in layer X suggests the presence of anthropogenic fires at the site, among the oldest such evidence in south-western Europe. The burnt material consists of bone, charcoal and, possibly, quartzite cobbles. These finds were made in a small area of the cave and in two separate occupation horizons. Our results add to our still-limited knowledge about the controlled use of fire in the Lower Palaeolithic and contribute to ongoing debates on the behavioural complexity of the Acheulean of Europe.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019
The Middle Palaeolithic site of Cueva Antón (Murcia, Spain) is a cave/rock shelter with short-ter... more The Middle Palaeolithic site of Cueva Antón (Murcia, Spain) is a cave/rock shelter with short-term human occupations dated to marine isotopic stages 5a and 3 (MIS 5a and MIS 3). The site provides a high-resolution sequence because the cave’s living floors, organized around hearth features, present rich assemblages of artefacts and faunal remains rapidly buried by low-energy flooding. The accumulation and modification of the faunal remains are mainly due to human agency. Zooarchaeological, taphonomic and tooth-wear analyses provide new insights into the subsistence of the human groups that used the site. Deer is the most abundant prey. The cave was used mainly in late winter and late spring to early summer. During the latter, female herds of deer and ibex were the primary targets of the hunts.
Scientific Reports, 2020
For decades, taphonomists have dedicated their efforts to assessing the nature of the massive lep... more For decades, taphonomists have dedicated their efforts to assessing the nature of the massive leporid accumulations recovered at archaeological sites in the northwestern Mediterranean region. Their interest lying in the fact that the European rabbit constituted a critical part of human subsistence during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. However, rabbits are also a key prey in the food webs of Mediterranean ecosystems and the base of the diet for several specialist predators, including the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). For this reason, the origin of rabbit accumulations in northwestern Mediterranean sites has proved a veritable conundrum. Here, we present the zooarchaeological and taphonomic study of more than 3000 faunal and 140 coprolite remains recovered in layer IIIa of Cova del Gegant (Catalonia, Spain). Our analysis indicates that this layer served primarily as a den for the Iberian lynx. The lynxes modified and accumulated rabbit remains and also died at the site creating an accumulation dominated by the two taxa. However, other agents and processes, including human, intervened in the final configuration of the assemblage. Our study contributes to characterizing the Iberian lynx fossil accumulation differentiating between the faunal assemblages accumulated by lynxes and hominins.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2019
The article presents a description of cervid remains from the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site o... more The article presents a description of cervid remains from the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site of Gruta da Aroeira (= Galerias Pesadas) in Central Portugal. The assemblage comprises the remains of four deer species: Cervus elaphus, Praedama cf. savini, Haploidoceros mediterraneus, and Dama cf. vallonnetensis, making Gruta da Aroeira the first site in the Iberian Peninsula at which the genus Haploidoceros has been documented in the Middle Pleistocene. Virtually all the cervids documented at the site demonstrate a degree of endemism, including evolutionary modifications of skull, antlers and dentition or a reduction in body size. The unusual richness of the cervid community at Gruta da Aroeira may be related to the specific biogeographic conditions of the Middle Pleistocene in Iberia. Thus, while the Iberian Peninsula’s geographical link with the temperate west Eurasian zone facilitated the dispersal of cervids of palearctic origin into Iberia, it impeded the dispersal of ruminants from warmer, more arid areas. The endemic character of the Middle Pleistocene cervids and the biodiversity of the Iberian Peninsula should shed some light on the paleobiogeography of Iberian hominins and their role in hominin hunting or their economic strategies.
Objectives The aim of this work is to describe the taphonomic signatures of the Aroeira 3 cranium... more Objectives
The aim of this work is to describe the taphonomic signatures of the Aroeira 3 cranium, with a specific focus on cranial breakage, comparing the cranium with other Middle and Upper Pleistocene hominin fossils in order to approximate the cause of death and the biological agencies and geologic processes involved in the taphonomic record of this specimen. Aroeira‐3 was recovered from Acheulean layer X of Gruta da Aroeira (Portugal), dated to 390–436 ka.
Materials and methods
Taphonomic analyses noted surface modifications employing standard methods. The cranial breakage pattern of Aroeira 3 was analyzed to assess the presence/absence of perimortem (fresh bone) and postmortem (dry bone) fractures and the possible causes of perimortem skull bone fractures.
Results
Aroeira 3 presents substantial bone loss of the left supraorbital arch and the outer cranial table of the frontal squama. Most of the fractures present features consistent with postmortem injuries. The fracture to the posterior region of the parietal bone, however, displays features more usually present in perimortem bone fractures. No evidence of anthropogenic activity or of carnivore modification has been identified. None of the expected features of interpersonal conflict are observed. Finally, the bone loss in the frontal squama and the supraorbital arch could be attributed to different agencies, and a traumatic event cannot be totally ruled out as origin of the bone alteration.
Discussion
Cannibalism, secondary treatment of the corpse and accumulation induced by carnivores can all be discarded, making an accident the most plausible explanation for the cranial fracture.
This article reports the findings from a morphological and demographic analysis of the craniodent... more This article reports the findings from a morphological and demographic analysis of the craniodental remains of the endemic continental deer Haploidoceros mediterraneus from the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5) of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona, Iberian Peninsula), the most complete assemblage of this species recorded in Europe. The presence of vestigial distal antler palmation and a posterior crown tine suggests that the genus Haploidoceros belongs to the Arvernoceros-Rucervus phylogenetic stock. The direct phyletic relationship between Haploidoceros mediterraneus and the ‘Cervus elaphoides’
from the Early Pleistocene of Venta Micena is confirmed by the dental morphology and the shape of the proximal portions of the antlers. The article discusses the evolution of the typical morphological features of H. mediterraneus: including its protruding tube-shaped orbits; relatively large cheek teeth; and, narrow, pointed premaxillary bones. The demographic structure of the cervid remains (a predominance of juvenile and prime adult males) suggests a seasonal mortality peak for young males expelled from the optimal habitat during autumn and winter.
The Upper Pleistocene (MIS5) site known as Cova del Rinoceront near Barcelona, Spain, contains a ... more The Upper Pleistocene (MIS5) site known as Cova del Rinoceront near Barcelona, Spain, contains a large assemblage of ungulate remains, among which the most dominant, in the uppermost Layer I, are those of the rare Mediterranean deer, Haploidoceros mediterraneus. In this paper, zooarchaeological and coprogenic analyses are used to evaluate the taphonomic and geological processes involved in determining the nature of the Layer I assemblage. The assemblage cannot have been generated by either hyenids or humans, nor does it constitute an
accidental collection, as seen in other Pleistocene accummulations. Instead, the skeletal frequencies, coprogenic tracemarkers and the diagnostic biological damage on bones suggest it accumulated as a result of the feeding of a carnivore. The homogeneous pattern of carcass utilization and the predation of similar-sized ungulates suggest a canid as the main biological agent.
Historical Biology, 2017
Carnivores are the main biological agents identified in the Upper Pleistocene assemblage of Cova ... more Carnivores are the main biological agents identified in the Upper Pleistocene assemblage of Cova del Coll Verdaguer (NE Iberian Peninsula). At the site, ungulate bones were primarily accumulated and modified by hyenas, as shown by partly digested bones, coprolites and the pattern of damage on bones. However, other small- to medium-sized carnivores seemed to be involved in the accumulation, owing primarily to the presence of their bones and coprolites. Finally, other carnivores, including the brown bear, used the cave to hibernate and for birthing cubs. The combination of zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies, together with previous coprogenic analyses, at the site indicates that it is only by using these combined approaches that it is possible to identify the majority of the agents involved in an accumulation.
Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 2017
The dietary traits of the ungulates from the Canyars assemblage (Late Pleistocene; Gavà, Barcelon... more The dietary traits of the ungulates from the Canyars assemblage (Late Pleistocene; Gavà, Barcelona, Spain) are analysed through tooth mesowear and microwear to study their feeding behaviour as well as the climatic conditions during the time of the arrival of the early modern Europeans in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. During the Heinrich Event 4 (HE4, between 39 and 40 kyr B.P.), the dietary adaptations of ungulates to grazing dominated the community, and included horses, as well as some red deer, aurochs, and ibex. Results show a rigorous climate, with the presence of grasslands capable of sustaining a high ungulate biomass. The composition of the Canyars ungulate community and its dietary adaptations clearly reveals some particularity of the HE4 in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. These open landscapes certainly favoured the migration routes of large mammals along the Mediterranean basin, and also favoured the dispersal of modern humans into the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The habitat weighting method, chorotype classification and the bioclimatic model, as well as the ... more The habitat weighting method, chorotype classification and the bioclimatic model, as well as the Simpson diversity index, are applied to the small-vertebrate assemblage of Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona) in order to reconstruct the environmental and climatic fluctuations that are reflected in the MIS 5 sequence of the cave. The small-vertebrate data analysed are from Unit 1 of the sequence, which comprises three MIS 5 layers (III to I). They allow one cool and two warm episodes to be identified within the section. The warm episodes are related with open-woodland formations and temperatures higher than at present in the area, though in layer III our data suggest moist conditions, with the precipitation higher than today, which could probably be related with the beginning of MIS 5e. Layer II is associated with drier conditions, with precipitation lower than nowadays, which could probably be related with MIS 5c. By contrast, layer I is associated with open woodland formations, but with cooler and relatively humid conditions than today to judge by the temperature and precipitation data obtained. This could probably be related with MIS 5b. Our results are consistent with the available chronological, large-mammal, bird and palaeobotanical datasets for this upper part of the sequence. They are also consistent with the pollen record from the marine margins of Iberia.
This article presents the results of the reconstruction of the paleodietary traits in the Mediter... more This article presents the results of the reconstruction of the paleodietary traits in the Mediterranean deer (Haploidoceros mediterraneus) from the MIS 5 site of Cova del Rinoceront in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula. This medium-sized deer species has a poor fossil record in Europe, and only four localities have reported remains. This study is the first approach to the dietary traits of this genus. Our data reveal that H. mediterraneus had mixed feeding traits, with clear tendency toward leaf browsing, similar to the extant fallow deer (Dama dama). We also report a probable phenomenon of competitive exclusion between H. mediterraneus and D. dama at all localities where the presence of H. mediterraneus has been reported so far (Cova del Rinoceront, PRERESA, Igue des Rameaux, and Lunel-Viel).
Three morphotypes of fossil fecal material (coprolites) have been identified from the Upper Pleis... more Three morphotypes of fossil fecal material (coprolites) have been identified from the Upper Pleistocene site of Cova del Coll Verdaguer (NE Iberian Peninsula). Coprolites are commonly found in Pleistocene records and also in places in which human and carnivore activities co-occurred. However, coprolite identification is typically limited to hyenids, the most readily recognizable fossilized feces, owing to their distinctive shape and good preservation, although non-hyena carnivore coprolites are also likely to be present in these assemblages. Several criteria for a multi-scale integrative analysis are proposed here for discriminating different morphotypes. Hence, this analysis provides an opportunity to assess the involvement of several carnivores in bone accumulations, to identify carnivores not specifically represented by skeletal remains and to evaluate interactions between humans and the carnivore guild, especially medium and small carnivores.
Cova del Gegant (Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula) is a Middle Palaeolithic site presenting eviden... more Cova del Gegant (Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula) is a Middle Palaeolithic site presenting evidence of carnivore occupations with some sporadic Neanderthal activity. The rapid, fine sedimentation in layer IIIa permitted the preservation of the remains of carnivore activity and an ephemeral combustion area, although lithics are absent. We used a detailed excavation procedure in combination with Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, soil micromorphological, zooarchaeological and taphonomical analyses, and coprogenic analysis to evaluate the interactions of humans and carnivores in the same area of the cave.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2015
Quaternary Science Reviews 114 (2015) 203e227 MIS 5 Multiproxy data Iberian Peninsula Palaeoenvir... more Quaternary Science Reviews 114 (2015) 203e227 MIS 5 Multiproxy data Iberian Peninsula Palaeoenvironment region for longer than previously thought. In addition, the recovery of a small lithic assemblage indicates human presence in the surroundings of the site. The 11 m-thick stratigraphic section also provides an ideal setting in which to compare several geochronological methods. UeTh dating of the flowstones that cap the deposit, of speleothems formed along the cave walls, and of speleothems buried by the deposit at different elevations provides minimum and maximum ages of 74 and 175 ka, respectively, for the accumulation. The ages obtained by luminescence, electron spin resonance (ESR), amino acid racemisation (AAR), palaeomagnetism and U-series dating of bone are in good agreement with each other and are stratigraphically consistent. This well-dated faunal succession presents a unique opportunity to assess changes in the Pleistocene fauna of the Mediterranean coast over an interval of more than 100 ka.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2013
Quaternary Science Reviews 60 (2013) 26e48 semi-desert or steppe-desert landscapes, thus maintain... more Quaternary Science Reviews 60 (2013) 26e48 semi-desert or steppe-desert landscapes, thus maintaining the boundary effect despite the climatic reversal. The persistence of such a boundary through HS4 and the interstadials that bracket it must have played a role in the delayed arrival of the Aurignacian (and modern humans) to southern and western Iberia, which continued to be settled by Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals well beyond 40 ka cal BP.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2012
This actualistic study examines the taphonomic signatures of modern free-ranging mountain lions (... more This actualistic study examines the taphonomic signatures of modern free-ranging mountain lions (Felis concolor) on prey skeletal remains left at kill sites and digested bone fragments in the lions' scats. Conducted in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico (U.S.A.), the study and its outcomes are relevant to models of carcass persistence and scavenging opportunities on ancient landscapes. Mountain lions in the study area ingested disproportionate quantities of bone from very young prey. This tendency holds true irrespective of prey body size. The results meanwhile confirm a relatively mild pattern of damage to adult deer carcasses. Digestive erosion of the surfaces of bones that passed through the gut was relatively severe, but many of these bone and tooth specimens retained identifiable features. It is clear that the mountain lions quickly remove the carcasses of very young prey from the pool of potentially scavenge-able resources. The non-linear relation between bone destruction from feeding by the cats and the skeletal maturity of prey also has consequences for prey mortality patterns, specifically a bias against the representation of very young individuals. This effect is not sufficient, however, to produce a global bias to prime-adult prey because older juveniles are much less affected.
La Cova del Coll Verdaguer se halla en el término municipal de Cervelló (Barcelona) en el macizo ... more La Cova del Coll Verdaguer se halla en el término municipal de Cervelló (Barcelona) en el macizo cárstico del Garraf-Ordal, concretamente en una antigua mina de calcita esparítica actualmente sin explotación. El yacimiento está formado por dos zonas muy diferenciadas como consecuencia del proceso geológico generado en la cueva. La parte más externa, conocida como Sala Sal de Llop, es un cono de sedimentos de entrada de cueva que sella el acceso original y que se sitúa cronológicamente entre los 38 ka y 46 ka. Esta parte del yacimiento es un cubil de hiena en el cual no se han detectado restos esqueléticos de este carnívoro aunque sÍ restos de sus excrementos. Destacan los restos de herbívoros tales como ciervo (Cervus elaphus), cabra (Capra sp.), caballo (Equus sp.), y carnívoros como lince (Lynx pardinus) y zorro (Vulpes vulpes). Además se ha detectado un horizonte con presencia humana esporádica a partir de restos de industria lítica del Paleolítico Medio. La parte interior, conocida como Sala dels Ursus, funciona durante el estadio isotópico 2 como un cubil de oso pardo (Ursus arctos), así lo atestiguan esqueletos de individuos infantiles y seniles en conexión o semiconexión anatómica acumulados en las zonas más inaccesibles de la cavidad.
![Research paper thumbnail of Corrigendum to “First occurrence of the extinct deer Haploidoceros in the Iberian Peninsula in the Upper Pleistocene of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona)” [C. R. Palevol 13 (1) (2014) 37–50; doi: 10.1016/j.crpv.2013.06.005]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/42273060/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2014
General palaeontology, systematics and evolution (Vertebrate palaeontology) First occurrence of t... more General palaeontology, systematics and evolution (Vertebrate palaeontology) First occurrence of the extinct deer Haploidoceros in the Iberian Peninsula in the Upper Pleistocene of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona)
Paleolithic Archaeology by Montserrat Sanz Borràs
Marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3) was characterised by marked oscillations of extreme cold episodes ... more Marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3) was characterised by marked oscillations of extreme cold episodes with very short warm events during the stadial, and several regional differences have been recorded in the ice cores and marine deposits. The aim of this study is to reconstruct this period by evaluating both terrestrial and regional responses. Cova del Coll Verdaguer, a site located on the Iberian Peninsula, preserves a sedimentary deposit dated to between 34 and 56 ka BP and provides an opportunity for evaluating the impact of climate changes on the regional landmass during a period that coincided with the last Neanderthal population on the Iberian Peninsula. Several dating methods, including U-series, electron spin resonance, amino acid racemization and radiocarbon (14C), were applied to the site and the ages obtained show good agreement. The biotic evidence obtained is substantial, comprising floristic data from palynology and charcoal analysis, and faunal data from large and small mammals, birds and
gastropods. Environmental reconstruction points to an initially open meadow landscape at the base of the sequence (~56 ka) that progressively changes to a woodland environment dominated by conifers (~34 ka). The presence of few thermophilous taxa, in contrast with lower latitudes of the Iberian Peninsula, is also detected. The environmental conditions of mid-altitude, Mediterranean, limestone mountains for the last Neanderthal populations appear to have been dominated by a forested landscape comprising boreal or mixed coniferous forest, characterised by a low usable biomass with poor comestible plant resources and dispersed herbivore populations.
Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer... more Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer X of Gruta da Aroeira, dated to 389–436 ka. Faunal remains and a human craniumwere found in association with this lithic assemblage. The raw materials used are mostly quartz and quartzite cobbles available in the vicinity of the site. Technological and system-atic analysis shows that there are no Levallois elements and suggests that on-site knappingconsisted of the reduction of centripetal cores. Flake cleavers are absent. Use-wear analysisindicates the processing of hard materials, mainly wood. Gruta da Aroeira represents one of the few Middle Pleistocene sites that provide securely dated diagnostic human remains andassociated Acheulean lithics, thus representing a major step forward in our understanding of the variability of westernmost Europe’s Acheulean and of the human populations that made it.
Scientific Reports, 2020
The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to... more The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities to have provided a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces in a cave context. The multi-analytic study reported here of the by-products of burning recorded in layer X suggests the presence of anthropogenic fires at the site, among the oldest such evidence in south-western Europe. The burnt material consists of bone, charcoal and, possibly, quartzite cobbles. These finds were made in a small area of the cave and in two separate occupation horizons. Our results add to our still-limited knowledge about the controlled use of fire in the Lower Palaeolithic and contribute to ongoing debates on the behavioural complexity of the Acheulean of Europe.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019
The Middle Palaeolithic site of Cueva Antón (Murcia, Spain) is a cave/rock shelter with short-ter... more The Middle Palaeolithic site of Cueva Antón (Murcia, Spain) is a cave/rock shelter with short-term human occupations dated to marine isotopic stages 5a and 3 (MIS 5a and MIS 3). The site provides a high-resolution sequence because the cave’s living floors, organized around hearth features, present rich assemblages of artefacts and faunal remains rapidly buried by low-energy flooding. The accumulation and modification of the faunal remains are mainly due to human agency. Zooarchaeological, taphonomic and tooth-wear analyses provide new insights into the subsistence of the human groups that used the site. Deer is the most abundant prey. The cave was used mainly in late winter and late spring to early summer. During the latter, female herds of deer and ibex were the primary targets of the hunts.
Scientific Reports, 2020
For decades, taphonomists have dedicated their efforts to assessing the nature of the massive lep... more For decades, taphonomists have dedicated their efforts to assessing the nature of the massive leporid accumulations recovered at archaeological sites in the northwestern Mediterranean region. Their interest lying in the fact that the European rabbit constituted a critical part of human subsistence during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. However, rabbits are also a key prey in the food webs of Mediterranean ecosystems and the base of the diet for several specialist predators, including the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). For this reason, the origin of rabbit accumulations in northwestern Mediterranean sites has proved a veritable conundrum. Here, we present the zooarchaeological and taphonomic study of more than 3000 faunal and 140 coprolite remains recovered in layer IIIa of Cova del Gegant (Catalonia, Spain). Our analysis indicates that this layer served primarily as a den for the Iberian lynx. The lynxes modified and accumulated rabbit remains and also died at the site creating an accumulation dominated by the two taxa. However, other agents and processes, including human, intervened in the final configuration of the assemblage. Our study contributes to characterizing the Iberian lynx fossil accumulation differentiating between the faunal assemblages accumulated by lynxes and hominins.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2019
The article presents a description of cervid remains from the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site o... more The article presents a description of cervid remains from the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site of Gruta da Aroeira (= Galerias Pesadas) in Central Portugal. The assemblage comprises the remains of four deer species: Cervus elaphus, Praedama cf. savini, Haploidoceros mediterraneus, and Dama cf. vallonnetensis, making Gruta da Aroeira the first site in the Iberian Peninsula at which the genus Haploidoceros has been documented in the Middle Pleistocene. Virtually all the cervids documented at the site demonstrate a degree of endemism, including evolutionary modifications of skull, antlers and dentition or a reduction in body size. The unusual richness of the cervid community at Gruta da Aroeira may be related to the specific biogeographic conditions of the Middle Pleistocene in Iberia. Thus, while the Iberian Peninsula’s geographical link with the temperate west Eurasian zone facilitated the dispersal of cervids of palearctic origin into Iberia, it impeded the dispersal of ruminants from warmer, more arid areas. The endemic character of the Middle Pleistocene cervids and the biodiversity of the Iberian Peninsula should shed some light on the paleobiogeography of Iberian hominins and their role in hominin hunting or their economic strategies.
Objectives The aim of this work is to describe the taphonomic signatures of the Aroeira 3 cranium... more Objectives
The aim of this work is to describe the taphonomic signatures of the Aroeira 3 cranium, with a specific focus on cranial breakage, comparing the cranium with other Middle and Upper Pleistocene hominin fossils in order to approximate the cause of death and the biological agencies and geologic processes involved in the taphonomic record of this specimen. Aroeira‐3 was recovered from Acheulean layer X of Gruta da Aroeira (Portugal), dated to 390–436 ka.
Materials and methods
Taphonomic analyses noted surface modifications employing standard methods. The cranial breakage pattern of Aroeira 3 was analyzed to assess the presence/absence of perimortem (fresh bone) and postmortem (dry bone) fractures and the possible causes of perimortem skull bone fractures.
Results
Aroeira 3 presents substantial bone loss of the left supraorbital arch and the outer cranial table of the frontal squama. Most of the fractures present features consistent with postmortem injuries. The fracture to the posterior region of the parietal bone, however, displays features more usually present in perimortem bone fractures. No evidence of anthropogenic activity or of carnivore modification has been identified. None of the expected features of interpersonal conflict are observed. Finally, the bone loss in the frontal squama and the supraorbital arch could be attributed to different agencies, and a traumatic event cannot be totally ruled out as origin of the bone alteration.
Discussion
Cannibalism, secondary treatment of the corpse and accumulation induced by carnivores can all be discarded, making an accident the most plausible explanation for the cranial fracture.
This article reports the findings from a morphological and demographic analysis of the craniodent... more This article reports the findings from a morphological and demographic analysis of the craniodental remains of the endemic continental deer Haploidoceros mediterraneus from the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5) of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona, Iberian Peninsula), the most complete assemblage of this species recorded in Europe. The presence of vestigial distal antler palmation and a posterior crown tine suggests that the genus Haploidoceros belongs to the Arvernoceros-Rucervus phylogenetic stock. The direct phyletic relationship between Haploidoceros mediterraneus and the ‘Cervus elaphoides’
from the Early Pleistocene of Venta Micena is confirmed by the dental morphology and the shape of the proximal portions of the antlers. The article discusses the evolution of the typical morphological features of H. mediterraneus: including its protruding tube-shaped orbits; relatively large cheek teeth; and, narrow, pointed premaxillary bones. The demographic structure of the cervid remains (a predominance of juvenile and prime adult males) suggests a seasonal mortality peak for young males expelled from the optimal habitat during autumn and winter.
The Upper Pleistocene (MIS5) site known as Cova del Rinoceront near Barcelona, Spain, contains a ... more The Upper Pleistocene (MIS5) site known as Cova del Rinoceront near Barcelona, Spain, contains a large assemblage of ungulate remains, among which the most dominant, in the uppermost Layer I, are those of the rare Mediterranean deer, Haploidoceros mediterraneus. In this paper, zooarchaeological and coprogenic analyses are used to evaluate the taphonomic and geological processes involved in determining the nature of the Layer I assemblage. The assemblage cannot have been generated by either hyenids or humans, nor does it constitute an
accidental collection, as seen in other Pleistocene accummulations. Instead, the skeletal frequencies, coprogenic tracemarkers and the diagnostic biological damage on bones suggest it accumulated as a result of the feeding of a carnivore. The homogeneous pattern of carcass utilization and the predation of similar-sized ungulates suggest a canid as the main biological agent.
Historical Biology, 2017
Carnivores are the main biological agents identified in the Upper Pleistocene assemblage of Cova ... more Carnivores are the main biological agents identified in the Upper Pleistocene assemblage of Cova del Coll Verdaguer (NE Iberian Peninsula). At the site, ungulate bones were primarily accumulated and modified by hyenas, as shown by partly digested bones, coprolites and the pattern of damage on bones. However, other small- to medium-sized carnivores seemed to be involved in the accumulation, owing primarily to the presence of their bones and coprolites. Finally, other carnivores, including the brown bear, used the cave to hibernate and for birthing cubs. The combination of zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies, together with previous coprogenic analyses, at the site indicates that it is only by using these combined approaches that it is possible to identify the majority of the agents involved in an accumulation.
Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 2017
The dietary traits of the ungulates from the Canyars assemblage (Late Pleistocene; Gavà, Barcelon... more The dietary traits of the ungulates from the Canyars assemblage (Late Pleistocene; Gavà, Barcelona, Spain) are analysed through tooth mesowear and microwear to study their feeding behaviour as well as the climatic conditions during the time of the arrival of the early modern Europeans in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. During the Heinrich Event 4 (HE4, between 39 and 40 kyr B.P.), the dietary adaptations of ungulates to grazing dominated the community, and included horses, as well as some red deer, aurochs, and ibex. Results show a rigorous climate, with the presence of grasslands capable of sustaining a high ungulate biomass. The composition of the Canyars ungulate community and its dietary adaptations clearly reveals some particularity of the HE4 in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. These open landscapes certainly favoured the migration routes of large mammals along the Mediterranean basin, and also favoured the dispersal of modern humans into the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The habitat weighting method, chorotype classification and the bioclimatic model, as well as the ... more The habitat weighting method, chorotype classification and the bioclimatic model, as well as the Simpson diversity index, are applied to the small-vertebrate assemblage of Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona) in order to reconstruct the environmental and climatic fluctuations that are reflected in the MIS 5 sequence of the cave. The small-vertebrate data analysed are from Unit 1 of the sequence, which comprises three MIS 5 layers (III to I). They allow one cool and two warm episodes to be identified within the section. The warm episodes are related with open-woodland formations and temperatures higher than at present in the area, though in layer III our data suggest moist conditions, with the precipitation higher than today, which could probably be related with the beginning of MIS 5e. Layer II is associated with drier conditions, with precipitation lower than nowadays, which could probably be related with MIS 5c. By contrast, layer I is associated with open woodland formations, but with cooler and relatively humid conditions than today to judge by the temperature and precipitation data obtained. This could probably be related with MIS 5b. Our results are consistent with the available chronological, large-mammal, bird and palaeobotanical datasets for this upper part of the sequence. They are also consistent with the pollen record from the marine margins of Iberia.
This article presents the results of the reconstruction of the paleodietary traits in the Mediter... more This article presents the results of the reconstruction of the paleodietary traits in the Mediterranean deer (Haploidoceros mediterraneus) from the MIS 5 site of Cova del Rinoceront in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula. This medium-sized deer species has a poor fossil record in Europe, and only four localities have reported remains. This study is the first approach to the dietary traits of this genus. Our data reveal that H. mediterraneus had mixed feeding traits, with clear tendency toward leaf browsing, similar to the extant fallow deer (Dama dama). We also report a probable phenomenon of competitive exclusion between H. mediterraneus and D. dama at all localities where the presence of H. mediterraneus has been reported so far (Cova del Rinoceront, PRERESA, Igue des Rameaux, and Lunel-Viel).
Three morphotypes of fossil fecal material (coprolites) have been identified from the Upper Pleis... more Three morphotypes of fossil fecal material (coprolites) have been identified from the Upper Pleistocene site of Cova del Coll Verdaguer (NE Iberian Peninsula). Coprolites are commonly found in Pleistocene records and also in places in which human and carnivore activities co-occurred. However, coprolite identification is typically limited to hyenids, the most readily recognizable fossilized feces, owing to their distinctive shape and good preservation, although non-hyena carnivore coprolites are also likely to be present in these assemblages. Several criteria for a multi-scale integrative analysis are proposed here for discriminating different morphotypes. Hence, this analysis provides an opportunity to assess the involvement of several carnivores in bone accumulations, to identify carnivores not specifically represented by skeletal remains and to evaluate interactions between humans and the carnivore guild, especially medium and small carnivores.
Cova del Gegant (Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula) is a Middle Palaeolithic site presenting eviden... more Cova del Gegant (Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula) is a Middle Palaeolithic site presenting evidence of carnivore occupations with some sporadic Neanderthal activity. The rapid, fine sedimentation in layer IIIa permitted the preservation of the remains of carnivore activity and an ephemeral combustion area, although lithics are absent. We used a detailed excavation procedure in combination with Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, soil micromorphological, zooarchaeological and taphonomical analyses, and coprogenic analysis to evaluate the interactions of humans and carnivores in the same area of the cave.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2015
Quaternary Science Reviews 114 (2015) 203e227 MIS 5 Multiproxy data Iberian Peninsula Palaeoenvir... more Quaternary Science Reviews 114 (2015) 203e227 MIS 5 Multiproxy data Iberian Peninsula Palaeoenvironment region for longer than previously thought. In addition, the recovery of a small lithic assemblage indicates human presence in the surroundings of the site. The 11 m-thick stratigraphic section also provides an ideal setting in which to compare several geochronological methods. UeTh dating of the flowstones that cap the deposit, of speleothems formed along the cave walls, and of speleothems buried by the deposit at different elevations provides minimum and maximum ages of 74 and 175 ka, respectively, for the accumulation. The ages obtained by luminescence, electron spin resonance (ESR), amino acid racemisation (AAR), palaeomagnetism and U-series dating of bone are in good agreement with each other and are stratigraphically consistent. This well-dated faunal succession presents a unique opportunity to assess changes in the Pleistocene fauna of the Mediterranean coast over an interval of more than 100 ka.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2013
Quaternary Science Reviews 60 (2013) 26e48 semi-desert or steppe-desert landscapes, thus maintain... more Quaternary Science Reviews 60 (2013) 26e48 semi-desert or steppe-desert landscapes, thus maintaining the boundary effect despite the climatic reversal. The persistence of such a boundary through HS4 and the interstadials that bracket it must have played a role in the delayed arrival of the Aurignacian (and modern humans) to southern and western Iberia, which continued to be settled by Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals well beyond 40 ka cal BP.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2012
This actualistic study examines the taphonomic signatures of modern free-ranging mountain lions (... more This actualistic study examines the taphonomic signatures of modern free-ranging mountain lions (Felis concolor) on prey skeletal remains left at kill sites and digested bone fragments in the lions' scats. Conducted in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico (U.S.A.), the study and its outcomes are relevant to models of carcass persistence and scavenging opportunities on ancient landscapes. Mountain lions in the study area ingested disproportionate quantities of bone from very young prey. This tendency holds true irrespective of prey body size. The results meanwhile confirm a relatively mild pattern of damage to adult deer carcasses. Digestive erosion of the surfaces of bones that passed through the gut was relatively severe, but many of these bone and tooth specimens retained identifiable features. It is clear that the mountain lions quickly remove the carcasses of very young prey from the pool of potentially scavenge-able resources. The non-linear relation between bone destruction from feeding by the cats and the skeletal maturity of prey also has consequences for prey mortality patterns, specifically a bias against the representation of very young individuals. This effect is not sufficient, however, to produce a global bias to prime-adult prey because older juveniles are much less affected.
La Cova del Coll Verdaguer se halla en el término municipal de Cervelló (Barcelona) en el macizo ... more La Cova del Coll Verdaguer se halla en el término municipal de Cervelló (Barcelona) en el macizo cárstico del Garraf-Ordal, concretamente en una antigua mina de calcita esparítica actualmente sin explotación. El yacimiento está formado por dos zonas muy diferenciadas como consecuencia del proceso geológico generado en la cueva. La parte más externa, conocida como Sala Sal de Llop, es un cono de sedimentos de entrada de cueva que sella el acceso original y que se sitúa cronológicamente entre los 38 ka y 46 ka. Esta parte del yacimiento es un cubil de hiena en el cual no se han detectado restos esqueléticos de este carnívoro aunque sÍ restos de sus excrementos. Destacan los restos de herbívoros tales como ciervo (Cervus elaphus), cabra (Capra sp.), caballo (Equus sp.), y carnívoros como lince (Lynx pardinus) y zorro (Vulpes vulpes). Además se ha detectado un horizonte con presencia humana esporádica a partir de restos de industria lítica del Paleolítico Medio. La parte interior, conocida como Sala dels Ursus, funciona durante el estadio isotópico 2 como un cubil de oso pardo (Ursus arctos), así lo atestiguan esqueletos de individuos infantiles y seniles en conexión o semiconexión anatómica acumulados en las zonas más inaccesibles de la cavidad.
Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2014
General palaeontology, systematics and evolution (Vertebrate palaeontology) First occurrence of t... more General palaeontology, systematics and evolution (Vertebrate palaeontology) First occurrence of the extinct deer Haploidoceros in the Iberian Peninsula in the Upper Pleistocene of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona)
Marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3) was characterised by marked oscillations of extreme cold episodes ... more Marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3) was characterised by marked oscillations of extreme cold episodes with very short warm events during the stadial, and several regional differences have been recorded in the ice cores and marine deposits. The aim of this study is to reconstruct this period by evaluating both terrestrial and regional responses. Cova del Coll Verdaguer, a site located on the Iberian Peninsula, preserves a sedimentary deposit dated to between 34 and 56 ka BP and provides an opportunity for evaluating the impact of climate changes on the regional landmass during a period that coincided with the last Neanderthal population on the Iberian Peninsula. Several dating methods, including U-series, electron spin resonance, amino acid racemization and radiocarbon (14C), were applied to the site and the ages obtained show good agreement. The biotic evidence obtained is substantial, comprising floristic data from palynology and charcoal analysis, and faunal data from large and small mammals, birds and
gastropods. Environmental reconstruction points to an initially open meadow landscape at the base of the sequence (~56 ka) that progressively changes to a woodland environment dominated by conifers (~34 ka). The presence of few thermophilous taxa, in contrast with lower latitudes of the Iberian Peninsula, is also detected. The environmental conditions of mid-altitude, Mediterranean, limestone mountains for the last Neanderthal populations appear to have been dominated by a forested landscape comprising boreal or mixed coniferous forest, characterised by a low usable biomass with poor comestible plant resources and dispersed herbivore populations.
Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer... more Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer X of Gruta da Aroeira, dated to 389–436 ka. Faunal remains and a human craniumwere found in association with this lithic assemblage. The raw materials used are mostly quartz and quartzite cobbles available in the vicinity of the site. Technological and system-atic analysis shows that there are no Levallois elements and suggests that on-site knappingconsisted of the reduction of centripetal cores. Flake cleavers are absent. Use-wear analysisindicates the processing of hard materials, mainly wood. Gruta da Aroeira represents one of the few Middle Pleistocene sites that provide securely dated diagnostic human remains andassociated Acheulean lithics, thus representing a major step forward in our understanding of the variability of westernmost Europe’s Acheulean and of the human populations that made it.
La fi és el principi. Pràctiques funeràries a la Catalunya prehistòrica
The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because i... more The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human
evolution in Europe, because it marks the appearance of both fossil
hominins ancestral to the later Neandertals and the Acheulean
technology. Nevertheless, European sites containing well-dated human
remains associated with an Acheulean toolkit remain scarce. The
earliest European hominin crania associated with Acheulean handaxes
are at the sites of Arago, Atapuerca Sima de los Huesos (SH), and
Swanscombe, dating to 400–500 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11–12). The
Atapuerca (SH) fossils and the Swanscombe cranium belong to the
Neandertal clade, whereas the Arago hominins have been attributed
to an incipient stage of Neandertal evolution, to Homo heidelbergensis,
or to a subspecies of Homo erectus. A recently discovered cranium
(Aroeira 3) from the Gruta da Aroeira (Almonda karst system, Portugal)
dating to 390–436 ka provides important evidence on the earliest
European Acheulean-bearing hominins. This cranium is represented by
most of the right half of a calvarium (with the exception of the missing
occipital bone) and a fragmentary right maxilla preserving part of the
nasal floor and two fragmentary molars. The combination of traits in
the Aroeira 3 cranium augments the previously documented diversity
in the European Middle Pleistocene fossil record.
Journal of Human Evolution, 2015
The present study describes a new juvenile hominin mandible and teeth and a new juvenile humerus ... more The present study describes a new juvenile hominin mandible and teeth and a new juvenile humerus from level V of the GP2 gallery of Cova del Gegant (Spain). The mandible (Gegant-5) preserves a portion of the right mandibular corpus from the M 1 distally to the socket for the dc mesially, and the age at death is estimated as 4.5e5.0 years. Gegant-5 shows a single mental foramen located under the dm 1 / dm 2 interdental septum, a relatively posterior placement compared with recent hominins of a similar developmental age. The mental foramen in Gegant-5 is also placed within the lower half of the mandibular corpus, as in the previously described late adolescent/adult mandible (Gegant-1) from this same Middle Paleolithic site. The Gegant-5 canine shows pronounced marginal ridges, a distal accessory ridge, and a pronounced distolingual tubercle. The P 3 shows a lingually-displaced protoconid cusp tip and a distal accessory ridge. The P 4 shows a slightly asymmetrical crown outline, a continuous transverse crest, a mesially placed metaconid cusp tip, a slight distal accessory ridge, and an accessory lingual cusp. The M 1 shows a Y5 pattern of cusp contact and a well-developed and deep anterior fovea bounded posteriorly by a continuous midtrigonid crest. Gegant-4 is the distal portion of a left humerus from a juvenile estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old at death. The specimen shows thick cortical bone. Although fragmentary, the constellation of morphological and metric features indicates Neandertal affinities for these specimens. Their spatial proximity at the site and similar ages at death suggest these remains may represent a single individual. The addition of these new specimens brings the total number of Neandertal remains from the Cova del Gegant to five, and this site documents the clearest evidence for Neandertal fossils associated with Middle Paleolithic stone tools in this region of the Iberian Peninsula.
![Research paper thumbnail of La Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona) [English version]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/40603784/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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El presente estudio se centra en la caracterización macroscópica y microscópica de las materias p... more El presente estudio se centra en la caracterización macroscópica y microscópica de las materias primas silíceas del yacimiento de la Dolina de l'Esquerda de les Alzines, un yacimiento del Pleistoceno superior ubicado en el macizo del Garraf. El objetivo ha sido establecer distintas variedades de sílex, mediante la descripción macroscópica y microscópica de los elementos del conjunto lítico, para disponer, por vez primera, de unas categorías definidas de los recursos abióticos silíceos disponibles y explotados durante la prehistoria en este macizo. Además, mediante el presente estudio se ha evaluado también la posible procedencia y el área captación de dichas materias.
Trabajos de Prehistoria, 2011
La Dolina de l'Esquerda de les Alzines (Macizo del Garraf, Barcelona): un yacimiento del Pleistoc... more La Dolina de l'Esquerda de les Alzines (Macizo del Garraf, Barcelona): un yacimiento del Pleistoceno superior al aire libre con industria lítica paleolítica
Journal of Human Evolution, 2005
A human mandible from the site of Cova del Gegant is described here for the first time and compar... more A human mandible from the site of Cova del Gegant is described here for the first time and compared with other Middle and Upper Pleistocene representatives of the genus Homo from Europe and Southwest Asia. The specimen was recovered from sediments which also yielded Mousterian stone tools and Pleistocene fauna. The preserved morphology of the mandible, particularly in the region of the mental foramen, clearly aligns it with the Neandertals, making the Cova del Gegant the only known site in Catalonia documenting diagnostic human skeletal remains in association with Middle Paleolithic stone tools. This represents an important new addition to the human fossil record from the Iberian Peninsula and joins the Ban˜olas mandible in documenting the course of human evolution in the northern Mediterranean region of Spain.
Archaeological and Anthropological Science, 2017
The identification of archaeological amber has been used in Iberian prehistory to evidence long-d... more The identification of archaeological amber has been used in Iberian prehistory to evidence long-distance exchanges and engage Iberia in networks that connect western Europe with central and northern Europe, the emergence of social complexity, and the consolidation of trade networks. However, until now, no comprehensive analytical study of the Iberian amber has been produced to support any of the interpretive models currently in use. This paper approaches the analysis of Iberian Peninsula amber artefacts by considering their provenance (based on FTIR characterization), chronology, and spatial relationship with other exotica. Our work increases the number of analyzed artefacts to 156 (24%), out of the c. 647 currently known for the Iberian Peninsula. Based on these new data and a review of Murillo-Barroso and Martinón-Torres (2012), this overview outlines amber consumption patterns from the 6th to 2nd millennia BCE and demonstrates long-distance amber exchange connecting Iberia with the Mediterranean region from the Neolithic period onwards.
This paper presents archaeological layer XXV from Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona), ascribed t... more This paper presents archaeological layer XXV from Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona), ascribed to Bronze Age, and focuses on this period’s chronological issues. Cova del Gegant yielded Late Bell Beaker pottery featuring a decorative style akin to the “Northeastern Group” (generally ascribed to Early Bronze Age), human remains associated with a collective burial (radiocarbon dated to Middle Bronze Age), amber and/or resin ornaments, and two gold artifacts (very scarce in the NE of Iberian Peninsula). The archaeological artifacts and radiocarbon dating range provide important data concerning the exchange networks and movements along the Mediterranean coastline during Bronze Age.
Key words: Cova del Gegant; Late Bell Beaker pottery; Gold; Bronze Age
The spread of farming out of the Balkans and into the rest of Europe followed two distinct routes... more The spread of farming out of the Balkans and into the rest of Europe followed two distinct routes: An initial expansion
represented by the Impressa and Cardial traditions, which followed the Northern Mediterranean coastline; and another
expansion represented by the LBK (Linearbandkeramik) tradition, which followed the Danube River into Central Europe.
Although genomic data now exist from samples representing the second migration, such data have yet to be successfully
generated from the initial Mediterranean migration. To address this, we generated the complete genome of a 7,400-yearold
Cardial individual (CB13) from Cova Bonica in Vallirana (Barcelona), as well as partial nuclear data from five others
excavated from different sites in Spain and Portugal. CB13 clusters with all previously sequenced early European farmers
and modern-day Sardinians. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that both Cardial and LBK peoples derived from a
common ancient population located in or around the Balkan Peninsula. The Iberian Cardial genome also carries a
discernible hunter–gatherer genetic signature that likely was not acquired by admixture with local Iberian foragers.
Our results indicate that retrieving ancient genomes from similarly warm Mediterranean environments such as the Near
East is technically feasible.
by Montserrat Sanz Borràs, Joan Daura Luján, F. Xavier Oms Arias, José-Miguel Tejero, Xavier Mangado, jean Vaquer, F. Javier López-Cachero, MONICA OLIVA POVEDA, Josep M. Fullola, Maria Angels Petit Mendizabal, and p m
4 5 primary burials are associated with grave goods of variscite beads, honey-colored flint blade... more 4 5 primary burials are associated with grave goods of variscite beads, honey-colored flint blades and occasionally obsidian. During the Late Neolithic these are replaced for collective inhumations in cave and rock-shelters with grave goods composed mainly by shell, bone and stone beads and pendants, large flint blades and flint daggers, some from outside the Iberian Peninsula. Cova de l'Avi represents the earliest site (c. 4700 BP) at which these changes in mortuary practice have been documented. Palabras clave: Neolítico medio-reciente; Neolítico final; Nordeste Península Ibérica; Prácticas funerarias; Intercambios a larga distancia; Materias primas líticas; Puñal tipo Châtaigniers.
En el presente trabajo se da a conocer el hallazgo de ocho monedas procedentes del yacimiento arq... more En el presente trabajo se da a conocer el hallazgo de ocho monedas procedentes del yacimiento arqueológico
de la Cova del Ramal de la Raconada (Castelldefels, Barcelona). El estudio del conjunto permite
situar cronológicamente el material numismático en el tercer cuarto del siglo XVI y ponerlo en relación con
la circulación monetaria del inicio de la Edad Moderna. Asimismo, los materiales procedentes de la Cova
del Ramal de la Raconada, junto con otras localidades del Bajo Llobregat, permiten hacer inferencias sobre
el contexto histórico de finales del siglo XVI en el litoral de Barcelona.
A few 16th century coins found in the Cova del Ramal de la Raconada (Castelldefels, Barcelona)
This paper announces the finding of eight coins at the excavation site of the Cova del Ramal de la Raconada
(Castelldefels, Barcelona). An analysis of the cluster enables this numismatic material to be situated
chronologically in the third quarter of the 16th century and to associate it with the monetary circulation at
the beginning of the Modern Age. In addition, the material from the Cova del Ramal de la Raconada and
other Bajo Llobregat locations enables us to make assumptions on the historical context at the end of the
16th century in the Barcelona coastal region.
SANZ, M., DAURA, J., TERRADO, E., MÉNDEZ, M., & FULLOLA, J. M. Vertical geotechnical engineering ... more SANZ, M., DAURA, J., TERRADO, E., MÉNDEZ, M., & FULLOLA, J. M. Vertical geotechnical engineering techniques applied to the rehabilitation of Pleistocene sites. Over the last two decades of the nineteenth century and part of the twentieth century, many Pleistocene sites in the Iberian Peninsula have been discovered through quarrying, mining and railways construction, amongst other industrial activities. This paper describes a new methodology for rehabilitating Pleistocene sites, based on the application of geotechnical engineering and unstable slope treatment. These techniques guarantee site preservation and fieldwork safety conditions for sites inside quarries or on slopes. The repair work carried out in Cova del Rinoceront (Garraf massif, NE Spain) is the first example of the geotechnical restoration process in action in archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, the Cova del Rinoceront rehabilitation serves as a model for other similar Pleistocene sites.
Over the last two decades of the nineteenth century and part of the twentieth century, many Plei... more Over the last two decades of the nineteenth century and part of the
twentieth century, many Pleistocene sites in the Iberian Peninsula have been discovered through quarrying, mining and railways construction, amongst other industrial activities. This paper describes a new methodology for rehabilitating Pleistocene sites, based on the application of geotechnical engineering and unstable slope treatment. These techniques guarantee site preservation and fieldwork safety conditions for sites inside quarries or on slopes. The repair work carried out in Cova del Rinoceront (Garraf massif, NE Spain) is the first example of the geotechnical restoration process in action in archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, the Cova del Rinoceront rehabilitation serves as a model for other similar Pleistocene sites.
Quaternary International, 2020
The evolution and co-occurrence of equids in Europe during the Upper Pleistocene (125–10 ka) is a... more The evolution and co-occurrence of equids in Europe during the Upper Pleistocene (125–10 ka) is a research line that has generated much debate owing to the difficulties in distinguishing between species. Here, we present a study of the dental remains of equids, dated by radiocarbon at ~34.6 (~39.6 cal) ka BP, from Terrasses de la Riera dels Canyars (Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula), a site where numerous remains of Equus hydruntinus and Equus ferus have been identified. Our observations indicate that combining measurements and morphological features, as opposed to their separate application, is useful for identifying Pleistocene equids at the species level. We identify seven morphological features to distinguish between the two species: four on the upper teeth – i) the shape of the protocone; ii) the presence/absence of a pli caballine; iii) the presence/absence of grooves in the styles; and, iv) the shape of the hypocone – and three on the lower dentition – v) the shape of the entoflexid; vi) the depth of the ectoflexid; and, vii) the presence/absence of the pticostylid fold. The identification of E. hydruntinus by dentition at the site reinforces evidence for the presence of these small equids during the Heinrich Stadial 4 in the Iberian Peninsula. The multi-proxy data (including phytoliths, charcoal, pollen, tooth wear, small and large mammals) obtained at Canyars suggest that E. hydruntinus of the NE Iberian Peninsula inhabited steppe-dominated landscapes with a Mediterranean component, indicating a less rigorous climate than that of more northern latitudes.
Overlying a palustrine deposit of unknown age (complex FP), and protected from weathering and ero... more Overlying a palustrine deposit of unknown age (complex FP), and protected from weathering and erosion inside a large cave/rock-shelter cavity, the sedimentary fill of Cueva Antón, a Middle Paleolithic site in SE Spain, corresponds in most part (sub-complexes AS2-to-AS5) to a ca.3 m-thick Upper Pleistocene terrace of the River Mula. Coupled with the constraints derived from the deposit’s paleoclimatic proxies, OSL dating places the accumulation of this terrace in MIS 5a, and radiocarbon dates from the overlying breccia cum alluvium (sub-complex AS1) fall in the middle part of MIS 3; the intervening hiatus relates to valley incision and attendant erosion. The two intervals represented remain largely unknown in Iberia, where the archeology of the early-to-middle Upper Pleistocene is almost entirely derived from karst sites; Cueva Antón shows that this dearth of data, often interpreted in demographic terms, has depositional underpinnings ultimately determined by past climate variation. In early MIS 5a, the paleobotanical evidence indicates climate conditions similar to present, albeit wetter, followed by progressive cooling, reflected in the replacement of Aleppo pine by black pine and, at the very end, juniper-dominated landscapes — the latter characterizing also mid-MIS 3 times. The variation in sedimentary facies and composition of the mollusk assemblages reflects the changing position of the river channel relative to the back wall of the cave. Such changes represented the major constraint for the occupation of the site — most of the time inaccessible to terrestrial mammals, it was used throughout by the eagle-owl, explaining the abundance of rabbit bones. Human occupation occurred during a few, short windows of availability, and is reflected in well-preserved living floors defined by hearths, artefact scatters, and the remains of hunted herbivores. The stone tool assemblages are Middle Paleolithic, which, in Europe, implies a Neandertal identity for their makers and, hence, that Neandertals persisted in the region until GI 8. Cueva Antón’s high-resolution record provides unique, critical information on the paleoenvironments and adaptations of humans in two short windows of time during which wetter conditions existed in SE Iberia, where arid or semi-arid climates prevailed through most of the Upper Pleistocene and the Holocene.
This study presents the results of a multi-proxy analysis conducted to improve our understanding ... more This study presents the results of a multi-proxy analysis conducted to improve our understanding of the palaeoenvironmental conditions of the freshwater and brackish marshes of Cal Maurici (Barcelona, Spain) and the human impact on them during the mid-Holocene (6171–3891 cal. yr BP). The study integrates data from pollen, phytolith, diatom, charcoal, seeds and malacological analyses and helps to reconstruct the ecological conditions during the early establishment of farming communities in western Mediterranean facade. The results indicate a landscape dominated by Mediterranean vegetation with aquatic plants in the shallow marshes and well-developed forests in the nearby area, providing for the first time in the Holocene of NE Iberian Peninsula the palaeoecological conditions of deltaic areas. Ecofactual evidence indicates an initial landscape dominated by brackish marshes (6171–5773 cal. yr BP) in which Ruppia cf. maritima was predominant and human impact was low. Between 5026 and 4839 cal yr. BP, freshwater conditions expanded with an increase in Potamogeton sp. and the presence of Typha angustifolia and Spirogyra sp. algae with well-developed oak woodlands and deciduous trees in nearby areas. The expansion of evergreen forest occurred later (from 4960 to 4825 cal. yr BP until 3712 cal. yr BP), with the decline of deciduous woodland and the expansion of evergreen oaks, pinewoods, wild olive trees and box, coinciding with a period of increased human activity in the area. Additionally, the presence of marine resources at several archaeological excavation sites and domestic plants at Cal Maurici provides an opportunity to evaluate the interaction between earlier farmers and marine or
deltaic ecosystems.
Excavations at Cova Bonica (Barcelona, Spain) have revealed 98 human remains, grouped into five a... more Excavations at Cova Bonica (Barcelona, Spain) have revealed 98 human remains, grouped into five age clusters and corresponding to a minimum of six non-articulated individuals. The remains are clearly associated with Cardial pottery, lithic artifacts, and ornaments suggesting an Early Neolithic horizon. The radiocarbon dating of three human individuals provides a reliable attribution to this period, with a range between ca. 5470 and 5220 CAL B.C., identifying it as one of the few assemblages of human remains directly dated from this period. These remains correspond to a rare collective human inhumation and join a growing body of samples from the Cardial Neolithic, which is providing some of the important sites for the study of population movement and the spread of Neolithization along the western Mediterranean coast.
DAURA, J., & SANZ, M. Historiography of the Pleistocene sites in Garraf massif and Llobregat river.