1
|
Despriée J, Moncel MH, Courcimault G, Voinchet P, Jouanneau JC, Bahain JJ. Earliest evidence of human occupations and technological complexity above the 45th North parallel in Western Europe. The site of Lunery-Rosieres la-Terre-des-Sablons (France, 1.1 Ma). Sci Rep 2024; 14:16894. [PMID: 39043764 PMCID: PMC11266561 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66980-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The site of LuneryRosieres la-Terre-des-Sablons (Lunery, Cher, France) comprises early evidence of human occupation in mid-latitudes in Western Europe. It demonstrates hominin presence in the Loire River Basin during the Early Pleistocene at the transition between an interglacial stage and the beginning of the following glacial stage. Three archaeological levels sandwiched and associated with two diamicton levels deposited on the downcutting river floor indicate repeated temporary occupations. Lithic material yields evidence of simple and more complex core technologies on local Jurassic siliceous rocks and Oligocene millstone. Hominins availed of natural stone morphologies to produce flakes with limited preparation. Some cores show centripetal management and a partially prepared striking platform. The mean ESR age of 1175 ka ± 98 ka obtained on fluvial sediments overlying the archaeological levels could correspond to the transition between marine isotopic stages (MIS) 37 and 36, during the normal Cobb Mountain subchron, and in particular at the beginning of MIS 36. The Lunery site shows that hominins were capable of adapting to early glacial environmental conditions and adopting appropriate strategies for settling in mid-latitude zones. These areas cannot be considered as inhospitable at that time as Lunery lies at some distance from the forming ice cap.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jackie Despriée
- HNHP UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paleontologie Humaine, 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Moncel
- HNHP UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paleontologie Humaine, 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Gilles Courcimault
- Laboratoire Régional Des Ponts Et Chaussées, Centre d'Etudes Techniques de L'Equipement (CETE) Normandie-Centre, 1, Rue Laplace, 41000, Blois, France
| | - Pierre Voinchet
- HNHP UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paleontologie Humaine, 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Claude Jouanneau
- Laboratoire Régional Des Ponts Et Chaussées, Centre d'Etudes Techniques de L'Equipement (CETE) Normandie-Centre, 1, Rue Laplace, 41000, Blois, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Bahain
- HNHP UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paleontologie Humaine, 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Muttoni G, Kent DV. Hominin population bottleneck coincided with migration from Africa during the Early Pleistocene ice age transition. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318903121. [PMID: 38466876 PMCID: PMC10990135 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318903121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Two recently published analyses make cases for severe bottlenecking of human populations occurring in the late Early Pleistocene, one case at about 0.9 Mya based on a genomic analysis of modern human populations and the low number of hominin sites of this age in Africa and the other at about 1.1 Mya based on an age inventory of sites of hominin presence in Eurasia. Both models point to climate change as the bottleneck trigger, albeit manifested at very different times, and have implications for human migrations as a mechanism to elude extinction at bottlenecking. Here, we assess the climatic and chronologic components of these models and suggest that the several hundred-thousand-year difference is largely an artifact of biases in the chronostratigraphic record of Eurasian hominin sites. We suggest that the best available data are consistent with the Galerian hypothesis expanded from Europe to Eurasia as a major migration pulse of fauna including hominins in the late Early Pleistocene as a consequence of the opening of land routes from Africa facilitated by a large sea level drop associated with the first major ice age of the Pleistocene and concurrent with widespread aridity across Africa that occurred during marine isotope stage 22 at ~0.9 Mya. This timing agrees with the independently dated bottleneck from genomic analysis of modern human populations and allows speculations about the relative roles of climate forcing on the survival of hominins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Muttoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra ‘Ardito Desio’, University of Milan, MilanI-20133, Italy
| | - Dennis V. Kent
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY10964
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rodríguez J, Hölzchen E, Caso-Alonso AI, Berndt JO, Hertler C, Timm IJ, Mateos A. Computer simulation of scavenging by hominins and giant hyenas in the late Early Pleistocene. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14283. [PMID: 37770511 PMCID: PMC10539305 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39776-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Consumption of animal-sourced food is an important factor in broadening the diet of early hominins, promoting brain and body growth, and increasing behavioural complexity. However, whether early hominins obtained animal food by scavenging or hunting large mammals remains debated. Sabre-toothed felids have been proposed to facilitate the expansion of early Homo out of Africa into Europe 1.4-0.8 Ma by creating a niche for scavengers in Eurasia as the carcasses abandoned by these felids still contained abundant edible resources. In contrast, it has been argued that the niche for a large scavenger was already occupied in Eurasia by the giant hyena, preventing hominins from utilising this resource. This study shows that sabre-toothed felids generated carcasses rich in edible resources and that hominins were capable of competing with giant hyenas for this resource. The simulation experiments showed that maintaining an optimum group size is essential for the success of the hominin scavenging strategy. Early hominins could outcompete giant hyenas only if they could successfully dispute carcasses with them. Thus, in the presence of a strong competitor, passive scavenging is essentially the same as confrontational scavenging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Rodríguez
- National Research Center On Human Evolution (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain
| | - Ericson Hölzchen
- Chair for Business Informatics 1, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Ana Isabel Caso-Alonso
- Facultad de Ciencias. Edificio de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/ Darwin, 2. Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan Ole Berndt
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Christine Hertler
- The Role of Culture in Early Expansion of Humans (ROCEEH), Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
- The Role of Culture in Early Expansion of Humans (ROCEEH), Heidelberg Academy of Sciences, Karlstraße 4, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ingo J Timm
- Chair for Business Informatics 1, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Ana Mateos
- National Research Center On Human Evolution (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Carpentieri M, Moncel MH, Eramo G, Arzarello M. With Impressions Chosen from Another Time: Core Technologies and Debitage Production at the Lower Palaeolithic Site of Notarchirico (670-695 ka; layers F to I2). JOURNAL OF PALEOLITHIC ARCHAEOLOGY 2023; 6:27. [PMID: 37675140 PMCID: PMC10477117 DOI: 10.1007/s41982-023-00154-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The earliest evidence of bifaces in western Europe is dated to the initial phase of the Middle Pleistocene (la Noira, Notarchirico, Moulin Quignon, 700-670 ka), with the findings of Barranc de la Boella (1.0-0.9 Ma) considered to be an earlier local evolution. No transition assemblages are recorded during this time frame, and the "abrupt" appearance of bifaces during this time frame is associated with significant cognitive shifts in human technological behaviours (Acheulean techno-complex). The new investigations conducted at the site of Notarchirico unearthed 30 ka of repeated human occupation (695-670 ka, layers F-I2) during MIS 17, with evidence of bifacial tools in layer G (680 ka) and F along with other heavy-duty implements (LCTs, pebble tools, etc.). Massive production of debitage products realised on local raw materials collected in situ through simple and efficient core technologies characterises a large part of the lithic assemblage with a high ratio of diversified light-duty tools, including modified chert nodules. Despite core and flake assemblages being a recurrent trait of Lower Pleistocene contexts, the increase in retouched implements recorded at the onset of the Middle Pleistocene has been considered a significant technological shift. The technological analysis of the debitage products presented in this work highlights recurrent and systematic technological behaviours of the hominins of Notarchirico-who proved to efficiently overcome the raw materials dimensional constraints-even in the layers without bifaces. This may shed light on the meaning of cultural and behavioural innovation that the Acheulean techno-complex is thought to bring over Europe. It is plausible that given the substantial homogeneity of the lithic strategies within the sequence of Notarchirico, which only the "introduction" of the bifaces in the upper layers seems to interrupt, a supposed behavioural or cultural change in the site might have already occurred in the lowermost portion of the sequence. In this work, we evaluate the degree of change-if any-from a technological perspective by analysing the debitage reduction sequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Carpentieri
- Dipartimento Studi Umanistici, Università Degli Studi Di Ferrara, C.So Ercole I d’Este 32, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marie-Hélène Moncel
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme Et Environnement, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Giacomo Eramo
- Dipartimento Di Scienze Della Terra E Geoambientali, Università Degli Studi Di Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Marta Arzarello
- Dipartimento Studi Umanistici, Università Degli Studi Di Ferrara, C.So Ercole I d’Este 32, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Margari V, Hodell DA, Parfitt SA, Ashton NM, Grimalt JO, Kim H, Yun KS, Gibbard PL, Stringer CB, Timmermann A, Tzedakis PC. Extreme glacial cooling likely led to hominin depopulation of Europe in the Early Pleistocene. Science 2023; 381:693-699. [PMID: 37561880 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf4445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The oldest known hominin remains in Europe [~1.5 to ~1.1 million years ago (Ma)] have been recovered from Iberia, where paleoenvironmental reconstructions have indicated warm and wet interglacials and mild glacials, supporting the view that once established, hominin populations persisted continuously. We report analyses of marine and terrestrial proxies from a deep-sea core on the Portugese margin that show the presence of pronounced millennial-scale climate variability during a glacial period ~1.154 to ~1.123 Ma, culminating in a terminal stadial cooling comparable to the most extreme events of the last 400,000 years. Climate envelope-model simulations reveal a drastic decrease in early hominin habitat suitability around the Mediterranean during the terminal stadial. We suggest that these extreme conditions led to the depopulation of Europe, perhaps lasting for several successive glacial-interglacial cycles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Margari
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David A Hodell
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
| | - Simon A Parfitt
- Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London WC1H 0PY, UK
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Nick M Ashton
- Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory, British Museum, London N1 5QJ, UK
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Climate Physics, Busan 46241, South Korea
- Department of Climate System, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Sook Yun
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Climate Physics, Busan 46241, South Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Philip L Gibbard
- Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1ER, UK
| | - Chris B Stringer
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Axel Timmermann
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Climate Physics, Busan 46241, South Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Polychronis C Tzedakis
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
García-Medrano P, Martinón-Torres M, Ashton N. Introduction to special issue "Humans in transition: The occupation of Western Europe, 600-400 Ka". J Hum Evol 2023; 180:103388. [PMID: 37224624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paula García-Medrano
- Dept. Britain, Europe and Prehistory, British Museum, Frank House, 56 Orsman Road, N1 5QJ, London, UK; UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - María Martinón-Torres
- Centro Nacional de Investigacion sobre la Evolucion Humana (CENIEH), Paseo de la Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain; Anthropology Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nick Ashton
- Dept. Britain, Europe and Prehistory, British Museum, Frank House, 56 Orsman Road, N1 5QJ, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Fidalgo D, Rosas A, Estalrrich A, García-Tabernero A, Pastor FJ, Pineda A, Huguet R, Cáceres I, Ollé A, Vallverdú J, Saladie P. First presence of Macaca sylvanus at the late Early Pleistocene of Barranc de la Boella (La Mina locality, Francolí Basin, NE Iberia). J Hum Evol 2023; 179:103368. [PMID: 37094515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Darío Fidalgo
- Department of Palaeobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Antonio Rosas
- Department of Palaeobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Almudena Estalrrich
- Grupo de I+D+i EVOADAPTA (Evolución Humana y Adaptaciones Económicas y Ecológicas durante la Prehistoria), Dpto. Ciencias Históricas, Universidad de Cantabria, Av/Los Castros 44, 39005, Santander, Spain; Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, 330 Old Main, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Antonio García-Tabernero
- Department of Palaeobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J Pastor
- Departamento de Anatomía y Radiología, Museo de Anatomía, Universidad de Valladolid, 47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Antonio Pineda
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Rosa Huguet
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya, 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain; Unit Associated to CSIC, Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Cáceres
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya, 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Andreu Ollé
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya, 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Josep Vallverdú
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya, 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain; Unit Associated to CSIC, Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Palmira Saladie
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifci W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya, 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain; Unit Associated to CSIC, Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Key A, Ashton N. Hominins likely occupied northern Europe before one million years ago. Evol Anthropol 2023; 32:10-25. [PMID: 36383204 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of when hominins first reached northern Europe is dependent on a fragmented archaeological and fossil record known from as early as marine isotope stage (MIS) 21 or 25 (c. 840 or 950 thousand years ago [Ka]). This contrasts sharply with southern Europe, where hominin occupation is evidenced from MIS 37 to 45 (c. 1.22 or 1.39 million years ago [Ma]). Northern Europe, however, exhibits climatic, geological, demographic, and historical disadvantages when it comes to preserving fossil and archaeological evidence of early hominin habitation. It is argued here that perceived differences in first occupation timings between the two European regions needs to be revised in light of these factors. To enhance this understanding, optimal linear estimation models are run using data from the current fossil and artefact record. Results suggest northern Europe to have first been occupied as early as 1.16 Ma, or as late as 913 Ka. These timings could represent minimum date expectations and be extended through future archaeological and fossil discoveries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Key
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nick Ashton
- British Museum, Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Díaz-Cortés A, Graziani G, Boi M, López-Polín L, Sassoni E. Conservation of Archaeological Bones: Assessment of Innovative Phosphate Consolidants in Comparison with Paraloid B72. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:3163. [PMID: 36144951 PMCID: PMC9504796 DOI: 10.3390/nano12183163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous solutions of diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) have been recently proposed for consolidation of archeological bones, as an alternative to traditional products. Here, we investigated several routes to improve the performance of the DAP-based treatment, namely increasing the DAP concentration, adding calcium ions and adding ethanol to the DAP solution. Archaeological bones dated to about 1-0.8 million years ago were used for the tests. After preliminary screening by FTIR microscopy and FEG-SEM among different formulations, confirming the formation of new hydroxyapatite phases, the most promising formulation was selected, namely a 3 M DAP solution. The strengthening ability of this formulation was systematically compared to that of the most widely used commercial consolidant, namely Paraloid B72. The performance of the two treatments was evaluated in terms of Knoop and Vickers microhardness, resistance to scratch and resistance to material loss by peeling off. The results of the study show that the DAP treatment was able to improve the bone surface properties and also the resistance to material loss by peeling off, which is more dependent on in-depth consolidation. Paraloid B72 led to the formation of a layer of acrylic resin on the bone surface, which influenced the mechanical tests. Nonetheless, Paraloid B72 was able to penetrate in depth and substantially decrease the material loss by peeling off, even more effectively than DAP. The results of this study indicate that the potential of the DAP treatment for bone consolidation is confirmed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Díaz-Cortés
- Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- Departament d’Història i Història de l’Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Gabriela Graziani
- Biomedical Science and Technology and NanoBiotechnology Lab, IRCSS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Boi
- Biomedical Science and Technology and NanoBiotechnology Lab, IRCSS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Lucia López-Polín
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK
| | - Enrico Sassoni
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Late Quaternary Proboscidean Sites in Africa and Eurasia with Possible or Probable Evidence for Hominin Involvement. QUATERNARY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/quat5010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a list of >100 publicly known late Quaternary proboscidean sites that have certain or possible traces of hominin utilization in Africa, Europe, and Asia, along with a sample of references, chronometric or estimated ages, and brief descriptions of the associated materials and bone modifications. Summary discussions of important sites are also presented. Lower Palaeolithic/Early Stone Age hominins created far fewer proboscidean site assemblages than hominins in later Palaeolithic phases, in spite of the time span being many times longer. Middle Palaeolithic/Middle Stone Age hominins created assemblages at eight times the earlier hominin rate. Upper Palaeolithic/Later Stone Age hominins created site assemblages at >90 times the rate of Lower Palaeolithic hominins. Palaeoloxodon spp. occur in nearly one third of the sites with an identified or probable proboscidean taxon and Mammuthus species are in nearly one half of the sites with identified or probable taxon. Other identified proboscidean genera, such as Elephas, Loxodonta, and Stegodon, occur in few sites. The sites show variability in the intensity of carcass utilization, the quantity of lithics bedded with bones, the extent of bone surface modifications, such as cut marks, the diversity of associated fauna, and mortality profiles.
Collapse
|
11
|
Fujioka T, Benito-Calvo A, Mora R, McHenry L, Njau JK, de la Torre I. Direct cosmogenic nuclide isochron burial dating of early Acheulian stone tools at the T69 Complex (FLK West, Olduvai Bed II, Tanzania). J Hum Evol 2022; 165:103155. [PMID: 35303498 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiyuki Fujioka
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Burgos, Spain; Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Sydney, Australia.
| | - Alfonso Benito-Calvo
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Burgos, Spain
| | - Rafael Mora
- Facultat de Lletres, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Lindsay McHenry
- Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3209 N. Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53217, USA
| | - Jackson K Njau
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, 1001 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; The Stone Age Institute, 1392 W. Dittemore Rd, Bloomington, IN 47407, USA
| | - Ignacio de la Torre
- Instituto de Historia, CSIC-National Research Council, Albasanz 26-28, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Acheulean variability in Western Europe: The case of Menez-Dregan I (Plouhinec, Finistère, France). J Hum Evol 2021; 162:103103. [PMID: 34883259 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of the Acheulean in Europe occurred after MIS 17, but it was after the harsh glaciation of MIS 12 and during the long interglacial of MIS 11 that human occupation of Western Europe became more sustained, with an increased number of sites. Menez-Dregan I (Brittany, France) is one of the key sites in Western Europe that dates from this threshold, with an alternating sequence of 16 occupation levels and four marine deposits, from MIS 12 to 8. The large lithic assemblages of more than 154,000 artifacts from knapping (cores, flakes) and shaping (macrotools and shaping flakes) show the varying use of raw materials and activities at the site through the sequence. This work focuses on the study of the handaxes and cleavers using technological and metrical methods with multivariate analysis, in combination with geometric morphometrics, and places these analyses within the context of other technological changes at the site. Collectively, results show the persistent use through the sequence of the same lithic raw materials and technologies, including fire use and the import of glossy sandstone from 20 km away, but with variation in activities at the site. These findings suggest that Menez-Dregan I shows the development of a specific material culture that reflects the local resources and environment. Results further indicate that the site shows the sustained hominin occupation of the area, despite varying climate and environment, with strong traditions of social learning that were maintained through flexibility of site use, deep understanding of the local territory, and the innovation of new technologies, such as the use of fire. Evidence from the site is placed within the wider context of Europe, and contrasted with areas to the north, such as Britain, where hominin occupation was more sporadic and driven by cyclical climate change.
Collapse
|
13
|
Ashton N, Davis R. Cultural mosaics, social structure, and identity: The Acheulean threshold in Europe. J Hum Evol 2021; 156:103011. [PMID: 34102521 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The period between 600 and 400 ka is a critical phase for human evolution in Europe. The south and northwest saw a dramatic increase in sites, the spread of handaxe technology alongside bone and wooden tool manufacture, efficient hunting techniques, and the use of fire. Lithic assemblages show considerable variation, including the presence/absence of handaxes and tool morphology. To explain this variation, we propose the Cultural Mosaic Model, which suggests that there is a range of expressions of the Acheulean, with local resources being instrumental in creating distinct material cultures with or without handaxes. We argue that if typologically and technologically distinct assemblage types are regionally distributed, chronologically separated, and persistent over time, then they are unlikely to be caused purely by raw material constraints or functional variation but rather reflect populations with different material cultures. We initially assess the model using British data. Britain was a northwestern peninsula of Europe, and oscillations in climate led to episodic occupation. The terraces of the pre-MIS 12 Bytham River provide a framework for dating occupation to MIS 13 and 15, while during MIS 11, archaeological sites with rich environmental records can be dated to substage level. We suggest there are six chronologically and typologically distinct assemblage types that reflect a series of population incursions into Britain. We review the broader European lithic record, which is consistent with the Cultural Mosaic Model. In developing the model, we suggest that during stable climate, localized cultures developed, while climatic change led to shifts in population, with increased knowledge exchange and gene flow. We suggest that group expression through material culture was an important stage in social development by promoting group cohesion, larger group size, better cooperation, improved knowledge transfer, and enabling populations to survive in larger foraging territories in northern Europe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nick Ashton
- British Museum, Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory, Franks House, 56 Orsman Road, London N1 5QJ, UK.
| | - Rob Davis
- British Museum, Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory, Franks House, 56 Orsman Road, London N1 5QJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Moncel MH, García-Medrano P, Despriée J, Arnaud J, Voinchet P, Bahain JJ. Tracking behavioral persistence and innovations during the Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. Shift in occupations between 700 and 450 ka at la Noira site (Centre, France). J Hum Evol 2021; 156:103009. [PMID: 34049270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Some areas in Western Europe indicate hiatuses in human occupations, which cannot be systematically attributed to taphonomic factors and poor site preservation. The site of la Noira in the center of France records two occupation phases with a significant time gap. The older one is dated to around 700 ka (stratum a) with an Acheulean assemblage, among the earliest in Western Europe, and the upper phase of the sequence (stratum c) is dated to ca. 450 ka. Humans left the area at around 670 ka, at the beginning of the marine isotope stage (MIS) 16 glacial stage, when cold conditions became too severe. No sites between 650 and 450 ka have yet been discovered in the center region despite systematic surveys over the past three decades. The archaeological evidence indicates that populations returned to the area, at the end of MIS 12 or the beginning of the long interglacial MIS 11. Here, we use technological behaviors common to the two levels of la Noira-strata a and c to evaluate their differences. Compared to other key European sequences, this site can be used to address the evolution of the behavioral strategies in Europe between MIS 17 and 11. We formulate two hypotheses concerning the human settlement of this area: (1) local behavioral evolution over time of populations occasionally occupying the region when the climate was favorable or (2) dispersal and arrival of new populations from other areas. The results focus on (1) changes in land-use patterns with the extension of the territory used by hominins in the upper level, (2) the introduction of new core technologies, including some evidence of early Levallois debitage, and (3) more intensive shaping of bifaces and bifacial tools. Results attest that the la Noira archaeological assemblages record similar regional behavioral evolution as observed at a larger scale in Europe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Hélène Moncel
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Paula García-Medrano
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France; Dept. Britain, Europe and Prehistory, British Museum, Frank House, 56 Orsman Road, N1 5QJ, London, UK; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana I Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Departament D'Història I Història de L'Art, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Jackie Despriée
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Julie Arnaud
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France; Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università Degli Studi di Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Pierre Voinchet
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Bahain
- UMR 7194 HNHP, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, IPH 1 Rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Blain HA, Fagoaga A, Ruiz-Sánchez FJ, García-Medrano P, Ollé A, Jiménez-Arenas JM. Coping with arid environments: A critical threshold for human expansion in Europe at the Marine Isotope Stage 12/11 transition? The case of the Iberian Peninsula. J Hum Evol 2021; 153:102950. [PMID: 33676058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Archaeological remains have highlighted the fact that the interglacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 was a threshold from the perspective of hominin evolution in Europe. After the MIS 12 glaciation, considered one of the major climate-driven crises experienced by hominins, the archaeological records show an increasing number of occupations, evidence of new subsistence behaviors, and significant technical innovations. Here, we used statistical and geographic techniques to analyze the amphibian- and reptile-based paleoclimate and habitat reconstructions generated from a large data set of the Iberian Peninsula to (1) investigate if temperature, precipitation, and/or forest cover may have impacted the hominin occupation of the territory during the Early and Middle Pleistocene, (2) propose an 'Iberian' ecological model before and after the MIS 12/11 transition, and (3) evaluate, based on this model, the potential hominin occupation at a European scale. The results indicate the existence of climatic constraints on human settlement related to rainfall and environmental humidity. The Early Pleistocene and the first half of the Middle Pleistocene are dominated by the occupation of relatively humid wooded areas, whereas during the second part of the Middle Pleistocene, a broadening of the earlier ecological niche is clearly observed toward the occupation of more open arid areas. Based on the estimated occupational niche for hominins, a maximum potential distribution for early hominins is proposed in Europe before and after 426 ka. Results also indicate that parts of the Iberian Peninsula may not have been suitable for early hominin occupation. Our ecological model is consistent with the pattern of hominin occupation observed in northern and central Europe, where the earliest evidence reflects only pioneering populations merely extending their ranges in response to the expansion of their preferred habitats, as compared with a more sustained occupation by 400 ka.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hugues-Alexandre Blain
- IPHES-CERCA, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Ana Fagoaga
- IPHES-CERCA, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain; PVC-GIUV (Palaeontology of Cenozoic Vertebrates Research Group), Àrea de Palaeontologia, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, E-46100, Valencia, Spain; Museu Valencià d'Història Natural, L'Hort de Feliu, P.O. Box 8460, E-46018, Alginet, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Ruiz-Sánchez
- PVC-GIUV (Palaeontology of Cenozoic Vertebrates Research Group), Àrea de Palaeontologia, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, E-46100, Valencia, Spain; Museu Valencià d'Història Natural, L'Hort de Feliu, P.O. Box 8460, E-46018, Alginet, Valencia, Spain
| | - Paula García-Medrano
- Département de l'Homme et Environnement - CNRS-UMR 7194, Muséum national d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, 1 rue René Panhard, Paris, 75013, France; Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory, British Museum, Frank House, 56 Orsman Road, N1 5QJ, London, UK
| | - Andreu Ollé
- IPHES-CERCA, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain; Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Jiménez-Arenas
- Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueología, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja C.P, 18011, Granada, Spain; Instituto Universitario de la Paz y los Conflictos, Universidad de Granada, c/Rector López Argüeta s/n, 18011, Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Michel V, Feng X, Shen G, Cauche D, Moncel MH, Gallet S, Gratuze B, Wei J, Ma X, Liu K. First 40Ar/ 39Ar analyses of Australasian tektites in close association with bifacially worked artifacts at Nalai site in Bose Basin, South China: The question of the early Chinese Acheulean. J Hum Evol 2021; 153:102953. [PMID: 33667837 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The recently discovered Nalai site is one of the Bose Basin localities, which is key to studying the earliest bifaces in China. The Nalai site has yielded an abundance of lithic artifacts, including bifaces and tektites in close association. The total fusion 40Ar/39Ar method was applied to four tektites discovered beside and contemporaneous with bifaces in the red laterite sediments of the upper levels of the T4 terrace (layers 4 and 5). Our 40Ar/39Ar data with a weighted mean age of 809 ± 12 ka provide for the first time unequivocal dates for bifacial production at Bose, broadly consistent with the precise Australasian tektite age of 788.1 ± 2.8 ka, recently published by other investigators. The relatively important errors reported here suggest sample contamination by clasts or bubbles for the oldest aliquots and alteration for the younger ones. The lithic assemblage from layers 4 and 5 of the Nalai site is quite similar to that found at other sites in the Bose Basin. The assemblages are dominated by choppers, but bifaces, picks, and unifaces give a Mode 2 and Acheulean-type character to the series. The high frequency of the round tongue-shaped tip, a low elongation index, and a wide and thick base characterize the Large Cutting Tools. These results contribute to resolving ongoing debates on the timing and origin of bifaces and the Acheulean in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Michel
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, CEPAM, 06300, Nice, France; Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, IRD, Géoazur, 06560, Valbonne, France.
| | - Xiaobo Feng
- College of Applied Arts and Science, Beijing Union University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Guanjun Shen
- College of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Dominique Cauche
- Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, HNHP CNRS-MNHN, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Moncel
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Gallet
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, IRD, Géoazur, 06560, Valbonne, France
| | - Bernard Gratuze
- UMR 5060, IRAMAT, CNRS-Université d'Orleans, Centre Ernest-Babelon, 45071, Orleans, France
| | - Jiang Wei
- Museum of Guangxi, Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530022, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaorong Ma
- Youjiang Museum of Nationalities, 533000, Bose, China
| | - Kangti Liu
- Youjiang Museum of Nationalities, 533000, Bose, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Moncel MH, Santagata C, Pereira A, Nomade S, Voinchet P, Bahain JJ, Daujeard C, Curci A, Lemorini C, Hardy B, Eramo G, Berto C, Raynal JP, Arzarello M, Mecozzi B, Iannucci A, Sardella R, Allegretta I, Delluniversità E, Terzano R, Dugas P, Jouanic G, Queffelec A, d'Andrea A, Valentini R, Minucci E, Carpentiero L, Piperno M. The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy). Sci Rep 2020; 10:13802. [PMID: 32796860 PMCID: PMC7429832 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68617-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40Ar/39Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670 ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Hélène Moncel
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Carmen Santagata
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
- PACEA, UMR CNRS 5199, Université de Bordeaux, Bât B2 Allée Geoffroy St Hilaire, 33615, Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Alison Pereira
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
- École Française de Rome, Piazza Farnese, T00186, Rome, Italy
| | - Sébastien Nomade
- CEA Saclay, UMR 8212, UVSQ et Université Paris-Saclay, Orme des Merisiers, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Pierre Voinchet
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Bahain
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Camille Daujeard
- UMR 7194 HNHP (MNHN-CNRS-UPVD), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1 rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Antonio Curci
- Dipartimento di Storia Culture Civiltà, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Lemorini
- LTFAPA Laboratory, Department of Classics, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A.Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giacomo Eramo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra e Geoambientali, Università Degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Claudio Berto
- Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jean-Paul Raynal
- PACEA, UMR CNRS 5199, Université de Bordeaux, Bât B2 Allée Geoffroy St Hilaire, 33615, Pessac Cedex, France
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marta Arzarello
- Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università Degli Studi di Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Beniamino Mecozzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Iannucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Sardella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Ignazio Allegretta
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, Della Pianta e Degli Alimenti, Università Degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Emanuela Delluniversità
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra e Geoambientali, Università Degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Terzano
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, Della Pianta e Degli Alimenti, Università Degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Pauline Dugas
- PACEA, UMR CNRS 5199, Université de Bordeaux, Bât B2 Allée Geoffroy St Hilaire, 33615, Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Gwenolé Jouanic
- Laboratoire Chrono Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche Comté, 16 route de Gray, 25030, Besançon Cedex, France
| | - Alain Queffelec
- PACEA-Transfert Sédimentologie & Matériaux, 162 Avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, AderaPessac, France
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
de Lombera-Hermida A, Rodríguez-Álvarez XP, Mosquera M, Ollé A, García-Medrano P, Pedergnana A, Terradillos-Bernal M, López-Ortega E, Bargalló A, Rodríguez-Hidalgo A, Saladié P, Bermúdez de Castro JM, Carbonell E. The dawn of the Middle Paleolithic in Atapuerca: the lithic assemblage of TD10.1 from Gran Dolina. J Hum Evol 2020; 145:102812. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
19
|
Iannucci A, Gasparik M, Sardella R. First report of Sus strozzii (Suidae, Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Hungary (Dunaalmás) and species distinction based on deciduous teeth. Naturwissenschaften 2019; 107:5. [PMID: 31858266 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1661-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Herein we describe a fragment of a mandible with a deciduous fourth premolar (dp4) from the Early Pleistocene locality of Dunaalmás, representing the first confirmed report of Sus strozzii from Hungary. The comparison of dp4 measurements supports a statistically significant distinction between S. strozzii and Sus scrofa. The two species overlap in time during the late Early Pleistocene of Europe (Epivillafranchian), but suid remains of this time-span are seldom classified at a species level. The correct taxonomic identification of the Epivillafranchian suids, which are often associated with evidences of hominin presence, is of great palaeoenvironmental value because S. scrofa and S. strozzii possess different ecological requirements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Iannucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, PaleoFactory, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome, I-00185, Italy.
| | - Mihály Gasparik
- Department of Palaeontology and Geology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Ludovika tér 2-6, Budapest, H-1083, Hungary
| | - Raffaele Sardella
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, PaleoFactory, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome, I-00185, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
The shift from typical Western European Late Acheulian to microproduction in unit ‘D’ of the late Middle Pleistocene deposits of the Caune de l’Arago (Pyrénées-Orientales, France). J Hum Evol 2019; 135:102650. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
21
|
Moncel MH, Santagata C, Pereira A, Nomade S, Bahain JJ, Voinchet P, Piperno M. A biface production older than 600 ka ago at Notarchirico (Southern Italy) contribution to understanding early Acheulean cognition and skills in Europe. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218591. [PMID: 31557192 PMCID: PMC6762110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
For the past decade, debates on the earliest evidence of bifacial shaping in Western Europe have focused on several key issues, such as its origin (i.e., local or introduced), or on what should define the Acheulean culture. Whatever hypotheses are proposed for its origin, the onset and technological strategies for making Large Cutting Tools (LCTs), including biface production, are key issues and are often associated with other behavioural changes, such as increased core technology complexity. Current archaeological patterns do not support the existence of transitional industries. Rather, the scant evidence suggests that biface production associated with the management of bifacial volume was widespread around 700 ka. Among the earliest sites, the site of Notarchirico in Southern Italy stands out as one of the most significant examples. 40Ar/39Ar ages and ESR dates recently provided a revised chronology for the whole sedimentary sequence and constrained the archaeological levels between ca. 610 and 670 ka. Five archaeosurfaces (A, A1, B, D and F) yielded LCTs, including bifaces, during Marcello Piperno's excavations from 1980 to 1995. In light of this new chronological framework, which is much shorter than previously thought, we propose in this contribution a revision of the bifaces by applying the "chaine opératoire" method for the first time (analysis of reduction processes). Our goals are to assess biface production in this early Western European locality and to characterize the strategies applied at the site throughout the sequence. A corpus of 32 tools was selected from the A-A1, B, D and F archaeosurfaces. The technological analysis shows that hominins had the capacity to manage bifacial volumes, when raw material quality was adequate. Clear differences do not emerge between the different levels in terms of shaping modes or final forms. However, we demonstrate that the oldest level (level F), with the richest corpus, lacks flint and displays a higher diversity of bifaces. This ability to manage bifacial and bilateral equilibrium, as well as the diversity of the morphological results, is observed in a few penecontemporaneous sites (700-600 ka), both in the north-western and southern parts of Western Europe. These patterns suggest that hominins mastered well-controlled and diversified biface production, combining intense shaping and minimal shaping, and shared a common technological background regardless of the geographical area, and applied this technology regardless of the available raw materials. The degree of skill complexity of hominins in Western Europe between 700 and 600 ka, the current lack of evidence suggesting "gradual industries" between core-and-flake series and Acheulean techno-complexes, raise numerous questions on the origin of new behaviours in Western Europe, their mode of diffusion, and their association with Homo heidelbergensis or other Middle Pleistocene populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alison Pereira
- UMR 7194 HNHP, National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France
- Ecole française de Rome, Piazza Farnese, Roma, Italy
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de L’Environnement, UMR 8212, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvellet, France
| | - Sébastien Nomade
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de L’Environnement, UMR 8212, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvellet, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Pierre Voinchet
- UMR 7194 HNHP, National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
The earliest evidence of Acheulian occupation in Northwest Europe and the rediscovery of the Moulin Quignon site, Somme valley, France. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13091. [PMID: 31511611 PMCID: PMC6739401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49400-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The dispersal of hominin groups with an Acheulian technology and associated bifacial tools into northern latitudes is central to the debate over the timing of the oldest human occupation of Europe. New evidence resulting from the rediscovery and the dating of the historic site of Moulin Quignon demonstrates that the first Acheulian occupation north of 50°N occurred around 670–650 ka ago. The new archaeological assemblage was discovered in a sequence of fluvial sands and gravels overlying the chalk bedrock at a relative height of 40 m above the present-day maximal incision of the Somme River and dated by ESR on quartz to early MIS 16. More than 260 flint artefacts were recovered, including large flakes, cores and five bifaces. This discovery pushes back the age of the oldest Acheulian occupation of north-western Europe by more than 100 ka and bridges the gap between the archaeological records of northern France and England. It also challenges hominin dispersal models in Europe showing that hominins using bifacial technology, such as Homo heidelbergensis, were probably able to overcome cold climate conditions as early as 670–650 ka ago and reasserts the importance of the Somme valley, where Prehistory was born at the end of the 19th century.
Collapse
|
23
|
Méndez-Quintas E, Santonja M, Pérez-González A, Duval M, Demuro M, Arnold LJ. First evidence of an extensive Acheulean large cutting tool accumulation in Europe from Porto Maior (Galicia, Spain). Sci Rep 2018; 8:3082. [PMID: 29449566 PMCID: PMC5814561 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21320-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a European Acheulean site characterised by an extensive accumulation of large cutting tools (LCT). This type of Lower Paleolithic assemblage, with dense LCT accumulations, has only been found on the African continent and in the Near East until now. The identification of a site with large accumulations of LCTs favours the hypothesis of an African origin for the Acheulean of Southwest Europe. The lithic tool-bearing deposits date back to 293–205 thousand years ago. Our chronological findings confirm temporal overlap between sites with clear “African” Acheulean affinities and Early Middle Paleolithic sites found elsewhere in the region. These complex technological patterns could be consistent with the potential coexistence of different human species in south-western Europe during the Middle Pleistocene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Méndez-Quintas
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Paseo de Atapuerca, 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain. .,Escuela Interuniversitaria de Posgrado en Evolución Humana, Universidad de Burgos, Juan de Austria 1, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
| | - M Santonja
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Paseo de Atapuerca, 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain
| | - A Pérez-González
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Paseo de Atapuerca, 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain
| | - M Duval
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution. Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - M Demuro
- School of Physical Sciences, Environment Institute, and Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), University of Adelaide, North Terrace Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - L J Arnold
- School of Physical Sciences, Environment Institute, and Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), University of Adelaide, North Terrace Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Mosquera M, Ollé A, Rodríguez-Álvarez XP, Carbonell E. Shedding light on the Early Pleistocene of TD6 (Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain): The technological sequence and occupational inferences. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190889. [PMID: 29370188 PMCID: PMC5784927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper aims to update the information available on the lithic assemblage from the entire sequence of TD6 now that the most recent excavations have been completed, and to explore possible changes in both occupational patterns and technological strategies evidenced in the unit. This is the first study to analyse the entire TD6 sequence, including subunits TD6.3 and TD6.1, which have never been studied, along with the better-known TD6.2 Homo antecessor-bearing subunit. We also present an analysis of several lithic refits found in TD6, as well as certain technical features that may help characterise the hominin occupations. The archaeo-palaeontological record from TD6 consists of 9,452 faunal remains, 443 coprolites, 1,046 lithic pieces, 170 hominin remains and 91 Celtis seeds. The characteristics of this record seem to indicate two main stages of occupation. In the oldest subunit, TD6.3, the lithic assemblage points to the light and limited hominin occupation of the cave, which does, however, grow over the course of the level. In contrast, the lithic assemblages from TD6.2 and TD6.1 are rich and varied, which may reflect Gran Dolina cave’s establishment as a landmark in the region. Despite the occupational differences between the lowermost subunit and the rest of the deposit, technologically the TD6 lithic assemblage is extremely homogeneous throughout. In addition, the composition and spatial distribution of the 12 groups of lithic refits found in unit TD6, as well as the in situ nature of the assemblage demonstrate the high degree of preservation at the site. This may help clarify the nature of the Early Pleistocene hominin occupations of TD6, and raise reasonable doubt about the latest interpretations that support the ex situ character of the assemblage as a whole.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mosquera
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, Tarragona, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), Tarragona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Andreu Ollé
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, Tarragona, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), Tarragona, Spain
| | - Xose Pedro Rodríguez-Álvarez
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, Tarragona, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), Tarragona, Spain
| | - Eudald Carbonell
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, Tarragona, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Zona Educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), Tarragona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Moncel MH, Ashton N. From 800 to 500 ka in Western Europe. The Oldest Evidence of Acheuleans in Their Technological, Chronological, and Geographical Framework. VERTEBRATE PALEOBIOLOGY AND PALEOANTHROPOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75985-2_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
26
|
de la Torre I. The origins of the Acheulean: past and present perspectives on a major transition in human evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0245. [PMID: 27298475 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Acheulean from the earlier Oldowan constitutes a major transition in human evolution, the theme of this special issue. This paper discusses the evidence for the origins of the Acheulean, a cornerstone in the history of human technology, from two perspectives; firstly, a review of the history of investigations on Acheulean research is presented. This approach introduces the evolution of theories throughout the development of the discipline, and reviews the way in which cumulative knowledge led to the prevalent explanatory framework for the emergence of the Acheulean. The second part presents the current state of the art in Acheulean origins research, and reviews the hard evidence for the appearance of this technology in Africa around 1.7 Ma, and its significance for the evolutionary history of Homo erectusThis article is part of the themed issue 'Major transitions in human evolution'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio de la Torre
- Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
New dating evidence of the early presence of hominins in Southern Europe. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10074. [PMID: 28855634 PMCID: PMC5577296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10178-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The first “Out of Africa” migrations represent a seminal event in the history of humankind. At the gates of Europe, the first appearance of Hominins is recorded in Georgia, 1.8 million years ago (Ma); however, the picture of migration across the continent remains incomplete. Vallonnet Cave (France) is a Lower Paleolithic prehistoric site with traces of hominin activities including lithic remains and cut-marks on mammal bones. Here, we apply the uranium-lead (U-Pb) methods to two flowstones to date the intervening archaeological levels. The U-Pb data, coupled with paleomagnetic constraints, provide an age range from 1.2 to 1.1 Ma. The results conclusively demonstrate that Vallonnet Cave is one of the oldest European prehistoric sites in France with early hominin occupations associated with an Epivillafranchian fauna. Combined with data from other archaeological sites, the new precise chronology suggests a widespread occupation the Northern Mediterranean to Southwestern Europe at ~1.2 Ma.
Collapse
|
28
|
Iovita R, Tuvi-Arad I, Moncel MH, Despriée J, Voinchet P, Bahain JJ. High handaxe symmetry at the beginning of the European Acheulian: The data from la Noira (France) in context. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177063. [PMID: 28520745 PMCID: PMC5435177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, new discoveries have pushed the beginning of the biface-rich European Acheulian from 500 thousand years (ka) ago back to at least 700 ka, and possibly to 1 million years (Ma) ago. It remains, however, unclear to date if handaxes arrived in Europe as a fully developed technology or if they evolved locally from core-and-flake industries. This issue is also linked with another long-standing debate on the existence and behavioral, cognitive, and social meaning of a possibly chronological trend for increased handaxe symmetry throughout the Lower Paleolithic. The newly discovered sites can provide a link between the much older Acheulian in Africa and the Levant and the well-known assemblages from the later European Acheulian, enabling a rigorous testing of these hypotheses using modern morphometric methods. Here we use the Continuous Symmetry Measure (CSM) method to quantify handaxe symmetry at la Noira, a newly excavated site in central France, which features two archaeological levels, respectively ca. 700 ka and 500 ka old. In order to provide a context for the new data, we use a large aggregate from the well-known 500 ka old site of Boxgrove, England. We show that handaxes from the oldest layer at la Noira, although on average less symmetric than both those from the younger layers at the same site and than those from Boxgrove, are nevertheless much more symmetric than other early Acheulian specimens evaluated using the CSM method. We also correlate trends in symmetry to degree of reduction, demonstrating that raw material availability and discard patterns may affect observed symmetry values. We conclude that it is likely that, by the time the Acheulian arrived in Europe, its makers were, from a cognitive and motor-control point of view, already capable of producing the symmetric variant of this technology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Radu Iovita
- MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Archäologie, Neuwied, Germany
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Inbal Tuvi-Arad
- Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel
| | - Marie-Hélène Moncel
- Département de Préhistoire-UMR 7194 CNRS, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Jackie Despriée
- Département de Préhistoire-UMR 7194 CNRS, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Voinchet
- Département de Préhistoire-UMR 7194 CNRS, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Bahain
- Département de Préhistoire-UMR 7194 CNRS, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Aureli D, Contardi A, Giaccio B, Jicha B, Lemorini C, Madonna S, Magri D, Marano F, Milli S, Modesti V, Palombo MR, Rocca R. Palaeoloxodon and human interaction: depositional setting, chronology and archaeology at the Middle Pleistocene Ficoncella site (Tarquinia, Italy). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124498. [PMID: 25898322 PMCID: PMC4405345 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ficoncella site in northern Latium (Italy) represents a unique opportunity to investigate the modalities of a short occupation in an alluvial setting during the Lower Palaeolithic. The small excavation area yielded a lithic assemblage, a carcass of Palaeoloxodon antiquus, and some other faunal remains. The main objectives of the study are to better characterize the depositional context where the Palaeoloxodon and the lithic assemblage occur, and to evaluate with greater precision the occupation dynamics. A 25 m-long well was drilled just above the top of the terrace of the Ficoncella site and faunal and lithic remains were analyzed with current and innovative techniques. The archaeological site contains floodplain deposits as it is located next to a small incised valley that feeds into a larger valley of the Mignone River. A tephra layer capping the site is 40Ar/39Ar dated to 441± 8 ka. Collectively, the geochronologic, tephrochronologic and geologic data, suggest the site was occupied during MIS 13. The new results should prompt further research at Ficoncella in order to improve our understanding of the dynamics of human settlement in Europe during the Early to Middle Pleistocene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Aureli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, della Terra e dell'Ambiente, U.R. Preistoria e Antropologia, Università di Siena, Via Laterina 8, 53100, Siena, Italy
- UMR 7041- ArScAn équipe AnTET, 21 allée de l’Université F-92023, Nanterre, Paris, France
| | - Antonio Contardi
- Museo Civico A. Klitsche De la Grange, Palazzo Camerale, Piazza della Repubblica, 29, 00051, Allumiere, Roma, Italy
| | - Biagio Giaccio
- Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, CNR, Via Salaria km 29,300, 00016, Monterotondo Stazione, Roma, Italy
| | - Brian Jicha
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Cristina Lemorini
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità, SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Sergio Madonna
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Agricoltura, le Foreste, la Natura e l’Energia, Università di Viterbo, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Donatella Magri
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Federica Marano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Salvatore Milli
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Valerio Modesti
- Museo Civico A. Klitsche De la Grange, Palazzo Camerale, Piazza della Repubblica, 29, 00051, Allumiere, Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Palombo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Roxane Rocca
- UMR 7041- ArScAn équipe AnTET, 21 allée de l’Université F-92023, Nanterre, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|