Nobody’s land? The oldest evidence of early Upper Paleolithic settlements in inland Iberia

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10(26)

Published: June 26, 2024

The Iberian Peninsula is a key region for unraveling human settlement histories of Eurasia during the period spanning decline Neandertals and emergence anatomically modern humans (AMH). There no evidence occupation in central Iberia after disappearance ~42,000 years ago until approximately 26,000 ago, rendering "nobody's land" Aurignacian period. Abrigo de la Malia provides irrefutable settlements dating back to 36,200 31,760 calibrated before present (cal B.P.) This site also records additional levels around 32,420 26,260 cal B.P., suggesting repeated this territory. Our multiproxy examination identifies change climate trending toward colder more arid conditions. However, climatic deterioration does not appear have affected AMH subsistence strategies or their capacity inhabit region. These findings reveal ability groups colonize regions hitherto considered uninhabitable, reopening debate on early Upper Paleolithic population dynamics southwestern Europe.

Language: Английский

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What Neanderthals and AMH ate: reassessment of the subsistence across the Middle–Upper Palaeolithic transition in the Vasco‐Cantabrian region of SW Europe

Journal of Quaternary Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 37(2), P. 320 - 334

Published: May 19, 2021

ABSTRACT Recent research in northern Spain has revealed the disappearance of Neanderthal populations Vasco‐Cantabrian region a few millennia earlier than eastern and southern Iberia discovered short period overlap with modern humans, at least, terms radiocarbon dates. However, causes decline understood as regional temporal process remain open. Despite abundance technological studies, modern‐quality chronological dating, availability archaeofaunal palaeoenvironmental data, there is lack consensus about how climatic environmental conditions could have affected ungulate prey and, therefore, subsistence strategies. In this paper, an analytical summary taphonomic data available for region, combined most recent evidence, present general knowledge animal biogeography ecology during Middle–Upper Palaeolithic transition, provides interpretation behaviour both human species region. This work reviews palaeomammal community animals represented record exploited by groups several caves rock shelters pointing to continuing lacunae knowledge. Further needed verify potentially explain apparent hominin population gap ultimate fate Neanderthals.

Language: Английский

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A pre-Campanian Ignimbrite techno-cultural shift in the Aurignacian sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: June 4, 2024

Abstract The Aurignacian is the first European technocomplex assigned to Homo sapiens recognized across a wide geographic extent. Although archaeologists have identified marked chrono-cultural shifts within mostly by examining techno-typological variations of stone and osseous tools, unraveling underlying processes driving these changes remains significant scientific challenge. Scholars have, for instance, hypothesized that Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) super-eruption climatic deterioration associated with onset Heinrich Event 4 had substantial impact on foraging groups. technological shift from Protoaurignacian Early regarded as an archaeological manifestation adaptation changing environments. However, some most crucial regions stratigraphic sequences testing scenarios been overlooked. In this study, we delve into high-resolution sequence Grotta di Castelcivita in southern Italy. Here, Uluzzian followed three layers, sealed eruptive units CI. Employing comprehensive range quantitative methods—encompassing attribute analysis, 3D model geometric morphometrics—we demonstrate key feature commonly developed well before deposition CI tephra. Our study provides thus direct evidence volcanic played no role cultural process. Furthermore, show local paleo-environmental proxies do not correlate patterns continuity discontinuity. Consequently, propose alternative research paths explore demography regional trajectories development Upper Paleolithic.

Language: Английский

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A Data-Driven Paradigm Shift for the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic Transition and the Neandertal Debate

Quaternary Environments and Humans, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2(6), P. 100037 - 100037

Published: Nov. 6, 2024

Language: Английский

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A revised, Last Interglacial chronology for the Middle Palaeolithic sequence of Gruta da Oliveira (Almonda karst system, Torres Novas, Portugal)

Quaternary Science Reviews, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 258, P. 106885 - 106885

Published: March 18, 2021

Based on previous radiocarbon and U-series (Diffusion/Adsorption) dating of bone samples, the Middle Palaeolithic has been thought to persist at Gruta da Oliveira until ∼37 thousand years (ka) ago. New ages for stratigraphically constraining speleothems, coupled with new luminescence sediment infill, show that site's ∼6 m-thick archaeological stratigraphy dates entirely within a <30 ka interval spanning substages 5a-5b Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. Significant technological change is observed across sequence, akin seen in Upper over similar timescales. Flake-cleavers bifaces, normatively definitional Vasconian facies, are restricted short correlated Greenland Stadial (GS) 22, 85.1–87.6 In cave rock-shelter sites southern western Iberia, intact deposits securely dated ∼37–42 remain elusive. Geological dynamics (e.g., erosion, sedimentation hiatuses, palimpsest formation) human adaptive responses climate-driven environmental abandonment now forest-covered low- mid-altitude karst areas, concentration settlement alluvial plains coastal settings) possible explanations this pattern.

Language: Английский

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A Darwinian Survival Guide

The MIT Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 6, 2024

How humanity brought about the climate crisis by departing from its evolutionary trajectory 15,000 years ago—and how we can use principles to save ourselves worst outcomes. Despite efforts sustain civilization, faces existential threats overpopulation, globalized trade and travel, urbanization, global change. In A Darwinian Survival Guide, Daniel Brooks Salvatore Agosta offer a novel—and hopeful—perspective on meet these tremendous challenges changing discourse sustainability survival. evolution, world's only theory of survival, is means which biosphere has persisted renewed itself following past environmental perturbations, it never failed, they explain. Even in aftermath mass extinctions, enough survivors remain with potential produce new diversified biosphere. Drawing their expertise as field biologists, trace path early days humans through Late Pleistocene beginning Anthropocene all way Great Acceleration technological around 1950, demonstrating our creative capacities have allowed survive. However, constant conflict without resolution made not unsustainable, but unsurvivable. Guided four laws biotics, authors explain should interact rest each other accordance principles. They reveal middle ground between apocalypse utopia, two options: alter behavior now at great expense extend civilization or fail act rebuild those same If take latter, then immediate goal ought focus preserving many humanity's positive achievements—from high technology art—as possible shorten time needed rebuild.

Language: Английский

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Anatomically modern human dispersals into Europe during MIS 3: Climate stability, paleogeography and habitat suitability

Quaternary Science Reviews, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 330, P. 108596 - 108596

Published: March 12, 2024

Language: Английский

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Iberian Neanderthals in forests and savannahs

Journal of Quaternary Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 37(2), P. 335 - 362

Published: July 28, 2021

Abstract This article aims to delve into the reality of glacial refuges forests and tree species (including conifers, mesothermophilous angiosperms xerothermic scrub) during cold dry phases Iberian Pleistocene in which there is evidence occupation Middle Palaeolithic people. The research framework focuses on eastern sector Peninsula due physiographic, palaeobotanical archaeological peculiarities, substantiated by recent studies. We contend that some Neanderthal occupations developed context high geobiological complexity, biological diversity highly structured forest ecosystems. highlight importance as local anomalies that, however, would be contingent vegetational development, survival groups areas with a broad natural resources.

Language: Английский

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Deep History, Climate Change, and the Evolution of Human Culture

Published: Aug. 24, 2022

This Element follows the development of humans in constantly changing climates and environments from Homo erectus 1.9 million years ago, to fully modern who moved out Africa Europe Asia 70,000 ago. Biosemiotics reveals meaningful communication among coevolving members intricately connected life forms on this dynamic planet. Within web hominins developed culture bipedalism meat-eating use fire, stone tools, clothing, allowing wide migrations adaptations. Archaeology ancient DNA analysis show how overlapped with Neanderthals Denisovans before emerging as sole survivors genus 35,000 Their visions world appear magnificent cave paintings bone sculptures animals, then more recently written narratives like Gilgamesh epic Euripides' Bacchae whose images still haunt us anxieties about human efforts control natural world.

Language: Английский

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Wandering of the auroral oval 41,000 years ago

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 11(16)

Published: April 16, 2025

In the recent geological past, Earth’s magnetic field reduced to ~10% of modern values and poles shifted away from geographic poles, causing Laschamps geomagnetic excursion, about 41 millennia ago. The excursion lasted ~2000 years, with dipole strength reduction tilting spanning 300 years. During this period, field’s multipolarity resembled outer planets, rapid magnetospheric changes. To our knowledge, study presents first space plasma analysis linking field, system, upper atmosphere in sequence using feedback channels for distinct temporal epochs. A three-dimensional reconstruction geospace system shows that these shifts affected auroral regions open lines, them expand wander toward lower latitudes. These changes likely altered atmosphere’s composition influenced anthropological progress during era. Looking through a lens, such an event would disrupt contemporary technology, including communications satellite infrastructure.

Language: Английский

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