New Palaeolithic sites from the Depresión de Monforte de Lemos (Lugo, Galicia, Spain)

Este artículo presenta el descubrimiento de nuevos yacimientos paleolíticos en la Depresión de Monforte de Lemos (Noroeste de la Península Ibérica). Esta zona fue rellenada con depósitos cuaternarios que han proporcionado más de 30 yacimientos al aire libre. Como consecuencia del descubrimiento casual de artefactos paleolíticos, se ha desarrollado un proyecto de intervención arqueológica sistemática, que ha demostrado el potencial de esta área. Muchos de los artefactos líticos han sido hallados en superficie, pero además contamos con dos yacimientos que tienen materiales en contexto estratigráfico (O Regueiral y Áspera). En la Depresión de Monforte hemos atestiguado poblamiento humano a lo largo del Pleistoceno medio y superior, con implementos líticos clasificados como Modo 2, Modo 3 y Modo 4. Los yacimientos más importantes son As Lamas, Chao de Fabeiro (ambos con industria lítica de Modo 2, que incluye bifaces y hendedores), O Regueiral (Modo 3) y Valverde (Modo 4). Por consiguiente, la Depresión de Monforte reúne las condiciones apropiadas para el desarrollo de un estudio diacrónico sobre la evolución del comportamiento técnico durante el Paleolítico, y su relación con la evolución del medioambiente a lo largo del PleistocenoThis paper reports the discovery of new Paleolithic sites in the Depresión de Monforte de Lemos (Monforte Basin, NW of the Iberian Peninsula). This zone was filled with Quaternary deposits that have yielded 30 open air sites. Due to the casual discovery of Paleolithic artifacts a systematic archaeological work was carried out, assessing the archaeological potential of this area. Most of these lithic artifacts were found on surface, but also we have located two sites with archaeological materials in stratigraphic context (O Regueiral and Áspera). In the basin of Monforte we have recognized a human settlement along the Middle and Upper Pleistocene, with lithic implements classified as Mode 2, Mode 3 and Mode 4. The most important sites are As Lamas, Chao de Fabeiro (both with Mode 2 lithic industry, that includes handaxes and cleavers), O Regueiral (Mode 3), and Valverde (Mode 4). Thus the Monforte Basin has the adequate conditions to accomplish a diachronic study on the evolution of the strategies of technical behavior during the Paleolithic, and its relation with the evolution of Pleistocene environmentEste trabajo se enmarca en el proyecto de investigación “Ocupaciones humanas durante el Pleistoceno de la Cuenca media del Miño” financiado por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia y fondos FEDER de la UE (HUM2007-63662/HIST)S

Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) as a Promising Technology for the Development of High-Performance Coatings on Cast Al-Si Alloys: A Review

Cast Al-Si alloys, recognized for their excellent mechanical properties, constitute one of the most widely employed non-ferrous substrates in several sectors, and are particularly relevant in the transport industry. Nevertheless, these alloys also display inherent limitations that significantly restrict their use in several applications. Among these limitations, their low hardness, low wear resistance, or limited anti-corrosion properties, which are often not enough when the component is subjected to more severe environments, are particularly relevant. In this context, surface modification and the development of coatings are essential for the application of cast Al-Si alloys. This review focuses on the development of coatings to overcome the complexities associated with improving the performance of cast Al-Si alloys. Against this background, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), an advanced electrochemical treatment that has revolutionized the surface modification of several metallic alloys in recent years, emerges as a promising approach. Despite the growing recognition of PEO technology, the achievement of high-performance coatings on cast Al-Si is still a challenge nowadays, for which reason this review aims to provide an overview of the PEO treatment applied to these alloys. In particular, the impact of the electrolyte chemical composition on the properties of the coatings obtained on different alloys exposed to harsh environments has been analyzed and discussed. By addressing the existing gaps and challenges, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the intricacies associated with the development of robust PEO coatings on cast Al-Si alloys.The authors would like to acknowledge the Department of Education, Linguistic Policy and Culture of the Basque Government for its support through the grant “Programa Predoctoral de Formación de Personal Investigador No Doctor (2022–2023)” awarded to the first author

Ocupacións prehistóricas e históricas nas cavidades das serras orientais galegas: Cova de Eirós (Triacastela) e Valdavara (Becerreá)

The karstic cavities of NW Iberia allow an optimal preservation of the archaeological record which helps resolving those problems identified in the open-air sites. In this sense, the recovery of faunal remains, bone industry, hearths, etc. in the caves at the Eastern Ranges of NW Iberia give us much information about the cultural and social spheres of the Prehistoric societies. Several radiocarbon dates obtained in these archaeological contexts allow us to know the the changes in the use of the caves along Prehistoric and Historic times in NWIberia.As cavidades cársticas do NW peninsular ofrecen unhas condicións de preservación do rexistro arqueolóxico que solventan as deficiencias documentadas nos xacementos ó aire libre. Neste senso, a descuberta de novos materiais como restos faunísticos, industria ósea, fogares, etc. nas cavidades das Serras Orientais están a completar moitas esferas do estudio das sociedades prehistóricas. As numerosas datacións obtidas nestes contextos permiten coñecer a evolución no uso destes hábitats ó longo da Prehistoriae Historia Antiga do NW peninsular