Late Pleistocene Neanderthal exploitation of stable and mosaic ecosystems in northern Iberia shown by multi-isotope evidence

The carbon, nitrogen and sulphur stable isotope analyses and the stable isotope analyses of bioapatite carbonates were funded as part of the ABRUPT project (HAR2017-84997-P) funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the SUBSILIENCE project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 818299—ERC-2018-Consolidator), both awarded to ABM-A. SP was supported by the Max Planck Society and the University of Aberdeen during the time of this project, and the oxygen isotope analysis of bioapatite phosphates was funded by the Max Planck Society. Access to the archaeological collections was granted by the Museo de Arqueología de Bizkaia (Basque Government), and initial sampling for carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was achieved by Hazel Reade funded by the FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG- 322112 project) and ABM-A. We appreciate Joseba Rios-Garaizar's advice about Axlor stratigraphy during the sampling process. We thank Ignacio Valera (IBBTEC, University of Cantabria) for kindly allowing the use of his laboratory facilities for collagen extraction. We thank Carlos Revilla Gómez (IBBTEC, University of Cantabria) for laboratory assistance during collagen extraction. Thanks are also due to Manuel Trost (MPI-EVA) for assistance during silver phosphate preparation and to Sven Steinbrenner for assistance with TC/EA-IRMS. KB is supported by a Philip Leverhulme Prize from the Leverhulme Trust (PLP-2019-284).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Ecological evolution in northern Iberia (SW Europe) during the Late Pleistocene through isotopic analysis on ungulate teeth.

During the Late Pleistocene, stadial and interstadial fluctuations affected vegetation, fauna, and human groups that were forced to cope with these pronounced climatic and environmental changes in time and space. These changes were especially abrupt during the Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3. However, little is still known about the local and regional climatic conditions experienced by hominins in Europe. Here we reconstruct the climatic trends in northern Iberia considering the stable isotopic composition of ungulate skeletal tissues found in archaeological deposits dated between 80 to 15,000 cal BP. The carbon and oxygen isotopic composition preserved in the carbonate fraction of tooth enamel provides a reliable and high-resolution proxy of the food and water consumed by these animals, which is indirectly related to the local vegetation, environment, and climate, allowing us to estimate paleotemperatures and rainfall data. This study presents 44 bovine, equid, and cervid teeth from five archaeological sites in the Vasco-Cantabrian region (El Castillo, El Otero, Axlor, Labeko Koba, Aitzbitarte III) and one in the Mediterranean area (Canyars), where human evidence is attested from the Mousterian to the Magdalenian. The carbon isotope values reflect animals feeding on C3 plants with a mix-feeder diet mainly developed in open environments. However, carbon isotope value ranges point to differentiated ecological niches for equids and bovines, especially during the Aurignacian in the Vasco-Cantabrian region. Temperature estimations based on oxygen isotopic compositions and rainfall obtained from carbon isotopic compositions indicate colder and more arid conditions than nowadays from the Late Mousterian to the Aurignacian. The contemporary Mediterranean site shows slightly lower temperatures related to an arid period when animals mainly graze in open landscapes. In the Vasco-Cantabrian region, during the MIS2, the Gravettian data reflect a landscape opening, whereas the Magdalenian point to warmer conditions but still arid

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC), S

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC),

Research in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory in the International Institute for Prehistoric Research (IIIPC) - University of Cantabria

RESUMEN: Cantabria se caracteriza por ser una región especialmente rica en yacimientos de época prehistórica. En ellos, se han podido recuperar múltiples evidencias que, con la aplicación de las técnicas metodológicas adecuadas, permiten reconstruir los modos de vida de los grupos humanos del pasado, la explotación que realizaban del medio, su tipo de dieta, su movilidad, así como el tipo de clima y medioambiente en que habitaron, entre otros aspectos. Una de las líneas de investigación más novedosas desarrollada en la región es la Bioarqueología, entendida como el estudio y análisis de restos biológicos procedentes de yacimientos arqueológicos. En este artículo se muestran las diferentes colecciones de referencia de materiales bioarqueológicos que alberga el Laboratorio de Bioarqueología del Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (Universidad de Cantabria), así como las investigaciones desarrolladas en dicha institución sobre esta temática en los últimos años.ABSTRACT: Cantabria is a region characterised as especially rich in prehistoric archaeological sites. These sites can be investigated using stateof- the art methodologies, making it possible to reconstruct the way of life of humans in the past, answering questions about diet and mobility, and what the climate and environment was like, amongst other things. One of these newly-developed lines of research in the region is bioarchaeology, which is the study and analysis of biological remains recovered from archaeological sites. This article introduces the different bioarchaeological reference collection materials housed in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory at the International Institute of Prehistoric Research in Cantabria (University of Cantabria), as well as the bioarchaeological research that has been carried out within the institution in the last few years.La investigación llevada a cabo por el grupo de investigadores del Laboratorio de Bioarqueología ha sido posible gracias a diversas fuentes de financiación españolas y europeas. En primer lugar, a título personal señalar las siguientes ayudas: Programa Ramon y Cajal a ABMA (RYC-2011-00695), Programa Juan de la Cierva a IGZ (JCI-2012-12094) y DCS (IJCI- 2014-20590), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship a JJ (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014-Ref. 656122), Becas Predoctorales FPI a JMG (BES-2013-063309) y RSR (BES-2014-070075), AH (BES-2015-075176), Predoctorales UC a ILD y AGE y Técnicos de Apoyo I+D a LAP (PTA2013-8401-I). En segundo lugar, parte de estas investigaciones forma o ha formado parte de los siguientes proyectos de investigación financiados por la Comisión Europea (FP7-PEOPLE- 2012-CIG (322112), la British Academy y The Royal Society (Newton International Fellowship NF100413), y el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (HAR2008-06477-C03-00/HIST; HAR2010- 22115-C02-01; HAR2011-29907-C03-00; HAR2012- 33956; HAR2013-46802-P; HAR2014-51830-P). Por último, queremos agradecer el acceso a los fondos de museos como los depositados en el Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria (MUPAC), el Museo de Altamira, Centro de Patrimonio Cultural Mueble de Gipuzkoa (Gordailua), Museo Arqueológico de Asturias, Grupo de Ingeniería Fotónica de la Universidad de Cantabria, Laboratorio de la División de Ciencia e Ingeniería de los Materiales de la Universidad de Cantabria (LADICIM) e Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria

Human Ecodynamics in the Late Upper Pleistocene of Northern Spain: An Archeozoological Study of Ungulate Remains from the Lower Magdalenian and other Periods in El Mirón Cave (Cantabria)

ABSTRACT: In this dissertation, changes in human economic strategies and their relationship to climate, demography, and social factors are evaluated based on a throughout archeozoological analysis of the macro-mammal assemblages from El Mirón Cave (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria, Spain) dating between 48,000, and 14,500 uncal. BP. Dominated by the ungulates red deer and Spanish ibex, the more than 200,000 faunal remains analyzed with classic and latest methods allow studying the foraging economic behavior in its contexts. This investigation emphasizes the local environmental conditions (by stable isotopes on ungulate teeth, phytoliths in ungulate dental calculus and chemical bone surface staining) and resource exploitation strategies (by archeozoological and taphonomic means to reveal diet breadth and butchering processes) through time and space. Further taphonomic-spatial studies provide the specific sequences of chaînes opératoires of animal exploitation, demonstrating multifaceted alterations of economic components by the inhabitants of the El Mirón Cave. The El Mirón results combined with a meta-analysis of published late Middle and Upper Paleolithic (mainly the Magdalenian period) faunal studies from the Cantabrian region provides a substantial corpus of detailed archeozoological data from one of the most important Stone Age sites, excavated with modern methods, in this region in recent decades.This research would have not been possible without the initiative financial support of a one-year contract within the EUROREFUGIA project funded by the European Commission (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG: 322112) and a four-year PhD grant (Ref.: BES-2013-063309) within the Project “Efecto de la variabilidad climática y geográfica en el comportamiento económico humano durante la transición Paleolítico medio/superior: la Región Cantábrica y Serbia central” (HAR2012-339569) funded by the ministry for economy and competitiveness, both directed by A.B. Marín-Arroyo. Also, I do appreciate to had a three-month stay abroad grant (Ref.: EEBB-I-17-12539) from the Spanish ministry for economy, industry and competetivness as well as travel grants from the University of Cantabria in 2014 to England, 2015 to Germany, and 2016 to France

The lLower Magdalenian osseous industry from level 17 in El Mirón cave (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria): a preliminary overview

Level 17 is the principal Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian horizon in the outer vestibule area of El Mirón Cave, dating by radiocarbon to c. 15,500 uncal bp. It has yielded very rich faunal and artifactual collections associated with numerous hearths and abundant fire-cracked rocks. Among the many osseous artifacts are a striation-engraved red deer scapula and a spearthrower reported on elsewhere. This article presents a description and preliminary typological and metric analyses of the antler points, bone needles and other artifacts, as well as of the supports for the production of osseous items, namely antlers and bones with evidence of extractions. The sagaies include many that are characteristic of this period in this region –quadrangular sections, single-bevel bases, geometric engraved designs, including tectiforms–. Production, use –huntingand domestic-related–, reuse and discard of osseous artifacts were major activities during the long period of repeated human occupation of El Mirón during Oldest Dryas

The lLower Magdalenian osseous industry from level 17 in El Mirón cave (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria): a preliminary overview

Level 17 is the principal Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian horizon in the outer vestibule area of El Mirón Cave, dating by radiocarbon to c. 15,500 uncal bp. It has yielded very rich faunal and artifactual collections associated with numerous hearths and abundant fire-cracked rocks. Among the many osseous artifacts are a striation-engraved red deer scapula and a spearthrower reported on elsewhere. This article presents a description and preliminary typological and metric analyses of the antler points, bone needles and other artifacts, as well as of the supports for the production of osseous items, namely antlers and bones with evidence of extractions. The sagaies include many that are characteristic of this period in this region –quadrangular sections, single-bevel bases, geometric engraved designs, including tectiforms–. Production, use –huntingand domestic-related–, reuse and discard of osseous artifacts were major activities during the long period of repeated human occupation of El Mirón during Oldest Dryas.El Nivel 17 es el principal estrato del Magdaleniense Inferior Cantábrico en el área exterior del vestíbulo de la Cueva de El Mirón, datado por el radiocarbono en c. 15,500 uncal bp. Este nivel ha proporcionado colecciones ricas de materiales asociados con numerosos hogares y abundantes cantos rotos por el fuego. Entre los muchos instrumentos óseos hay una escápula con grabados estriados y un propulsor ya publicados anteriormente. Este artículo presenta una descripción y análisis tipológicos y métricos preliminares de puntas de asta, de agujas de hueso y otros objetos, y también de los soportes empleados para su producción, es decir, astas y huesos con huellas de extracciones. Las azagayas son numerosas, con características propias de este periodo –secciones cuadrangulares, bases de bisel simple, decoraciones grabadas geométricas, incluso tectiformes–. La producción, el uso –para fines cinegéticos o domésticos–, la reutilización y el abandono de los artefactos óseos fueron actividades importantes durante el largo periodo de reiterada ocupación humana de El Mirón durante el Dryas Inicial

Late Pleistocene Neanderthal exploitation of stable and mosaic ecosystems in northern Iberia shown by multi-isotope evidence

During the Last Glacial Period, rapidly changing environments posed substantial challenges to Neanderthal populations in Europe. Southern continental regions, such as Iberia, have been proposed as important climatic ‘buffer’ zones during glacial phases. Contextualising the climatic and ecological conditions Neanderthals faced is relevant to interpreting their resilience. However, records of the environments and ecosystems they exploited across Iberia exhibit temporal and spatial gaps in coverage. Here we provide new evidence for palaeotemperatures, vegetation structure, and prey herbivore ecology during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5 – 3) in northern Spain, by applying multiple stable isotope tracers (δ18O, δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) to herbivore skeletal remains associated with Neanderthal occupations at Axlor Cave, Bizkaia. The results show little change over time and indicate stable climatic conditions and ecosystems across different occupations. Large within-layer isotopic variability in nitrogen and sulphur suggests the presence of a mosaic environment and a variety of isotopic ecotones were exploited by Neanderthals and their prey. We implement a combination of carbonate and phosphate δ18O measurements to estimate palaeotemperatures using a cost-effective workflow. We show that the targeted use of phosphate δ18O measurements to anchor summer peak and winter trough areas enables high precision seasonal palaeoclimatic reconstructions

Deciphering archaeological palimpsests with bone micro-fragments from the Lower Magdalenian of El Mirón cave (Cantabria, Spain)

<p>Modern excavation techniques aim accurately to recover extant archaeological data. Usually bone micro-fragments are gathered as a result, however, during archaeological analysis these remains are often set apart as indeterminate bones and generally do not contribute to the interpretation of the deposits. How to decipher archaeological palimpsests using these small bone fragments is the aim of this paper. El Mirón Cave, located in northern Iberia, contains a very rich Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian deposit (17–15 uncal ka BP) with high densities of faunal remains and artefacts. Here, we present zooarchaeological, taphonomic and spatial distribution analyses of macromammal finds, including those small bone fragments, accumulated during a series of intensive and repeated human occupations found in the outer vestibule excavation area. Our results show that a broad spectrum of activities was performed there, including meat, marrow and grease processing and waste abandonment. We propose that bone micro-fragments must be considered when addressing human subsistence reconstructions from animal remains, as they represent the leftovers of the <i>chaîne opératoire</i> of animal carcass exploitation. The archaeological implications of their inclusion are extremely valuable, especially when deciphering palimpsests. A multidisciplinary approach to study these small animal remains provides information that otherwise would be missed.</p

Initial and Lower Magdalenian Large Mammal Faunas and Human Subsistence at El Mirón Cave (Cantabria, Spain)

In late Upper Paleolithic Cantabrian Spain, humans developed sophisticated territorial systems, used specialized lithic and osseous tools and weapons, and were skilled hunters of red deer and ibex while also depending increasingly on supplementary food resources, as means of adapting to climatic and environmental change after the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the specific effects of the environment on hunting decisions are not well understood for the early Magdalenian. Was subsistence specialization a byproduct of environmental change, does it reflect human population pressure and preferences, or are hunting strategies dictated by the geographic setting of El Miron? In this paper, we present the results of taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses of Initial and Lower Magdalenian faunas from levels 119.2, 119, and 115 from El Miron, a large cave site in the Ason River valley of montane eastern Cantabria. We assess the human role in accumulation of these faunal assemblages and then explore whether there were differences in subsistence between the Initial and Lower Magdalenian. The results of this study complement analyses of other Magdalenian assemblages from El Miron and support the patterns of general continuity observed for the Cantabrian Magdalenian at several other regional sites.NSF 2016223837info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio