Sospel – Grotte de l’Albaréa

Identifiant de l'opération archéologique : 8239 Date de l'opération : 2000 - 2007 (SD) Inventeur(s) : Moullé Pierre-Élie (MUS) ; Arellano Almudena (MUS) ; Desclaux Emmanuel (SUP) ; Hanquet Constance (SUP) ; Bailon Salvador (SUP) Un sondage avait été commencé sous le porche d’entrée de la grotte de l’Albaréa à Sospel en 2000 (BSR PACA, 2000 : 59-60). Il a été achevé en 2007. L’étude préliminaire du matériel paléontologique découvert en 2007 a été réalisée avec la collaboration d’Almudena Arell..

Art

National audienc

Taxonomie du grand canidé de la grotte du Vallonet ( Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes maritimes, France)

International audienceThe large canid of Vallonet belongs to Xenocyon lycanoides. Its remain are similar to the Xenocyon from Utermassfeld in Germany . X Lycanoides, and evoluated form of the Xenocyon genus, is characteristic of the second half of le Lower Pleistocene. The genus Xenocyon may be the ancestor of both Cuon and Lycaon.Le grand canidé de la grotte du Vallonet appartient à l'éspèce Xenocyon lycanoides. Ses fossiles sont comparable à ceux du Xenocyon du site d'Utermassfeld en Allemagne. X lycanoides, forme évolué du genre Xenocyon, est caractéristique de la seconde moitié du Pléistocène inférieur. Le genre Xenocyon pourrait constituer la forma ancestrale de Cuon et de Lycaon

Art

National audienc

Un capriné dans le « canyon ». Présence du bouquetin (<i>Capra ibex</i>) au Solutréen dans la vallée de l'Erve (Mayenne, France)

International audienc

A review on Bison schoetensacki and its closest relatives through the early-Middle Pleistocene transition: Insights from the Vallparadís Section (NE Iberian Peninsula) and other European localities

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de CatalunyaThe evolutionary history of Bison is a matter of debate due to the scarcity of fossil remains from the earliest members of this clade and the close morphological similarities among species. To clarify the taxonomic status of the earliest stouter bison and their relationships to their putative ancestor, Leptobos, as well as other primitive forms traditionally referred to subgenus Bison (Eobison), we carry out a complete revision of the available European fossil record, with a focus on the forms occurring during the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition. Emphasis is put on the description of the unpublished Bison remains from the Vallparadís Composite Section (VCS), including the sites of Cal Guardiola and Vallparadís Estació (Terrassa, NE Iberian Peninsula). VCS fossiliferous layers yielded one of the richest faunal assemblages from the European latest Early Pleistocene and one of the few European fossil sites covering almost entirely the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition (1.2-0.6 Ma). The collection comprises thousands of ungulates remains, especially abundant fossils of a large Bison species. The morphology of the postcranial sample from VCS fits that of Bison (Bison) schoetensacki, i.e., the earliest stout bison (Bison s.s.) recorded in Europe. We studied more than 200 cranial and postcranial elements with a focus on the metapodial remains. Comparisons were performed with all the available fossil record of Pleistocene Eurasian fossil Bison species. We confirm the taxonomic validity of B. schoetensacki and recognize distinct eco-morphotypes of European bison between the late Early Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene based on the size and proportions of the metapodials. Although the appendicular skeleton shows reliable characters for the diagnosis of different species, the great morphological homogeneity recognized within the genus requires a cautious approach in systematic studies based on postcranial material

The post-Jaramillo persistence of Sus strozzii (Suidae, Mammalia) in Europe. New evidence from the Vallparadís section (NE Iberian Peninsula) and other coeval sites

The Vallparadís composite section (VCS) includes the nearby paleontological sites of Cal Guardiola and Vallparadís Estació (Vallès-Penedès Basin, northeastern Iberian Peninsula). The section spans from before the Jaramillo subchron to the early Middle Pleistocene (ca. 1.2–0.6 Ma). In this study, we describe the suid record from VCS and we review those from several other European sites, in order to refine the taxonomic identity and chronostratigraphic range of Quaternary suids in Europe. The VCS sample includes a nearly complete skull, several teeth, and postcranial elements, and stands out as the richest European suid collection from the latest Early Pleistocene. Suid remains have been unearthed from both Cal Guardiola and Vallparadís Estació layers, whose age spans from the Jaramillo subchron (ca. 1.07–0.99 Ma; MIS31) to post-Jaramillo time (ca. 0.86 Ma; MIS21). Several craniomandibular and dental morphological features support an attribution to Sus strozzii. These features include a low and very deep preorbital fossa, a narrow nuchal crest, a well-developed longitudinal swelling in the middle of the mandibular corpus, the presence of styles/stylids in the upper/lower premolars, and especially the “verrucosic” morphology of the lower canine. The attribution to S. strozzii is also sustained by a cladistic analysis. These results provide interesting clues on the chronological occurrence of Quaternary suids. Sus strozzii is relatively common in Europe during the middle and early late Villafranchian (ca. 2.5–1.8 Ma), but it almost completely disappears during the latest Villafranchian (ca. 1.8–1.2 Ma). During and slightly after the Epivillafranchian (ca. 1.2–0.8 Ma), S. strozzii reappears in Europe although with relatively small samples, at VCS and several other sites including Untermassfeld (Germany; ca. 1.0 Ma), Le Vallonnet (France; ca. 1.2–1.1 Ma), Taman Peninsula (Russia; ca. 1.1–0.8 Ma), Arda River (Italy; ca. 0.99 Ma), and Slivia (Italy; ca. 0.8 Ma), among others. Consequently, in contrast to previous knowledge, we conclude that (1) S. strozzii survived in Europe (or returned there with a second dispersal event from Asia during the Epivillafranchian) at least until the end of the Early Pleistocene and (2) the arrival of Sus scrofa into that continent is not older than the Early-Middle Pleistocene boundary

The suid record from Vallparadís Section (NE Iberian Peninsula) and the post-Jaramillo persistence of Sus strozzii in Europe

The Vallparadís composite section includes the paleontological sites of Cal Guardiola and Vallparadís Estació, respectively located in the western and eastern bank of the Torrent de Vallparadís (Terrassa, Catalonia, NE Spain). The Vallparadís section spans from before the Jaramillo subchron to the early Middle Pleistocene (ca. 1.2–0.6 Ma). It includes more than ten layers from which about 30,000 well-preserved large mammal remains have been recovered. In this study, we describe the suid record from Vallparadís Section. This sample, although relatively small when compared with those of other large mammals from the same site (e.g., hippo or deer), includes a nearly complete skull, several teeth, and postcranial elements, and stands out as the richest European suid collection from the late Early Pleistocene. Suid remains have been discovered from both Cal Guardiola and Vallparadís Estació layers, whose age spans from the Jaramillo subchron (ca. 1.07–0.99 Ma; layer EVT12) to post-Jaramillo time (ca. 0.99–0.78 Ma; layers CGRD7 and EVT7). Several cranial morphological features of the studied sample support an attribution to Sus strozzii Forsyth Major, 1881, although the Vallparadís Section suid falls in the lower dimensional range of Early Pleistocene S. strozzii. These morphological features include a low and very deep preorbital fossa, a narrow nuchal crest, a well-developed longitudinal swelling in the mid of the mandibular corpus, the presence of styles/stylids in the upper/lower premolars, and especially the “verrucosic” morphology of the lower canine (labial and lingual sides of the tooth with similar length, and longer than the distal side). The attribution to S. strozzii is also supported by phylogenetic data. These results open new interesting questions on the chronological occurrence of Quaternary suids. Sus strozzii is relatively common in Europe during the middle and early late Villafranchian (ca. 2.5–1.8 Ma), while it almost completely disappears during the latest Villafranchian (ca. 1.8–1.2 Ma) (only few isolated undeterminable suid teeth are available from Sima del Elefante in this time span). During and slightly after the Epivillafranchian (ca. 1.2–0.9 Ma), S. strozzii reappears in Europe although with relatively small samples, at Vallparadís Section and several other sites, whose record is reviewed in this study. These sites include Untermassfeld (Germany; ca. 1.0 Ma), Le Vallonnet (France; ca. 1.2–1.1 Ma), Taman Peninsula (Russia; ca. 1.1–0.8 Ma), Arda River (Italy; ca. 0.99 Ma), and probably Slivia (Italy; ca. 0.8 Ma). Consequently, in contrast to what has been believed so far, we think that (1) S. strozzii survived in Europe (or returned there with a second dispersal event from Asia during the Epivillafranchian) at least until the end of the Early Pleistocene and (2) therefore the arrival of the wild boar Sus scrofa in our continent is not earlier than the Early-Middle Pleistocene boundary

Apport des faunes solutréennes de la grotte Rochefort à la biochronologie, aux paléoenvironnements et à la connaissance des comportements de subsistance des groupes humains

National audienc

Étude de la répartition spatiale du matériel archéologique du site de Fejej FJ-1, dans le secteur FJ-1a

Study of the spatial distribution of the archaeological material from the FJ-1 site, sector FJ-1a. The study of the spatial ditribution of the archaeological material from level C1 from the Fejej site FJ-1 was carried out by analysing the database "Palaeontological and prehistoric material". An occupation level, C1, was individualised, wich appears to correspond to a single and a short occupation of the site. Several bones in anatomical connection show that the archaeological level C1 is in a primary context. The lithic industry refits or the refitting of diverse bone fragments from the occupation level, the observation of vertical projections of objects show that there is one single occupation level, installed on a sandy ridge along a bordering structural saddle. The study of the disrtibution of the lithic industry knapped in situ and of the bones which were dismembered and fractured on site suggests that the Fejej FJ-1 level C1 corresponds to a base camp used for certain activities : knapping lithic industry, dismembering carcasses and fracturing bones, consuming meat.L'étude de la répartition spatiale du matériel archéologique de la couche C1 du site de Fejej FJ-1, réalisée en interrogeant la base de données "Matériel paléontologique et préhistorique" permet d'individualiser un sol d'occupation, la couche C1, qui paraît correspondre à une occupation unique et de courte durée. Plusieurs ossements encore en connexion anatomique montrent bien que la couche archéologique C1 est parfaitement en place. Les raccords entre diverses pièces d'industrie lithique ou entre divers fragments d'ossements répartis sur le sol d'occupation, l'examen des projections verticales d'objets permettent d'individualiser un seul niveau d'habitation installé sur un bourrelet de sable et le long de l'ensellement qui le borde. L'étude de la répartition de l'industrie lithique débitée sur place et des ossements désarticulés et fracturés sur le site suggère que la couche C1 du site de Fejej FJ-J1 correspond à un campement de base où les hommes se retrouvaient pour se livrer à certaines activités : taille de l'industrie lithique, désarticulation de carcasses et fracturation des ossements, consommation de la nourriture carnée