Using GIS and geostatistical techniques to identify Neanderthal campsites at archaeolevel Ob at Abric Romaní

Although intra-site spatial approaches are considered a key factor when interpreting archaeological assemblages, these are often based on descriptive, qualitative, and subjective observations. Currently, within the framework of research into spatial taphonomy and palimpsest dissection, several studies have begun to employ more quantitative and objective techniques, implementing tools such as geostatistics and geographic information system (GIS) methods. This is precisely the approach that the Abric Romaní team is following. In this work, we present GIS and geostatistics methods applied to the faunal and lithic assemblages from archaeolevel Ob, including an analysis of the spatial structure, the identification of clusters and sectors, size and fabric analyses, the projection of vertical profiles, and the reconstruction of a digital elevation model of the paleosurface. The results obtained indicate a clustered distribution, primarily concentrated into four dense accumulations. The predominance of remains < 3 cm in length and the absence of preferential orientations make it possible to rule out a generalised postdepositional movement affecting most of the site, although some local movement has been identified. The horizontal and vertical spatial analyses allow us to identify accumulations of a single material (lithic or faunal) in addition to mixed accumulations (lithic and faunal). Integrating all this data with the results of previous studies (zooarchaeological, refits, combustion structures, and partial lithic technological analyses), we evaluate and combine the interpretations proposed previously using different approaches, thereby improving the overall interpretation of the archaeolevel Ob. Finally, we also develop a preliminary comparison between Ob and some other levels at the same site (in particular M and P)The Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya) supported this research with the Quadrennial Project CLT009/18/00054, the project “Territoris prehistòrics de la Conca de l’Anoia (2022–2025)” (exp. ARQ001SOL-201–2022) and the research groups 2017SGR-1040, 2017SGR-859, and 2017SGR-836. This research is also funded by the Spanish Government projects PID2019- 103987 GB-C31 and EIN2020-112374. M.J.G. (IJC2020-044412-I) and A.B. (IJC-2019–041546-I) research is founded by the program Juan de la Cierva Incoporación of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. P.S., M.G.C., M.V. and J.V. research is funded by CERCA Programme/ Generalitat de Catalunya. F.R. research is supported by the Comunidad de Madrid and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid through the project SI1-PJI-2019–00488 and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the project PID-2019-103987 GB-C33. M.G.C., J.V. and M.V. research is funded by the project PID2019-103987 GB-C31 of the Spanish Government. Finally, the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA) has received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “María de Maeztu” excellence accreditation (CEX2019-000945-M

Control de calidad y proceso de homogeneización de series térmicas catalanas

Ponencia presentada en: I Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología “La climatología española en los albores del siglo XXI”, celebrado en Barcelona del 1 al 3 de diciembre de 1999.[ES]La falta de homogeneidad de las series climáticas dificulta la detección y caracterización del cambio climático a diferentes escalas espaciales, por lo que previamente a su utilización con esta finalidad, deben ser sometidas a un proceso riguroso de control de calidad y de homogeneización. En esta comunicación se aborda la aplicación de la prueba SNHT de Alexandersson y Moberg (1997) a los registros de la temperatura del aire de la región catalana. La finalidad de esta aplicación es obtener una base de datos térmicos homogeneizados.[EN]Lack of homogeneity in climatic data series is an obstacle to detecting and characterising climatic change in different space scales; especially if inhomogeneities and actual change are expected to be figures of the same order of magnitude. Hence, before data can be used to determine the existence of this climatic change and its magnitude, a rigorous process of quality control and homogenization must be followed. In this communication, Alexandersson and Moberg’s test (SNHT) is used, with some modifications, with the object of obtaining a set of adjusted data for Catalonia.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por CICYT, Proyecto de Investigación de I+D CLI96-1842-C05-01

The Châtelperronian Neanderthals of Cova Foradada (Calafell, Spain) used imperial eagle phalanges for symbolic purposes

Evidence for the symbolic behavior of Neanderthals in the use of personal ornaments is relatively scarce. Among the few ornaments documented, eagle talons, which were presumably used as pendants, are the most frequently recorded. This phenomenon appears concentrated in a specific area of southern Europe during a span of 80 thousand years. Here, we present the analysis of one eagle pedal phalange recovered from the Châtelperronian layer of Foradada Cave (Spain). Our research broadens the known geographical and temporal range of this symbolic behavior, providing the first documentation of its use among the Iberian populations, as well as of its oldest use in the peninsula. The recurrent appearance of large raptor talons throughout the Middle Paleolithic time frame, including their presence among the last Neanderthal populations, raises the question of the survival of some cultural elements of the Middle Paleolithic into the transitional Middle to Upper Paleolithic assemblages and beyond

New macaque fossil remains from Morocco

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Cataluny

Dragged, lagged, or undisturbed: reassessing the autochthony of the hominin-bearing assemblages at Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Spain)

The TD6 unit of the Gran Dolina contains an assemblage of the Early Pleistocene, interpreted firstly as a home base. Morerecently has been proposed a transported origin of the remains according to the sedimentology. Following this model, the remainsshould be dragged or lagged in a predictable pattern related to their weight, density, shape, and size. Conversely, the debrisgenerated in an undisturbed residential camp should retain spatial relations of codependence caused by the depositional process,not related to inherent variables of materials. To check if the remains were recovered in their original depositional place(aggregated) or are the product of transportation (segregated or random spatial relation), we have evaluated different variables:the spatial arrangement between osteological and lithic tools; the integrity of the bones and their structural characters (shape andtissue composition); postdepositional modifications; and the specimen size distribution. The combined results indicate that thelayers that conform the TD6.2 subunit were undisturbed, while TD6.1 was affected by postdepositional processes, probablywater flows, resulting in a lagged assemblage. In conclusion, TD6.2 is best interpreted as a well-preserved home base and shouldplay a key role in studies of the behavior of the first European populations.The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICINN-FEDER) of the Spanish Government financed the research, project no. PGC2018-093925-B-C32 and project no. FJCI-037447-I (Subprograma Juan de la Cierva) and, also, the AGAUR (project no. 2017 SGR-1040) and the URV (project no. 2018PFR-URV-B2-91). IPHES research is framed in CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. The funding for fieldwork came from the Cultural and Tourism Council of Castilla y León and the Atapuerca Foundation. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “Maríade Maeztu” excellence accreditation (CEX2019-000945-M).Peer reviewe

Age and date for early arrival of the Acheulian in Europe (Barranc de la Boella, la Canonja, Spain)

The first arrivals of hominin populations into Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene are currently considered to have occurred as short and poorly dated biological dispersions. Questions as to the tempo and mode of these early prehistoric settlements have given rise to debates concerning the taxonomic significance of the lithic assemblages, as trace fossils, and the geographical distribution of the technological traditions found in the Lower Palaeolithic record. Here, we report on the Barranc de la Boella site which has yielded a lithic assemblage dating to ,1 million years ago that includes large cutting tools (LCT). We argue that distinct technological traditions coexisted in the Iberian archaeological repertoires of the late Early Pleistocene age in a similar way to the earliest sub-Saharan African artefact assemblages. These differences between stone tool assemblages may be attributed to the different chronologies of hominin dispersal events. The archaeological record of Barranc de la Boella completes the geographical distribution of LCT assemblages across southern Eurasia during the EMPT (Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition, circa 942 to 641 kyr). Up to now, chronology of the earliest European LCT assemblages is based on the abundant Palaeolithic record found in terrace river sequences which have been dated to the end of the EMPT and later. However, the findings at Barranc de la Boella suggest that early LCT lithic assemblages appeared in the SW of Europe during earlier hominin dispersal episodes before the definitive colonization of temperate Eurasia took place.The research at Barranc de la Boella has been carried out with the financial support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economı´a y Competitividad (CGL2012- 36682; CGL2012-38358, CGL2012-38434-C03-03 and CGL2010-15326; MICINN project HAR2009-7223/HIST), Generalitat de Catalunya, AGAUR agence (projects 2014SGR-901; 2014SGR-899; 2009SGR-324, 2009PBR-0033 and 2009SGR-188) and Junta de Castilla y Leo´n BU1004A09. Financial support for Barranc de la Boella field work and archaeological excavations is provided by the Ajuntament de la Canonja and Departament de Cultura (Servei d’Arqueologia i Paleontologia) de la Generalitat de Catalunya. A. Carrancho’s research was funded by the International Excellence Programme, Reinforcement subprogramme of the Spanish Ministry of Education. I. Lozano-Ferna´ndez acknowledges the pre-doctoral grant from the Fundacio´n Atapuerca. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Analysis of the melon (Cucumis melo) small RNAome by high-throughput pyrosequencing

Abstract Background Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a commercially important fruit crop that is cultivated worldwide. The melon research community has recently benefited from the determination of a complete draft genome sequence and the development of associated genomic tools, which have allowed us to focus on small RNAs (sRNAs). These are short, non-coding RNAs 21-24 nucleotides in length with diverse physiological roles. In plants, they regulate gene expression and heterochromatin assembly, and control protection against virus infection. Much remains to be learned about the role of sRNAs in melon. Results We constructed 10 sRNA libraries from two stages of developing ovaries, fruits and photosynthetic cotyledons infected with viruses, and carried out high-throughput pyrosequencing. We catalogued and analysed the melon sRNAs, resulting in the identification of 26 known miRNA families (many conserved with other species), the prediction of 84 melon-specific miRNA candidates, the identification of trans-acting siRNAs, and the identification of chloroplast, mitochondrion and transposon-derived sRNAs. In silico analysis revealed more than 400 potential targets for the conserved and novel miRNAs. Conclusion We have discovered and analysed a large number of conserved and melon-specific sRNAs, including miRNAs and their potential target genes. This provides insight into the composition and function of the melon small RNAome, and paves the way towards an understanding of sRNA-mediated processes that regulate melon fruit development and melon-virus interactions.This work was supported by grants AGL2009-07552/AGR, BIO2006-13107 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain) and MELONOMICS (Fundación Genoma España, Spain).Peer Reviewe