ICArEHB
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Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour
Centro de investigação interdisciplinar em Arqueologia e evolução do comportamento humano
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Percorrer ICArEHB por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "09:Indústria, Inovação e Infraestruturas"
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- Agent-based simulations reveal the possibility of multiple rapid northern routes for the second Neanderthal dispersal from Western to Eastern EurasiaPublication . Coco, Emily; Iovita, Radu; Marco PeresaniGenetic and archaeological evidence imply a second major movement of Neanderthals from Western to Central and Eastern Eurasia sometime in the Late Pleistocene. The genetic data suggest a date of 120−80 ka for the dispersal and the archaeological record provides an earliest date of arrival in the Altai by ca. 60 ka. Because the number of archaeological sites linking the two regions is very small, the exact route taken and its timing have been the matter of considerable debate. In particular, climate change in this period modified landscapes considerably, changing the cost of moving in different directions. Here, we apply agent-based least-cost path simulations for the first time to Neanderthals, showing that they most likely took a northern route through the Urals and southern Siberia under all climate scenarios. Agents leaving either the southern or the northern Caucasus Mountains reach the Altai in less than 2000 years during two time windows when the climate was mild, in MIS 5e (the Last Interglacial) and in MIS 3. The latter coincides with the dated presence of Neanderthals at Chagyrskaya and Okladnikov Caves in the Altai. The results of this modeling approach demonstrate a remarkable east-west geographic connectivity of northern Eurasia via river corridors despite the presumed barriers of the Ural Mountains and major north-south flowing rivers. Our results highlight the unique strengths of agentbased simulations to reconstruct pathways for ancient migrations.
- Alternating carnivore and Neanderthal activities at Escoural Cave: insights from the taphonomic and machine learning analysis of leporid remainsPublication . Cobo-Sánchez, Lucía; Rufà, Anna; Cascalheira, JoãoExploring the varied subsistence strategies and cave occupation patterns of Neanderthals is key to understanding their complex behaviors and ecological adaptations. Small game consumption, in particular, is considered a relevant indicator of their behavioral complexity. Rabbit assemblages from Pleistocene cave sites provide valuable insights into Neanderthal interactions with small prey and potential competition with carnivores. Here, we present the first detailed taphonomic analysis of faunal remains from Escoural Cave (Portugal), where a European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) assemblage was found alongside Middle Paleolithic stone tools and some macromammal remains. This study combines traditional zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of the rabbit remains with multivariate statistics and machine learning methods to establish the origin of the accumulation, and the implications for Neanderthal subsistence and cave use. Results from the taphonomic analysis show no evidence of human consumption but abundant evidence of small terrestrial carnivore activity, primarily from lynxes. This could indicate a sequential occurrence of Neanderthal and carnivore activities in the cave, with Neanderthal activities likely related to something other than rabbit consumption.
- Analysis of organic residues in the context of the middle bronze age in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula: the case of the Cova da Moura funerary monument (Viana do Castelo, nw Portugal)Publication . Oliveira, Nuno; Oliveira, César; Bettencourt, Ana M. S.; Costa, CláudiaThis paper presents and discusses the results of chromatographic analyses conducted on the contents of a ceramic pot recovered from Cova da Moura, a coastal funerary context located on the western slope of the Serra de Santa Luzia in Carreço, within the municipality and district of Viana do Castelo, Northwest Portugal. The site was excavated in 1931 by Abel Viana, who uncovered a monument beneath a tumulus that concealed a cluster of granite outcrops with numerous cavities (tafoni). Depositional activities in these cavities revealed several artifacts, including fragments of various ceramic containers, metal and glass objects, knapped and polished stone tools, animal remains, a diverse assemblage of plant-derived charcoal, and at least one anthropomorphic stele. The materials exhibit a wide chronological range, with the earliest occupation dating from the Late Middle Bronze Age (circa 15th-14th century BCE) and the most recent from the Late Iron Age. Among these finds was a fragmented ceramic pot containing organic residues at its internal base, dated from the regional Bronze Age. Chromatographic analysis of these residues identified traces of animal meat, possibly from monogastric species, and plant oils, both of which appear to have been exposed to high temperatures. This study represents the first application of organic chemical analysis to a ceramic vessel from a plausible Middle Bronze Age funerary context in Northwestern Portugal. The findings suggest the presence of commensal rituals or the deposition of prepared meat offerings as part of funerary practices.
- Anthony E. Marks (1938–2025): pioneer of the palaeolithicPublication . Rose, Jeffrey Ian; Bicho, Nuno; Usyk, Vitaly I.; Winchell, FrankAnthony “Tony” Edward Marks passed away on August 15, 2025, at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the age of 87. Tony’s passing marks the end of a remarkable career in archaeology that spanned nine countries, four continents, and a quarter million years of prehistory. Not only did he fundamentally shape how we understand the Palaeolithic record, but he transformed our very perception of lithic technology, teaching us how to find the profound depth of meaning in stone. A proud New Yorker, Tony was born, raised, and edu¬cated in Manhattan. As a young student at Columbia Uni¬versity eager to pursue his love of European medieval art and churches, he was promptly taken aside by the anthropol¬ogy department head, Marvin Harris, who (rather forcefully as Tony would recall) urged him to stick with archaeology. Tony’s professional career began with the UNESCO Nubian salvage campaigns of the 1960s. As Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam, Tony mapped prehistoric sites along the east bank of the Nile before their inundation. During the Nubian salvage project, he documented several key Palaeo¬lithic industries, including an array of assemblages defined by the presence of Nubian core technology. He could never know at the time how that discovery would unexpectedly resurface decades later, at the end of his career.
- Archery technology in the neolithic: management of the mediterranean mixed forest and woodworking activities at La Marmotta (Italy)Publication . L, Caruso Fermé; Monteiro, Patrícia; V, Brizzi; M, Mineo; G, Remolins; N, Mazzucco; B, Morell; F, Gibaja J.Although Neolithic communities were characterized by an agricultural economy, the presence of bows in their archaeological record demonstrates the persistence of hunting activities. At La Marmotta, an underwater Early Neolithic site located in Lake Bracciano (Anguillara Sabazia, Italy), a considerable assemblage of preserved wooden tools was discovered some of them related to hunting activities demonstrating their reliance on woodland resources for technological purposes. Since wood was the main raw material for ancient bows, understanding how it was exploited is fundamental for reconstructing archery technology in prehistory. Here, we present the archaeobotanical analyses of 19 wooden bows found in La Marmotta. Taxonomic analysis identified the wood used as Carpinus sp. (9), Viburnum lantana (6), Alnus sp. (1), Cornus sp. (1), Fraxinus sp. (1), and evergreen Quercus sp. (1). The mechanical properties of these species are compatible with the crafting and use of bows although they are not the most usual wood, as shown by the archaeological record of Neolithic bows. This taxonomic diversity suggests that there was not a specific selection of wood based on mechanical/physical properties, which is coherent with La Marmotta wood acquisition modalities for the production of other tools and structures.
- Châtelperronian cultural diversity at its western limits: shell beads and pigments from La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire.Publication . Bachellerie, François; Gravina, Brad; Rigaud, Solange; Dayet, Laure; Thomas, Marc; Lebreton, Loïc; Morin, Eugène; Lesage, Camille; Falguères, Christophe; Bard, Edouard; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Baillet, Mickaël; Beauval, Cédric; Bordes, Jean-Guillaume; Culioli, Gérald; Devièse, Thibaut; Flas, Damien; Garbé, Lisa; Guérin, Guillaume; Lacrampe-Cuyaubère, François; Lahaye, Christelle; Mallol, Carolina; Marot, Josserand; Maureille, Bruno; Michel, Alexandre; Muth, Xavier; Regniers, Olivier; Tartar, Elise; Teyssandier, Nicolas; Thibeault, Adrien; Todisco, Dominique; Tombret, Olivier; Rougier, Hélène; Crevecoeur, IsabelleThe timing and mechanisms underlying the gradual replacement of Neanderthal populations by groups have elicited heated debate for decades. The Châtelperronian of France and northern Spain has figured prominently in these discussions. While the Neanderthal authorship of this techno-complex is far less certain than previously thought, the Châtelperronian is now generally accepted as being among the first genuine Upper Paleolithic industries in Eurasia rather than a "transitional" stone tool technology. Here, we report the first association of shell beads with Châtelperronian artifacts from new excavations at the site of La-Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire (France), supported by a multiproxy spatial analysis that incorporates site formation processes. Similar types of personal ornaments are unknown from Middle Paleolithic contexts. Comparable examples have, however, been recovered from contexts penecontemporaneous with the Châtelperronian in south-eastern Europe and around the Mediterranean. This hitherto undocumented combination of an early Upper Paleolithic industry and shell beads provides insights into cultural variability in western Europe and raises the question as to whether the makers of the Châtelperronian were influenced by or formed part of the earliest dispersals of into the region.
- A comparison of tool-use flexibility between captive chimpanzees and bonobosPublication . Bandini, Elisa; Harrison, Rachel; Hrubesch, Christine; Forss, SofiaDespite chimpanzees and bonobos sharing close phylogenetic ties to humans, chimpanzees are the more common model species in multiple fields of comparative research. One reason for this bias is the variation in tool repertoire size observed between the two species. Previous studies have examined the factors driving this difference, but few have targeted flexibility in how tools are used. We studied bonobos and chimpanzees under similar conditions in captivity, thus excluding any ecological variation present in these species’ natural habitats. We examined whether the species differed in their ability to switch between tools, a trait that may facilitate tool innovation in primates. To do so, we provided the apes with a task that required switching tool type from a rigid stick to a bendable rope to forage successfully. Our data suggest that there are no significant differences in tool-use performance between chimpanzees and bonobos in captivity. However, we found significant differences in the species’ exploration tendencies. While chimpanzees fixed their attention on stick tools, bonobos switched their attention more easily towards the rope, potentially due to less functional fixedness. We also found significant within-species differences between institutions. These findings suggest that future research should disentangle intrinsic flexibility in exploration and account for institution and group level effects.
- Deciphering the diet of the iberian iynx: insights from taphonomic analysis of pleistocene coprolitesPublication . Rufà, Anna; Sanz, Montserrat; Daura, JoanPleistocene deposits often result from multiple and overlapping contributions. Carnivores play a significant role as bone accumulators in archaeological sites, but identifying the specific agent responsible for a particular accumulation can be challenging. Referential studies provide valuable insights into bone accumulation patterns, but they are based on modern collections and often fail to account for taphonomic biases associated with site formation processes. Here, we present, for the first time, a taphonomic study focused on fossilised Pleistocene Iberian lynx coprolites within the European context. The assemblage, dated to ca. 33 ky B.P., was recovered from layer III of Cova del Gegant, a site identified as a lynx den likely used for rearing cubs. This study is based on previous research at the site and analyses bone remains consumed by the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), recovered from coprolites, to investigate their role in archaeological contexts. The findings are consistent with other lynx accumulations documented in literature, particularly regarding leporid remains. The anatomical proportions in this assemblage are more balanced than other types of accumulations, with a higher representation of cranial elements. Digestive damage is predominant, affecting most bones, especially at moderate and strong degrees. These results enhance our understanding of archaeological accumulation processes and highlight the role of lynxes as bone accumulators. The archaeological evidence from the site indicates that the Iberian lynx inhabited environments and climates that differ significantly from those currently observed. However, the present study suggests that its diet remained relatively consistent with that of contemporary Iberian populations.
- The dichotomy of human decision-making: an experimental assessment of stone tool efficiencyPublication . Cabrita Nora, David André; Marreiros, Joao; Gneisinger, Walter; Pedergnana, Antonella; Pereira, Telmo; Enza Elena SpinapoliceThe physical properties of distinct raw materials, such as hardness, homogeneity, and grain size, have been recurrently suggested as some of the key reasons for human decision-making, namely the selection, production, and use of stone implements in the past. However, little is known, concerning the relationship between stone tools and human behaviour and how this is reflected in the variability seen in the archaeological record. Therefore, investigating stone tools’ properties and performance brings fundamental insights into identifying and understanding the origins of some of the major human technological behavioural traits. In this study, we aim to address this topic by measuring the variability of the properties of lithic raw materials from the perspective of tool use. A controlled experiment was designed to test the mechanical performance with a focus on the efficiency (ratio between effectiveness and durability) of four distinct raw materials (quartzite, dacite, flint, and obsidian). Our study addresses the null hypothesis: “Edge efficiency does not vary according to the different lithic raw materials.” Efficiency is assessedby the combination of penetration depth (proxy to measure effectiveness) and edge wear (proxy to measure durability). These two variables were measured, and the results correlated with the physical properties of various raw materials, including hardness and grain size. Our results show significant differences in the efficiency between the different types of raw materials. The outcome demonstrates that the variables by which we test the edge efficiency of lithic raw materials are highly relevant for raw material selection and, consequently, may have been of utmost importance in influencing the decision-aking process of past hunter-gatherers. A decrease in tool efficiency during use may have constrained daily activities, necessitating technological adaptations. This strongly suggests that each raw material used in archaeological contexts to produce blanks should be evaluated for its efficiency. In addition, it may be pertinent to extend this approach to other blunt artefactssuch as scrapers, burins, anvils, and hammerstones when investigating aspects of interconnected behaviours such as artefact variability, resource economy, group mobility, and site function. Such choices and decisions are coded in the archaeological record and represent cultural factors that were transmitted through learning and likely triggered the human decision-making process of past hunter-gatherers.
- Distinguishing between sheep and goat in archaeological fumiers through faecal lipid biomarkers: The case of Belmaco Cave (Canary Islands, Spain)Publication . Fernández-Palacios, Enrique; Herrera-Herrera, Antonio V.; Gilson, Simon-Pierre; Égüez, Natalia; Jambrina-Enríquez, Margarita; Santana, Jonathan; Mallol, CarolinaLipid biomarker analysis focused on steroids has shown to have great potential for discriminating between animal faecal inputs in archaeology. This is particularly interesting when applied to stabling deposits to assess herding strategies and livestock composition. Here we present the results of a sedimentary faecal biomarker study conducted at Belmaco Cave, a pre-European archaeological site in La Palma (Canary Islands). The site was occupied by indigenous pastoralist groups over the course of five centuries prior to the first arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. Previous soil micromorphological data indicates recurrent sheep and/or goat penning and periodic burning of the pen in the central area of the cave. We selected bulk sediment samples from unburned, charred and ashed dung layers and carried out sterol, stanol and bile acid analysis. Our results suggest that the main source of faecal matter is sheep. We also found that even though charred and dung ash layers contained lower concentrations of the biomarker compounds, these were still sufficient to provide information on the origin of the faecal remains. These data add to our current knowledge of the aboriginal Canary Island pastoralist economy.