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- Unravelling the taphonomic stories of bird bones from the middle pleistocene layer VIII of Grotte Vaufrey, FrancePublication . Rufà, Anna; Laroulandie, VéroniqueIn recent years, several studies have significantly changed our knowledge concerning the use of birds by Neanderthals. However, what remains to be clarified is the geographical and chronological variability of this human behaviour. The present case study provides new information on this topic/debate. The Grotte Vaufrey was discovered during the 1930s and was excavated during different periods. Work carried out by J.-P. Rigaud during the 1980s motivated many multidisciplinary studies in the cave, but accurate studies were not focused on avian remains. In this work, we provide new data on the bird remains from layer VIII (MIS 7), which is the richest among all the sequences and which has an important Mousterian component. Corvids are predominant in the assemblage and are associated with medium-sized birds and small Passeriformes, among others. Most of the remains present modern fractures, which hinder taphonomic interpretation. However, some alterations associated with raptor or mammalian carnivore activities, together with the anatomical representation and age profile, suggest a non-human accumulation of the majority of the bird remains, especially in the case of corvids that naturally died in the cave. However, at least some bones show evidence of anthropic activity, suggesting the occasional use of large- and medium-sized birds by human populations.
- The exceptional presence of megaloceros giganteus in North-Eastern Iberia and Its palaeoecological implications: the case of Teixoneres cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain)Publication . Uzunidis, Antigone; Rivals, Florent; Rufà, Anna; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, JordiIn this article we announce the discovery of the first remains of Megaloceros giganteus found in Catalonia (north-eastern Iberia) from the Late Pleistocene: a fragment of maxillary. Dated between 35,000 and 37,000 cal BP, it is also among the youngest occurrence of this taxon in the Iberian Peninsula, while its last known occurrence is dated to the Neolithic period. Through a comparison with the giant deer of the northern Pyrenees, we analyzed the herbivore guilds in which this taxon was associated to understand the context in which it was able to enter the Iberian Peninsula. By comparing its diet with those of specimens from Northern Europe, we detail the ecological adaptations of this taxon in this new environment. We suggest that Megaloceros accompanied the migrations of cold-adapted species by taking advantage of the opening of corridors on both sides of the Pyrenees during the coldest periods of the Late Pleistocene. The diet of the Iberian individuals, which is oriented towards abrasive plants, suggests an adaptation to a different ecological niche than that found in Northern European individuals. The northern Iberian Peninsula may have been an extreme in the geographical expansion of M. giganteus. More specimens will be needed in the future to establish the variability of the southern Megaloceros populations.
- Speciated mechanism in Quaternary cervids (Cervus and Capreolus) on both sides of the Pyrenees: a multidisciplinary approachPublication . Uzunidis, Antigone; Rufà, Anna; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Brugal, Jean-Philip; Texier, Pierre-Jean; Rivals, FlorentCervids, and especially the red deer Cervus elaphus, are among the most regularly and abundantly recorded ungulates in Pleistocene/Paleolithic bone assemblages. Numerous Pleistocene or Holocene subspecies have been described, reinforcing their status as essential proxies for environmental and chronological reconstructions. Despite this, at the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, their diversity seems to have decreased. In this study, we analysed teeth and some postcranial elements of Cervus and Capreolus from north-eastern Iberia and south-eastern France to clarify their morphological characteristics and ecological adaptations. We describe a transitional form in north-eastern Iberia between the western European stock and the current form C. e. hispanicus. Such sub-speciation processes are connected to biogeographical factors, as there were limited exchanges between north-eastern Iberia and the northern Pyrenees, whereas the north-western part of the peninsula seems more connected to the northern Pyrenees. The anatomical plasticity (morpho-functional adaptation and body size) of red deer is connected to dietary flexibility (dental meso- and microwear). Conversely, Capreolus shows greater morphological and ecological homogeneity. Body size variations seem directly correlated with their ability to browse throughout the year. The marked differences between the eco-bio-geographical responses of the two taxa can be explained by their habitat selection.
- New quantitative method for dental wear analysis of small mammalsPublication . Bañuls-Cardona, Sandra; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Rufà, Anna; Vallverdú, Josep; Rivals, FlorentThe application of dental wear study to murids has always been ruled out because of their omnivorous diet, which does not leave significant wear on the dentition. Nevertheless, in our work we select Apodemus sylvaticus (wood mouse) as the object of study for several reasons: its seasonal diet, its ability to resist the gastric juices of predators, the fact that it has not undergone major morphological changes since its appearance 3 million years ago, and its widespread distribution throughout much of Europe and part of Africa. The importance of this work lies in the modifications we make to the dental wear methodology for its application to murids. These enable us to obtain quantitative data on the entire tooth surface. The sample chosen was a total of 75 lower first molars from two different archaeological sites: Teixoneres cave and Xaragalls cave. The chronology of the samples chosen ranges from Marine Isotope Stages 5-3. The data obtained reveal that the part of the tooth that shows most wear is the distal part (entoconid). Furthermore, the results provide us with relevant information on the types of accumulations of remains in the caves (short vs. long term), as well as on the seasonality of Neanderthal occupations during the Upper Pleistocene (MIS5-3) of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula.
- The avian remains from El Juyo, Lower Magdalenian Cantabrian SpainPublication . Rufà, Anna; Blasco, Ruth; Menschel, Melissa; Pokines, James T.El Juyo is one of the Cantabrian sites of Iberia known from long ago for its important Lower Magdalenian sequence. The present study reports the results of the zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of the avian remains recovered at the site, which complements the archaeological and palaeoecological data already avail-able. The remains recovered are limited, but they seem to indicate that humans were the main accumulating agent in the site, with sporadic presence of owls' activity. Additionally, humans could have used birds for other purposes than as a dietary resource, as suggested by cut marks observed on two wing bones.
- New insights in Neanderthal palaeoecology using stable oxygen isotopes preserved in small mammals as palaeoclimatic tracers in Teixoneres Cave (Moià, northeastern Iberia)Publication . Fernández-García, M.; López-García, J. M.; Royer, A.; Lécuyer, C.; Rivals, F.; Rufà, Anna; Blasco, R.; Rosell, J.The northeastern region of Iberia constitutes a natural pass-area for arriving populations into the peninsula and becomes a key area to understand Neanderthal resilience to changing environmental conditions experienced during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3; 60-30 ka). Short-term but repeated occupations by Neanderthal groups occurred in Teixoneres Cave (Moia, Barcelona) in alternation with large and small carnivores during MIS3. Abundant small-mammal remains accumulated in units III and II of this fossiliferous deposit, providing local climatic and environmental information. This work focuses on the taphonomic history of small-mammal faunas, which a is clue to validate previous palaeoecological interpretations. As was observed with leporids and bird remains, raptors are considered the major source of small-mammal remains. The most likely accumulator is an opportunistic predator, the eagle owl, with very rare inputs by mammalian carnivores. In parallel, high-resolution palaeoclimatic data are provided through oxygen isotope analyses (delta O-18) of rodent teeth from four subunits (IIIb to IIa), which are compared with independent methods of palaeotemperature estimations. According to air temperatures estimated from delta O-18 rodent teeth, cooler conditions than present day (-1.6/- 0.5 degrees C) are recorded along the sequence, but homogenous (< 1 degrees C). Complementary methods also explain higher rainfall than present day (+44/+682 mm). Only slight changes between units III and II show climatic instability, which could be related to palimpsests of stadial-interstadial events. Climatic stable conditions are reported from coeval isotopic and palaeodiet analyses from northeastern Iberia in agreement with the palynological records that underline how the Mediterranean area could have sustained rich ecosystems that assured the Neanderthal subsistence during the abrupt climatic pulsations of the Late Glacial.
- A deep learning-based taphonomical approach to distinguish the modifying agent in the late pleistocene site of toll cave (Barcelona, Spain)Publication . Pizarro-Monzo, Marcos; Rosell, Jordi; Rufà, Anna; Rivals, Florent; Blasco, RuthOne of the most widely used methods to associate lithic tools and bone assemblage in archaeological sites is the identification of cut-marks. However, the identification of these marks is still problematic in some localities on account of the similarities with the modifications generated by non-human processes, including biostratinomic and post-depositional bone surface modifications. Toll Cave (Barcelona, Spain), with chronologies between 47.310 BP and 69.800 BP, is one of the case studies where the cut-marks could easily be confused with abundant grooves generated by the dragging of sedimentary particles (e.g. trampling), but also with the scores produced by carnivores. In this work, we present the results obtained from applying Deep Learning (DL) models to the taphonomic analysis of the site. This methodological approach has allowed us to distinguish the bone surface modifications with 97.5% reliability. We show the usefulness of this technique to help solve many taphonomic equifinality problems in the archaeological assemblages, as well as the need to implement new approaches to eliminate subjectivity in the descriptions of bone damage and make more accurate inferences about the past.
- Neanderthal hunting grounds: the case of Teixoneres Cave (Spain) and Pié Lombard rockshelter (France)Publication . Uzunidis, Antigone; Blasco, Ruth; Brugal, Jean-Philip; Fourcade, Tiffanie; Ochando, Juan; Rosell, Jordi; Roussel, Audrey; Rufà, Anna; Sánchez Goñi, Maria Fernanda; Texier, Pierre-Jean; Rivals, FlorentThe study of Neanderthal-Environment interactions very often lacks precise data that match the chronogeographical frame of human activities. Here, we reconstruct Neanderthals' hunting grounds within three distinct habitats using dental microwear analysis combined with zooarchaeological data. The predation patterns toward ungulates are discussed in term of frequency (NISP/MNI) and potential meat intake (MAM). Unit IIIa of Teixoneres Cave (MIS 3, NE Spain) corresponds to a mosaic landscape, Unit IIIb was more forested, and, in the "Ensemble" II of Pie Lombard (MIS 4, SE France), forest cover dominated. At Pie Lombard, Neanderthals rely on a high diversity of taxa from closed and semi-open hunting grounds, mostly two ungulate species as well as rabbits and several bird taxa. At Teixoneres Cave, mainly open areas are exploited in summer with a predation mostly focused on large gregarious ungulates. The larger size of ungulate herds in open spaces may have allowed Neanderthals to restrict their subsistence behaviour only to very few species, in specific hunting strategies. In Unit IIIa, they do not appear to have made any selection within the most abundant species, while in Unit IIIb, they focused on aurochs and also opportunistically and heavily on newborn red deer. Neanderthal subsistence strategies seem, therefore, only partially linked to the hunting grounds they had access to. While it impacted the diversity of the prey they selected, Neanderthal groups were able to develop distinct hunting strategies within similar environments.
- Analysis and classification of middle palaeolithic lithic raw materials from teixoneres cave: project overview and initial resultssPublication . del Pozo, Alicia Muñoz; Soler, Bruno Gómez de; Bustos-Pérez, Guillermo; Chacón, María Gema; Picin, Andrea; Blasco, Ruth; Rivals, Florent; Rufà, Anna; Rosell, JordiIn this work, we present a new project that seeks to characterize lithic raw materials and the first results from a macroscopic and microscopic study of the archaeological material from sub-unit IIIb of Teixoneres Cave (NE Iberian Peninsula). During the late Middle Palaeolithic (MIS 3), multidisciplinary research has defined this site underwent short-term occupations by Neanderthals interspersed with visits from carnivores. The project aims to determine the procurement areas of the archaeological lithic materials discovered into the site, exploring the Neanderthals' use of the territory. In the near future, this information will be plotted on a lithological map, along with possible procurement areas, with the aim of developing a graphic and dynamic model that will make it possible to establish routes of displacement to the site, the outcrops, and the Neanderthals' mobility in the territory.
- La Cuevona de Avín (Avín, Asturias, North Spain): A new late pleistocene site in the lower valley of the River GüeñaPublication . Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban; Martín-Jarque, Sergio; Portero, Rodrigo; Vadillo Conesa, Margarita; Martínez-Villa, Alberto; Teresa Aparicio, Mª; Armenteros, Ildefonso; Cerezo-Fernández, Rosana; Domingo, Rafael; García-Ibaibarriaga, Naroa; Javier González, F.; Llorente, Laura; Rufà, Anna; Tarriño, Antonio; Uzquiano, Paloma; Pinto-Llona, Ana C.The archaeological investigations carried out in the last twenty years in the Lower Valley of the River Gliena (Asturias, central part of northern Spain) have documented different prehistoric sites, particularly with Middle and Upper Palaeolithic occupations. This paper presents the first results of the archaeological excavation carried out in the cave of La Cuevona de Avin. From the systematic study of the biotic and abiotic remains, a total of three occupation phases (Phases 1 to 3) have been determined, dated in the Late Pleistocene. The lithic studies indicate the use of local raw materials (mainly quartzite), but also regional ones (different types of flint) in the whole sequence. Retouched implements are typologically representative only during the Upper Magdalenian (Phase II) and use-wear analysis indicates the manufacture and use of artefacts in situ during this phase. Archaeozoological studies reveal continuity in subsistence strategies throughout the sequence, noting specialization in red deer hunting during the Azilian (Phase I), and more diversified prey in the older phases of the sequence.