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Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour
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Peninsular southern Europe refugia during the Middle Palaeolithic: an introduction
Publication . Bicho, Nuno; Carvalho, Milena
Neanderthals faced great environmental and climatic instability during the Pleistocene, which may have influenced their lithic technology, subsistence patterns, mobility, behaviour and survival. Modern research assessing the effect of climate and environment on the Middle Palaeolithic and transition to the Upper Palaeolithic has often turned to southern Europe, specifically peninsular southern Europe (Iberia, Italy and the Balkans). These are regions typically regarded as refugia during periods of unfavourable climatic conditions, inspiring hundreds of palaeoenvironmental studies at Neanderthal sites and hypotheses on late Neanderthal survival in locations with relative ameliorated conditions. Here, we present the topic of the special issue focusing on peninsular southern Europe refugia during the Middle Palaeolithic covering the three main peninsulas. Its 16 contributions discuss relevant data on peninsular southern Europe as possible refugia during periods of unfavourable climate during the Middle Palaeolithic and transition to Upper Palaeolithic.
First results of a Middle Stone Age survey in the Kerma region, northern Sudan
Publication . Bicho, Nuno Gonçalo Viana Pereira Ferreira; Haws, Jonathan; Honegger, Matthieu
Sudan is a vitally important region for understanding the migrations of Anatomically Modern Humans from the African continent. Here, the authors present the results of a preliminary survey in the Kerma region, during which, 16 new Middle Stone Age sites were discovered.
The southern african stone age site index (SASSI): a spatial, chronological and contextual resource for archaeological research
Publication . Hallinan, Emily
Southern Africa possesses a deep archaeological record, spanning more than a million years, which has attracted over a century of research. As a result, it offers one of the densest and most detailed pictures of Stone Age occupation history in Africa. However, certain time periods and regions have featured more prominently in research, particularly the later Middle Stone Age of the coastal and mountain zones. Moreover, the modern emphasis on absolute dating and well-resolved chronologies often excludes open-air and surface sites from reviews and syntheses, meaning that environments lacking deep, stratified rock shelters remain underrepresented. To address this, the Southern African Stone Age Site Index (SASSI) provides a centralised, openly accessible resource for archaeological research, featuring 492 reported Earlier, Middle and Later Stone Age sites from South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia. It includes both dated and undated sites, and encompasses diverse contexts. The database integrates spatial, chronological, cultural and contextual information, following FAIR data principles. While previous synthetic datasets have emphasised chronology and systematics, SASSI instead prioritises spatial coverage, offering a foundation for new perspectives on demography, settlement patterns, and landscape use in southern Africa’s past.
Deciphering the diet of the iberian iynx: insights from taphonomic analysis of pleistocene coprolites
Publication . Rufà, Anna; Sanz, Montserrat; Daura, Joan
Pleistocene 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.
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Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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6817 - DCRRNI ID
Número da atribuição
UID/ARQ/04211/2019