Sara E Rhodes

Geißenklösterle Cave, located in the Ach Valley of the Swabian Alb and one of six Swabian cave sites recently named as a UNESCO World Heritage site, has a long history of archaeological research resulting in a detailed record of human occupation. Sometime around 45,000 years ago Neanderthals seemingly vanished from the Swabian landscape, and after a period of mostly geogenic deposit at Geißenkl€ osterle Cave we find deposits containing characteristically Aurignacian artifacts dating to as early as 42,500 years ago. These Aurignacian groups brought with them complex symbolic expression and communication including bone and ivory beads, musical instruments, and animal and human figurines. This study examines the climatic context of this depopulation through a taxonomic and taphonomic analysis of the rodent and insectivore remains associated with these periods and provides a relatively unbiased climatic record for the period of ~45,000e36,000 years ago in this region. Taphonomic analysis indicates that primarily the European eagle owl (Bubo bubo) and the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) were responsible for accumulating the material, and allows us to quantify the potential taxonomic bias resulting from predator behaviour which includes a preference for voles, particularly the water vole (Arvicola terrestris). Additionally, rare taxa (which include species of murids and soricids) may have been present in greater quantities than our sample implies. The assemblage from Geißenkl€ osterle Cave is dominated by the field and common vole (Microtus arvalis/agrestis), the narrow-headed vole (Microtus gregalis), and the root/ tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus). Overall, the Middle Paleolithic landscape included significant woodland and forested areas while a high proportion of species restricted to cold tundra environments likely indicate punctuated cold and arid periods. The signal from the nearly geogenic layer overlying the Middle Paleolithic material includes a moderate shift in the proportion of cold tundra adapted species, suggesting that the tundra expanded leading up to the Neanderthal depopulation, but no period of drastic climatic change is recognizable. The Aurignacian was significantly colder and drier than the preceding period, with cold tundra expansion reaching its apex (for the time period studied). Based on these results the Swabian landscape first encountered by Aurignacian groups was significantly less hospitable than that known to the earlier Middle Paleolithic populations. These results correlate well with past paleo-environmental reconstructions based on sedimentary, botanical, and faunal assemblages. There is no evidence in the small mammal record that climatic pressure drove Neanderthals from the Ach Valley, instead it seems likely they enjoyed a more temperate environment than later Aurignacian groups. Ongoing work focused on greater resolution of these climatic oscillations at similarly well-dated Swabian sites will shed further light on the timing and speed of this climatic shift and the response of the biological communities affected, including early human groups.

N 0 k m 400 Control of fire was a hallmark of developing human cognition and an essential technology for the colonisation of cooler latitudes. In Europe, the earliest evidence comes from recent work at the site of Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar in southeastern Spain. Charred and calcined bone and thermally altered chert were recovered from a deep, 0.8-million-year-old sedimentary deposit. A combination of analyses indicated that these had been heated to 400–600ºC, compatible with burning. Inspection of the sediment and hydroxyapatite also suggests combustion and degradation of the bone. The results provide new insight into Early Palaeolithic use of fire and its significance for human evolution.

The development of pyrotechnology is a hallmark of human history, providing our ancestors with warmth, security and cooked food. Evidence for fire use before 400 thousand years ago (kya) remains contentious due largely to the taphonomically fragile nature of charcoal and ash. As such, it is imperative to the study of prehistoric fire that we develop techniques and methodologies for identifying anthropogenic fire use via more robust materials. A new methodology described by Fernández-Jalvo and Avery (2015) based on small mammal taphonomy to identify high intensity fire events from the distant past is replicated herein. When we applied this method to assemblages from Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar, an upland rock-shelter in southeastern Spain, dated to between 780 kya and 980 kya, we recognized a spatial relationship between highly heat modified micromammal specimens and a previously reported delineated feature of thermally altered and carbonate rich sediment which also includes heat-fractured chert and calcined bone (the fire feature). The proportion of heavily heat-modified specimens (charred and/or calcined specimens) identified within the stratigraphic context associated with the fire feature proved statistically significant (x 2 = 169.18, p b 0.001) when compared with the proportion of similarly modified specimens from overlying deposits (within other stratigraphic layers). The degree of discolouration seen on the micromammal remains within the fire feature has been linked to temperatures exceeding 600 °C (Shipman et al., 1984), and as such supports claims that the fire feature may have an anthropo-genic origin. Environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) of bone specimens confirms that this discolouration is due to burning rather than post-depositional mineral staining. This confirms that methodology, which represents a novel line of evidence for identifying pyrotechnical events at early Palaeolithic sites, can be used to identify potentially anthropogenic fire events from the distant past when alternative scenarios are excluded. Furthermore, studies of this type showcase the value of including detailed taphonomic studies of microfauna assemblages within multidisciplinary research projects.

Hohle Fels cave, one of the best studied sites of the Swabian Jura in Germany, has a long sequence of Pleistocene deposits dating from the Middle Paleolithic to the Magdalenian and a material record that includes some of the earliest portable art in Europe including beads, flutes and figurines made of ivory and bone. The Middle Paleolithic period is associated with Neanderthals and the Swabian Mousterian, which has yielded few organic tools. The associated material culture has no strictly symbolic artifacts marking a clear distinction between Neanderthal populations and the intensely symbolic early Aurignacians. These observations together with changing environments, possible inter-population competition and internal social-economic dynamics of the Aurignacian represent the foundation for the Kulturpumpe hypotheses. Understanding the landscape and environment that these cultural groups inhabited is a one of the key goals of our continued research and excavation at the site. Regularly found at Hohle Fels are numerous microfauna specimens: skeletal remains of species of less than 150g live weight which, due of their sensitivity to variations in environmental conditions, make them excellent indicators of the palaeoenvironmental conditions of a region. Studies of microfauna can be used to reconstruct the ecosystems of the distant past. These results can be compared with other data sets from Hohle Fels and with other sites to inform our understanding of hominin paleohabitats.                                                                                                                                                                        This poster presents results of a taxonomic and taphonomic study of a small mammal (Rodentia and Insectivora) sub-sample from Hohle Fels.

The Swabian Jura is a region of both exceptional technological and symbolic innovation during the Palaeolithic, and as such has been the subject of intensive research spanning nearly 150 years [1].  Despite this long academic tradition important questions remain, particularly surrounding the context of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic cultural transition. The most well known models proposed to explain the replacement of the Swabian Middle Palaeolithic hominins by Aurignacian groups include the Kulturpumpemodel and the Danube Corridor hypothesis [2].  The occurrence of climatic stress and a generally harsh environment during OIS 3 is one of the key hypotheses of the Kulturpumpemodel, and has inspired research into the climatic signatures evident in the micromorphological  [3] and faunal records [4] of this region. This paper presents the new data on the climatic and palaeoecological record of the Ach Valley as indicated by the micromammalian (insectivore, rodent, and bat) assemblages recovered from Geißenklösterle cave. These results are compared with previous environmental models and the applicability of the Kulturpumpemodel in light of these new data is discussed.
Micromammal assemblages function as excellent palaeoenvironmental proxies since many rodents and some insectivores are particularly sensitive to variations in environmental conditions.  Furthermore, when deposited by nonhuman predators these materials lack the complicating bias of human selective predation or peri-depositional modification. Here we present a detailed taphonomic analysis of cranial and post-cranial remains in order to address the potential influence of selective predation on the paleoenvironmental record from Geißenklösterle. Insectivore, rodent and, in some contexts, bat remains are among the most numerous faunal remains reported from cave sites, and they generally experience limited post-depositional modification. Thus they provide much paleoenvironmental and climatic information that can augment other important lines of evidence including data from the study of macrofauna and micromorphological studies.
The rodent assemblage from Geißenklösterle is dominated by five species of vole (Microtus) as well as cold-indicative taxa such as the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx gulielmi) and the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus). The overall predominance of the common vole (Microtus arvalis/agrestis) indicates that the area surrounding the cave likely included moist pastures with moderate humidity and moisture during the Middle Paleolithic and the occupational hiatus immediately preceding the earliest Aurignacian strata. A decrease in the proportion of this species in the early Upper Paleolithic coincides with a moderate increase in the cold-indicative taxa, suggesting a broad shift towards a cold, dry climate. The proportion of species that prefer boreal/open forests and rocky outcrops remains steady throughout.  These results are quite similar to previous studies [5, 4] and suggest that the only signal of climatic change present in the micromammal assemblage from Geißenklösterle includes a gradual increase in the presence of tundra cold-steppe environments in the Upper Paleolithic. While this climatic trend likely had an effect on the technological and social behaviours of late Neanderthal and Aurignacian populations and may be in part responsible for some differences in the material culture between these groups, comparison of the microfaunal record between the Middle and Upper Paleolithic at Geißenklösterle cave suggests that climate played only a weak role in the population dynamics observed in the Swabian Jura.

References
[1] Conard, NJ, Bolus, M, Dutkiewicz, E, and Wolf, S. 2015. Eiszeitarchäologie auf der Schwäbischen Alb: die Fundstellen im Ach-und Lonetal und in ihrer Umgebung. Kerns Verlang, Tübingen.

[2] Conard. N.J, and Bolus, M. 2003. Radiocarbon dating the appearance of modern humans and timing of cultural innovations in Europe: new results and new challenges. Journal of Human Evolution 44. Pp. 331-371.

[3] Miller, Christopher E. 2015. A Tale of Two Swabian Caves. Geoarchaeological Investigations at Hohle Fels and Geißenklösterle. Kerns Verlang, Tübingen.

[4] Conard, N. J., Kitagawa, K., Krönneck, P., Böhme, M., & Münzel, S. C. 2013. The importance of fish, fowl and small mammals in the Paleolithic diet of the Swabian Jura, Southwestern Germany. In Zooarchaeology and Modern Human Origins (pp. 173-190). Springer Netherlands.

[5] Münzel, S. C. & Conard, N. J. 2004. Change and continuity in subsistence during the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in the Ach Valley of Swabia (South-west Germany). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 14: 225–243.

Cueva Negra, an upland rock-shelter in southeastern Spain, contains a rich paleontological, paleopalynological, and lithic record.  Dated by magnostratigraphy to >0.78 Ma, the Early Pleistocene deposits contain anthropic inputs as well as a delineated ash feature containing burnt macrofauna and chert. The research discussed here substantiates claims of opportunistic fire use within these deposits through analysis of heat altered small mammal bone.  We hypothesize that small mammal bone deposited on the cave surface by non-human predators may be unintentionally exposed to the intense temperatures of anthropogenic fire, and may be used as proxy evidence of human fire behaviour in the past.
Taphonomic analysis conducted on a sample of 2290 rodent remains indentified modification indicative of exposure to temperatures exceeding those commonly occurring in natural fires (>600oC).  SEM – EDS confirms this discolouration is not due to post-depositional mineral staining.  Within the ash feature, 62% of specimens showed heat-related discolouration with 32% charred or calcined.  In total, 97% of the total charred and calcined bone examined come from the ash feature, a statistically significant (x2 – 169.7, p < 0.001) pattern in the distribution of heavily burnt bone. Digestive corrosion, skeletal element representation and breakage patterns on the darkened ash layer assemblage suggests it was deposited by non-human predator, most likely a moderately destructive owl (such as the Little Owl) or carnivorous small mammal.  As such, the thermal alteration of these small mammal remain likely represents unintentional anthropic modification.  In addition to suggesting another  line of taphonomic bias rarely explored in small mammal studies (anthropic alteration), this research represents a novel line of evidence in identifying hominin pyrotechnological capabilities at early Pleistocene occupation sites.

Cueva Negra, an upland rock-shelter overlooking the Rio Quipar of Murcia, Spain, has revealed a rich paleontological, paleopalynological, and lithic record of the Early to Late Pleistocene.  Dated by magnostratigraphy to >0.78 Ma, the Early Pleistocene stratigraphic context is an alluvial silty deposit with sandy intercalations and anthropic inputs including evidence of the combustion of organic and lithic materials. The research discussed here substantiates claims of cultivated fire use within these deposits through analysis of heat altered small mammal bone. 
Taphonomic analysis conducted on a sample of 2300 rodent, shrew and rabbit remains from the Early Pleistocene sediments indicates temperatures exceeding those commonly occurring in natural fires (>600oC).  The intensity of heating is indicated by varying intensities of discolouration evident on the small mammal bones. Based on Scanning electron microscopy of bone fragments, discolouration due to post-depositional mineral staining can be ruled out.  Five grades of heat-induced discolouration were recognized throughout the assemblage, with 97% of category 5 (calcined) bone occurring within the deep combusted layer. Interpretation of the agent responsible for the micromammal sample accumulation, based on element representation, breakage patterning and acid etching, suggests that these bones were deposited by non-human avian predators prior to the burning event.  Thermal alteration of these small mammal remains most likely represents unintentional anthropic modification.  In addition to suggesting another  line of taphonomic bias rarely explored in small mammal studies (anthropic alteration), this research represents a novel line of evidence in identifying hominin pyrotechnological capabilities at early Pleistocene occupation sites.

Small mammals from archaeological contexts have often been used as environmental proxies in Paleolithic studies.  Key to such use is an understanding of both the biogeographic distributions and habitat preferences/dietary needs of both extinct and extant species.  As such, precise taxonomic identification of archaeologically derived faunal specimens can be significantly informative to attempts to understand why a particular region was occupied by prehistoric hominid populations.  This poster details the identification of five rodent dental specimens, recovered during the 2011 field season at Sima de las Palomas del Cabezo Gordo, Southeastern Spain via statistical and morphological comparison of morphometric dental features.  Recovered from contexts dated to between 125 – 60 kya, these specimens come from a time of limited fossil representation, a relative ‘dark age’, with regards to Hystricidae geographic distribution (Van Weers, 1994, 2005), as well as a time of variable climatic warmings and coolings preceeding the last glacial maximum. Identified correlations between the Sima de las Palomas specimens, Hystrix javanica and Hystrix brachyura in molariform size, a reliable measure of phenotypic variation when compared multidimentionally, suggests a greater geographic range for these species than previously documented.  Furthermore, the inclusion of Hystricidae populations in the faunal record at Sima de las Palomas allows for a more detailed account of the various plant species likely included in the local ecosystem and substantiates previous climatic interpretations (Carrion et al., 2003, 2004).  Studies such as this are important in that they provide a nuanced understanding of the environments inhabited by our early ancestors, in this case Homo neanderthalensis, during climatically volatile periods.