The site of Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a shelter with several levels with Middle... more The site of Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a shelter with several levels with Middle Palaeolithic occupations. The level IV, with two dates of 43,930 ± 750 BP (Beta-244002) and >51.6 ka BP (OxA-24855), has a palimpsest structure and a high density of archaeological remains (lithic industry, fauna, charcoals and combustion structures). The bone sample contains 100,907 remains, with a better representation of Bovidae, Equidae, Cervidae and Testudinidae families. The presence of fresh fractures, percussion notches and cut marks confirms the anthropogenic character of the sample, as well as the thermoalterations. Given the high fragmentation of the bones (1% of identified), a specific analysis of the bone chips (less than <3cm) has been carried out. The results have confirmed the data obtain from the archaeozoological and taphonomical study of the identifiable remains. The current work contributes with new economic data to the Middle Palaeolithic framework of the Iberian Mediterranean region.
Neanderthals and modern humans from the Early Upper Palaeolithic had a highly developed knowledge... more Neanderthals and modern humans from the Early Upper Palaeolithic had a highly developed knowledge of their environment, where they found the essential resources for their subsistence. Therefore, changes in the local landscape and available resources should have influenced their behaviour, as indicated by faunal and plant remains recovered from archaeological sites. In the central‐eastern Iberian Mediterranean region, the archaeological sites of Cova Negra, Abrigo de la Quebrada, Cova de les Malladetes and Cova de les Cendres have provided wood charcoal, seeds and fauna. The combination of these data allows an accurate reconstruction of the regional landscape from MIS 5 to the beginning of MIS 2. The available evidence suggests that this region could be defined as a refugium in which biodiversity persisted. This type of refugium, containing a high diversity of biotopes and some endemic species, which has lasted until the present day, can be seen at a regional scale, but also locally, especially near the coast. These special characteristics of the region – relatively stable climatic conditions with oscillations mainly in aridity and humidity, and a high diversity of flora and fauna – could explain the high density of Palaeolithic sites throughout Middle and Upper Palaeolithic here.
In the Mediterranean Iberian region, rabbit has an important role in the human diet, mainly durin... more In the Mediterranean Iberian region, rabbit has an important role in the human diet, mainly during the Final Upper Palaeolithic. The archaeological and experimental works about rabbit processing and consumption from the last years provide a wide and relevant framework. The site of Cova de les Cendres (Alicante, Spain) has a relevant role in the knowledge of the Iberian Upper Palaeolithic human subsistence, and offer a wide chronological sequence. The Magdalenian levels of Cendres provide a well-preserve archaeological assemblage of rabbit remains (ca. 90% of the total fauna) to study the human behaviour. The results show subsistence activities focus not only on meat and marrow immediate consumption, but also on skins preparation and meat storage activities. Based on these data and the framework from the area, the anthropic modifications (cut-marks, tooth-marks, fractures and fire alteration) identify on archaeological bones can specify different butchery activities. These results, however, provide more than diet information, and can be related also to different occupation pattern (function, time, seasonality) along the Magdalenian sequence of Cova de les Cendres.
At the end of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Iberian Mediterranean region, hunting activity was ce... more At the end of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Iberian Mediterranean region, hunting activity was centered on a medium-sized species. In settlements such as Cova de les Cendres, at a lower altitude and near the coast, the red deer was the dominant prey. The latest excavations of the Magdalenian levels and the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the bone remains provide new data on the resources used and their hunting-processing-consumption pattern. The exploitation of this prey is intensive and complete, integrating both dietary (meat, marrow and fat) and utilitarian resources (fur, tendons, bones and antlers). But it does not seem to be linked to moments of food stress, but rather to stable and long-term occupations, especially during the Upper Magdalenian.
Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a Middle Palaeolithic site with Neanderthal occupatio... more Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a Middle Palaeolithic site with Neanderthal occupations, composed by nine archaeological levels that extend from MIS 3-5 in the upper levels (II-V), up to MIS 5 in the lower levels (VI-IX), with dates for level VI of 80.0 ± 4.7 ky and 83.2 ± 5.4 ka. Level IV show short and repeated human occupations, with a high density of materials related to hunting activities focus on several ungulates as ibex, equids and cervids. However, the lower levels (VII, VIII and IX) respond to different sedimentation rates and occupations. Archaeozoological and taphonomic studies show mixed occupations. Raptors or small carnivores seem to be responsible of the leporids accumulation. In addition, some remains of ungulates present also modifications of carnivores. On the contrary, Neanderthal groups are responsible for the ungulates accumulations, with a hunting activity focused mainly in equids, but also in medium size ungulates. In summary, the study shows that human occupations are much more sporadic, marginal and possibly the groups were smaller than in the upper levels. The lithic industry and the micro-spatial analysis support this idea. The lithic operative chain is fragmented, with predominance of the last phases and discoid production. The local raw materials are more used, especially flint, and intensive processes of reuse of the pieces are observed. At the micro-spatial level, the recession of the overhang and the position of the large collapsed boulders conditioned the habitable space and explain the reiteration in the use of space in the central zone of the excavated area.
Quaderns de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de Castelló, 2019
Les muralles de Portell de Morella són el testimoni material més evident del seu passat medieval.... more Les muralles de Portell de Morella són el testimoni material més evident del seu passat medieval. Tot i això, el seu recinte emmurallat no ha estat mai objecte d’excavacions arqueològiques sistemàtiques que abordaren la seua cronologia inicial i relacionaren els elements arquitectònics visibles amb les restes arqueològiques ocultes al subsòl. Els darrers anys, l’Ajuntament de la població ha promocionat una sèrie de projectes destinats a la recuperació i posada en valor de muralles i torres. Aquestes intervencions han estat acompanyades d’excavacions arqueològiques, les quals han determinat una cronologia inicial per al recinte de mitjan segle XIII.
Quaderns de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de Castelló 36, 2018
Les diferents intervencions arqueològiques al conjunt patrimonial que conformen el Castell Vell i... more Les diferents intervencions arqueològiques al conjunt patrimonial que conformen el Castell Vell i l’ermita de la Magdalena han proporcionat dades arqueològiques rellevants que permeten construir un relat històric més acurat dels fets que allí es desenvoluparen durant el període de dominació andalusina. Les tasques arqueològiques realitzades el 2017 amb motiu de la construcció del Centre d’Interpretació, han permés documentar restes d’estructures andalusines al vessant sud-oest de les Serretes, pel moment més antigues que la mateixa construcció del castell. Encara que són evidències molt malmeses, incideixen en la intensa ocupació de la zona des del segle IX, així com en els canvis que es produïren en el model d’assentament als segles XI i XII, amb motiu de la construcció de nombrosos recintes emmurallats, com és el mateix Castell Vell.
The Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) stratigraphic succession comprises nine Middle Palae... more The Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) stratigraphic succession comprises nine Middle Palaeolithic levels. Human selection of this rock shelter for occupation owes to its favourable location—at the gates of a blind valley where the trapping of large herbivores would have been practicable. The immediate environment is varied, with both abrupt and flat terrain, and would have supported a wide range of prey animals. Radiocarbon-dated charcoal samples from level IV, which is characterised by a high density of lithic (> 18,000) and bone (> 100,000) remains, yielded results of 43,930 ± 750 BP (Beta-244002) and > 51,6 ka BP (OxA-24855). There is no evidence of modification by carnivores or birds of prey, so this level’s faunal remains must be anthropogenic in the main. Relative to the inhabited space, the location of level IV’s many combustion features shows little variation. The level’s typical palimpsest structure results from frequent, repeated occupations with intense on-site processing in a context of low sedimentation rates. The study of seasonality, carcass exploitation, taphonomy, stone tool refitting and raw material provenience patterns supports the notion that the different occupations subsumed in the level IV deposit were all short term. The comparison of our results with coeval contexts from the central area of Mediterranean Iberia sheds additional light on the adaptations of western Europe’s Neanderthal groups.
This paper presents a study of the macromammalian fauna recovered from Mousterian levels of Lloni... more This paper presents a study of the macromammalian fauna recovered from Mousterian levels of Llonin Cave. The sample is highly heterogeneous and comprises six species of ungulates, including Rupicapra pyrenaica, Capra pyrenaica and Cervus elaphus, and seven species of carnivores, predominantly Ursus spelaeus, Crocuta spelaea, Canis/Cuon and Panthera pardus. The archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the remains shows preferential use of basal levels of the cave as a den for hyenas and leopards. Neanderthals were also present during this phase and they would have acted mainly on deer and some caprines, while the action of hyenas would mainly have been linked to scavenging of elements left by humans and the introduction of bear remains. Leopards would have transported caprines in order to consume them. The study of several coprolites confirms that hyenas and leopards were the main occupants of the cave. The information from the animals processed by humans together with other archaeological evidence and the intervention of various carnivores in these basal levels enables us to characterise a palimpsest of occupations that would have been short and sporadic in the case of humans.
This paper presents a synthesis of the Early Upper Palaeolithic of Cova de les Cendres. Points of... more This paper presents a synthesis of the Early Upper Palaeolithic of Cova de les Cendres. Points of special attention are the sedimentary and micromorphological characterisation of level XVI, the analysis of the vegetal and animal resources and their incidence on the economy of the Gravettian human groups, and the characterisation of the landscape during this period. Furthermore, the paper offers important information of the lithic and bone assemblages, economic behaviour and radiocarbon dates of sub-levels XVIA and XVIB, related to the Gravettian, and XVIC and XVID, corresponding to the Aurignacian. Finally, the Gravettian and Aurignacian regional contexts in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula are discussed, and the recent proposals for regional technological variation in the Iberian Gravettian industries are critically evaluated
This paper compares levels IV and VIII of Abrigo de la Quebrada. The study includes knapping tech... more This paper compares levels IV and VIII of Abrigo de la Quebrada. The study includes knapping technique, raw material, fauna, and the spatial distribution of lithic and bone remains. Although both levels correspond to cumulative palimpsests, patterns of resource management and use of space that suggest changes in the rhythm of occupation and the functionality of the settlements can be discerned. A change in mobility patterns probably underpins the differences between these two levels of Quebrada, but assessing this hypothesis is made difficult by the lack of comparable documentation for other sites in the region.
En aquest treball proposem una retrospectiva del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la U... more En aquest treball proposem una retrospectiva del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la Universitat de València des de la fundació del Laboratori d’Arqueologia fins l’actualitat, tot ressaltant l’important paper que han tingut les dones en la seua trajectòria.
La memòria oral i la Fotografia són eines molt útils en la investigació arqueològica i, sobretot,... more La memòria oral i la Fotografia són eines molt útils en la investigació arqueològica i, sobretot, en la investigació històrica. Al següent article es fa una breu introducció a ambdós ferramentes de treball i tot seguit s’explica com han estat emprades en la investigació duta a terme al voltant de l’evolució del paper de les dones al si del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la Universitat de València.
This paper presents the results of a study of bones recovered in various current Egyptian vulture... more This paper presents the results of a study of bones recovered in various current Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) nests in a Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula. The Egyptian vulture, a diurnal, scavenging, rupicolous bird of prey, is one of four vulture species that currently inhabit the Iberian Peninsula. An analysis of the remains found in the nests confirms that it has a heterogeneous diet that includes remains from human activities (butchery and food production) and the carcasses of dead animals, although it is possible that they also prey on small-sized taxa. The taphonomic study determines these birds' capability of transporting, accumulating and altering bone remains. Some of the elements show marks caused by beak and/or claw impacts brought about primarily during feeding, which have characteristic typologies. Despite the fact that this is not a bone-eating vulture, it can also be seen that some bones are swallowed. The characteristics of the bone set studied here are important for establishing the origin of bone accumulations on archaeological sites.
En el artículo se presentan los datos obtenidos tras el estudio de un muestreo de los restos óseo... more En el artículo se presentan los datos obtenidos tras el estudio de un muestreo de los restos óseos del Magdaleniense superior (Nivel XI) de la Cova de les Cendres (Teulada-Moraira, Alicante), en el que se ha empleado una metodología más objetiva y numérica. La composición taxonómica es habitual en este periodo, con un predominio absoluto del conejo, seguido del grupo de los ungulados (ciervo, cabra, caballo, jabalí), y la baja presencia de una especie de carnívoro, lince.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Arqueozoología, economía, metodología específica, Magdaleniense superior, Cova de les Cendres.
In this paper we make a synthesis of the Magdalenian in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Pe... more In this paper we make a synthesis of the Magdalenian in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula. We pay special attention to the lithic and bone/antler assemblages,rock art, economy and radiocarbon dates. The data obtained in Cendres cave, situated in the middle or the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula, permit us to articulate the discussion about the Lower, Middle and Upper Magdalenian in this region. Furthermore, we discuss about the end of the Magdalenian sequence with the Epimagdalenian industries.
The site of Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a shelter with several levels with Middle... more The site of Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a shelter with several levels with Middle Palaeolithic occupations. The level IV, with two dates of 43,930 ± 750 BP (Beta-244002) and >51.6 ka BP (OxA-24855), has a palimpsest structure and a high density of archaeological remains (lithic industry, fauna, charcoals and combustion structures). The bone sample contains 100,907 remains, with a better representation of Bovidae, Equidae, Cervidae and Testudinidae families. The presence of fresh fractures, percussion notches and cut marks confirms the anthropogenic character of the sample, as well as the thermoalterations. Given the high fragmentation of the bones (1% of identified), a specific analysis of the bone chips (less than <3cm) has been carried out. The results have confirmed the data obtain from the archaeozoological and taphonomical study of the identifiable remains. The current work contributes with new economic data to the Middle Palaeolithic framework of the Iberian Mediterranean region.
Neanderthals and modern humans from the Early Upper Palaeolithic had a highly developed knowledge... more Neanderthals and modern humans from the Early Upper Palaeolithic had a highly developed knowledge of their environment, where they found the essential resources for their subsistence. Therefore, changes in the local landscape and available resources should have influenced their behaviour, as indicated by faunal and plant remains recovered from archaeological sites. In the central‐eastern Iberian Mediterranean region, the archaeological sites of Cova Negra, Abrigo de la Quebrada, Cova de les Malladetes and Cova de les Cendres have provided wood charcoal, seeds and fauna. The combination of these data allows an accurate reconstruction of the regional landscape from MIS 5 to the beginning of MIS 2. The available evidence suggests that this region could be defined as a refugium in which biodiversity persisted. This type of refugium, containing a high diversity of biotopes and some endemic species, which has lasted until the present day, can be seen at a regional scale, but also locally, especially near the coast. These special characteristics of the region – relatively stable climatic conditions with oscillations mainly in aridity and humidity, and a high diversity of flora and fauna – could explain the high density of Palaeolithic sites throughout Middle and Upper Palaeolithic here.
In the Mediterranean Iberian region, rabbit has an important role in the human diet, mainly durin... more In the Mediterranean Iberian region, rabbit has an important role in the human diet, mainly during the Final Upper Palaeolithic. The archaeological and experimental works about rabbit processing and consumption from the last years provide a wide and relevant framework. The site of Cova de les Cendres (Alicante, Spain) has a relevant role in the knowledge of the Iberian Upper Palaeolithic human subsistence, and offer a wide chronological sequence. The Magdalenian levels of Cendres provide a well-preserve archaeological assemblage of rabbit remains (ca. 90% of the total fauna) to study the human behaviour. The results show subsistence activities focus not only on meat and marrow immediate consumption, but also on skins preparation and meat storage activities. Based on these data and the framework from the area, the anthropic modifications (cut-marks, tooth-marks, fractures and fire alteration) identify on archaeological bones can specify different butchery activities. These results, however, provide more than diet information, and can be related also to different occupation pattern (function, time, seasonality) along the Magdalenian sequence of Cova de les Cendres.
At the end of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Iberian Mediterranean region, hunting activity was ce... more At the end of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Iberian Mediterranean region, hunting activity was centered on a medium-sized species. In settlements such as Cova de les Cendres, at a lower altitude and near the coast, the red deer was the dominant prey. The latest excavations of the Magdalenian levels and the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the bone remains provide new data on the resources used and their hunting-processing-consumption pattern. The exploitation of this prey is intensive and complete, integrating both dietary (meat, marrow and fat) and utilitarian resources (fur, tendons, bones and antlers). But it does not seem to be linked to moments of food stress, but rather to stable and long-term occupations, especially during the Upper Magdalenian.
Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a Middle Palaeolithic site with Neanderthal occupatio... more Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a Middle Palaeolithic site with Neanderthal occupations, composed by nine archaeological levels that extend from MIS 3-5 in the upper levels (II-V), up to MIS 5 in the lower levels (VI-IX), with dates for level VI of 80.0 ± 4.7 ky and 83.2 ± 5.4 ka. Level IV show short and repeated human occupations, with a high density of materials related to hunting activities focus on several ungulates as ibex, equids and cervids. However, the lower levels (VII, VIII and IX) respond to different sedimentation rates and occupations. Archaeozoological and taphonomic studies show mixed occupations. Raptors or small carnivores seem to be responsible of the leporids accumulation. In addition, some remains of ungulates present also modifications of carnivores. On the contrary, Neanderthal groups are responsible for the ungulates accumulations, with a hunting activity focused mainly in equids, but also in medium size ungulates. In summary, the study shows that human occupations are much more sporadic, marginal and possibly the groups were smaller than in the upper levels. The lithic industry and the micro-spatial analysis support this idea. The lithic operative chain is fragmented, with predominance of the last phases and discoid production. The local raw materials are more used, especially flint, and intensive processes of reuse of the pieces are observed. At the micro-spatial level, the recession of the overhang and the position of the large collapsed boulders conditioned the habitable space and explain the reiteration in the use of space in the central zone of the excavated area.
Quaderns de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de Castelló, 2019
Les muralles de Portell de Morella són el testimoni material més evident del seu passat medieval.... more Les muralles de Portell de Morella són el testimoni material més evident del seu passat medieval. Tot i això, el seu recinte emmurallat no ha estat mai objecte d’excavacions arqueològiques sistemàtiques que abordaren la seua cronologia inicial i relacionaren els elements arquitectònics visibles amb les restes arqueològiques ocultes al subsòl. Els darrers anys, l’Ajuntament de la població ha promocionat una sèrie de projectes destinats a la recuperació i posada en valor de muralles i torres. Aquestes intervencions han estat acompanyades d’excavacions arqueològiques, les quals han determinat una cronologia inicial per al recinte de mitjan segle XIII.
Quaderns de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de Castelló 36, 2018
Les diferents intervencions arqueològiques al conjunt patrimonial que conformen el Castell Vell i... more Les diferents intervencions arqueològiques al conjunt patrimonial que conformen el Castell Vell i l’ermita de la Magdalena han proporcionat dades arqueològiques rellevants que permeten construir un relat històric més acurat dels fets que allí es desenvoluparen durant el període de dominació andalusina. Les tasques arqueològiques realitzades el 2017 amb motiu de la construcció del Centre d’Interpretació, han permés documentar restes d’estructures andalusines al vessant sud-oest de les Serretes, pel moment més antigues que la mateixa construcció del castell. Encara que són evidències molt malmeses, incideixen en la intensa ocupació de la zona des del segle IX, així com en els canvis que es produïren en el model d’assentament als segles XI i XII, amb motiu de la construcció de nombrosos recintes emmurallats, com és el mateix Castell Vell.
The Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) stratigraphic succession comprises nine Middle Palae... more The Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) stratigraphic succession comprises nine Middle Palaeolithic levels. Human selection of this rock shelter for occupation owes to its favourable location—at the gates of a blind valley where the trapping of large herbivores would have been practicable. The immediate environment is varied, with both abrupt and flat terrain, and would have supported a wide range of prey animals. Radiocarbon-dated charcoal samples from level IV, which is characterised by a high density of lithic (> 18,000) and bone (> 100,000) remains, yielded results of 43,930 ± 750 BP (Beta-244002) and > 51,6 ka BP (OxA-24855). There is no evidence of modification by carnivores or birds of prey, so this level’s faunal remains must be anthropogenic in the main. Relative to the inhabited space, the location of level IV’s many combustion features shows little variation. The level’s typical palimpsest structure results from frequent, repeated occupations with intense on-site processing in a context of low sedimentation rates. The study of seasonality, carcass exploitation, taphonomy, stone tool refitting and raw material provenience patterns supports the notion that the different occupations subsumed in the level IV deposit were all short term. The comparison of our results with coeval contexts from the central area of Mediterranean Iberia sheds additional light on the adaptations of western Europe’s Neanderthal groups.
This paper presents a study of the macromammalian fauna recovered from Mousterian levels of Lloni... more This paper presents a study of the macromammalian fauna recovered from Mousterian levels of Llonin Cave. The sample is highly heterogeneous and comprises six species of ungulates, including Rupicapra pyrenaica, Capra pyrenaica and Cervus elaphus, and seven species of carnivores, predominantly Ursus spelaeus, Crocuta spelaea, Canis/Cuon and Panthera pardus. The archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the remains shows preferential use of basal levels of the cave as a den for hyenas and leopards. Neanderthals were also present during this phase and they would have acted mainly on deer and some caprines, while the action of hyenas would mainly have been linked to scavenging of elements left by humans and the introduction of bear remains. Leopards would have transported caprines in order to consume them. The study of several coprolites confirms that hyenas and leopards were the main occupants of the cave. The information from the animals processed by humans together with other archaeological evidence and the intervention of various carnivores in these basal levels enables us to characterise a palimpsest of occupations that would have been short and sporadic in the case of humans.
This paper presents a synthesis of the Early Upper Palaeolithic of Cova de les Cendres. Points of... more This paper presents a synthesis of the Early Upper Palaeolithic of Cova de les Cendres. Points of special attention are the sedimentary and micromorphological characterisation of level XVI, the analysis of the vegetal and animal resources and their incidence on the economy of the Gravettian human groups, and the characterisation of the landscape during this period. Furthermore, the paper offers important information of the lithic and bone assemblages, economic behaviour and radiocarbon dates of sub-levels XVIA and XVIB, related to the Gravettian, and XVIC and XVID, corresponding to the Aurignacian. Finally, the Gravettian and Aurignacian regional contexts in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula are discussed, and the recent proposals for regional technological variation in the Iberian Gravettian industries are critically evaluated
This paper compares levels IV and VIII of Abrigo de la Quebrada. The study includes knapping tech... more This paper compares levels IV and VIII of Abrigo de la Quebrada. The study includes knapping technique, raw material, fauna, and the spatial distribution of lithic and bone remains. Although both levels correspond to cumulative palimpsests, patterns of resource management and use of space that suggest changes in the rhythm of occupation and the functionality of the settlements can be discerned. A change in mobility patterns probably underpins the differences between these two levels of Quebrada, but assessing this hypothesis is made difficult by the lack of comparable documentation for other sites in the region.
En aquest treball proposem una retrospectiva del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la U... more En aquest treball proposem una retrospectiva del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la Universitat de València des de la fundació del Laboratori d’Arqueologia fins l’actualitat, tot ressaltant l’important paper que han tingut les dones en la seua trajectòria.
La memòria oral i la Fotografia són eines molt útils en la investigació arqueològica i, sobretot,... more La memòria oral i la Fotografia són eines molt útils en la investigació arqueològica i, sobretot, en la investigació històrica. Al següent article es fa una breu introducció a ambdós ferramentes de treball i tot seguit s’explica com han estat emprades en la investigació duta a terme al voltant de l’evolució del paper de les dones al si del Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la Universitat de València.
This paper presents the results of a study of bones recovered in various current Egyptian vulture... more This paper presents the results of a study of bones recovered in various current Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) nests in a Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula. The Egyptian vulture, a diurnal, scavenging, rupicolous bird of prey, is one of four vulture species that currently inhabit the Iberian Peninsula. An analysis of the remains found in the nests confirms that it has a heterogeneous diet that includes remains from human activities (butchery and food production) and the carcasses of dead animals, although it is possible that they also prey on small-sized taxa. The taphonomic study determines these birds' capability of transporting, accumulating and altering bone remains. Some of the elements show marks caused by beak and/or claw impacts brought about primarily during feeding, which have characteristic typologies. Despite the fact that this is not a bone-eating vulture, it can also be seen that some bones are swallowed. The characteristics of the bone set studied here are important for establishing the origin of bone accumulations on archaeological sites.
En el artículo se presentan los datos obtenidos tras el estudio de un muestreo de los restos óseo... more En el artículo se presentan los datos obtenidos tras el estudio de un muestreo de los restos óseos del Magdaleniense superior (Nivel XI) de la Cova de les Cendres (Teulada-Moraira, Alicante), en el que se ha empleado una metodología más objetiva y numérica. La composición taxonómica es habitual en este periodo, con un predominio absoluto del conejo, seguido del grupo de los ungulados (ciervo, cabra, caballo, jabalí), y la baja presencia de una especie de carnívoro, lince.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Arqueozoología, economía, metodología específica, Magdaleniense superior, Cova de les Cendres.
In this paper we make a synthesis of the Magdalenian in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Pe... more In this paper we make a synthesis of the Magdalenian in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula. We pay special attention to the lithic and bone/antler assemblages,rock art, economy and radiocarbon dates. The data obtained in Cendres cave, situated in the middle or the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula, permit us to articulate the discussion about the Lower, Middle and Upper Magdalenian in this region. Furthermore, we discuss about the end of the Magdalenian sequence with the Epimagdalenian industries.
Rabbit remains (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are very abundant in faunal assemblages of the Pleistocene... more Rabbit remains (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are very abundant in faunal assemblages of the Pleistocene and initial Holocene archaeological sites of Mediterranean Iberia. We present a review of available data on human consumption of this leporid from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic in the central area of Mediterranean Iberia. We review the rabbit assemblages and the taphonomic studies developed to define its importance in human diet. In this geographical area, consumption of these preys are recorded from the Middle Palaeolithic, but is in the Upper Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic when this resource is incorporated into human diet prominently. Taphonomic studies indicate that anatomically modern humans consumed this resource, coming to represent up to 95% of NISP in some assemblages of the Late Palaeolithic. Its exploitation has been linked to a different management model territory in terms of mobility than that of the Neanderthals.
Recursos marins en el passat. IV Jornades d’arqueozoologia, 2019
Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a site of Neanderthal occupation , which has contribu... more Abrigo de la Quebrada (Chelva, Valencia) is a site of Neanderthal occupation , which has contributed a sequence spanning from MIS 4-5, in the upper levels, to MIS 5, in the lower levels. Level IV shows short and repeated occupations, with a high density of finds related to hunting, and is representative of the upper part of the sequence. The lower levels are distinct, in terms of both sedimentation rate and mode of occupation. In this work, we present the results of the archaeozoological and taphonomic studies carried out for level VII. Neanderthals accumulated most of the ungulate remains, while the leporids, the birds and a few of the ungulate remains are non-anthropogenic. Human hunting focused on Equidae, Cervidae and Caprinae. Combined with the characteristics of the stone tool assemblage and spatial distribution patterns, these faunal results for level VII suggest human occupations that were more marginal, more sporadic and also likely to have involved smaller group sizes than those in level IV. INTRODUCCIÓN El Abrigo de la Quebrada se sitúa en la localidad valenciana de Chelva (Los Serranos) a unos 65 km al noroeste de Valencia. Su orientación es Norte-Sur (figura 1), y dada su posición se caracteriza por una escasa insolación Recursos marins en el passat. IV Jornades d'arqueozoologia. Museu de Prehistòria de València (2019): 257-277.
Estudios de Arqueozoología y Tafonomía de la Península Ibérica. Homenaje al profesor Manuel Pérez Ripoll. Saguntum-PALV, Extra 21., 2020
Cova de les Cendres is a relevant site in the Upper Palaeolithic from de Iberian Peninsula, with ... more Cova de les Cendres is a relevant site in the Upper Palaeolithic from de Iberian Peninsula, with a wide chronological sequence and a long research career. Since the last century, knowledge of Palaeolithic human subsistence in the Mediterranean area began to be developed, and Cendres has been providing data in this regard. However, today we still have information to find out about the economy of these hunter-gatherer groups. In this sense, this paper presents the results of the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the fauna remains from three levels (XIIA, XI and IX) of Cova de les Cendres, corresponding to the Middle, Upper and Final Upper Magdalenian. Rabbits are the best-represented species in number of remains, with processing and consuming patterns that seem to vary depending on the occupations. Among the ungulates, the red deer stands out as the main prey, although there is also consumption of other medium and large-sized species to a lesser extent. Relevant quantities of carnivores, especially lynx, have also been recorded, which are used not only by the skin, but also for consumption. The set of bones is well preserved, so it has been possible to carry out a good study of fractures and modifications, which point to an anthropic origin of the accumulations. These modifications show complete processing, in which the bones are systematically fractured, and all available resources are used (meat, fat, bone marrow, fur, bones). Secondly, based on the archaeozoological and taphonomic data existing in the literature, and together with the latest results of the analysis of bone remains applied to the three Magdalenian sets of Cendres, the general characteristics of the economic model of the Mediterranean Magdalenian are reviewed and expanded.
This book is a compendium of articles on archaeozoology and taphonomy studies of the Iberian Peni... more This book is a compendium of articles on archaeozoology and taphonomy studies of the Iberian Peninsula. With this volume, the Departament de Prehistòria, Arqueologia i Història Antiga (Universitat de València) wishes to pay tribute to Doctor Manuel Pérez Ripoll, who died recently. It reviews his career as a professor and researcher at the University of Valencia, dedicated to the study of the management of animal populations and their relationship with human groups, especially during the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic and the Neolithic. Link to the book: https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/saguntumextra/issue/view/1283
Este libro aporta datos relevantes para el conocimiento de las poblaciones humanas modernas y sus... more Este libro aporta datos relevantes para el conocimiento de las poblaciones humanas modernas y sus actividades de subsistencia en el área central del Mediterráneo Ibérico durante el Paleolítico Superior Final (Magdaleniense). Para ello se aplica un estudio arqueozoológico y tafonómico a tres conjuntos de fauna de la Cova de les Cendres. This book provides data relevant to understanding modern human populations and their subsistence activities in the central area of the Iberian Mediterranean during the Final Upper Palaeolithic (Magdalenian). It includes an archaeozoological and taphonomic analysis of three faunal assemblages from Cova de les Cendres in Alicante, Spain.
In this paper we present the recovered lynx remains in the postglacial levels of Cova de les Cend... more In this paper we present the recovered lynx remains in the postglacial levels of Cova de les Cendres and Coves de Santa Maira (Alicante, Spain). Although the identified remains are scarce, the anatomical and taphonomic studies show us a non-selective transport to the sites, as well as the integral use of the lynx body. Marks related to skinning and extraction of meat packages have been identified. Intentional fractures of the bones have been also noticed. These evidences mean a new addition to the debate on interactions between these predators and the hunter-gatherer human groups.
WHAT BONES TELL US / EL QUE ENS EXPLIQUEN ELS OSSOS
In this work, we present the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of rabbit assemblages from th... more In this work, we present the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of rabbit assemblages from the Early Upper Paleolithic levels of Cova de les Malladetes and Cova de les Cendres (central Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula). In Malladetes, the rabbit accumulations from Aurignacian levels are mainly due to the activity of birds of prey and the human evidences are very scarce. Instead, the remains from the Gravettian levels of Cendres are mostly associated with anthropogenic processing and consumption. These data, together with the references in the literature, seem to confirm that this lagomorph is becoming an important resource in the subsistence of AMH at least from the Gravettian.
The Southwestern Europe covers a wide territory with diverse ecosystems, from the Iberian Peninsu... more The Southwestern Europe covers a wide territory with diverse ecosystems, from the Iberian Peninsula, through southern France to Italy. In each of these areas the different research tradition has focused on defining cultural characteristics at the regional level, that has resulted in varied nomenclatures (eg. Badegoulian-Magdalenian-Epigravettian; Epipalaeolithic-Epimagdalenian-Azilian) used to name the latest palaeolithic technocomplexes of the same chronology. This fact makes it difficult to establish comparisons between the results of the different studies. Some of the differences that characterize, a priori, these cultural groups located in the several territories may be a consequence of the research tradition and / or the methodologies used. If this were the case, the existence of possible similarities between the territories should be considered and highlighted. If not, we should ask ourselves why these differences occur. This session aims to be a starting point to establish a summary of the current state of the art to assess the existence or otherwise of a cultural process of regionalization or to recognize and highlight the existence of common characteristics between territories in the proposed chronology: 18,500-10,000 cal. BP. Therefore, in the face of the increasing specialization of research projects, we propose an effort of synthesis of an interdisciplinary nature. In this sense, we invite you to present works that show the dynamics of human groups, connecting the main axes of study: resources (biotic and abiotic), technology, paleoenvironment, symbolism, settlement / occupation patterns. All this included in an updated radiocarbon chronology, which allows to establish a common chronological framework for the different regions.
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Papers by Cristina Real Margalef
recinte emmurallat no ha estat mai objecte d’excavacions arqueològiques sistemàtiques que abordaren la seua cronologia
inicial i relacionaren els elements arquitectònics visibles amb les restes arqueològiques ocultes al subsòl. Els darrers anys,
l’Ajuntament de la població ha promocionat una sèrie de projectes destinats a la recuperació i posada en valor de muralles
i torres. Aquestes intervencions han estat acompanyades d’excavacions arqueològiques, les quals han determinat una
cronologia inicial per al recinte de mitjan segle XIII.
han proporcionat dades arqueològiques rellevants que permeten construir un relat històric més acurat dels fets que allí
es desenvoluparen durant el període de dominació andalusina. Les tasques arqueològiques realitzades el 2017 amb motiu de
la construcció del Centre d’Interpretació, han permés documentar restes d’estructures andalusines al vessant sud-oest de les
Serretes, pel moment més antigues que la mateixa construcció del castell. Encara que són evidències molt malmeses, incideixen
en la intensa ocupació de la zona des del segle IX, així com en els canvis que es produïren en el model d’assentament
als segles XI i XII, amb motiu de la construcció de nombrosos recintes emmurallats, com és el mateix Castell Vell.
attention are the sedimentary and micromorphological characterisation of level XVI, the analysis of the
vegetal and animal resources and their incidence on the economy of the Gravettian human groups, and
the characterisation of the landscape during this period. Furthermore, the paper offers important information
of the lithic and bone assemblages, economic behaviour and radiocarbon dates of sub-levels
XVIA and XVIB, related to the Gravettian, and XVIC and XVID, corresponding to the Aurignacian.
Finally, the Gravettian and Aurignacian regional contexts in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian
Peninsula are discussed, and the recent proposals for regional technological variation in the Iberian
Gravettian industries are critically evaluated
raw material, fauna, and the spatial distribution of lithic and bone remains. Although both levels
correspond to cumulative palimpsests, patterns of resource management and use of space that suggest
changes in the rhythm of occupation and the functionality of the settlements can be discerned. A change
in mobility patterns probably underpins the differences between these two levels of Quebrada, but
assessing this hypothesis is made difficult by the lack of comparable documentation for other sites in the
region.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Arqueozoología, economía, metodología específica, Magdaleniense superior, Cova de les Cendres.
recinte emmurallat no ha estat mai objecte d’excavacions arqueològiques sistemàtiques que abordaren la seua cronologia
inicial i relacionaren els elements arquitectònics visibles amb les restes arqueològiques ocultes al subsòl. Els darrers anys,
l’Ajuntament de la població ha promocionat una sèrie de projectes destinats a la recuperació i posada en valor de muralles
i torres. Aquestes intervencions han estat acompanyades d’excavacions arqueològiques, les quals han determinat una
cronologia inicial per al recinte de mitjan segle XIII.
han proporcionat dades arqueològiques rellevants que permeten construir un relat històric més acurat dels fets que allí
es desenvoluparen durant el període de dominació andalusina. Les tasques arqueològiques realitzades el 2017 amb motiu de
la construcció del Centre d’Interpretació, han permés documentar restes d’estructures andalusines al vessant sud-oest de les
Serretes, pel moment més antigues que la mateixa construcció del castell. Encara que són evidències molt malmeses, incideixen
en la intensa ocupació de la zona des del segle IX, així com en els canvis que es produïren en el model d’assentament
als segles XI i XII, amb motiu de la construcció de nombrosos recintes emmurallats, com és el mateix Castell Vell.
attention are the sedimentary and micromorphological characterisation of level XVI, the analysis of the
vegetal and animal resources and their incidence on the economy of the Gravettian human groups, and
the characterisation of the landscape during this period. Furthermore, the paper offers important information
of the lithic and bone assemblages, economic behaviour and radiocarbon dates of sub-levels
XVIA and XVIB, related to the Gravettian, and XVIC and XVID, corresponding to the Aurignacian.
Finally, the Gravettian and Aurignacian regional contexts in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian
Peninsula are discussed, and the recent proposals for regional technological variation in the Iberian
Gravettian industries are critically evaluated
raw material, fauna, and the spatial distribution of lithic and bone remains. Although both levels
correspond to cumulative palimpsests, patterns of resource management and use of space that suggest
changes in the rhythm of occupation and the functionality of the settlements can be discerned. A change
in mobility patterns probably underpins the differences between these two levels of Quebrada, but
assessing this hypothesis is made difficult by the lack of comparable documentation for other sites in the
region.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Arqueozoología, economía, metodología específica, Magdaleniense superior, Cova de les Cendres.
In this geographical area, consumption of these preys are recorded from the Middle Palaeolithic, but is in the Upper Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic when this resource is incorporated into human diet prominently. Taphonomic studies indicate that anatomically modern humans consumed this resource, coming to represent up to 95% of NISP in some assemblages of the Late Palaeolithic. Its exploitation has been linked to a different management model territory in terms of mobility than that of the Neanderthals.
Early Upper Paleolithic levels of Cova de les Malladetes and Cova de les Cendres (central Mediterranean
area of the Iberian Peninsula). In Malladetes, the rabbit accumulations from Aurignacian levels are mainly
due to the activity of birds of prey and the human evidences are very scarce. Instead, the remains from
the Gravettian levels of Cendres are mostly associated with anthropogenic processing and consumption.
These data, together with the references in the literature, seem to confirm that this lagomorph is becoming
an important resource in the subsistence of AMH at least from the Gravettian.