1. Pre-Solutrean rock art in southernmost Europe: Evidence from Las Ventanas Cave (Andalusia, Spain)
- Author
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Francisco N. Cantero-Chinchilla, José S. Carrión, Carlos P. Odriozola, Daniel Antón, Guadalupe Monge Gómez, Rubén Parrilla Giráldez, Fernando Jiménez Barredo, Miguel Cortés-Sánchez, M. Aránzazu Martínez-Aguirre, José Antonio Riquelme-Cantal, Fernando Rico Delgado, Juan José Moyano Campos, Joaquín Rodríguez Vidal, María D. Simón-Vallejo, Lydia Calle Román, Juan Enrique Nieto Julián, Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Cristalografía, Mineralogía y Química Agrícola, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). España, and Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD). España
- Subjects
Pigments ,Neanderthal ,Carbonates ,lcsh:Medicine ,Social Sciences ,010502 geochemistry & geophysics ,01 natural sciences ,Middle ,Palaeolithic art ,Carihuela Cave ,Coloring Agents ,lcsh:Science ,Materials ,History, Ancient ,Neanderthals ,Minerals ,Multidisciplinary ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,biology ,Calcite ,Mineralogy ,Limestone ,Caves ,Chemistry ,Archaeology ,Optical Equipment ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Radiometric dating ,Rock art ,Physical Anthropology ,Art ,Research Article ,010506 paleontology ,Engraving and Engravings ,Materials Science ,Equipment ,Solutrean ,Las Ventanas Cave ,Cave ,biology.animal ,Group (stratigraphy) ,Paleoanthropology ,Animals ,Humans ,Magdalenian ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,geography ,Gibraltar ,Lasers ,Radiometric Dating ,lcsh:R ,Chemical Compounds ,Correction ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Paleontology ,Spain ,Anthropology ,Archaeological Dating ,Period (geology) ,Earth Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,Iberian Peninsula - Abstract
The south of Iberia conserves an important group of Palaeolithic rock art sites. The graphisms have been mostly attributed to the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods, while the possibility that older remains exist has provoked extensive debate. This circumstance has been linked to both the cited periods, until recently, due to the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in the extreme southwest of Europe as well as the non-existence of some of the early periods of Palaeolithic art documented in northern Iberia. This study presents the results of interdisciplinary research conducted in Las Ventanas Cave. These results enabled us to identify a new Palaeolithic rock art site. The technical, stylistic and temporal traits point to certain similarities with the range of exterior deep engravings in Cantabrian Palaeolithic rock art. Ventanas appears to corroborate the age attributed to those kinds of graphic expression and points to the early arrival of the Upper Palaeolithic in the south of Iberia. Importantly, the results provide information on the pre-Solutrean date attributed to trilinear hind figures. These findings challenge the supposed Neanderthal survival idea at one of the main late Middle Palaeolithic southern Iberian sites (CariguÈela) and, due to the parallels between them and an engraving attributed to this period in Gibraltar, it raises the possibility of interaction between modern humans and Neanderthals in the extreme southwest of Europe., This study was sponsored by HAR2013-44269-P (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) and 19434/PI/14 (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport). For the fieldwork we had permission from the Andalusian Regional Government's Department of Culture. We also enjoyed the logistical support of the Pinar (Granada) Regional Government. This work was funded by the Andalusian Research Group Board RNM-349. "Proyecto de rehabilitacion y conservacion del yacimiento arqueologico "Cueva de las Ventanas" ("Restoration and conservation project for the 'Las Ventanas Cave' archaeological site"), Department of Culture, Andalusian Regional Government (File: BC.01.146/94.) "Analisis polinico y datacion para Carbono 14 de huesos y coprolitos de hienas provenientes de la Cueva de las Ventanas depositados en el Museo Arqueologico y Etnologico de Granada ("Pollen analysis and Carbon 14 dating of hyena bones and coproliths originating in Las Ventanas Cave and desposited at the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum of Granada"), Department of Culture, Andalusian Regional Government. File: BC 03/46/09). We received support from Ministerio de Economoa y Competitividad, grant number CGL-BOS-2012-34717. This study was funded by HAR2013-44269-P (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) and 19434/PI/14 (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport). For the fieldwork we had permission from the Andalusian Regional Government's Department of Culture. We also enjoyed the logistical support of the Pinar (Granada) Regional Government. This work was funded by the Andalusian Research Group Board RNM-349.
- Published
- 2018
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