Search

The archaeological evidence from Cova Gran de Santa Linya suggests that during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, the site was used as a livestock enclosure where the accumulated excrements were burned, generating a sequence known by the term fumier. Here we present the results of an integrated study of silica phytoliths, dung spherulites, and mineral composition of sedimentary matrix from the remaining Holocene sequence. The use of fire to sanitize the space had important consequences for the preservation of dung spherulites and the accumulation of phytoliths. Phytolith assemblages indicate that the animals enclosed in the cave were mostly sheep that exploited the pastures nearby the site during the year. In this sense, the results from our modern plant reference collection challenge the assumption that grass inflorescence phytolith can be used as a seasonality indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microremains entrapped in dental calculus are being used as a source of information to address a number of archeological questions. However, current laboratory procedures may affect the recovery of microremains and this issue has not been thoroughly investigated. This study involved the analysis of dental calculus from five Chalcolithic individuals from El Mirador cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain) from a methodological perspective. Two sample processing protocols published in the archeological literature were used for this purpose, and results were compared to the El Mirador archaeobotanical record published elsewhere. Analyzed as a whole, the microremains found in the dental calculus samples are consistent with a population immersed in a farming economy, although they are not representative of the richness of the archaeobotanical record of the site. Furthermore, the two protocols delivered different results, in terms of the number of microremains identified, the time required for analysis, and associated contamination problems. This data indicates that the method selected may affect the results. We recommend further research using a larger sample set to fully understand how methodological factors affect the preservation and observation of microremains embedded in dental calculus. We also call for a discussion on the role of dental calculus in archeological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to present the current state of multidisciplinary archaeobotanical approaches that are being undertaken at Cova Gran de Santa Linya. Information from studies of seeds, charcoal, pollen, and NPP recovered from the Holocene levels of the site contribute to research questions regarding the anthropogenic transformation of the landscape. The signal of human activity in the environment can be detected through the bioarchaeological signatures of deforestation, forest management or agriculture practices. In this sense, the Cova Gran de Santa Linya is a cave deposit located in the northeast of Iberia used as an occupation site, recording mainly domestic activities during the Neolithic period. The settlement was also used as a pen during the Late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age, preserving burnt and unburned dung layers that formed pen deposits, known as fumiers. The resolution provided by the multidisciplinary nature of this work shows how forests and fields created a mosaic landscape that provided crops, pastures, wood, and fuel and clearly reflects anthropogenic changes over time. The different methodological and analytical scales of this multidisciplinary approach, including taphonomic pollen alteration, provide a better understanding of the dynamics of the cave occupation and, from a broader perspective, the regional diversity related to the availability of plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research for referential data on current livestock contexts is essential for correctly interpreting archaeological records documented in prehistoric livestock spaces. Experimental programmes such as the one begun in 2014 in the Mas del Pepet pen (Rojals, Tarragona) has permitted an understanding, among other matters, of fold characteristics according to the type of livestock, the seasonality of occupations and herd management. This study also contributes to the identification of taphonomic processes that have taken place and to determine the representativeness of the botanical content in the deposit, in relation to the environment and pasture areas. Finally, the dung burning experiments conducted have provided data that will help to reveal the way manure was treated in prehistoric fold caves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original version of this article, unfortunately, contained errors. The corresponding author failed to notice that there is a mistake in the fourth author last name. It says "Francisco Javier Aceituno Bocanera" when it should say "Francisco Javier Aceituno Bocanegra", letter "G" is missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition in Europe covers the last millennia of Neanderthal life together with the appearance and expansion of Modern Human populations. Culturally, it is defined by the Late Middle Paleolithic succession, and by Early Upper Paleolithic complexes like the Châtelperronian (southwestern Europe), the Protoaurignacian, and the Early Aurignacian. Up to now, the southern boundary for the transition has been established as being situated between France and Iberia, in the Cantabrian façade and Pyrenees. According to this, the central and southern territories of Iberia are claimed to have been the refuge of the last Neanderthals for some additional millennia after they were replaced by anatomically Modern Humans on the rest of the continent. In this paper, we present the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition sequence from Cova Foradada (Tarragona), a cave on the Catalan Mediterranean coastline. Archaeological research has documented a stratigraphic sequence containing a succession of very short-term occupations pertaining to the Châtelperronian, Early Aurignacian, and Gravettian. Cova Foradada therefore represents the southernmost Châtelperronian–Early Aurignacian sequence ever documented in Europe, significantly enlarging the territorial distribution of both cultures and providing an important geographical and chronological reference for understanding Neanderthal disappearance and the complete expansion of anatomically Modern Humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel is a basic resource enabling energy production, and its exploitation was a major activity in Neanderthal daily life. In this work we present charcoal results obtained from the Abric Romaní site in order to evaluate fuel use among the human groups occupying this rock shelter from 40 to 70 ka BP. The Abric Romaní, a Middle Palaeolithic site, has yielded evidence of a well-preserved sequence of Neanderthal occupations. The results of this taxonomic and taphonomic study have allowed us to characterise the charcoal assemblage as mainly comprising Pinus sylvestris type. This assemblage gives us an understanding of Neanderthal fuel acquisition strategies, mobility and occupation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though hundreds of caves are known across Mongolia, few have been subject to systematic, interdisciplinary archaeological surveys and excavations to understand Late Pleistocene and Holocene environments. Previous cave excavations in Mongolia have demonstrated their potential for preservation of archaeological and biological material, including Palaeolithic assemblages and Holocene archaeology, particularly burials, with associated organic finds. In other cases, cave surveys found that stratigraphic deposits and archaeological materials are absent. The large number of caves makes the Mongolian Altai Mountain Range a potentially attractive region for human occupation in the Pleistocene and Holocene. Here we present the results of an interdisciplinary survey of caves in four carbonate areas across the Gobi-Altai Mountains. We report 24 new caves, some of which contain archaeological material recovered through survey and test excavations. Most caves presented limited sedimentation, and some were likely too small for human habitation. Six caves showed evidence of palaeontological remains, most likely from the Late Holocene and recent periods. The most notable anthropogenic findings included petroglyphs at Gazar Agui 1 & 13. Gazar Agui 1 also contained lithics and a bronze fragment. Tsakhiryn Agui 1 contained 31 wooden fragments that include an unused fire drilling tool kit and items commonly found in association with medieval burials. We observed that the caves remain in contemporary use for religious and economic purposes, such as the construction of shrines, mining and animal corralling. Water samples from the caves, and nearby rivers, lakes, and springs were analysed for their isotopic compositions (δ18O, δD, δ17O, 17O excess , d-excess) and the data, combined with backward trajectory modelling revealed that the Gobi-Altai region receives moisture mainly from western sources. These results form a baseline for future archaeological, palaeoclimate and palaeoecological studies about regional seasonality and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long and complex sequences of intentional organic rich sediments accumulation known as fumiers can often be found in many caves and rock shelters used for herding activities since the Neolithic to current times in the Mediterranean basin. These are mainly composed of burnt animal dung and vegetal remains and are commonly interpreted as the result of livestock domestic occupations and stabling activities. The repetitive and systematic burning processes that occurred for cleaning these spaces provide different layers with different archaeosedimentary features (facies). Fumier facies imply different pre-burial conditions that may influence bone diagenetic processes. In this work, we study the changes occurring in mineral and organic components of bones included in different facies (reelaborated, burned, unburned) in El Mirador cave fumier using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). We have carried out an analysis of 47 bone remains from four different facies [ a , r(m) , tf and v ] from archaeological levels dated from the second half of the 5th until the first half of the 2nd millennia cal B.C. We have used a total of 13 parameters through ATR-FTIR to discriminate facies differences through PCA and Machine Learning techniques. The results show differences in crystallinity, organic, and carbonates content between bone remains recovered from fumier facies. Our results demonstrate that burial environments that occur on fumier deposits affect bone components in different ways. Therefore, fumier facies can be differentiated from each other through the diagenetic parameters provided by bone assemblage, distinguishing those well preserved and, therefore, eligible for other types of analyses (isotopes, proteomics, lipids, etc.). Furthermore, Machine Learning can classify the facies through carbonates indices API, C/C, and BPI. This study is an important step towards understanding the taphonomic processes (formation and reelaboration) that occur in fumier sequence as a result of the multiple livestock activities developed in caves and rock shelters. • The study investigates bone diagenetic processes occurring in fumiers context through ATR-FTIR. • Environments and taphonomic history prior to sedimentation have a great influence on the survivorship of bone remains. • Diagenetic trajectories and fire impact on archaeological bones can be used to distinguish facies in fumier sites. • The use of ML is a potential tool for fumier facies distinction when multiple bone diagenesis variables are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]