The Middle Palaeolithic industry in Beefsteak Cave (Gibraltar): palaeoenvironmental implications

Beefsteak Cave is located towards the southern end of the Rock of Gibraltar, along the cliff line between the wave-eroded platforms of Europa and Windmill Hill Flats. Set within the grey dolomites of the early Jurassic Europa Member, the Cave is almost certainly of marine origin. It was probably formed during a sea-level highstand earlier than 250 ky. The exposed brecciated deposits form part of an earlier gallery within a larger cave system that has since been eroded away. The Cave still contains almost 5m of brecchiated deposits, within which six broad levels are identified. At least three of these levels contain in situ lithic industry. The lithic tools are identified as Middle Palaeolithic, with flint, jasper and sandstone being used as raw materials. A sample from Level D was dated using Useries (alpha-spectrometry) and gave an age of 98.8 ±15.5 ky BP. The results here presented are the earliest known recorded Middle Palaeolithic artefacts from Gibraltar. During periods of human occupation, this cave would have commanded a strong position above Europa Flats with Windmill Hill Flats in close proximity. Fossil evidence from the area suggests that a diverse community of ungulate herbivores would have inhabited both plains and would have been an accessible food resource for the human inhabitants of the Cave