Anthracological data from Middle Palaeolithic contexts in Iberia: What do we know?

Abstract

In this paper, a state of the art regarding the available anthracological data from Middle Palaeolithic contexts in Iberia is presented. The information retrieved is still very scarce and fragmented, as many Iberian areas present palaeobotanical gaps leading to the lack of information regarding local landscape dynamics. The use of different sampling methods to recover wood charcoal remains is a decisive factor which hampers the comparative study, although the dominance of Pinus nigra-sylvestris (black-scots pine) is recorded since, at least, Marine Isotopic Stage 6. This would indicate the widespread presence of cryophilous pine woodlands during the Upper Pleistocene in Iberia pointing to the prevalence of supramediterranean conditions (MAT = 8 -13 ºC). This state of the art aims to contribute to our understanding of Upper Pleistocene Iberian landscapes based on Neanderthal firewood gathering activities. RESUMENEn este trabajo se presenta un estado de la cuestión relativo a los datos antracológicos disponibles para el Paleolítico medio en la península Ibérica. La información obtenida es todavía muy escasa y fragmentada, existiendo muchas áreas peninsulares con lagunas de datos relativos a las dinámicas de la vegetación local. La utilización de métodos de muestreo diferentes en la recuperación de los restos antracológicos constituye un factor decisivo que dificulta el estudio comparativo, aunque el dominio de Pinus nigra-sylvestris (pino salgareño-albar) está documentado desde, al menos, el Estadio Isotópico Marino 6. Ello indicaría la presencia de extensiones de bosques de pinos criófilos durante el Pleistoceno superior en la península Ibérica con el predominio de condiciones supramediterráneas (TMA = 8 -13 ºC). Este estado de la cuestión pretende contribuir a una mayor comprensión de los paisajes ibéricos durante el Pleistoceno superior a partir de la recolección de leña por parte de los grupos neandertales. LABURPENALan honetan, Iberiar penintsulako Paleolitiko ertainerako eskuragarri dauden datu antrakologikoei buruzko gaur egungo egoera azaltzen da. Lortutako informazioa oraindik ere oso urria da eta zatituta dago eta bertako landarediaren dinamikei buruzko datuetan hutsuneak dituzten eremu ugari daude penintsulan. Hondakin antrakologikoak berreskuratzeko garaian laginketa-metodo ezberdinak erabiltzea faktore erabakigarria da eta horrek alderaketa egitea zailtzen du. Dena den, Pinus nigra-sylvestris (Larizio-pinua) zuhaitzaren eremua gutxienez itsasoko egoera isotopiko 6tik dokumentatuta dago gutxienez. Horrek agerian uzten du Iberiar penintsulan goi mailako Pleistozenoan pinu kriofiloen basoak zeudela eta baldintza suprameditarraneoak zirela nagusi (TMA = 8 -13 ºC). Gaur egungo egoera honen helburua Neanderthalen taldeek egindako egur-bilketatik abiatuta goi mailako Pleistozeno garaiko paisaia iberiarrak hobeto ulertzen laguntzea da.

Reconstructing Mousterian landscapes in the southeastern Pyrenees (Roca dels Bous site, Pre-Pyrenees ranges, Spain)

“…Although pollen is not preserved at RB, this interpretation could be consistent with the predominance of black pine forest ( Pinus sylvestris ) at Cova Gran, a site close to RB (Allué et al, 2018). Anthraco-analysis of cryophilous pine woodlands indicates the prevalence of supra-Mediterranean conditions with medium average temperatures ranging between 8 and 13°C during the late Pleistocene (Vidal Matutano, 2018). At the same time, throughout the archaeological sequence of the RB site, hackberry seeds ( Celtis australis ), a proxy of mixed forests with hydrophilic requirements characteristic of temperate climates, are detected.…”

Amphibians and reptiles as palaeonvironmental proxies during the Late Pleistocene (MIS3): The case of Stratigraphic Unit V of El Salt, Alcoi, Spain

“…Differences between herpetofauna and small mammals are related to the wide distribution of the common area of amphibian and reptile species (mainly east and west of the Iberian Peninsula), as opposed to the much more restricted distribution of mammals (north and northwest). The study of charcoal from SU Xb (Vidal-Matutano et al, 2018) and SU V (Vidal-Matutano, 2016) reveals that the supramediterranean was the dominant stage during the Middle Palaeolithic in El Salt's surrounding area, as in other Iberian localities (Vidal-Matutano, 2018). The differences recorded between this proxy and the results obtained from the study of small vertebrate associations may stem from a different area of the home range of humans and the accumulation agent of small vertebrates (in this case, Bubo bubo).…”

Dietary traits of ungulates in northeastern Iberian Peninsula: Did these Neanderthal preys show adaptive behaviour to local habitats during the Middle Palaeolithic?

“…The latitudinal and altitudinal gradients related with climate and vegetation as well as climate instability usually affect ungulate populations (Rivals et al, 2007b(Rivals et al, , 2010Rivals and Semprebon, 2016). Along the Iberian Mediterranean basin, several studies indicate a northeast area as cold and dry as the southern area but relatively more humid (Uzquiano-Ollero, 2008;Badal-García et al, 2012;Allué et al, 2017Allué et al, , 2018Vidal-Matutano, 2018). The north-eastern region was dominated by vegetal coverture typical of open forested areas dominated by conifers like Pinus sylvestris associated with deciduous and mesophilous taxa (e.g.…”

“…Quercus, Betula, and Corylus) that suggest warm and humid episodes (Ros-Mora, 1987;Burjachs and Julià, 1994;Rivals et al, 2017;Allué et al, 2017Allué et al, , 2018. Otherwise, open landscapes and dryer conditions dominated in the southern regions with the occurrence of pine forests (Pinus nigra-sylvestris and Pinus pinea) along with Quercus, Juniperus, and Ephedra taxa (Ros-Mora, 1987;Uzquiano-Ollero, 2008;Badal et al, 2012;Allué et al, 2017Allué et al, , 2018Vidal-Matutano, 2017, 2018.…”