Neanderthal and Homo sapiens subsistence strategies in the Cantabrian region of northern Spain

Abstract

The Iberian Peninsula is key for the study of the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe, as well as for the replacement of Neanderthals by anatomically modern humans (AMH). On this subject, the most widespread misconception assumed that both human species coexisted during a certain period of time, after which Homo sapiens imposed on Neanderthals who finally got extinct. However, recent proposals based on improved dating methods, discuss this possibility, arguing that the arrival of AMH was marked by the complete absence of Homo neanderthalensis in this territory. In that way, new theories deny the possibility of coexistence and the disappearance of Neanderthals by cultural displacement. Covalejos Cave (Velo, Pielagos, Cantabria), one of the few settlements in the northern Peninsula with Final Mousterian and Early Aurignacian levels, supports this hypothesis. Nevertheless, in this paper, we try to avoid a direct discussion about this question in order to centre our analysis on identifying possible different subsistence strategies between H. neanderthalensis and anatomically modern humans in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Our zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies reflect that Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans exploited the same faunal species, pointing out that there does not seem to be significant differences in their behaviour in Covalejos Cave.

Combined dental wear and cementum analyses in ungulates reveal the seasonality of Neanderthal occupations in Covalejos Cave (Northern Iberia)

“…Quantitative proportions of each species (using the minimum number of individuals) are taken into account for the palaeoecological interpretations 69 . In fact, C. elaphus is the dominant taxa in all of the studied Mousterian levels of the Covalejos Cave, whereas the proportions of E. ferus and Bos/Bison were oscillating 76 .…”

“…Horses and large bovids are largely represented in level 8 relative to that in level 9, and their diet consists of highly abrasive resources, suggesting the expansion of the grasslands in level 8 compared with that in level 9. The consumption of abrasive resources by red deer slightly increased, but they are still within the mixed feeder group, indicating the presence of wooded areas around the site 70,74,76 . The predominance of abrasive diets and the high numbers of pits observed in the three taxa suggest an intensification of aridity, possibly as a consequence of a cold climatic pulse.…”

“…The macromammal faunal assemblage mainly consisted of temperate taxa, including Ursus spelaeus, Crocuta crocuta, Felis silvestris, Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes, E. ferus, E. hydruntinus, Stephanorhinus sp., Sus scrofa, Megaloceros sp., C. elaphus, Capreolus capreolus, Dama sp., Bos/Bison, Capra pyrenaica, Rupicapra rupicapra and Oryctolagus cuniculus 76 . The area also contains remains of strictly cold-adapted taxa, such as Rangifer tarandus (in levels 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9).…”

“…This chronological context marked by a series of climatic fluctuations on a regional scale also allows us to make observations from the palaeoecological and archaeological perspectives. In this sense, a number of bioarchaeological analyses have already been conducted on this site, including studies on charcoal 70–72 and pollen remains 73 , micromammal 74 and macromammal assemblages 75,76 , and recently on isotope analysis of ungulate bones and teeth 77 . However, to date, no extensive study on the feeding patterns and on the ecological niche of ungulates from the Mousterian sequence has been carried out nor have studies on human occupation and mobility patterns been conducted.

Figure 1Location ( A ), topography ( B ) and stratigraphy ( C ) of Covalejos Cave 78 .

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New evidence of sea‐level lowstands and paleoenvironment during MIS 6 and 4 in the Cantabrian coastal karst: the Cobiheru cave (North Iberia)

“…The caves of the Cantabrian Coastal karst host outstanding examples of palaeontological and archaeological sites dating from the Lower Palaeolithic, including Homo sapiens and H. neanderthalensis sites (e.g. Álvarez‐Alonso et al , ; Yravedra‐Sainz de los Terreros et al , ). Among these sites, 17 caves like the Altamira Cave (Rose, ) have been declared Word Heritage sites since 1985.…”