Article
Anthropology
Alejandro Garcia-Moreno, Jarod M. Hutson, Aritza Villaluenga, Elaine Turner, Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser
Summary: This paper presents the spatial analysis of the first refitting analysis of the faunal assemblage at the Middle Pleistocene site of Schoningen 13II-4 Spear Horizon. The results indicate the integrity of the site and provide new insights into the hominins' use of space and butchering activities during the Middle Pleistocene.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wil Roebroeks, Katharine MacDonald, Fulco Scherjon, Corrie Bakels, Lutz Kindler, Anastasia Nikulina, Eduard Pop, Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser
Summary: This study presents high-resolution paleoenvironmental and archaeological data from Neumark-Nord in Germany, revealing the impact of Pleistocene hunter-gatherers on their ecosystems. The ecological footprint of hominin activities, including fire use, shaped vegetation structure and succession in the lake landscape, suggesting human involvement in vegetation transformation. Neumark-Nord, with an age of around 125,000 years, provides an early example of the role of hominins in influencing vegetation dynamics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katharine MacDonald, Fulco Scherjon, Eva van Veen, Krist Vaesen, Wil Roebroeks
Summary: The control of fire marked a significant technological innovation in human evolution, followed by the spread of cultural practices like the Levallois technology. This indicates that ancient hominin subpopulations interacted frequently enough to transmit ideas and skills, suggesting a cultural behavior more akin to modern Homo sapiens than to our primate relatives.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Juan I. Morales, Artur Cebria, Maria Soto, Antonio Rodriguez-Hidalgo, Raquel Hernando, Elena Moreno-Ribas, Diego Lombao, Jose R. Rabunal, David M. Martin-Perea, Antonio Garcia-Tabernero, Ethel Allue, Andrea Garcia-Basanta, Esther Lizano, Tomas Marques-Bonet, Sahra Talamo, Laura Tassoni, Carles Lalueza-Fox, Josep M. Fullola, Antonio Rosas
Summary: This study presents an exceptional collection of Late Pleistocene human remains from Simanya Gran, offering valuable insights into the morphology and evolutionary trajectory of hominins in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Svetlana A. Sycheva, Nikolay K. Anisyutkin, Olga S. Khokhlova
Summary: The study of the stratified Lower Paleolithic site of Bairaki reveals that human ancestors were present in the south of the East European Plain over a million years ago and inhabited the site for over 500 thousand years. Bairaki is the only known multilayered site of this early age in Eastern Europe.
Article
Anthropology
Ivo Verheijen, Britt M. Starkovich, Jordi Serangeli, Thijs van Kolfschoten, Nicholas J. Conard
Summary: A cutmarked bear metatarsal and phalanx from German open-air sites provide early evidence for the exploitation of bear skins during the interglacial optimum of MIS 9. This finding suggests bear hunting and primary access to bear skins shortly after the animal's death. The delicate cutmarks found on the specimens indicate similarities in butchery patterns to bears from other Paleolithic sites.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Maayan Lev, Ron Shimelmitz, Mina Weinstein-Evron, Reuven Yeshurun
Summary: This paper aims to reconstruct the long-term paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic records of the Middle and Late Pleistocene Nahal Me'arot, Mount Carmel, Israel, using the archaeological herpetofauna assemblages. The study shows changes in temperature and humidity and their correlation with different hominin populations in the site. However, correlating with regional off-site records remains challenging.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Alejandro Garcia-Moreno, Jarod M. Hutson, Aritza Villaluenga, Elaine Turner, Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive spatial analysis of the Schoningen 13II-4 'Spear Horizon' faunal assemblage, revealing different activity areas related to changes in the shoreline position of the Schoningen paleolake during the Middle Pleistocene.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Anthropology
Ella Assaf, Javier Baena Preysler
Summary: Shaped stone balls are commonly found in Oldowan and Acheulian sites, but little is known about their shaping process. Studies show that limestone is preferred over flint and quartz in making these balls. Experimental results suggest that limestone allows better control of the shaping process, preventing the balls from splitting. Large detachments visible on the archaeological items are intentional removals and these items might have been desired tools rather than by-products of functional activity.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Cornel Marian Pop, Lucy Wilson, Constance L. Browne
Summary: This study applies a novel approach to investigate the landscape knowledge, wayfinding abilities, and decision-making processes reflected in the utilization of stone resources in the French Middle Paleolithic. The results indicate that factors such as minimum travel times and intrinsic characteristics influence the selection of stone resources. The study also highlights the importance of detailed landscape knowledge and efficient resource exploitation strategies.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Emilie Guillaud, Philippe Bearez, Camille Daujeard, Alban R. Defleur, Emmanuel Desclaux, Eufrasia Rosello-Izquierdo, Arturo Morales-Muniz, Marie-Helene Moncel
Summary: Traditionally, the prevalence of large game in association with Middle Paleolithic tools has shaped our understanding of Neanderthal subsistence practices. However, recent studies exploring fish remains suggest that Neanderthals may have engaged in occasional fishing activities, with open questions remaining regarding the systematic nature of their fishing practices. Further research is needed to confirm the role of Neanderthals in fish accumulation based on the available evidence.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Salah Abdessadok, Mohamed Sahnouni, Zoheir Harichane, Nacim Mazouni, Razika Chelli Cheheb, Yasmine Mouhoubi, Saloua Chibane, Alfredo Perez-Gonzalez
Summary: A comprehensive investigation was conducted on the archaeological sediments from the Early Pleistocene site of El Kherba, aiming to assess the sedimentary processes and gain high-resolution paleoenvironmental information. The results indicate that the archaeological assemblages accumulated in sediments with fine-grained particles, and the climate changed from temperate to arid over time.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Nuno Bicho, Milena Carvalho
Summary: Neanderthals faced environmental and climatic instability and southern Europe, particularly the peninsular region, is believed to have served as a refuge for them. This special issue presents relevant data on the peninsular region as a potential refuge during the Middle Palaeolithic and transition to Upper Palaeolithic.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
George E. Konidaris, Athanassios Athanassiou, Eleni Panagopoulou, Katerina Harvati
Summary: In this article, the discovery of an almost complete macaque mandible from Marathousa 1 locality in Greece is described. The mandible belonged to an adult male Barbary macaque of estimated body mass-13 kg. Comparative analysis of its teeth suggests attribution to the subspecies Macaca sylvanus pliocena. This find represents the first record of Macaca in the Middle Pleistocene of Greece and adds to the limited number of macaque fossils in the eastern Mediterranean region.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. K. Otcherednoy, P. E. Nehoroshev, L. B. Vishnyatsky, E. V. Voskresenskaya, J. R. Southon, J. F. Hoffecker
Summary: This study used radiocarbon dating to analyze samples of bone and teeth from the Rozhok I site. The research found that some of the lower layer samples were contaminated with young carbon, which affected the accuracy of the dating.