Initial Upper Palaeolithic lithic industry at Cueva Millán in the hinterlands of Iberia
The extended period of coexistence between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in Europe coincided with the emergence of regionally distinctive lithic industries, signalling the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic. The Iberian Peninsula was on the periphery of pioneering Upper Palaeolithic developments, with archaeological remains primarily found in northern territories. We report the discovery of an initial Upper Palaeolithic lithic industry at Cueva Millán in the hinterlands of Iberia. This industry, termed here Arlanzian, not only represents the earliest and southernmost evidence of such industries in Iberia but also lacks a direct counterpart. However, it exhibits chronological and technological parallels with the lithic industries associated with the earliest expansion of Homo sapiens throughout Eurasia. We interpret this as potential evidence of its intrusive nature, but not necessarily associated with a migration event, as more complex scenarios derived from inter-population connectivity must be also considered. The biological identity of the Arlanzian makers remains unknown, but they coexisted with declining Neanderthal groups from neighbouring territories.
Authors
- Alicia Sanz‐Royo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5275-5996)
- Michael Buckley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4166-8213)
- Lee J. Arnold (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9603-3824)
- José Antonio López Sáez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3122-2744)
- José‐Manuel Maíllo‐Fernández (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-4943)
- Policarpo Sánchez‐Yustos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4279-8762)
- Luis Luque (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5695-3036)
- Reyes Luelmo-Lautenschlaeger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4505-2416)
- Manuel Alcaraz‐Castaño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6291-9512)
- Ãngel Carrancho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7119-6424)
- Ana B. Marín‐Arroyo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3353-5581)
- E. García-Soto
- Martina Demuro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5799-4216)
- Mónica Ruíz Alonso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7794-4451)
- Martin Kehl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4587-5858)
- Felipe Cuartero-Monteagudo
- Javier Llamazares-González
Institutions
- Universidad de Valladolid (ES)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Universidad de Cantabria (ES)
- Koblenz University of Applied Sciences (DE)
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (ES)
- Universidad de Alcalá (ES)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Universidad de Zaragoza (ES)
- Basque Government (ES)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (FR)
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (ES)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Universität Koblenz (DE)
- Universidad de Burgos (ES)
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2024-09-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69913-3
- Citations
- 10
- Primary Topic
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 37.19
Funders
- European Commission
- Universidad de Valladolid
- Junta de Castilla y León
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- European Research Council
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación