Stratigraphy and geomorphology of Des‐Cubierta Cave (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid, Spain): Geological insights into a Neanderthal symbolic accumulation of large crania
ABSTRACT Des‐Cubierta Cave, part of the Calvero de la Higuera complex, is situated in the intramountainous upper valley of the Lozoya River within the Guadarrama Range. The cave's geological, palaeontological, and archaeological record reveals a complex history of sedimentary and anthropogenic processes spanning hundreds of thousands of years, represented in 12 lithostratigraphic units. Among these, Unit 3 stands out for its archaeological significance, containing evidence of Neanderthal activity, including Mousterian lithic tools and an unusual assemblage of large mammal crania, which suggests symbolic behaviour. Geological data indicate that Unit 3 was deposited during cold periods (MIS 4) through multiple rockfall episodes, implying that these symbolic practices persisted across generations. The cave's geomorphology points to a possible Neanderthal entrance via a side opening created by erosion in the southern part of the cave. This study enhances our understanding of Des‐Cubierta Cave's geological development and the long‐term Neanderthal occupations, offering valuable insights into their symbolic and cultural behaviours.
Authors
- Rebeca García‐González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1035-6655)
- Enrique Baquedano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6079-9390)
- Xabier Arroyo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9948-8979)
- Abel Moclán (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5555-7760)
- César Laplana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2067-4091)
- Laura Rodríguez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5090-1582)
- Lucía Villaescusa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2313-375X)
- Alfredo Pérez‐González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1122-9313)
- Ana Isabel Ortega Martínez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4034-0128)
- Rosa Huguet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1750-6249)
- Thomas Higham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5949-598X)
- Juan Luís Arsuaga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5361-2295)
- Belén Márquez
- María Ángeles Galindo-Pellicena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3331-1043)
- Diego J. Álvarez‐Lao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9606-4548)
- Sandra Gómez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2364-9067)
- David Martín‐Perea (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3238-0904)
- Nuria García
- María Cruz Ortega
- Jesús Masa‐Andrés
Institutions
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- Universidad de La Laguna (ES)
- Universidad de Oviedo (ES)
- Universidad de Alcalá (ES)
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Université de Poitiers (FR)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (ES)
- Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (ES)
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES)
- National Archaeological Museum of Spain (ES)
- Comunidad de Madrid (ES)
- Oxford Archaeology (GB)
- Universidad de Burgos (ES)
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili (ES)
- Universidad de León (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Quaternary Science
- Published
- 2025-05-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3722
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 22.69
Funders
- Comunidad de Madrid
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- Fondation Fyssen
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación