New insights into the end of Palaeolithic Cultures in Mediterranean Iberia: The Sauveterroid occupations of Coveta de la Foia (Vilafranca, Valencian Country)

• New Sauveterroid site in Mediterranean Iberia is presented in this paper. • Important new data are presented to advance the definition of the Sauveterroid. • This paper proves that the appearance of Sauveterroid geometric elements made using the microburin technique began between 12.800 and 12.500 cal. BP. Coveta de la Foia is an archaeological site located in Vilafranca (Castelló, Valencian region), where excavations have been ongoing since 2015. The documented archaeological sequence includes two occupations from the end of the Pleistocene: one Epimagdalenian and other Sauveterroid. This study focuses on the Sauveterroid level and examines its geoarchaeological characteristics, lithic industry (typology and technology), faunal remains and the spatial distribution of the materials. It also contextualises these occupations within the Iberian Mediterranean and the Ebro Valley – the only regions on the Iberian Peninsula where this period is clearly represented. The scarcity of sites of this kind makes this study particularly significant, offering new insights into the industrial and economic characteristics of the period. The dates obtained confirm an early chronology for the Mediterranean Sauveterroid period, supporting previous research on its emergence at this time.