Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)

Los Casares cave is a site in inland Iberia that preserves evidence of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal and carnivore occupations. In this paper, we report small mammal assemblages from layers C and Bsingle bondC of the “Seno A" cavity which date from MIS 3 (44–42 cal kyr BP). Taphonomic evidence s...

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Autores: Domínguez-García, Ángel C., Cuenca-Bescós, Gloria, Alfaro-Ibañez, M. Pilar, Luque, Luis, Alcolea-González, J. Javier, Alcaraz-Castaño, Manuel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Zaragoza
Repositorio:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
OAI Identifier:oai:zaguan.unizar.es:163190
Acceso en línea:http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163190
Access Level:acceso abierto
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spelling Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)Domínguez-García, Ángel C.Cuenca-Bescós, GloriaAlfaro-Ibañez, M. PilarLuque, LuisAlcolea-González, J. JavierAlcaraz-Castaño, ManuelLos Casares cave is a site in inland Iberia that preserves evidence of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal and carnivore occupations. In this paper, we report small mammal assemblages from layers C and Bsingle bondC of the “Seno A" cavity which date from MIS 3 (44–42 cal kyr BP). Taphonomic evidence suggests a mixed predator origin for the assemblage, with contributions from both mammalian carnivores and avian raptors. The presence of Cricetulus bursae, Pliomys coronensis, and Alexandromys oeconomus supports the Late Pleistocene age of the deposit. Our results show that the surrounding landscape was characterized by open areas with humid meadows, forest patches, and abundant water sources. Paleoclimatic reconstruction based on the study of small mammals indicates that the region experienced a relatively stable, warm, and humid typical temperate-Mediterranean ecotonal climate. Inferred temperatures were similar to those today for the area, while annual precipitation was slightly higher. These conditions would have provided a favourable setting for Neanderthal subsistence, offering diverse natural resources within a suitable climatic context. As such, our findings provide an updated palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic framework for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia.2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163190reponame:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragozainstname:Universidad de ZaragozaInglésinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E18info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/805478This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No H2020 805478-MULTIPALEOIBERIAinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCIU/FPU20-02030info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:zaguan.unizar.es:1631902026-05-29T13:59:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
title Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
spellingShingle Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
Domínguez-García, Ángel C.
title_short Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
title_full Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
title_fullStr Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
title_full_unstemmed Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
title_sort Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Domínguez-García, Ángel C.
Cuenca-Bescós, Gloria
Alfaro-Ibañez, M. Pilar
Luque, Luis
Alcolea-González, J. Javier
Alcaraz-Castaño, Manuel
author Domínguez-García, Ángel C.
author_facet Domínguez-García, Ángel C.
Cuenca-Bescós, Gloria
Alfaro-Ibañez, M. Pilar
Luque, Luis
Alcolea-González, J. Javier
Alcaraz-Castaño, Manuel
author_role author
author2 Cuenca-Bescós, Gloria
Alfaro-Ibañez, M. Pilar
Luque, Luis
Alcolea-González, J. Javier
Alcaraz-Castaño, Manuel
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
description Los Casares cave is a site in inland Iberia that preserves evidence of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal and carnivore occupations. In this paper, we report small mammal assemblages from layers C and Bsingle bondC of the “Seno A" cavity which date from MIS 3 (44–42 cal kyr BP). Taphonomic evidence suggests a mixed predator origin for the assemblage, with contributions from both mammalian carnivores and avian raptors. The presence of Cricetulus bursae, Pliomys coronensis, and Alexandromys oeconomus supports the Late Pleistocene age of the deposit. Our results show that the surrounding landscape was characterized by open areas with humid meadows, forest patches, and abundant water sources. Paleoclimatic reconstruction based on the study of small mammals indicates that the region experienced a relatively stable, warm, and humid typical temperate-Mediterranean ecotonal climate. Inferred temperatures were similar to those today for the area, while annual precipitation was slightly higher. These conditions would have provided a favourable setting for Neanderthal subsistence, offering diverse natural resources within a suitable climatic context. As such, our findings provide an updated palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic framework for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163190
url http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163190
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E18
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/805478
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No H2020 805478-MULTIPALEOIBERIA
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCIU/FPU20-02030
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv
publisher.none.fl_str_mv
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
instname:Universidad de Zaragoza
instname_str Universidad de Zaragoza
reponame_str Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
collection Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
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