Esteban Álvarez-Fernández
Dr. Esteban ÁLVAREZ-FERNÁNDEZ is currently Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology in the Department of Prehistory, Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Salamanca (Spain). His current project explores the marine subsistence behaviour of human populations, mainly focusing on mollusc and crustacean remains from archaeological sites in Cantabrian Spain (attributed to the Late Pleistocene and Holocene) and in other regions in SW Europe and North Africa. He has studied the remains from numerous prehistoric sites dated from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages (Altamira, La Garma A, Las Caldas, Tito Bustillo, Nerja, etc.) from the quantitative, taphonomic, morphometric and technological points of view.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7895-3421
Phone: 0034 677581727
Address: Dr. Esteban Álvarez-Fernández
Dpto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología
Universidad de Salamanca
C. Cerrada de Serranos s/n
E-37002 Salamanca SPAIN
https://arqueozoologia.usal.es
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7895-3421
Phone: 0034 677581727
Address: Dr. Esteban Álvarez-Fernández
Dpto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología
Universidad de Salamanca
C. Cerrada de Serranos s/n
E-37002 Salamanca SPAIN
https://arqueozoologia.usal.es
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Books by Esteban Álvarez-Fernández
History (Societies, Powers, Identities), in the academic years from 2013-2014 and 2022-
2023 are assessed in this book. This degree is taught in the Faculty of Geography and
History at the University of Salamanca from a generalist historical research perspective,
in which two itineraries are differentiated: 1) Prehistory, Ancient History and Archaeo-
logy; and 2) Medieval, Modern, Contemporary and American History.
In the Academic Commission
2
, we believe that ten years is sufficient time to be
able to analyse in the depth how this Master’s degree has functioned, appreciate the
advantages and deficiencies of the organisation of the teaching in the middle-term, and
determine the profiles of the students and their future career options. Ultimately, the
aim is to propose possible improvements in the substantial changes that may be made
in the coming years.
One of the assignments in the Master’s in Advanced Studies and Research in His-
tory (Societies, Powers, Identities) is the Final Dissertation. Although the Master’s de-
gree is assessed annually by the Quality Assessment Unit at the university, we believe
that, because of the importance of the Final Dissertation in the degree (20%), specific
systems for its improvement should be implemented by staff and students in order to
achieve better outcomes in the future. We will therefore analyse the acquisition of ge-
neric and specific skills by the students who have carried out this assignment over the
decade in which the Master’s degree has been operating, from its commencement until
the time of drafting this book. Its functioning will be assessed by taking account of the
opinion of both students and lecturers.
the Past from various hard animal substances, such as bones, teeth, antler and shells.
This CD (in English, Spanish, French and German) is primarily aimed at university students on History degree courses. In it, a
large number of tools that have been documented at archaeological sites in Europe are
recreated. They include artefacts used for hunting and fishing (like assegai points and
harpoons), for general work (such as needles and borers), and objects of adornment.
It ocuses both on the operational sequences involved in their manufacture and also on
their functionality.
the proceedings of the International Council of
Archaeozoology (ICAZ), an organization created to
exchange research related to the study of animal
remains from archaeological sites.
The archaeomalacological working group within
ICAZ agreed to meet in Santander, Spain, following
a previous meeting in Gainesville (USA) (Szabó and
Quitmayer 2008).
This second meeting was held at the University
of Cantabria from the nineteenth to the twentysecond
of February 2008. In this workshop, over
100 specialists prepared 31 oral communications
and 30 posters.
The present volume, Not only food: Marine,
Terrestrial and Freshwater molluscs in Archaeological
sites, includes results of research conducted all over
the world and contributions dealing with a wide range
of topics related to archaeological mollusc shells. Its
objective, from a holistic perspective, is to show that
shells in archaeological contexts are not only used as
food but also as tools and ornaments. Not only
archaeomalacologists could be attracted to this volume,
as researchers in related fields such as zooarchaeology,
archaeology, zoology and anthropology
could find relevant topics related to dating problems,
conservation, ecology, palaeoeconomy, technology
and methodological issues.
The book starts by grouping papers that study
shell remains from Middle to Upper Palaeolithic contexts
in Europe. The papers cover a variety of topics
such as dating techniques on marine shell carbonates
(Douka et al.). In addition, personal shell
adornments are analyzed using taxonomy, technology,
use wear analyses, Geographical Information
System (GIS) data and experimental work to discuss
mobility and exchange networks of huntergathers
who lived at the Gargas Cave (San Juan-
Foucher and Foucher), Maltravieso Cave site
(Rodriguez-Hidalgo et al.), La Peña de Estebanvela
site (Avezuela), El Horno Cave (Fano and Álvarez-
Fernández), and Parco´s Cave (Estrada et al.).
From the Late Upper Pleistocene to the Neolithic
periods at several locations in Europe and Asia,
molluscs were part of the human diet and were also
used as personal ornaments and raw material for
tool manufacture. Taxonomic, technological, taphonomic,
and spatial studies reveal that several techniques
were used for manipulating shell remains,
different habitats were exploited and several longdistance
social networks were established by early inhabitants at the Vestibule of Nerja Cave (Jorda et
al.), Tell Aswad (Alarashi), Balma Guilanyà
(Martinez-Moreno et al.), the cave of Mazaculos II
(Gutiérrez and González), Oronsay, Colonsay, and
other locations in Scotland (Hardy), Can Roqueta
(Oliva), Cingle Vermell and Roc del Migdia (Oliva
and YII). Shell remains were also used to reconstruct
the dynamics of palaeoenvironmental conditions
at Adak Island-Aleutian Islands (Antipushina)
From the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic to the
Bronze Age, further studies confirm continuity in the
exploitation of shells as ornaments and tools production,
in specialized craft contexts at Pyrgos-
Mavroraki (Carannante) and Vera Basin (Maicas
and Vidal). Later in time, allometry and actuallistic
studies suggests that during Roman times there
was evidence of oyster management at the site of
Winchester (Campbell).
The study of archeomalacological remains from
the Middle ages in Europe, based on taxonomic,
biometric and taphonomic analyses, shows that the
exploitation of shell remains at Beauvoir-sur-Mer
(Dupont), Seville (Bernáldez and García) and
Pontevedra (Álvarez-Fernández and Castro) was a
specialized activity not only in the selection of specific
niches for exploitation but also in the methods
of collection and massive extraction of shell flesh.
Furthermore, moving to the Americas, specifically
in Mesoamerica from Formative to Postclassic
contexts, marine and freshwater shell remains have
been the subject of taxonomic, typological and
technological analysis in conjunction with experimental
archaeology and use wear with Scanning
Electron Microscopy to demonstrate that different
tools and techniques were employed in shell production
and exchange networks from the Pacific to
the Caribbean Sea at Oxtankah (de Vega and
Melgar), Xochicalco (Melgar), Teopantecuanitlan
(Solis and Martinez) and Pezuapan (Solis and
Monterrosa).
In the southern portion of the American Continent,
at archaeological sites dated from the Late Holocene
to the nineteenth century, malacological remains
were subjected to taxonomic, technological, taphonomic,
and spatial studies, in combination with lithic
micro-wear analyses, written records and experimental
archaeology. These studies show that people
used shells as building material at Tunel VII-Argentina
(Verdún), and as tools, containers and personal
adornments at Patagonian sites (Zubimendi) and
Low Paraná’s wetland (Buc et al.).
Shell habitat availability, human foraging practices
and the use of shells as tools and ornaments on islands were investigated at Puerto Rico
(Rivera) and the Canary Islands (Mesa et al.) using
several types of data derived from archaeomalacological,
geoarchaeological and ethnoarchaeological
studies.
Finally, Claassen presents interesting historical
data on the shell button industry and the Japanese
cultured pearl industry from the rivers of the United
States using shell taxonomic information, the size of
the beds, the yields, their sustainability, and the
industrialized process of making buttons.
We would like to thank the following persons and
institutions for their help and financial support in the
publication of this volume: Sociedad de Ciencias
Aranzadi (San Sebastián) and the Government of
Cantabria (Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y
Deporte).
The editors of the proceedings are grateful for
the advice and assistance of Juantxo Agirre, Pablo
Arias, Álvaro Arrizabalaga, Adriana Chauvín, Miriam
Cubas, Marián Cueto, Mikel Fano, María José
Iriarte, Roberto Ontañón, Peter Smith, Jesús Tapia
and Luis C. Teira.
We would also like to thank our reviewers and
authors, who have taken time from their busy schedules
to work for this publication.
The present Doctoral Thesis analyses the prehistoric suspended objects of adornment that have been documented for the different periods of the Upper Palaeolithic (Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, and its continuation the Azilian) and Mesolithic, at archaeological sites in Cantabrian Spain and the Ebro Valley. The number of objects examined directly, from the 111 archaeological sites that have been studied, comes to over two thousand. Of this number, over 90% come from the former of the two regions.
Through the study of the archaeological material with a binocular magnifying glass and microscope, information has been obtained about: the kind of raw material the ornaments were made from (anatomical and taxonomical analysis, etc.); the alterations suffered by the archaeological material (both before the death of the animal and of a taphonomic nature);
the technology (techniques employed to suspend the objects, how they were worked, etc.); the wear marks caused by the suspension of the objects; their shapes and sizes; their decoration, although only from a descriptive point of
view (relationship between the kind of ornament and the different decorative motifs); the stratigraphic position (association of the objects to a certain archaeological layer and period); the archaeological context, the spatial location in the deposit and the elements the ornaments were associated with (lithic tools, hearths, graves, etc.); and finally, the possible provenance of the different kinds of raw material with which the groups of hunter-gatherers manufactured their suspended ornaments.
Lastly, in order to obtain a wider view of the role played by objects of adornment, at a European scale, we examine the information obtained from sites with Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic industries in the rest of the continent.
Therefore, the proposal of this Doctoral Thesis is, on one hand, design a working methodology to study suspended objects of adornment, and on the other, to apply the methodology to this type of archaeological object as documented within a specific area and time-scale; in our case Cantabrian Spain and the Ebro Valley during the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic.
The comparison with similar archaeological materials found at European sites gives an overall picture of the role these ornaments played in the groups of hunter-gatherers, at a continental level.
Papers by Esteban Álvarez-Fernández
resulted in large accumulations of shell remains in archaeological sites that offer unique information on bio-
logical, ecological and cultural aspects of human interaction with coastal systems in the past. In this study, stable
oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis was carried out on archaeological shells of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) from
the Mesolithic shell midden site of J3 (northern Iberian coast) to determine the seasonality of intertidal
collection. The results indicate a consistent pattern of winter exploitation, supporting the emerging view that
collections were governed by cost-benefit and management principles that are now widespread documented in
other coastal Mesolithic sites in Europe. The consistent seasonal collections of P. lineatus during colder months
can be taken as evidence of specie-specific management strategy to optimize yield while preserving local pop-
ulations for future exploitation. Our results reinforce the view that European hunter-gatherers developed
ecological knowledge on specific animal resources that persisted over large geographic areas. Additionally, from
a palaeoenvironmental perspective, the sea surface temperatures (SST) inferred from δ18O values derived from
mollusc shells (SSTδ18O) indicate that coastal marine waters during the Early Holocene in the southern Bay of
Biscay were warmer than those observed today. These environmental conditions are evaluated in relation to
changes in insolation and ocean currents over time.
archaeological excavations were carried out in several of its halls by Professor Manuel Pellicer Catalán, which were
followed in 1963 those carried out in the Vestíbulo hall by the archaeologist Ana María de la Quadra Salcedo. In 1965,
Professor Francisco Jordá Cerdá carried out excavations in the Vestíbulo and Mine rooms, which continued in this
second room during 1966 and 1967 in co-direction with Professor Antonio Arribas Palau, the results of which were
written in a report with abundant illustrations that never was published. Subsequently, between 1979 and 1987, ProfessorJ. F. Jordá Pardo, et al., 2024. 65 años del descubrimiento de la cueva de Nerja (Málaga): las excavaciones arqueológicas del profesor
Francisco Jordá Cerdá y su equipo
Spain). The remains were found in Layer B5, which was excavated by F. Jordá Cerdá and A. Gómez Fuentes in 1978 and
are associated with an osseous assemblage and archaeozoological remains. This occupation has been dated by radiocarbon
to about 16,400 BP (ca. 19.8–19.6 ka cal BP), corresponding to Archaic/Lower Magdalenian. The present study combines
the determination of the raw materials and the identification of the production systems to achieve an understanding of the
management of lithic resources by hunter-gatherer groups in the Late Pleistocene. The sourcing of mostly local materials
(mainly Piloña flint), the wide variety of rock types of diverse provenances (up to 10 types), and the presence of wellrepresented
lithological tracers (Flysch, Chalosse) turn Cova Rosa into an important case for studying different lithic raw
material procurement models. The predominance of microlaminar production and the variability in the exploitation strategies
used to obtain backed tools, as well as the poor standardisation of flake production, follow the dynamics observed in
other occupations of similar chronology in a wide geographical area that includes Cantabrian Spain and south-west France.
groups of the Eurasian Upper Palaeolithic (UP) all over the ecological range of deers, and
beyond. It was exhaustively employed to produce one of the most critical tools for the survival of
the UP societies: hunting weapons. However, antler implements can be made from diverse deer
taxa, with different ecological requirements and ethological behaviours. Identifying the antler’s
origin at a taxonomic level is thus essential in improving our knowledge of humans’ functional,
practical and symbolic choices, as well as the human-animal interface during Prehistoric times.
Nevertheless, palaeogenetics analyses have focused mainly on bone and teeth, with genetic
studies of antler generally focused on modern deer conservation. Here we present the results of
the first whole mitochondrial genome ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis by means of in-solution
hybridisation capture of antlers from pre-Holocene archaeological contexts. We analysed a set
of 50 Palaeolithic and Neolithic (c. 34-8ka) antler and osseous objects from South-Western
Europe, Central Europe, South-Western Asia and the Caucasus. We successfully obtained aDNA,
allowing us to identify the exploited taxa and demonstrate the archaeological relevance of those
finds. Moreover, as most of the antlers were sampled using a minimally-invasive method, further
analyses (morphometric, technical, genetic, radiometric and more) remain possible on these
objects.
of study in Prehistory. Subsistence strategies, understood as the set of techniques, processes and activities
through which human groups organise the tasks related to their survival, are a fundamental element for un-
derstanding the economic and sociocultural processes derived from these practices in the past. In this sense,
archaeozoological and taphonomic studies are the main tool to reconstruct the ways in which our ancestors
acquired, processed, consumed, and managed meat resources for their survival. In this research we examine the
ways in which hunter-gatherer groups in the Spanish Cantabrian region exploited ungulates through a palae-
oecological and palaeoeconomic analysis of a total of 32 archaeological levels at 19 sites dated between 20 and
17 ky cal BP. To this end, through research on faunal resources in this region, we will address the ways in which
prey was acquired and transported, the age ranges, the seasonality of the captures and the nutritional energy
contribution to the diet of the human groups, taking into account the cost of acquiring them, thus generating an
updated view of subsistence strategies in the Cantabrian region
in northern Spain. Magdalenian occupations, particularly the lower Magdalenian, are well represented in its full sequence.
This article presents the zooarchaeological analysis of the levels Cierro G1, Cierro G and Cierro F, dated by 14C to between
20,000 and 17,000 cal BP. The remains correspond to vertebrates (mainly large mammals and to a lesser extent fish and birds)
and invertebrates (almost exclusively marine molluscs). The taphonomic analysis of the bones and shells has determined
the role that the different animal resources played in the diet of the Magdalenian hunter-gatherers at El Cierro. The results
obtained in each level of the sequence are compared and included in their regional context. This study also considers the
way in which the Magdalenian groups at El Cierro processed the meat and fat of the different animal species and establishes
the operational chain in the strategies of procurement, preparation and consumption of the prey.
History (Societies, Powers, Identities), in the academic years from 2013-2014 and 2022-
2023 are assessed in this book. This degree is taught in the Faculty of Geography and
History at the University of Salamanca from a generalist historical research perspective,
in which two itineraries are differentiated: 1) Prehistory, Ancient History and Archaeo-
logy; and 2) Medieval, Modern, Contemporary and American History.
In the Academic Commission
2
, we believe that ten years is sufficient time to be
able to analyse in the depth how this Master’s degree has functioned, appreciate the
advantages and deficiencies of the organisation of the teaching in the middle-term, and
determine the profiles of the students and their future career options. Ultimately, the
aim is to propose possible improvements in the substantial changes that may be made
in the coming years.
One of the assignments in the Master’s in Advanced Studies and Research in His-
tory (Societies, Powers, Identities) is the Final Dissertation. Although the Master’s de-
gree is assessed annually by the Quality Assessment Unit at the university, we believe
that, because of the importance of the Final Dissertation in the degree (20%), specific
systems for its improvement should be implemented by staff and students in order to
achieve better outcomes in the future. We will therefore analyse the acquisition of ge-
neric and specific skills by the students who have carried out this assignment over the
decade in which the Master’s degree has been operating, from its commencement until
the time of drafting this book. Its functioning will be assessed by taking account of the
opinion of both students and lecturers.
the Past from various hard animal substances, such as bones, teeth, antler and shells.
This CD (in English, Spanish, French and German) is primarily aimed at university students on History degree courses. In it, a
large number of tools that have been documented at archaeological sites in Europe are
recreated. They include artefacts used for hunting and fishing (like assegai points and
harpoons), for general work (such as needles and borers), and objects of adornment.
It ocuses both on the operational sequences involved in their manufacture and also on
their functionality.
the proceedings of the International Council of
Archaeozoology (ICAZ), an organization created to
exchange research related to the study of animal
remains from archaeological sites.
The archaeomalacological working group within
ICAZ agreed to meet in Santander, Spain, following
a previous meeting in Gainesville (USA) (Szabó and
Quitmayer 2008).
This second meeting was held at the University
of Cantabria from the nineteenth to the twentysecond
of February 2008. In this workshop, over
100 specialists prepared 31 oral communications
and 30 posters.
The present volume, Not only food: Marine,
Terrestrial and Freshwater molluscs in Archaeological
sites, includes results of research conducted all over
the world and contributions dealing with a wide range
of topics related to archaeological mollusc shells. Its
objective, from a holistic perspective, is to show that
shells in archaeological contexts are not only used as
food but also as tools and ornaments. Not only
archaeomalacologists could be attracted to this volume,
as researchers in related fields such as zooarchaeology,
archaeology, zoology and anthropology
could find relevant topics related to dating problems,
conservation, ecology, palaeoeconomy, technology
and methodological issues.
The book starts by grouping papers that study
shell remains from Middle to Upper Palaeolithic contexts
in Europe. The papers cover a variety of topics
such as dating techniques on marine shell carbonates
(Douka et al.). In addition, personal shell
adornments are analyzed using taxonomy, technology,
use wear analyses, Geographical Information
System (GIS) data and experimental work to discuss
mobility and exchange networks of huntergathers
who lived at the Gargas Cave (San Juan-
Foucher and Foucher), Maltravieso Cave site
(Rodriguez-Hidalgo et al.), La Peña de Estebanvela
site (Avezuela), El Horno Cave (Fano and Álvarez-
Fernández), and Parco´s Cave (Estrada et al.).
From the Late Upper Pleistocene to the Neolithic
periods at several locations in Europe and Asia,
molluscs were part of the human diet and were also
used as personal ornaments and raw material for
tool manufacture. Taxonomic, technological, taphonomic,
and spatial studies reveal that several techniques
were used for manipulating shell remains,
different habitats were exploited and several longdistance
social networks were established by early inhabitants at the Vestibule of Nerja Cave (Jorda et
al.), Tell Aswad (Alarashi), Balma Guilanyà
(Martinez-Moreno et al.), the cave of Mazaculos II
(Gutiérrez and González), Oronsay, Colonsay, and
other locations in Scotland (Hardy), Can Roqueta
(Oliva), Cingle Vermell and Roc del Migdia (Oliva
and YII). Shell remains were also used to reconstruct
the dynamics of palaeoenvironmental conditions
at Adak Island-Aleutian Islands (Antipushina)
From the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic to the
Bronze Age, further studies confirm continuity in the
exploitation of shells as ornaments and tools production,
in specialized craft contexts at Pyrgos-
Mavroraki (Carannante) and Vera Basin (Maicas
and Vidal). Later in time, allometry and actuallistic
studies suggests that during Roman times there
was evidence of oyster management at the site of
Winchester (Campbell).
The study of archeomalacological remains from
the Middle ages in Europe, based on taxonomic,
biometric and taphonomic analyses, shows that the
exploitation of shell remains at Beauvoir-sur-Mer
(Dupont), Seville (Bernáldez and García) and
Pontevedra (Álvarez-Fernández and Castro) was a
specialized activity not only in the selection of specific
niches for exploitation but also in the methods
of collection and massive extraction of shell flesh.
Furthermore, moving to the Americas, specifically
in Mesoamerica from Formative to Postclassic
contexts, marine and freshwater shell remains have
been the subject of taxonomic, typological and
technological analysis in conjunction with experimental
archaeology and use wear with Scanning
Electron Microscopy to demonstrate that different
tools and techniques were employed in shell production
and exchange networks from the Pacific to
the Caribbean Sea at Oxtankah (de Vega and
Melgar), Xochicalco (Melgar), Teopantecuanitlan
(Solis and Martinez) and Pezuapan (Solis and
Monterrosa).
In the southern portion of the American Continent,
at archaeological sites dated from the Late Holocene
to the nineteenth century, malacological remains
were subjected to taxonomic, technological, taphonomic,
and spatial studies, in combination with lithic
micro-wear analyses, written records and experimental
archaeology. These studies show that people
used shells as building material at Tunel VII-Argentina
(Verdún), and as tools, containers and personal
adornments at Patagonian sites (Zubimendi) and
Low Paraná’s wetland (Buc et al.).
Shell habitat availability, human foraging practices
and the use of shells as tools and ornaments on islands were investigated at Puerto Rico
(Rivera) and the Canary Islands (Mesa et al.) using
several types of data derived from archaeomalacological,
geoarchaeological and ethnoarchaeological
studies.
Finally, Claassen presents interesting historical
data on the shell button industry and the Japanese
cultured pearl industry from the rivers of the United
States using shell taxonomic information, the size of
the beds, the yields, their sustainability, and the
industrialized process of making buttons.
We would like to thank the following persons and
institutions for their help and financial support in the
publication of this volume: Sociedad de Ciencias
Aranzadi (San Sebastián) and the Government of
Cantabria (Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y
Deporte).
The editors of the proceedings are grateful for
the advice and assistance of Juantxo Agirre, Pablo
Arias, Álvaro Arrizabalaga, Adriana Chauvín, Miriam
Cubas, Marián Cueto, Mikel Fano, María José
Iriarte, Roberto Ontañón, Peter Smith, Jesús Tapia
and Luis C. Teira.
We would also like to thank our reviewers and
authors, who have taken time from their busy schedules
to work for this publication.
The present Doctoral Thesis analyses the prehistoric suspended objects of adornment that have been documented for the different periods of the Upper Palaeolithic (Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, and its continuation the Azilian) and Mesolithic, at archaeological sites in Cantabrian Spain and the Ebro Valley. The number of objects examined directly, from the 111 archaeological sites that have been studied, comes to over two thousand. Of this number, over 90% come from the former of the two regions.
Through the study of the archaeological material with a binocular magnifying glass and microscope, information has been obtained about: the kind of raw material the ornaments were made from (anatomical and taxonomical analysis, etc.); the alterations suffered by the archaeological material (both before the death of the animal and of a taphonomic nature);
the technology (techniques employed to suspend the objects, how they were worked, etc.); the wear marks caused by the suspension of the objects; their shapes and sizes; their decoration, although only from a descriptive point of
view (relationship between the kind of ornament and the different decorative motifs); the stratigraphic position (association of the objects to a certain archaeological layer and period); the archaeological context, the spatial location in the deposit and the elements the ornaments were associated with (lithic tools, hearths, graves, etc.); and finally, the possible provenance of the different kinds of raw material with which the groups of hunter-gatherers manufactured their suspended ornaments.
Lastly, in order to obtain a wider view of the role played by objects of adornment, at a European scale, we examine the information obtained from sites with Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic industries in the rest of the continent.
Therefore, the proposal of this Doctoral Thesis is, on one hand, design a working methodology to study suspended objects of adornment, and on the other, to apply the methodology to this type of archaeological object as documented within a specific area and time-scale; in our case Cantabrian Spain and the Ebro Valley during the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic.
The comparison with similar archaeological materials found at European sites gives an overall picture of the role these ornaments played in the groups of hunter-gatherers, at a continental level.
resulted in large accumulations of shell remains in archaeological sites that offer unique information on bio-
logical, ecological and cultural aspects of human interaction with coastal systems in the past. In this study, stable
oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis was carried out on archaeological shells of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) from
the Mesolithic shell midden site of J3 (northern Iberian coast) to determine the seasonality of intertidal
collection. The results indicate a consistent pattern of winter exploitation, supporting the emerging view that
collections were governed by cost-benefit and management principles that are now widespread documented in
other coastal Mesolithic sites in Europe. The consistent seasonal collections of P. lineatus during colder months
can be taken as evidence of specie-specific management strategy to optimize yield while preserving local pop-
ulations for future exploitation. Our results reinforce the view that European hunter-gatherers developed
ecological knowledge on specific animal resources that persisted over large geographic areas. Additionally, from
a palaeoenvironmental perspective, the sea surface temperatures (SST) inferred from δ18O values derived from
mollusc shells (SSTδ18O) indicate that coastal marine waters during the Early Holocene in the southern Bay of
Biscay were warmer than those observed today. These environmental conditions are evaluated in relation to
changes in insolation and ocean currents over time.
archaeological excavations were carried out in several of its halls by Professor Manuel Pellicer Catalán, which were
followed in 1963 those carried out in the Vestíbulo hall by the archaeologist Ana María de la Quadra Salcedo. In 1965,
Professor Francisco Jordá Cerdá carried out excavations in the Vestíbulo and Mine rooms, which continued in this
second room during 1966 and 1967 in co-direction with Professor Antonio Arribas Palau, the results of which were
written in a report with abundant illustrations that never was published. Subsequently, between 1979 and 1987, ProfessorJ. F. Jordá Pardo, et al., 2024. 65 años del descubrimiento de la cueva de Nerja (Málaga): las excavaciones arqueológicas del profesor
Francisco Jordá Cerdá y su equipo
Spain). The remains were found in Layer B5, which was excavated by F. Jordá Cerdá and A. Gómez Fuentes in 1978 and
are associated with an osseous assemblage and archaeozoological remains. This occupation has been dated by radiocarbon
to about 16,400 BP (ca. 19.8–19.6 ka cal BP), corresponding to Archaic/Lower Magdalenian. The present study combines
the determination of the raw materials and the identification of the production systems to achieve an understanding of the
management of lithic resources by hunter-gatherer groups in the Late Pleistocene. The sourcing of mostly local materials
(mainly Piloña flint), the wide variety of rock types of diverse provenances (up to 10 types), and the presence of wellrepresented
lithological tracers (Flysch, Chalosse) turn Cova Rosa into an important case for studying different lithic raw
material procurement models. The predominance of microlaminar production and the variability in the exploitation strategies
used to obtain backed tools, as well as the poor standardisation of flake production, follow the dynamics observed in
other occupations of similar chronology in a wide geographical area that includes Cantabrian Spain and south-west France.
groups of the Eurasian Upper Palaeolithic (UP) all over the ecological range of deers, and
beyond. It was exhaustively employed to produce one of the most critical tools for the survival of
the UP societies: hunting weapons. However, antler implements can be made from diverse deer
taxa, with different ecological requirements and ethological behaviours. Identifying the antler’s
origin at a taxonomic level is thus essential in improving our knowledge of humans’ functional,
practical and symbolic choices, as well as the human-animal interface during Prehistoric times.
Nevertheless, palaeogenetics analyses have focused mainly on bone and teeth, with genetic
studies of antler generally focused on modern deer conservation. Here we present the results of
the first whole mitochondrial genome ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis by means of in-solution
hybridisation capture of antlers from pre-Holocene archaeological contexts. We analysed a set
of 50 Palaeolithic and Neolithic (c. 34-8ka) antler and osseous objects from South-Western
Europe, Central Europe, South-Western Asia and the Caucasus. We successfully obtained aDNA,
allowing us to identify the exploited taxa and demonstrate the archaeological relevance of those
finds. Moreover, as most of the antlers were sampled using a minimally-invasive method, further
analyses (morphometric, technical, genetic, radiometric and more) remain possible on these
objects.
of study in Prehistory. Subsistence strategies, understood as the set of techniques, processes and activities
through which human groups organise the tasks related to their survival, are a fundamental element for un-
derstanding the economic and sociocultural processes derived from these practices in the past. In this sense,
archaeozoological and taphonomic studies are the main tool to reconstruct the ways in which our ancestors
acquired, processed, consumed, and managed meat resources for their survival. In this research we examine the
ways in which hunter-gatherer groups in the Spanish Cantabrian region exploited ungulates through a palae-
oecological and palaeoeconomic analysis of a total of 32 archaeological levels at 19 sites dated between 20 and
17 ky cal BP. To this end, through research on faunal resources in this region, we will address the ways in which
prey was acquired and transported, the age ranges, the seasonality of the captures and the nutritional energy
contribution to the diet of the human groups, taking into account the cost of acquiring them, thus generating an
updated view of subsistence strategies in the Cantabrian region
in northern Spain. Magdalenian occupations, particularly the lower Magdalenian, are well represented in its full sequence.
This article presents the zooarchaeological analysis of the levels Cierro G1, Cierro G and Cierro F, dated by 14C to between
20,000 and 17,000 cal BP. The remains correspond to vertebrates (mainly large mammals and to a lesser extent fish and birds)
and invertebrates (almost exclusively marine molluscs). The taphonomic analysis of the bones and shells has determined
the role that the different animal resources played in the diet of the Magdalenian hunter-gatherers at El Cierro. The results
obtained in each level of the sequence are compared and included in their regional context. This study also considers the
way in which the Magdalenian groups at El Cierro processed the meat and fat of the different animal species and establishes
the operational chain in the strategies of procurement, preparation and consumption of the prey.
Neolithic periods. Previous studies have focused on specific geographical areas and on a single chronological
period. Instead, we offer here a synthesis of the peninsula covering a broad period of time, thus allowing a study
of the role of marine resources in the Neolithisation process. Published data on the exploitation of marine
molluscs from 59 archaeological levels, close to the coast and dated between 10,400 and 4650 cal BP, in the
Iberian Peninsula are reviewed in order to examine the change that occurred in the consumption of marine
resources following the introduction of domestic plants and animals. The analysis of the composition and di-
versity of assemblages collected at each site has allowed us to identify specialisation in the management strategy
of marine molluscs during the Neolithic. Regional variability in the diversity of species collected, particularly in
the Cantabrian region, where there is continuity in the management of molluscs between the Mesolithic and
Neolithic periods, could be linked to the pace at which agriculture and animal husbandry were adopted. In short,
together with environmental factors, the establishment of farming practices may have had a slight impact on the
specialisation in the management of coastal environments.
de Ferro, Granada, Spain), a site in the cliffs along Andalusia’s Mediterranean coastline. Despite being disturbed
by cave-ins and erosion, it offers valuable information on the transition between the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
and the first Neolithic farming communities in southern Iberia. The study adopted an approach combining
stratigraphical and radiocarbon analyses with typological, archaeozoological and archaeobotanical classifica-
tions. The stratigraphical sequence comprises four main phases. The uppermost level (Phase 4) yielded a com-
bination of modern and displaced prehistoric elements. Intermediate Phases 3 and 2 correspond to Early
Neolithic layers ranging between the mid-6th to the beginning of the 5th millennium cal BC. The Neolithic finds
consist of incised and impressed potsherds, stone tools, ornaments (perforated shells and discoidal beads) as well
as domestic animals (caprines) and plant (cereals) species. Although the older Mesolithic horizon (Phase 1)
yielded few characteristic artifacts, radiocarbon datings place it in the 7th millennium cal BC. In any case, an
original aspect of the site is the key role played by marine resources throughout both its Mesolithic and Neolithic
phases.
the raw material of animal origin used for the creation of some of the bone industry artifacts described here
der les stratégies de subsistance des groupes attribués au Magdalénien. Cet article propose une synthèse des témoignages archéozoologiques d’origine marine. Mollusques, crustacés, échi- nodermes, poissons, oiseaux et mammifères marins ont non seule- ment contribué à l’alimentation de ces populations mais ils leur ont également fourni des matières premières pour l’élaboration d´une
partie de leur équipement."
was part of the inhabitants’ diet."
Excavation began again in 2014. The research team took samples from the different archaeological levels of the previous excavations core and carried out photogrammetry, documenting the topography of the cave. To implement the study of the archaeological material from the 1977/1979 and 2014 campaigns, an interdisciplinary research group composed of more than twenty national and international researchers was formed.
In 2016 the archaeological works focused on the excavation of levels dated before Lower Magdalenian.
The documented sequence in El Cierro now ranges from the beginnings of the Upper Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic. The presence of at least two levels dated in the ends of these periods (ca. 11300 BP) should be noted. The documentation of three archaeological levels dated to the Lower Magdalenian (ca. 15500 BP) was also undertaken. At these levels there were abundant archaeological remains as mammalian bones, shells of marine molluscs, lithic and bone industry and objects of art.