In European and many African, Middle Eastern and Southern Asian populations lactase persistence (LP) is the most strongly selected monogenic trait to have evolved over the last 10,000 years 1 . While LP selection and prehistoric milk consumption must be linked, considerable uncertainty remains concerning their spatiotemporal configuration and specific interactions 2,3 . We provide detailed distributions of milk exploitation across Europe over the last 9k years using c. 7,000 pottery fat residues from >550 archaeological sites. European milk use was widespread from the Neolithic period onwards but varied spatially and temporally in intensity. Surprisingly, comparison of model likelihoods indicates that LP selection varying with levels of prehistoric milk exploitation provides no better explanation of LP allele frequency trajectories than uniform selection since the Neolithic. In the UK Biobank 4,5 cohort of ~500K contemporary Europeans, LP genotype was only weakly associated with milk consumption and did not show consistent associations with improved fitness or health indicators. This suggests other hypotheses on the beneficial effects of LP should be considered for its rapid frequency increase. We propose that lactase non-persistent individuals consumed milk when it became available, but that under particular conditions and microbiological milieux this was disadvantageous, driving LP selection in prehistoric Europe. Comparison of model likelihoods indicates that population fluctuations, settlement density and wild animal exploitationproxies for these driversprovide better explanations of LP selection than the extent of milk exploitation. These findings offer new perspectives on prehistoric milk exploitation and LP evolution.

The geomorphology and stratigraphy of massive debris flows on the Eastern Andean Cordillera, Colombia, indicate two distinct deposits can be recognized. The lower Chinauta deposit covers 14 km2 and has a thickness of ∼60 m, whereas the upper Fusagasugá deposit covers 20 km2 and has a thickness of ∼20 m. The lower Chinauta section consists of matrix‐supported gravels, with isolated boulders and massive to moderately bedded structure and local inverse grading. The upper section displays sequences of inversely graded, clast‐supported gravels, with boulders >2 m in axial length, capped by massive, matrix‐supported fine gravels. The latter are dissected by coarse, channelized gravels. We interpret these facies as a series of debris and hyper‐concentrated flows dissected by river channels. The Fusagasugá deposit is dominated by massive to inversely graded matrix‐supported gravels with isolated boulders. Single‐grain, optically stimulated luminescence dates of the sandy–silty matrix of debris and hyper‐concentrated flows constrain the timing of deposition of the Chinauta debris flow deposits between 38.9 and 8.7 ka. We postulate that millennial‐scale climate variability is responsible for causing these massive debris flows, through a combination of elevated temperatures and increased rainfall that triggered runoff and sediment transport.

The Mesolithic faunal assemblage from Cueva de Los Postes (Badajoz, Spain) is presented and discussed. The faunal remains from different stratigraphic units spatially associated with the Mesolithic funerary use of the cave or preceded them were analyzed. The zooarchaeological record is dominated by leporids, generally rabbit but also hare, scarce mustelids, and undetermined birds. Results indicate that these animals are not associated with the human use of the cave. The relevance of carnivore damage points to an exogenous origin for leporid accumulation. It is inferred that this mixed deposit of scats and non‐ingested remains results from foxes' activity.

Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es dar a conocer una nueva estela de guerrero recientemente recuperada en el tér-mino de Cabeza del Buey (Badajoz) y contextualizarla en el poblamiento de la Sierra de Tiros, un escenario de especial significación por su valor estratégico en las comunicaciones entre Córdoba y Badajoz. Así, tanto esta estela como otras ya conocidas en su entorno vienen a jalonar un espacio habitado en la prehistoria reciente, que cuenta con algunos asentamientos de la Edad del Bronce y un gran número de manifestaciones pictóricas que ponen de relieve su apropiación efectiva y simbólica a lo largo de un período cronológico amplio. Lejos de contemplarse esta estela en relación únicamente a sociedades ganaderas, se vincula a un modelo económico diverso, aunque de tintes agrarios. Abstract:The aim of this work is to discuss a warrior's stela, recently discovered in Cabeza del Buey (Badajoz) and to place it within the context of the mountain settlement of Tiros, a space of special significance for its strategic value in communications between Córdoba and Badajoz. This stela as well as others in the region mark an inhabited space in recent prehistory. The path along which the stela was discovered runs in proximity to Bronze Age settlements and several pictorial representations depicting both literal and symbolic appropriation across a large period of time. This particular stela will be considered in its relation to livestock communities, its links to a diverse economic model, and potential connotations for agrarian society at the time.Palabras clave: estelas del suroeste; Bronce Final atlántico; simbolismo guerrero; contexto mesoespacial; paisaje.