Impacts of Early Holocene environmental dynamics on open‐air occupation patterns in the Western Mediterranean: insights from El Arenal de la Virgen (Alicante, Spain)

Abstract

Open‐air sites represent a fundamental proxy of the Early Holocene adaptive systems in the Iberian Peninsula. However, its research potential for the study of human–environmental interactions has been minimally explored. In this work, we present the results of an integrated research programme focused on open‐area excavations at the Mesolithic site of Arenal de la Virgen (Alicante, Spain). Novel multi‐scalar geoarchaeological and archaeo‐stratigraphic studies, coupled with featured‐based palaeobotanical analysis, were used to design an extensive radiocarbon dating programme and produce different Bayesian chronological models. Our results distinguish two different Mesolithic occupation phases, dating to 9.3–9.1 and 8.6–8.3k cal a bp respectively, consisting of combustion features and lithic scatters. The comparison of occupational dynamics with the nearby palaeoecological records of Salines and Villena indicated that both Mesolithic phases occurred under relatively stable environmental conditions. The second Mesolithic phase, however, ended during the onset of the 8.2k cal a bp climatic event, when sedimentation processes shifted from soil formation to accretion of aeolian sands. We demonstrate that the end of the Mesolithic occupations at Arenal de la Virgen coincides with the cessation of radiocarbon‐dated activity in other open‐air Postglacial sites in the central Mediterranean region of Iberia.

Mesolithic hearth-pits and formation processes: a geoarchaeological investigation of sediments from El Arenal de la Virgen site (SE Iberia)

“…The results of the 2017 field session confirmed the Early Mesolithic attribution of the lithic assemblages of Unit IV, providing a more refined spatial and chronological picture of the Mesolithic occupation of the site (Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2023). As discussed later (see the "Sediments and formation process of Unit IV" section), microstratigraphic evidence indicated a sedimentary hiatus within Unit IV, consistent with the new radiocarbon dates yielded by charcoal fragments and pinecone scales recovered from the recently excavated hearth-pits at the site.…”

“…In addition, experimental and archaeological works based on flat combustion features support the use of burnt artefact distributions to identify Mesolithic hearths (Sergant et al 2006). Thus, the association of SU 604 with thermo-altered lithic refits and the spatial patterns of the artefacts (Rabuñal 2021;Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2023) are compatible with a fire of anthropogenic origin related to the structure.…”

“…A radiocarbon date on a Quercus sp. evergreen charcoal sample from the top of SU 608, where the sediment for OSL and TL analysis was collected, yielded 7700 ± 30 BP (8547-8411 cal BP) (Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2023). This age falls within the chronological frame of the second phase, and it is significantly younger than the date obtained for the base of the structure: 8220 ± 30 BP (9394-9027 cal BP).…”

“…The investigation presented here is based on a geoarchaeological multiproxy approach encompassing stratigraphy, micromorphology and petrography, textural analyses, Relevant available data on the spatial analysis of burnt lithic assemblages and archaeobotanical remains associated with the hearth-pits were also integrated into the discussion together with chronological and paleoenvironmental frameworks of the site (Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2023 andRabuñal 2021).…”

“…2). Details and correlations of the full stratigraphy of the site are presented elsewhere (Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2023;Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2011a). Unit IV, radiocarbon dated to 7750 ± 40 BP (8575-8475 cal BP), revealed a hearth-pit that was spatially associated with lithic as well as land snail assemblages and thermoaltered limestone clasts (Fernández-López de Pablo et al 2011a, b).…”