The Initial Upper Paleolithic in Northern Iberia: New Evidence from Labeko Koba

The Upper Paleolithic of Cantabrian Spain

“…28,29 Two new Châ telperronian sites have been excavated recently: A Valiñ a in Lugo (eastern Galicia) and Labeko Koba (Guipú zcoa). 44,45 The former, unusual for its isolation and for being a cave in an area where caves are rare, is dated between 35 and 32 kya. This site has palynological evidence of interstadial conditions, as at Morín.…”

Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretation of the stratigraphic sequence of Lezetxiki II Cave (Basque Country, Iberian Peninsula) inferred from small vertebrate assemblages

“…The small vertebrate assemblage from Lezetxiki II Cave, the oldest record of the Cantabrian Range, provides a rare opportunity to articulate the paleonvironmental and paleoclimatic scenario of the “Basque crossroad” during the late middle Pleistocene and late Pleistocene, improving additionally our knowledge of the northern third of the Peninsula. In addition, the significance of the basal levels from Lezetxiki II should be noted as they represent the possible context of the human humerus found in 1964 in Leibar Cave (Arrizabalaga et al, 2005), which represents the oldest human fossil of the Basque Country.…”

“…The “classic” Lezetxiki deposit was first excavated during the 1956–1968 field seasons under the direction of José Miguel de Barandiarán, revealing an extensive Late Pleistocene sequence. In addition, three human fossil remains were recovered—namely, a humerus near the entrance of Leibar Cave (level VIII; Basabe, 1966) and provisionally dated to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 (Arrizabalaga et al, 2005) and two Neanderthal teeth from level III (Basabe, 1970). A small adjacent cavity nowadays known as Lezetxiki II, and the focus of the present work, was also explored, but its excavation was halted as it was practically sediment-filled from the accumulation of the sieved material from Lezetxiki (Arrizabalaga, 2006).…”

Chatelperronian blade production in Cueva Morín: methods, intentions and objectives

“…Labeko Koba o Ekain (Arrizabalaga y Altuna 2000;Arrizabalaga et al 2003;Altuna y Merino 1984) serían los referentes en el norte de la Península. En Galicia encontramos A Valiña (Llana y Soto 1991; Villar 1991; 1997; Villar y Llana 2001), aunque el conjunto lítico no es lo suficientemente característico como pudiéramos pensar (2), presentando serias dudas sobre su adscripción cultural, tanto por sus dataciones, su industria ósea e industria lítica (Fernández Rodríguez 2000.…”