The Middle to Late Pleistocene herpetofaunal assemblages from the Jarama and Manzanares valleys (Madrid, central Spain): An ecological synthesis

Blain, Hugues‐Alexandre; Bisbal-Chinesta, Josep Francesc; Martínez-Monzón, Almudena; Panera, Joaquín; Rubio‐Jara, Susana; Uribelarrea, David; Yravedra, José; Pérez‐González, Alfredo

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2018.03.004

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Biomarkers from Valdocarros build upon earlier reconstructions of the Jarama Basin 33,[41][42][43] suggesting (paleo) environmental and climatic conditions exerted a direct influence on regional hominin behaviours. Valdocarros II itself harboured occasional large woody plants, such as conifers, and based on pollen spectra, most trees occurred on river edges 42 .…”

Section: Potential Hominin Uses Of Fire At Valdocarros IImentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The site of Valdocarros II (Madrid, Spain, Fig. 2A,B), is located in the stratigraphical unit II of the Complex Terrace of Arganda in the Jarama river valley in the Tagus basin, with evidence of human occupancy dating to a range between 235 and 285 kya (MIS 7/8) [33][34][35] and the amino-acid racemization (AAR) 254 ± 47 ka, 262 ± 07 ka) ages [33][34][35] (Fig. 2E).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Organic geochemical evidence of human-controlled fires at Acheulean site of Valdocarros II (Spain, 245 kya)

Stancampiano

Rubio‐Jara

Panera

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Among the outstanding questions about the emergence of human-controlled fire is the systematic recurrence between the geochemical remains of fire and its preservation in the archaeological record, as the use of fire is considered a technological landmark, especially for its importance in food cooking, defensive strategies, and heating. Here we report fossil lipid biomarkers associated with incomplete combustion of organic matter at the Valdocarros II site, one of the largest European Acheulean sites in Spain dated to marine isotopic stage (MIS) 8/7 (~ 245 kya) allowing a multiproxy analysis of human-controlled fire use. Our results reveal isolated cases of highly concentrated and diverse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs (APAHs), along with diagnostic conifer-derived triterpenoids in two hearth-like archaeological structures. The presence of combustion byproducts suggests the presence of anthropogenic (controlled) fires at Valdocarros—one of the oldest evidence of fire use in Europe-in association with Acheulean tools and bones. Hominins possibly used fire for two main activities, as a means of defense against predators and cooking. Our results help to better delineate major gaps in our current knowledge of human-controlled fire in the context of the Middle-Pleistocene in Europe and suggest that human ancestors were able to control fire before at least 250 kya.

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Section: Potential Hominin Uses Of Fire At Valdocarros IImentioning

confidence: 81%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic geochemical evidence of human-controlled fires at Acheulean site of Valdocarros II (Spain, 245 kya)

Stancampiano

Rubio‐Jara

Panera

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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The interaction between large mammals and Acheulean tools during the Middle Pleistocene in the Manzanares valley (Madrid, Spain): new evidence for Santa Elena and Oxígeno sites

Claver

Martos

Yravedra

et al. 2022

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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The fluvial deposits of the Manzanares and Jarama rivers present one of the largest concentrations of lithic and faunal remains of Pleistocene sites in Europe. In the Manzanares River close to the confluence of the Jarama River, the stepped terrace system disappears and gives way to the Complex Terrace of Butarque (CTB), where the sites of Santa Elena and Oxígeno are located. Different numerical dates obtained from the visible CTB’s bottom suggest that it was deposited during the MIS 6 or even MIS 7. This paper provides the first taphonomic and palaeoecological interpretation of both collections. A total of 445 fossil elements have been recorded in Oxígeno. The most represented are cranial fragments of Elephas sp. About Santa Elena, 130 fossil elements have been recorded. The best represented are fragments of Bos/Bison sp. horns and Elephas sp. tusks. The taphonomic processes identified at both sites bring to light a complex taphonomic history. The incidence of processes related to fluvial transport is higher in Oxígeno than in Santa Elena. Besides, dismemberment cut marks have been identified exclusively on the humerus of Bos primigenius in Santa Elena. Several tooth marks from carnivores have been recorded: small pits and scores at Oxígeno as well as pits and furrowing on Bos primigenius and Megaloceros sp. bones from Santa Elena. The faunal association depict an open landscape of wet meadows with herbaceous vegetation adjacent to riparian wood habitats associated with the Manzanares alluvial plain, where hominids and predators competed to some unknown extent.

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Coping with arid environments: A critical threshold for human expansion in Europe at the Marine Isotope Stage 12/11 transition? The case of the Iberian Peninsula

Blain

Fagoaga

Ruiz-Sánchez

et al. 2021

Journal of Human Evolution

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The Middle to Late Pleistocene herpetofaunal assemblages from the Jarama and Manzanares valleys (Madrid, central Spain): An ecological synthesis

Cited by 8 publications

References 48 publications

Organic geochemical evidence of human-controlled fires at Acheulean site of Valdocarros II (Spain, 245 kya)

Organic geochemical evidence of human-controlled fires at Acheulean site of Valdocarros II (Spain, 245 kya)

The interaction between large mammals and Acheulean tools during the Middle Pleistocene in the Manzanares valley (Madrid, Spain): new evidence for Santa Elena and Oxígeno sites

Coping with arid environments: A critical threshold for human expansion in Europe at the Marine Isotope Stage 12/11 transition? The case of the Iberian Peninsula

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