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This work examines the possible behaviour of Neanderthal groups at the Cueva Des-Cubierta (central Spain) via the analysis of the latter’s archaeological assemblage. Alongside evidence of Mousterian lithic industry, Level 3 of the cave infll was found to contain an assemblage of mammalian bone remains dominated by the crania of large ungulates, some associated with small hearths. The scarcity of post-cranial elements, teeth, mandibles and maxillae, along with evidence of anthropogenic modifcation of the crania (cut and percussion marks), indicates that the carcasses of the corresponding animals were initially processed outside the cave, and the crania were later brought inside. A second round of processing then took place, possibly related to the removal of the brain. The continued presence of crania throughout Level 3 indicates that this behaviour was recurrent during this level’s formation. This behaviour seems to have no subsistence-related purpose but to be more symbolic in its intent., Funding for this research was provided by the Dirección General de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica de la Comunidad de Madrid, grant no. H2019/HUM-5840 (co-financed by the European Social Fund), and by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, grant no. PCG2018- 094125-B-100 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE). The analyses were carried out at the laboratories of the CENIEH-ICTS with the support of the CENIEH staf, and at the Geochronology Laboratory, Jaume Almera Institute of Earth Sciences (CSIC). S.G.-S. and L.V. are beneficiaries of predoctoral contracts within the programme H2019/HUM-5840 (co-financed by the European Social Fund). A.M. is funded by a grant from the Junta de Castilla y León, financed in turn by European Social Funds via the Consejería de Educación (BDNS 376062). A.C.D.-G. is a beneficiary of a postdoctoral grant funded by the Complutense University of Madrid (POP-UCM-CT17/17-CT18/17). A.A.-F. is supported by a PhD grant from the Reale Foundation via the Fundación Atapuerca. Currently, M.A.G.-P. is a beneficiary of a technical support staf contract (no. PTA2018-015145-I) from the Fundación General de la Universidad de Alcalá-Museo Arqueológico y Paleontológico de la Comunidad de Madrid, financed by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad and the MAPCM. L.H.-V. is a beneficiary of a Research Assistant contract (no. PEJ-2020-AI/HUM-18786) co-financed by the European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative, and the Consejería de Ciencia, Universidades e Innovación de la Comunidad de Madrid. M.V.-R. is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Universities with an FPU predoctoral grant (no. FPU18/05632).

Neanderthals have been claimed to have had a selective adaptation to rugged, wooded landscapes that would have partially compensate their high basal metabolic rate and locomotor energetic costs through reducing search time and increasing diet breadth. The archaeological site of the Navalmaíllo rockshelter (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid), located in a mountain environment in central Iberian Peninsula, has been interpreted as a repeated short-term occupation hunting camp by Neanderthal groups, mainly focused on primary access to large bovids and cervids. Navalmaíllo rockshelter has also furnished fish, toads, frogs, tortoises, lizards and snakes remains. This association of amphibians and reptiles suggests a much warmer climate (þ 2.8ºC) for layer F than at present, with similar temperatures during the summer but higher temperatures throughout the remaining months. Rainfall was slightly more abundant (þ180.6 mm) than today, with a more contrasted regime during the year, with rainier winters and drier summers. A two-month period of aridity is observed during summer, representing a similar duration to present-day climatic conditions. Reconstructed landscapes are mainly constituted by open areas with dry grassland and rocky or stony areas, evolving laterally to humid meadows, probably close to the aquatic and peri-aquatic areas, such as rivers or ponds with riverside vegetation. Woodland environments are lso well represented around the site, with medium scrublands to forest formations. Fish complete this reconstruction by documenting the presence of a pre-mountain well-developed river system characterized by relatively cold, permanent, oxygen-rich, and running waters. Such reconstruction is in disagreement with previous pollen interpretation for Layer F that suggested a very open and cold environment. Our new interpretation suggests that the Neanderthal occupation of the Navalmaíllo rockshelter occurred during a somewhat temperate and humid period, probably within the later part of the Marine Isotope Stage 5, effectively favouring the presence of a high biodiversity around the site., C.S.-B. was supported by a FPI Predoctoral Scholarship (PRE 2020-094482) associated to the project CEX 2019-000945-M-20-1 with the financial sponsorship of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. A.F. was beneficiary of a post-doctoral grant APOSTD/2021/110, granted by the Generalitat Valenciana and co-financed by the Fondo Social Europeo (FSE). AMM was supported by the Agencia de Gestio d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) and the Departament d’Empresa i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya (grant 2021FI_B200207). “L'FSE inverteix en el teu futur”. A.C.D.-G. was beneficiary of a postdoctoral grant (POP-UCM CT17/17-CT18/17) funded by the Complutense University of Madrid. This research was conducted as part of competitive projects PGC 2018-094125-B-100 (MCIU/AEI/FED-ER,UE), PGC 2018-093925-B-C32 (MICINN-FEDER), 2017SGR1040 IPHES-URV and 2017SGR859 IPHES (AGAUR), PGC 2018-093612-B- 100 and PID 2021-122533NB-I00 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion y Agencia Estatal de Investigacion), and funded by the I þ D activities program for research groups run by the Education Secretariat of the Madrid Regional Government (H2019/HUM-5840). The study was also partly funded by the MAR, Grupo Mahou and Canal de Isabel II-Gestion. The Institut Catal a de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolucio Social (IPHES-CERCA) has received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “María de Maeztu” program for Units of Excellence (CEX 2019-000945-M)., With funding from the Spanish government through the "Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence" accreditation CEX 2019-000945-M.

The archaeological investigations developed in the Cadiz coast and countryside during the last 25 years have revealed a series of human occupations dating between ca 8000-3000 cal BP and ranging culturally from Late Mesolithic until Late Bronze Age. Pollen analyses have revealed an open Mediterranean landscape developed under dry conditions drifting to steppic ones. Pinus, Juniperus, Olea and evergreen Quercus are the main arboreal taxa. Mesophilous (deciduous Quercus, Ulmus, Betula) and hygrophilous plants (Salix, Alnus), are present at the base (Mesolithic) as indicators of moister conditions. Nevertheless its presence is discontinuous and exiguous throughout most of the sequence recovering only during the Bronze Age. Charcoal assemblages reveal in turn the management of diverse plant communities. Olea europaea, deciduous and evergreen oak woodlands, Mediterranean pines (Pinus pinea, P. halepensis) and Juniperus appear interspersed in an open environment given the systematic exploitation of a varied set of shrubs and scrubs: Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus unedo, Phillyrea sp., Crataegus, Prunus spp., Fabaceae and Erica sp. The E-W geographical position of sites between the Bays of Algeciras and Cadiz, both separated by a series of mountainous alignments, determined the early development of the evergreen oak woodlands to the east over the deciduous oak communities which are more abundant westwards, due to the decreasing humidity gradient as going eastwards. The various sea level fluctuations occurred during the Holocene, also determined the trajectory and character of human occupations settled on the coast.

Se ha estudiado el contenido en palinomorfos polínicos y no polínicos, en la secuencia Holocena de la cueva de la Buena Pinta (Yacimiento arqueopaleontológico de Pinilla del Valle, Madrid) . Los resultados obtenidos han puesto de manifiesto una dinámica de la vegetación reflejada en el tránsito progresivo hacia la instalación de un paisaje abierto, como adaptación a unas condiciones climáticas de carácter calido y seco. Las dataciones radiométricas de 14C sitúan, su desarrollo, con anterioridad a 5740-5600 cal BP

We reconstructed the palaeoenvironmental conditions of Cartagena Bay during the Holocene after a multidisciplinary study to identify natural variations and the anthropic processes of this coastal area. A total of 119 samples were recovered for amino acid racemization dating, 3 for radiocarbon dating (14C), and four sets of 80 samples for sedimentological and palaeontological determination, mineralogical content, biomarker and trace elements quantification. Two natural scenarios were identified from the variations of n-alkane indices and palaeobiological content. The first period (6650-5750 yr cal BP) was marked by the development of euhaline marine conditions with strong inputs from aquatic macrophytes and high biodiversity. After a hiatus, the area underwent a profound change, becoming a paucispecific brackish marsh environment with increasing inputs from land plants, with possible episodes of emersion with a greater presence from terrestrial gastropods (3600-300 cal yr BP). By combining trace element abundance and stanol distributions, our study also provides a novel approach to identify the predominant influence of anthropogenic factors in the last three millennia in the coastal record of Cartagena Bay. Findings confirmed that Pb mining and metallurgy began during the Bronze Age, with considerable inputs of this heavy metal into the atmosphere during Phoenician, Punic and particularly Roman times compared to the Middle Ages. Pollution by Cu and Zn was also observed during Punic and Roman times, and was first documented in the Middle Ages. In addition, faecal stanols, such as coprostanol, derived mainly from humans, and 24-ethylcoprostanol from herbivores were present, thereby indicating for the first time a continuous presence of human populations and significant pollution input since 3600 yr cal BP, this being greater in the late Bronze Age and Phoenician, Punic and Roman times than during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when the city was in decline., This paper was made possible by Grant HAR2017-85726-C2-2-P (Cambios ambientales y ocupación humana en el sector central del sureste ibérico) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by Grant HAR2017-85726-C2-1-P (Carthago Nova desde su entorno litoral: Paleotopografía y evolución medioambiental del Sector central del Sureste Ibérico. Dinámica poblacional y productiva) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. XRF core scanner equipment was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund via the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2013–2016 (IGME13-4E-2576).

The evolution of the landscape surrounding the rivers of the Madrid basin during the Middle Pleistocene is summarised in the present paper. Patterns of adaptation of human populations who settled on the riverbanks have been established in this area through geoarchaeological data recovered from associated deposits, mainly in the Manzanares and Jarama rivers. An exceptional paleoenvironmental record has been documented for the last 379,000 years in the sequences studied in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. Pollen and non-pollen samples were studied in eight sequences obtained from different sedimentary environments of two terraces, one located in the Manzanares river (Complex Terrace of Butarque) and the other in the Jarama river (Complex Terrace of Arganda), both in Madrid (Spain). The findings show the constant presence of Pinus, sometimes as the prevailing species, and Juniperus as an element of the regional vegetation. The local vegetation is characterised by open Mediterranean forest and riverside woodlands, which together with the aquatic taxa demonstrates the presence of water. The occasional presence of deciduous forest taxa, probably related to riverside woodlands, suggest warmer conditions. Ubiquitous taxa prevail among the herbaceous strata. These types of plants do not require specific ecological conditions, but could suggest a certain degree of humidity and explain the low values of xeric taxa and sub-continental steppe grasslands. The development of nitrophilous taxa, associated with the presence of fauna, is consistent with the faunal remains recorded from the sites. However, the pollen record shows changes in the structure of the vegetation in all sequences (progressive increase in the tree component), as well as in the composition of the plant landscape (decrease of the Mediterranean taxa and increase of xeric and steppe grasslands), due to temperature and humidity rate related changes. Climatic oscillations are observed across the stratigraphic sequence, and discussed in light of the archaeological evidence for the human occupation of inland Iberia.

Trace element concentrations in the Cartagena Bay coastal record reveal a contribution of natural processes. However, the influence of anthropogenic factors predominates in the last three millennia, particularly aerosol deposition linked to mining and industrial activities in the area. The coastal record of Cartagena can be considered a preserved environment, suitable to search for regional human activity fingerprinting, specifically that related to the deposition of heavy metals such as Pb and Cu. A multivariate statistical analysis was carried out to clarify the geochemical behaviour of trace and major elements. Our study design represents a novel approach to assign natural contributions, such as eolian and riverine input, to coastal deposits, and organic matter preservation under anoxic environments. Therefore, synergies obtained by the simultaneous study of multivariate statistics and enrichment factors allow robust conclusions about palaeoenvironmental evolution and human activities. Anthropogenic influence suggested that Pb mining and metallurgy began during the Chalcolithic period, with considerable inputs of Pb and Cu to atmospheric pollution during Phoenician, Punic and Roman times., This paper was made possible by funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation projects: Cambios ambientales y ocupación humana en el sector central del sureste ibérico (HAR2017-85726-C2-2-P) and Carthago Nova desde su entorno litoral: Paleotopografía y evolución medioambiental del Sector central del Sureste Ibérico. Dinámica poblacional y productiva (HAR2017-85726-C2-1-P). XRF core scanner equipment was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund via the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2013-2016 (IGME13-4E-2576).

The Malalmuerzo cave (Moclín, Granada, Spain) has been known since the 1980s for its archaeological remains and rock art, dated to the Neolithic and the Solutrean periods respectively. However, following thirty years of neglect, our team carried out a brief archaeological intervention after looters destroyed parts of the sediment fill of the cave. The refreshing of disturbed surfaces and the examination of a small undisturbed profile produced many archaeological remains attributed to several Magdalenian levels. The levels partially covered the depiction of a red horse, which probably dates to the Solutrean period. _____________________________________________ RESUMEN La cueva de Malalmuerzo (Moclín, Granada, España) es conocida desde los años 80, del siglo pasado, por albergar restos arqueológicos del Neolítico y arte rupestre Solutrense. Sin embargo, tras treinta años de abandono, nuestro equipo llevó a cabo una intervención de urgencia después de la destrucción a manos de expoliadores de parte del sedimento arqueológico. La regularización y limpieza del perfil aportó gran cantidad de restos adscritos al Magdaleniense. Además se documentó la figura de un équido en rojo solutrense, cuya parte inferior estuvo parcialmente cubierta por el sedimento arqueológico objeto de nuestro estudio.

Nous présentons dans ce travail, un panorama synthétique des occupations humaines du Nord du Maroc, en mettant l’accent sur l’association des données anthropologiques et des données culturelles, ceci dans un cadre chronologique compris entre le Paléolithique Moyen (MSA) et le Paléolithique Supérieur. Nous présentons aussi les projets développés, durant ces 15 dernières années, et les résultats les plus intéressants que nous avons obtenus. Pour conclure, nous proposons quelques réflexions sur l’évaluation culturelle et historique des enregistrements archéologiques de la région de Tétouan dans les périodes du Paléolithique Moyen et Supérieur., In this work, we present a synthetic panorama of the human occupations of northern Morocco, with an emphasis on the association of anthropological with cultural records, within the framework of the Middle Palaeolithic (MSA) and the Upper Palaeolithic. We also present the projects developed over the past 15 years and the most interesting results we have obtained. And we conclude bay providing some reflections on the cultural and historical evaluation of the archaeological records from the Tetouan region in the Middle and the Upper Palaeolithic phases., Les résultats et les conclusions de cet article ont été obtenus grâce aux études qui ont été réalisées dans le cadre de la coopération scientifique internationale qui a permis le développement des projets de recherches archéologiques durant les quinze dernières années et qu’on peut résumer comme suit : • Les matières premières dans la préhistoire du détroit de Gibraltar. Code A/2893/05. Entités participantes : Université de Cadix (Espagne) et Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi (Maroc). Durée, de janvier 2006 à décembre 2006. Chercheurs responsables : Salvador Domínguez-Bella et Ali Maate. • Etude des collections du Musée Archéologique de Tétouan (I). Début de l’inventaire général et de l’analyse de certaines collections thématiques. Code : A/6867/06. Entités participantes : Université de Cadix (Espagne), Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat) et Université Abdelmalek Esaâdi (Tanger-Tétouan) (Maroc). Durée, de janvier 2007 à décembre 2007. Chercheurs responsables : Mehdi Zouak et José Ramos-Muñoz. • Les matières premières dans la Préhistoire du détroit de Gibraltar. Code A/6317/06. Entités participantes : Université de Cadix (Espagne) et Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi (Maroc). Durée, de janvier 2007 à décembre 2007. Chercheurs responsables : Salvador Domínguez-Bella et Ali Maate. • Contribution à l’élaboration de la Carte archéologique du Nord du Maroc (Région Tanger-Tétouan). Analyse de faisabilité et conception du projet. Code A/5790/06. Entités participantes : Université de Cadix (Espagne) et Université Abdelmalek Esaâdi (Tanger-Tétouan, Maroc). Durée, de janvier 2007 à décembre 2007. Chercheurs responsables : Darío Bernal et Baraka Raissounni. • Étude des collections du Musée Archéologique de Tétouan (II). Début de l’inventaire général et de l’analyse de certaines collections thématiques. Code A/010823/07. Entités participantes : Université de Cadix (Espagne), Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat) et Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi (Maroc). Durée, de janvier 2008 à décembre 2008. Chercheurs responsables : José Ramos-Muñoz. et Mehdi Zouak. • Proposition pour le remodelage du contenu du Musée Archéologique de Tétouan. Code AP/040139/11. Entités participantes : Université Abdelmalek Esaâdi (Tanger-Tétouan) (Maroc) et Université de Cadix (Espagne). Durée, de janvier 2012 à décembre 2012. Chercheurs responsables : José Ramos-Muñoz. et Ali Maate. • Projet Carte Archéologique du Nord du Maroc. Région de Tanger-Tétouan. Codes : DRCTT/08/328 ; DRCTT/09/267 ; DRCTT/ ; DRCTT/09/279 ; DRCTT/10/314, DRCTT/11/106, IRMHS-TT/12-48, IRMHS-TT/459/12, 0-094-2011 (BOE 314, 30-12-2011). Organismes de financement : AECID, Junta de Andalucía (Groupe PAI-HUM-440), Université de Cadix (Espagne). Entités participantes : Institut Nacional des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat), Université Abdelmalek Esaâdi (Tanger-Tétouan) (Maroc) et Université de Cadix (Espagne). Durée, de janvier 2008 à décembre 2012. Chercheurs responsables : Mehdi Zouak, Abdelaziz El Khayari, Baraka Raissouni, Darío Bernal-Casasola et José Ramos-Muñoz. • Convention de collaboration pour la création du Laboratoire d’Archéologie et du Patrimoine Meknassi de la Région Tanger-Tétouan et le développement de la recherche archéologique et patrimoniale. Entités participantes : Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Université de Cadix et Direction Régionale de la Culture de la Région Tanger-Tétouan. Durée : du 24 mai 2012 au 24 mai 2017. Chercheurs responsables : Mehdi Zouak, Darío Bernal, José Ramos-Muñoz., Baraka Raissouni, Mostapha Ghottes et Tarek Moujoud. • Análisis de sociedades prehistóricas del Paleolítico Medio al Neolítico Final en las dos orillas del Estrecho de Gibraltar. Relaciones y contactos -HAR2017-8734P- (Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad -Agencia Estatal de Investigación, co financé par les fonds FEDER. Chercheurs responsables : José Ramos-Muñoz. et Salvador Domínguez-Bella. Nous tennons donc à remercier tous les chercheurs, les experts et les entités scientifiques, financières et administratives, qui ont permis la réalisation de ces projets de recherches archéologiques de 2005 à 2020.

In this paper, we conduct a palynological analysis of a high-resolution Holocene record from Cartagena Bay, southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, to establish paleoenvironmental variability of coastal areas in the western Mediterranean region at a centennial-scale over the last 7300 years. Statistical analysis of four palynozones allows reconstruction of paleotemperature and paleohumidity conditions. Pinus, steppic, xerophilous, and Mediterranean taxa persisted continuously through the record, and only during periods of increased humidity did deciduous and Mediterranean taxa expand (Zones II, subzone IIIb). Cooler and dry conditions favored the development of Cupressaceae and scrubs between 7300 and 7000 yr cal BP. The mid-Holocene (Northgrippian) mesophytic optimum took place between 6800 and 4000 yr cal BP during which time a Mediterranean climate was present and open forest developed, predominantly consisting of Mediterranean taxa and deciduous trees. The gradual rise in aridity in the Meghalayan (4000–1700 yr cal BP) led to Mediterranean forest being replaced by steppic and xerophilous vegetation, a change related mostly to a decrease in summer insolation, with superimposed centennial-scale variability in humidity. In parallel with forest degradation caused by increasing aridity, the record shows marked evidence of human influence since 4000 yr cal BP, which accelerated the progression of open landscapes from the Chalcolithic onwards, this change being especially marked during the Roman period. Significant denudation of the landscape can be attributed to the use of fire, as well as due to agriculture and grazing, with a major contributor being intense metallurgical and mining activity in the area. The Cartagena Bay record reported herein shows centennial-scale oscillations in humidity and temperature that correlate with well-known climatic events during the late Holocene in the western Mediterranean region, synchronous with variability in solar and atmospheric dynamics. The alternation of persistent North Atlantic Oscillation modes is likely to have played a key role in regulating humid–arid periods., This paper was made possible by Grant HAR2017-85726-C2-2-P (Cambios ambientales y ocupación humana en el sector central del sureste ibérico) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by Grant HAR2017-85726-C2-1-P (Carthago Nova desde su entorno litoral: Paleotopografía y evolución medioambiental del Sector central del Sureste Ibérico. Dinámica poblacional y productiva) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033

In the eastern Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, Spain) has produced some of the earliest evidence of Middle Paleolithic stone tool traditions together with evidence of equid and cervid carcasses defleshed by hominins. Based on the numerical age of 317-240 ka derived from OSL, ESR and AAR dating methods for the lower part of the Cuesta de la Bajada sedimentological sequence (level CB3), as well as the biochronological inferences for the small and large mammal associations, the site can be attributed to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 or the end of MIS 9. As amphibians and reptiles have precise environmental and climatic requirements and do not differ at species level from the extant herpetofauna of the Iberian Peninsula, they can contribute to the reconstruction of the landscape and climate. In this paper, the fossil amphibians and squamate reptiles from Cuesta de la Bajada are studied for the first time. The mutual ecogeographic range and habitat weighting methods were applied to the herpetofaunal assemblages to estimate quantitative data for the landscape and climate reconstructions. The climate is shown to have been colder and wetter than today in the interior of eastern Spain, with mean annual temperature up to 2.5 °C lower and mean annual precipitation slightly higher than at present. The monthly climatic reconstruction shows differences in the distribution of precipitation over the course of the year, with more abundant precipitation from late autumn to spring (i.e. from October to May), and more or less similar precipitation to today during the summer months (July and August). This suggests there was stronger rainfall seasonality between winter and summer than currently occurs. The paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on the herpetofaunal assemblage depicts a poorly forested (15–20%) patchy landscape with a large representation of dry meadows and scrubland habitats together with well-evidenced aquatic habitats. These reconstructions are consistent with other proxies recovered at Cuesta de la Bajada (pollen, small and large mammals) as well as other European MIS 8–9 paleoclimatic records. We can thus correlate levels CB2 and CB3 with the later part of MIS 8 (265-257 ka) or with a humid fluctuation within the MIS9b (303-290 ka). It is also possible to provide a new description of the environmental and climatic conditions that occurred in inner Spain during a cold period of the late Middle Pleistocene.

A new record from a long sediment core (S3) in Navamuño (1505 m asl, western Iberian Central System) provides the reconstruction of the vegetation history and environmental changes in the region between 15.6 and 10.6 ka cal BP, namely during the Late Glacial and the early Holocene, using a multiproxy analysis (pollen-based vegetation and climate reconstruction, sedimentary macrocharcoals, loss-on-ignition, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements). The results are then compared with other sequences from the Iberian Central System and the whole Iberian Peninsula in order to better understand the past dynamics of the main forest constituents. The pollen record shows a shift from open pine forests ∼15.6–14.7 ka cal BP (Oldest Dryas) to mixed open pine-birch woodlands ∼14.7–14.0 ka cal BP (Bølling). Woodlands were succeeded by a steppe-like landscape until ∼13.4 ka cal BP (Older Dryas), which was replaced again by high-mountain pine forests and riparian woodlands ∼13.4–12.6 ka cal BP (Allerød). A great development of cold steppe grasslands linked to the decline of birch woodlands is documented ∼12.6–11.7 ka cal BP (Younger Dryas). The early Holocene (11.7–10.6 ka cal BP) was characterized by a progressive reforestation of the study area by pine and birch forests in the highlands and oak woods in the lowlands. Temperate tree taxa (Carpinus betulus, Castanea sativa, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus, Juglans, Tilia, and Ulmus) were also common but likely at lower elevations. Pollen of Fagus sylvatica was already recorded during the Late Glacial and the early Holocene. The marked increasing local fire activity during the warmer and wetter Allerød oscillation could be related to a rise in tree cover, supporting the climatically driven character of these fires. Nevertheless, the strong increase in fire activity during the Younger Dryas would probably be related to growing tree and shrub mortality, as well as to the wet/dry biphasic structure of this stadial. The standard “Modern Analogue Technique” has been also applied to the Navamuño sequence to provide quantitative climate estimations for the Late Glacial and the early Holocene periods. This record is one of the few continental archives that show the climatic trend between the Late Glacial and the early Holocene in central Iberia, agreeing with many other regional records from the Western Mediterranean.

The recent excavations (2008–2009) conducted at the open-air site of Las Delicias, located in the Manzanares River valley (Madrid), have revealed new important data for the understanding of the human settlement of Central Iberia during Solutrean times. In this paper, we present a geomorphological and taphonomic study of the Pleistocene deposits of Las Delicias, a technological analysis focused on the bifacial lithic reduction processes documented at the site, new Optically Stimulated Luminescence dates, and new palynological data. Together with the existence of numerous Solutrean lithic assemblages from the early 20th century excavations of the Manzanares terraces, these new data highlight the importance of the Manzanares valley as a focus of Solutrean settlement, not only related to flint procurement but also to foraging activities. Moreover, they require reconsideration of Central Iberia as a virtually unpopulated region during the Late Pleniglacial (MIS 2), and of the associated idea of its cultural dependence on the coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula. We propose new avenues of research aimed at approaching the central region of Iberia in its own cultural and ecological terms.

Knowledge about the relative impact of climate and socio-economic factors on agriculture is still not well known as they change in space and time. Social researchers stress the role of endogenous (societal, economical, etc.) factors whilst physical/natural scientists focus on the role of climate on land use and land cover change, but the latter do not usually focus on human dynamics. Through the analysis of proxies of land cover, sediment yield (erosion) and salinity changes from sediments in a fluvial wetland in central Spain and documentary evidence collected from the 16th century onwards, it becomes clear that climate impact on farming has changed during this period. Thus, until ca. 1725 CE, agriculture production in central-southern Spain followed the cycles and trends of rainfall at the annual, multiannual and decennial time scales. From that time onwards, production began to show discrepancies with climate, with high production cycles associated with dry periods being common and a sustained productivity that was independent of climate trends and it must be related to socio-economic changes. This change from climate-driven to human-driven agriculture can be seen in other areas of the Iberian Peninsula but at different times that vary from the first half of the 17th century until the first half of the 18th century. These different times can be attributed to diachronous changes in the Little Ice Age phases and local and regional differences in economic factors (such as proximity to commercial routes, development of markets) and their evolution, as supported by the different information sources., Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España, Museo Comarcal de Daimiel, España, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Departamento de Geología, Geografía y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, España, Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas, España

This study presents the results of the archaeological investigation in Benzú Cave, located on the North African shore of the Strait of Gibraltar. The archaeological deposits, approximately 1 m deep, belong to two occupational levels dated to the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. A wide range of artifacts was found, and this led to an interdisciplinary study that led us to reach new conclusions concerning the material life, subsistence economy, and environment of the Neolithic and Bronze Age societies in northern Africa and the southern Iberian Peninsula., This study was funded by City Council of Ceuta (65.933/20 [01], 47.849/3 [03], 007086, 77.891/3 [09], 96.478/2 [2010], 0-094/2011, 124.111/3[2011], 23.685/[13]), Plan Nacional I+D, MCYT. (HAR2008-06477-C03-02), Programa de Investigación Juan de la Cierva, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, de España (IJCI-2014-20590), and Proyecto de Investigación de I+D (Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad de España) (HAR2017-87324-P).

Here we present a new site in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain): Galería de las Estatuas (GE), which provides new information about Mousterian occupations in the Iberian Plateau. The GE was an ancient entrance to the cave system, which is currently closed and sealed by a stalagmitic crust, below which a detritic sedimentary sequence of more than 2 m is found. This has been divided into five litostratigraphic units with a rich assemblage of faunal and lithic remains of clear Mousterian affinity. Radiocarbon dates provide minimum ages and suggest occupations older than 4514C ka BP. The palynological analysis detected a landscape change to increased tree coverage, which suggests that the sequence recorded a warming episode. The macromammal assemblage is composed of both ungulates (mainly red deer and equids) and carnivores. Taphonomic analysis reveals both anthropic, and to a lesser extent, carnivore activities. The GE was occupied by Neanderthals and also sporadically by carnivores. This new site broadens the information available regarding different human occupations at the Sierra de Atapuerca, which emphasizes the importance of this site-complex for understanding human evolution in Western Europe.

The Rexidora Cave (Asturias, NW Spain), discovered in 2012, provided a remarkable large mammal assemblage of MIS 3 age. The ongoing excavation works yielded 445 fossil remains including cold-adapted elements as woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), two species of special interest since they are poorly represented in the Iberian Pleistocene. The woolly rhinoceros assemblage comprises numerous unusually well preserved elements as one mandible, one femur and one partially preserved skull. The steppe bison (Bison priscus) is the dominant species in the assemblage, providing an outstanding collection of well-preserved elements that comprises two skulls and numerous limb bones. Carnivores are represented by a partial skeleton (including a complete skull) of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Radiocarbon AMS analyses of the fossil assemblage yielded two dates of 44.5 and 37.6 Cal ka BP, corresponding to MIS 3, a phase of climatic instability characterized by fast climate changes, from extreme cold to temperate conditions. These dates are coeval with the maximum registered expansion of the mammoth fauna in the Iberian Peninsula and with the onset of glacier retreat in the Cantabrian Mountain Range, after the last local glacial maximum. Geomorphological and sedimentological evidence suggests that bone accumulation took place as the result of gravity processes in a collapse doline, filled by a chaotic accumulation of calcareous boulders, pebbles and bone fragments, embedded in a silt–clay matrix, which points to a possible natural-trap origin of this fossil assemblage. The exceptional well preservation of the fossils, as well as the lack of any evidence of human or carnivore activity, supports this idea. Palynological analyses suggest an open landscape under variable climatic conditions, responsible for the fluctuating presence/absence of the arboreal taxa. The predominance of steppe and, to a lesser extent, xeric herbaceous plants indicate very dry conditions, whereas presence of mesophilous forest taxa implies the existence of a refuge area at distance. This open and dry landscape, developed in a karst area with a relative smooth relief, is consistent with the occurrence of the large mammal species steppe bison, woolly rhinoceros and reindeer. Faunal and pollen analyses, hence, provides a new evidence for the development of cold and dry steppe-like environments in NW Iberia during MIS 3.

Ignacio de la Torre [et al.].- Article first published online: 23 JUN 2015, Manuscript Accepted: 6 MAY 2015, Manuscript Revised: 26 APR 2015, Manuscript Received: 23 DEC 2014

The range of pollen that can be found around the city of Siguenza has been analysed (La Alcarria, north-eastern region, Guadalajara, Spain), an area currently included in the territory comprising the Protected Origin Denomination ‘Miel de la Alcarria’. We studied the pollen recovered from two different types of biological sensors: bryophytes, live material used to study the recent pollen rain, and honey. The aim of this study was to try to establish the relationship between the pollen collected from both types of sensors and the existing natural vegetation in the area using comparative statistical methods. More than 7500 pollen grains were observed from the bryophyte samples and included 35 pollen types. Conversely, the pollen present in 37 honey samples contained 46 pollen types with a total of 46 000 pollen grains counted. The data presented in this study proves the relationship between the bryophyte pollen spectrum and the local vegetation present in a geographical area. However, it indicates t...

The Navamuño peatbog (Sierra de Béjar, western Spain) is a ∼14 ha pseudo-endorheic depression with boundaries defined by a lateral moraine of the Cuerpo de Hombre paleoglacier and fault-line scarps on granite bedrock. The stratigraphy of the Navamuño peatbog system is characterized here using borehole data to a depth of 20 m. An integrated interpretation from direct-push coring, dynamic probing boreholes and handheld auger drillings advances our knowledge of the Navamuño polygenetic infill. Correlating this data with those obtained in other studies of the chronology and evolutionary sequence of the Cuerpo de Hombre paleoglacier has enabled us to establish the sequence of the hydrological system in the Navamuño depression. During the Late Pleistocene (MIS2), the depression was dammed by the Cuerpo de Hombre glacier and fed by its lateral meltwaters, and was filled with glaciolacustrine deposits. The onset of the Holocene in Navamuño is linked to a flat, fluviotorrential plain with episodes of local shallow pond/peat bog sedimentation. This evolutionary sequence is congruent with the age model obtained from available radiocarbon dating, obtaining 19 ages from ∼800 cal yr BP (at depth 1.11 m) to ∼16800 cal yr BP (at depth 15.90–16.0 m). Finally, the sedimentary record enabled interpretation of the environmental changes occurring in this zone during the late glacial (from the Older Dryas to the Younger Dryas) and postglacial (Holocene) stages, placing them within the paleoclimatic context of the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean regions., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Projects CGL2013-44076-P and CGL2016-78380-P). The authors also wish to acknowledge the help and assistance of the Regional Environment Department (JCyL) and the Local Authority in the village of Candelario. Valenti Turu acknowledges grant ATC013 -and- 2015/2016 from the Government of Andorra.

The sedimentary record of the volcanic lake known as the Fuentillejo maar (central Spain) offers the opportunity to determine the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the central-southern part of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle and Upper Pleistocene. A total of 439 samples from the upper 88 m of a ca. 142 m long core (spanning the last ca. 355 ka) were examined. The interval corresponds to the last 220 ka of the record. High n -alkane CPI values and the presence of sulfur revealed that little diagenetic signal attenuation or modification had occurred. A number of n- alkane-based indices (e.g. predominant n- alkane, ACL, Paq and TAR HC ratios, and the proportion of C 27 , C 29 and C 31 n- alkanes with respect to the summed C 27 + C 29 + C 31 ) alkanes, showed changing conditions in the organic matter input to the maar lake over time, with episodes involving a major input of terrestrial vegetation, alternating with others in which algae or a mixed input of terrestrial plants, aquatic macrophytes and algae occurred. The proportions of C 27 , C 29 and C 31 were useful for reconstructing the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the basin as they allowed assignment of several dry intervals during which grasses developed, while during humid phases trees expanded at the expense of grasses. In general, we found good correspondence between these episodes and the climatic cycles observed in δ 18 O records from ices cores in Greenland and Antarctica, as well as from marine cores. Thus, we conclude that global palaeoclimatological changes were recorded in the maar record. Likewise, Heinrich Events appeared to be reflected in the n- alkane indices. This was confirmed by single spectral analysis and cross spectral analysis with the insolation curve on 21 July at a latitude of 65°N. The approach revealed that the cycles interpreted in the Fuentillejo record (103, 41, 23 and 19 ka) showed evidence of orbital influence related to the astronomical cycles of the eccentricity variation in the Earth’s orbit, the Earth’s obliquity oscillation, and the precession variation (Milankovitch theory).

The Cueva del Camino site (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid) represents the most complete MIS 5 record from the Iberian Peninsula (away from the Mediterranean margin), including a large accumulation of fossilized remains of small and large vertebrates and two human teeth. The presence of carnivores (mainly hyenas) and humans suggests that the site should be interpreted as a spotted hyena den, a human occupation, or both. During an earlier phase of excavation undertaken during the 1980s, an anthropic origin was suggested for the accumulation at the site. However, research was resumed in 2002, leading to an increase in the number of vertebrate remains recovered, as well as the recognition of new vertebrate species. These have now been incorporated into the site’s list of fauna. In addition, new palaeobotanical, geochronological and stratigraphic data have been recorded and analysed, and the human teeth identified as being of Neanderthal origin. Floristic data (pollen and charcoal remains) obtained for the north sector of this site indicate an open landscape with Pinus sylvestris-nigra as the main arboreal taxon. The available evidence suggests this accumulation to be the result of spotted hyena activity during a warm phase of Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5) in an environment in which fallow deer was the most abundant herbivore.

Esquilleu cave (Cantabria, northern Spain) presents 30 Mousterian archaeological layers covering virtually the complete MIS 3 both in chronology and environmental. A number of environmental analyses (faunal, pollen, charcoal) allow the study of the different strategies for the procurement and management of resources available near the site and indicate the Neanderthals’ wide adaptability to the changing environment typical of this period. This paper also discusses the possibility of using bones as fuel either as a palliative for a presumed lack of wood resources in the environment or as a mere pattern of human behaviour.

The Middle Pleistocene palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment evolution of the Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands is described using a combination of sedimentology, pollen and d 13 C and d 18 O isotopic records of Unit B of core LT-199906. This unit mostly contains fluvial and palustrine sediments. U/Th and amino acid racemization (AAR) dating and a comparison of the d 18 O curve of Unit B with oceanic records suggests that Unit B spans the period from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (340 ka) to the first stages of MIS 7 (ca. 210 ka). MIS 9 was characterised by a regional vegetation dominated by Cupressaceae, with Pinus as a tree element. The water level was high and temperatures were very probably higher than during the Holocene. MIS 8 and the first substages of MIS 7 (7e, 7d and 7c) were dominated by xerophilous steppe vegetation in lowlands (elevations around 610 m above sea level) near to the wetland. At higher altitudes, far away from the wetland, there were fewer Pinus than in MIS 9, and a greater presence of warm, temperate and cool climate tree elements. The aquatic system in MIS 9 became shallower, with eutrophication and the accumulation of organic matter occurring; temperatures were similar to or lower than those of the Holocene. Copyright # 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The site of El Portalon is the entrance to the Cueva Mayor karst system, located in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain). This is an important Holocene archaeological site, which was excavated in the 1970s but from which little has been published. New excavations starting in 2000 have highlighted a deep stratigraphical sequence, with human occupations starting at the end of the Late Pleistocene. In this paper, we present for the first time, on the basis of the small-vertebrate assemblage, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions of the Latest Pleistocene of the Sierra de Atapuerca, well known for its Early to Middle Pleistocene human-bearing localities. The small vertebrates of El Portalon comprise at least 25 species: 4 amphibians (Alytes obstetricans, Bufo bufo, Bufo calamita and Rana temporaria); 3 squamates (an indeterminate small-size lacertid, an indeterminate large colubrine and Vipera sp.); 6 insectivores (Sorex gr. coronatus-araneus, Sorex minutus, Neomys fodiens, Neomys anomalus, Talpa europaea and Galemys pyrenaicus); 2 bats (Myotis myotis and Myotis gr. myotis-blythi); 10 rodents (Microtus arvalis, Microtus agrestis, Microtus oeconomus, Iberomys cabrerae, Chionomys nivalis, Terricola duodecimcostatus, Arvicola sapidus, Arvicola terrestris, Apodemus sylvaticus and Eliomys quercinus). These taxa, many of which are ecothermal (sensitive to temperature) show variations in their taxonomic diversity throughout the sequence. Although, with the exception of M. oeconomus, they do not differ from the extant fauna of the Iberian Peninsula, they do so in the abundance of their taxonomic assemblage. When the small vertebrates are grouped and studied in terms of vertical trends through the sequence, it is possible to follow environmental and climatic changes. Results from the small-vertebrate associations indicate that the landscape had open habitats in the vicinity of the Atapuerca caves throughout the sequence, with wet locales in the surrounding area. Woodland and water stream meadows were more developed during “warm” periods (Is5, Is6/Is7 and Is3/Is4), whereas during “cold” periods (H3 and LGM) the environment was slightly more humid in response to winter precipitation and the opening of the landscape. These results are compared with pollen analysis and marine isotopic curves, giving a scenario for the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental changes that occurred during the Latest Pleistocene in the Sierra de Atapuerca.

Geochemical (element analysis, molecular analysis of organic compounds), physical, palynological, mineralogical and sedimentary facies analysis were performed to characterise the sedimentary record in Fuentillejo maar-lake in the Central Spanish Volcanic Field of Campo de Calatrava, in order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic processes which controlled vegetation patterns and deposition of different sedimentary facies. The upper 20 m of core FUENT-1 show variations in clastic input, water chemistry, vegetation and organic fraction sources in the lake throughout the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. The temporal framework provided by 14C accelerator mass spectrometry dating allows assigning the sequence to the last 50 cal. ka BP. Arid phases identified in the FUENT-1 sequence are correlated to Heinrich events (HE) and to stadials of the Dansgaard/Oeschger (D/O) cycles. Siliciclastic facies with high magnetic susceptibility values, high Juniperus pollen content, a low Paq index (aquatic macrophysics proxy index), a decrease in the relative percentage of the n-C27 and an increase in the n-C31 alkanes are indicative of arid and colder climatic events related to HE 2, HE 1 and the Younger Dryas (YD). Similar short cold and arid phases during the Holocene were identified at 9.2–8.6, 7.5–7 and 5.5–5 cal. ka BP. In dolomite–mud facies, the pollen data show an increase in the herbs component, mainly – Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia and Ephedra – steppe taxa; a low Paq index, a decrease in the relative percentage of the n-C27 alkane and an increase in the n-C31 alkane are also observed. This facies was probably the result of lower lake levels and more saline–alkaline conditions, which can be interpreted as linked to arid–warm periods. These warm and arid phases were more frequent during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the interstadials of MIS 2. HE 4, HE 2, HE 1 and the YD in core FUENT-1 were immediately followed by increases of warm steppe pollen assemblages that document rapid warming similar to the D/O cycles but do not imply increasing humidity in the area. Fuentillejo hydrology is controlled by changes in the atmospheric and oceanic systems that operated on the North Atlantic region at millennial scale during the last 50 cal. ka BP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The study of a pollen sequence obtained from a peat deposit in Hoyos de Iregua (Iberian Range, north-central Spain) has been carried out, revealing new information about the vegetation dynamics and climate changes since Late-glacial times. Pollen zones have been defined corresponding to successive phases in vegetation history during the end of the Late Wurm (Oldest Dryas, Late-glacial interstadial, Younger Dryas) and the Holocene. During the Oldest Dryas event, there was a sparse vegetation cover dominated by herbaceous taxa, with Pinus as the unique arboreal taxon with some importance. The vegetation landscape during the Late-glacial interstadial (13,000–11,000 yr BP) corresponded to coniferous forest and mixed forests, including the presence of evergreen Quercus . Between the Late-glacial and the Holocene, a brief cooler and drier phase occurred, the Younger Dryas event (11,000–10,000 yr BP). During this period an important reduction of the tree masses characterized the evolution of the landscape. The Holocene began with a period of increasing temperature that resulted in an expansion of the arboreal elements, which reached their highest representation during the Holocene Climatic Optimum. From 5060±90 BP a change to more arid conditions occurred, favouring the development of the mediterranean vegetation. Within the Late Holocene, clear evidence of the human impact on the environment are detected, being more accentuated towards the uppermost levels.

A palynological and lithological continuous record from La Mancha Plain (South-central Iberian Peninsula, Spain) is presented. The obtained results have permitted the reconstruction of the climatic evolution in the area since the Late-glacial/Holocene transition. The end of the Late-glacial was characterized by a cold and arid climate and it concluded at about 9890±180 yr BP. In the Early Holocene a slight climatic amelioration began, being interrupted by a more arid phase around 8500 yr BP. The Holocene Climatic Optimum started from ca. 8000 yr BP and was characterized by higher temperatures and more humidity. During the Mid-Holocene–Late Holocene times a stage of marked aridity occurred towards 5000 yr BP that preceded the development of a dry mediterranean climate. Under this new climate a short-time arid phase took place around 2500 yr BP after which the mediterranean conditions became accentuated, with an increasing dry climate. This climatic evolution has affected the characteristics of the marshlands of Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park, originating changes in the sedimentary environment. This environment was mainly fluvial until the end of the Holocene Climatic Optimum and became lacustrine–palustrine from the beginning of the more arid conditions.

In this paper we present a review of the available Holocene pollen records from the Spanish Central System (113 sites and 150 14C dates). Palynological data obtained from pollen analyses of peat-bogs, lakes and archaeological sites, as well as radiocarbon dating, were used to infer the human impact on vegetation and landscape during the last 9 millennia. The Neolithic contribution to the configuration of landscape is scarce, limited to the valleys, while Chalcolithic settlements and their related activities (agriculture and grazing) represent the first evidence of significant human impact on the high-mountains. The pollen record has allowed us to relate two cultural periods of changing, the Copper Age–Early Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age–Early Iron Age transitions, to abrupt climate disruptions, the so-called 4.2 and 2.8 ka cal BP events respectively. From the Iron Age to the Early Middle Ages, anthropic activities were still sporadic, mainly located in the lowlands, but from the Feudal Period onwards, when La Mesta transhumance system takes place, high-mountain landscapes changed dramatically. Late Modern Period brings a further intensification of human pressure, especially related to forestry, with widespread pinewood afforestation., We are indebted to the CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 Program (CSD2007-00058), EXCELENCIA 2011 Program (RNM-7033) and AGRIWESTMED (ERC-Advanced Grants, proposal n° 230561)

Persistence of relict tree species in Mediterranean environments is becoming increasingly unlikely in view of ongoing and future global change. The variability in the Holocene climate and more recent anthropogenic impacts have driven many populations to fragmentation and isolation, and even to extinction. However, some have persisted to the present day. The understanding of their evolution requires long-term studies, in which pollen analysis is a key approach both for formulating hypotheses and supporting results from other disciplines. Mountain ranges have played and still play an essential role as both glacial and interglacial refugia during the Quaternary. The Spanish Central System harbors an exceptional diversity due to its geographical location and complex topography. Some cold-adapted species have survived here with significant proportions of their southernmost populations, often displaying striking adaptations to their changing environments. This work contains a comprehensive review of the palynological investigations conducted in the Spanish Central System, and reveals the distribution of genera such as Taxus, Betula, Fagus, Carpinus and Tilia throughout the Holocene. We also highlight the scarcity of well-dated and high-resolution works, which may contribute to a better understanding of their recent and future evolution.

[EN] The Shelter of Benzú is located near the city of Ceuta, in North Africa. We are currently working on the final stage of the scientific report of the activities carried out in the last years. We have done an evaluation, although still not final, of geological, stratigraphic, chronological, and ecological data as well as the different resources used by prehistoric societies. We emphasize the technological data for the archaeological products and for lifestyles. Geological and paleoecological bases of the historical region of the Strait of Gibraltar provide great similarities between the European and North African shores. The shelter of Benzú has a sequence of seven archaeological levels with a clearly defined technology belonging to Mode 3 concept. The similarities with the sets of the southern Iberian Peninsula are evident. We also emphasize the exploitation of marine resources by hunter-gatherer societies since the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene sequence. With these archaeological bases and the context of recent studies in the North African region, we value the possible relationships and contacts between societies on both sides of the historical region of the Strait of Gibraltar., [FR] L’abri de Benzú est situé dans la ville de Ceuta, en Afrique du Nord. Nous apportons ici un bilan sur la géologie, la stratigraphie, la chronologie, l’écologie et les ressources utilisées par les sociétés préhistoriques de ce site. Nous mettons l’accent sur les données technologiques issues du mobilier archéologique et sur les modes de vie. Les fondements géologiques et paléo-écologiques de la région historique du détroit de Gibraltar offrent de grandes similitudes entre les rives africaine et européenne de cet espace. L’abri de Benzú dispose d’une séquence de sept couches stratigraphiques en relation avec un faciès technologique précis qui renvoie au Mode 3-Paléolithique moyen. Les similarités avec les contextes appartenant au Sud de la péninsule Ibérique sont significatives. De plus, nous souhaiterions souligner l’exploitation des ressources marines par les sociétés de chasseurs-cueilleurs, depuis le début de la séquence stratigraphique au cours du Pléistocène moyen. Avec cet ensemble de données archéologiques et le cadre offert par des études récentes sur ce secteur du Nord de l’Afrique, nous tentons d’évaluer les relations et contacts possibles entre les deux rives de la région géo-historique du détroit de Gibraltar., Nous remercions la Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta (numéros de subventions : 65.933/20 (01), 47.849/3 (03), 007086, 77.891/3 (09), 96.478/2 (2010), 0-094/2011, 124.111/3 (2011), 23.685/(13)) pour le financement apporté à notre recherche dans le cadre d’une convention avec l’université de Cadix.

The Cueva Mayor karst system of Atapuerca, in Northern Spain, hosts a highly significant record of human occupation from the Pleistocene. The climatic context of the human activities during the Pleistocene-Holocene for this inland site has not been well constrained, since existing records of the palaeoclimatic evolution of the Northern Iberian Peninsula are from more distal coastal and high-elevation sites. In this study, we interpret the palaeoenvironmental information recorded on the petrography of a stalagmite and the pollen spectra of the Sierra de Atapuerca karst system during the last 20 kyr. The integration of both types of records has allowed us to define four palaeoenvironmental stages. During the Upper Pleistocene and until 12.8 kyr BP, the climate was cold and dry, toward the end of the interval evolving to wetter and warmer conditions. From 12.8 to 7.7 kyr BP, during the Mesolithic-Neolithic, a major erosion event in both records marks the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Around 5.9 kyr BP, the Late Neolithic, environmental conditions indicate a climatic optimum with a marked seasonality. The environmental conditions became drier from 4.2 kyr BP until the present, with a decrease in the woodlands. This aridity signal might be amplified by the impact of a more intense human agricultural activity after 3.1 kyr BP, during the Bronze Age.

This paper presents an integrated archaeobotanical analysis carried out at the site known as “El Llano de la Horca”, a Bronze and Late Iron Age (3rd–1st century b.c.) Carpetanian settlement in central Spain (3600 ± 80 b.p.). Pollen and spore analysis indicates an open landscape dominated by the herb taxa Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae with an important representation of Glomus. The combination of pollen and charcoal studies also reveals the presence of Pinus sylvestris-nigra, P. pinaster-pinea, Juniperus thurifera, Quercus faginea, Q. ilex and Q. suber as the main trees used. Occurrences of Alnus, Corylus, Fraxinus and Juglans suggest the existence of water courses nearby. The archaeobotanical data is correlated with the geographical setting and archaeological context. The evolution of settlement patterns in central Spain, as well as the economy of other Carpetanian sites, is also considered to evaluate how this territory was managed for its vegetational resources since the Bronze Age (BA). Changes are expected as a consequence of different socio-economic factors at this site, especially when the settlement became an important Carpetanian oppidum. The combined results demonstrate a subsistence system based on cereal agriculture, in which naked wheat was dominant, together with some hulled barley and some erratic occurrences of hulled wheat. Furthermore, livestock breeding and metalwork activities seem to have resulted in a significant loss of woodland in order to clear land for crop fields and cattle grazing to cope with the needs of the growing Carpetanian community.

Pollen data from three sequences (CH, PD and CbN) in the Gredos Range (Spanish Central System) have been presented. These data record the evolution of vegetation from the 7000 BP (Holocene). The most important results are summarized in the domain of the pine forest and the change in the local forest composition. Then, the forests of Betula and Corylus, developed until 3000 BP, are replaced by deciduous and evergreen Quercus. At this time and only in the sequence CH, presence of Cedrus and Fagus has been detected. From approximately 1000 BP, takes place an important decrease in arboreal taxa, mainly of Pinus associated with the expansion of Ericaceae and Poaceae, in response to an increase in both temperature and anthropogenic activities.

Correlations between ecological and cultural changes occurred during a short period between the end of Subboreal and the beginning of Subatlantic in the Amblés Valley (Ávila, central Spain) are analyzed, taking into account palaeopalynological and archaeological data. Plant dynamics from pollen analyses, both from archaeological sites and peat bogs, have been interpreted in relation to human settlements and the transformation of economic practices. These provided a comprehensive hypothesis on human/climate interactions at the beginning of the 1st millennium cal BC. There was an ecological crisis in the region that lasted for a century (ca. 850-760 cal BC). This was especially sharp due to both the geographical constraints of the area and its previous agrarian history. This event implied a sudden and abrupt climatic change from xeric and warm conditions (Subboreal) to more humid and cooler ones (Subatlantic). Environmental stress derived from climatic crisis could be an important factor in the explanation of the historical process, whose main consequences were both the origin of the Iron Age peasant villages and the end of the 'dehesa' type landscape. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

[EN] The Rock Shelter of Benzú is situated in the area of North Africa. An interdisciplinary group of collaborators have worked there during three campaigns of excavations. It is exposed a balance of its geographic situation, geomorphology, stratigraphic sequence, absolute data, excavation system, as well as the pollen, faunal and lithic remains. The settlement includes an occupation sequence of hunter-gathered communities that belong to Middle and Upper Pleistocene. It offers us interesting data to think about possible contacts and relationships among Prehistoric communities. These communities could have used the Strait as a bridge and not as a frontier., [ES] El Abrigo de Benzú se encuentra situado en el norte de África. Hemos desarrollado hasta el presente tres campañas de excavación por un equipo interdisciplinar. Exponemos un balance de su situación geográfica, geomorfología, estratigrafía, dataciones absolutas, sistema de excavación, valoración de los estudios polínicos, faunísticos y de tecnología lítica. El asentamiento muestra una secuencia de ocupación de grupos cazadores-recolectores del Pleistoceno Medio y Superior. Ofrece un registro y datos de interés para reflexionar sobre posibles contactos y relaciones entre comunidades prehistóricas más en el sentido de puente que de frontera.

Se presentan los datos palinológicos procedentes de un testigo obtenido en una formación higroturbosa de origen periglacial situada en el término municipal de Rascafría (Valle del Lozoya, Madrid). El objetivo principal de este trabajo es reconstruir la evolución de la vegetación en el área durante el Holoceno Reciente. Los resultados obtenidos reflejan la existencia de un paisaje vegetal dominado por el estrato herbáceo, constituido fundamentalmente por Cichorioideae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae y Plantago lanceolata. El grupo arbustivo (Erica arborea, Rosaceae, Juniperus y Cistaceae) tiene un papel poco importante en la vegetación; la masa forestal de Pinus sylvestris y en menor proporción P. pinaster y Quercus, junto a presencias de Betula, y Corylus, es poco representativa a lo largo del perfil, excepto hacia el techo de la secuencia, donde muestra un fuerte y progresivo aumento. De los microfósiles no polínicos destacamos la presencia de Pseudoschizaea circula y Glomus, que puede relacionarse con los procesos erosivos in situ favorecidos por fenómenos de sobrepastoreo. Esta información pone de manifiesto la presencia de un paisaje mediterráneo abierto y antropizado, dominado por zonas de pastizal dedicadas al ganado, según se deduce en el diagrama polínico a través de las proporciones de los componentes nitrófilos de carácter zoógeno y antropozoógeno. La presencia de taxones de ribera (Alnus y Fraxinus) y las variaciones de Cyperaceae, como representante mayoritario de los taxones higro-hidrófilos, definen importantes fluctuaciones en la tasa de humedad. La información proporcionada por los valores del pH (5,4-6,2) y de la conductividad (10-160 μS/cm) del sedimento, constatan los cambios detectados en la vegetación y en los usos del suelo. [ABSTRACT] Here we present palynological analyses carried avow a peaty located near to Rascafría village (Lozoya valley river, Madrid). Vegetation evolution during Late Holocene (940±50 BP) is reconstructed. The results shows a landscape dominated by herbaceous taxa, constituted mainly Cichorioideae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae and Plantago lanceolata. Shrubs such as Erica arborea, Rosaceae, Juniperus and Cistaceae have certain role in the vegetation. Woodlands with Pinus sylvestris, P. pinaster and Quercus, Corylus and Betula are also noticeable throushout the sequence. Non-pollen palynomorphs like Pseudoschizaea circula and Glomus are used to infer the importance of erosive processes in situ. This information shows an open mediterranean landscape, due mainly to human activities, and changes in peatbog trophic condition. Changes in values of Alnus, Fraxinus and Cyperaceae are used to detected humid changes in the area. The information provided by pH (5,4-6,2) and sediment conductivity (10-160 μS/cm) serves to assess vegetation and land uses changes.

The use of a high resolution pollen record in combination with geochemical data from sediments composed mainly of layers of charophytes alternating with layers of vegetal remains plus some detrital beds permits the reconstruction of the environmental evolution of the last 3000 years in an inland wetland of the Mediterranean domain, thus introducing a new climatic dataset for the Late Holocene. Hydrological fluctuations, reflected in the relationship between emerged and aquatic vegetation and inorganic and organic C and N changes, can be related to aridity or humid phases, while relations among arboreal taxa (Quercus and Pinus) and Artemisia are used as temperature indicators. Five climatic periods have been identified: a Subatlantic Cold Period (A.D. 1400) indicated by a cooling and drying trend. Despite the lack of any direct evidence of human action, there are some episodes related to deforestation during the Reconquista (Middle Ages) that mask the real climatic signal., Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, España, Departamento de Estratigrafía, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España, Dirección de Geología y Geofísica, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Dirección de Recursos Minerales y Geoambiente, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España

Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park has experienced many hydrological and ecological modifications through out its history, both of natural as well as anthropogenic origin, which have affected its carbon storage capacity and carbon fluxes. The study of those variations has been carried out by the analysis of its sedimentary record (geochemistry and pollen) and historical data. The natural changes have a wider variation range than the anthropogenic ones, showrepetitive patterns and the system reacts readjusting the equilibrium among its components. Anthropogenic effects depend on the direct or indirect impact on the wetlands of change and its intensity. In addition, the anthropogenic impacts have the capacity of breaking the natural balance of the ecosystem and the internal interactions., Dirección de Geología y Geofísica, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Departamento de Estratigrafía, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España, Earth Surface Processes, United States Geological Survey, Estados Unidos, Dirección de Recursos Minerales, Riesgos Geológicos y Geoambiente, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, España

Since the publication of the paper of , loss on ignition (LOI) has been widely used as a method to estimate the amount of organic matter and carbonate mineral content (and indirectly of organic and inorganic carbon) in sediments. The relationships between LOI at 550 °C (LOI550) and organic carbon (OC) content and between LOI at 950 °C (LOI950) and inorganic carbon (IC) content are currently accepted as a standard. However, the comparison of 150 analyses of samples of diverse lithologies, collected from a single core, reveals that these relationships are affected by sediment composition (presence of clays, salts, and the variable content of organic carbon). This results in an incremental error on the estimation of carbon content from LOI values that invalidates the use of LOI values as a quantitative method for estimating carbon content. Conversely, the general trends of LOI550 and LOI950 show a good correlation with carbon content (both organic and inorganic) allowing use of LOI as a qualitative test for carbon content. Similarly, in our case, LOI at 105 °C (LOI105) is a good qualitative proxy for the trends in gypsum content., Departamento de Estratigrafía, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España, Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, España, Dirección de Geología y Geofísica, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Dirección de Recursos Minerales y Geoambiente, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Dirección de Hidrogeología y Aguas Subterráneas, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España, Departamento de Geodinámica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España

Palinological data coming from different deposits of peat of the Spanish Central zone are presented in order to determine the climatic impact on the vegetation development, along 400 km with W-E direction, in the most western area of the mediterranean region. Given the geographic characteristics of the study area, the data coming from mountain areas (in the “Sistema Central Espanol”) and “Meseta” (“Submeseta Sur”) are compared, in order to understand the different replies of the vegetation according to the altitude, latitude and orientation, against local and global changes. Besides due to the studied period of time, special mention about the human impact manifested in the zone will be effected.

The geometric and genetic characterization of the Navamuño depression peatland system (Iberian Central System) is presented here using results from a geophysical survey. This depression is a ~30 ha pseudo-endorheic flat basin over granitic bedrock. Three geophysical techniques were used to map the subsurface geology, and identify and describe the infill sequence: shallow seismic refraction (SR), Magnetic Resonance Sounding (MRS) and electrical resistivity measurements (VES and ERT). The three main geoelectrical layers (G1, G2, G3) identified in previous research, have also been identified in the present work. Using the data obtained in this new research we have been able to analyse these three geological layers in detail and reinterpret them. They can be grouped genetically into two sedimentary units: an ancient sedimentary body (G3), of unknown age and type, beneath an Upper Pleistocene (G2) and Holocene (G1) sedimentary infill. The facies distribution and geometry of the Upper Pleistocene was examined using the Sequence Stratigraphy method, revealing that the Navamuño depression was an ice-dammed in the last glacial cycle resulting in glaciolacustrine sedimentation. A highly permeable sedimentary layer or regolith exists beneath the glaciolacustrine deposits. Below 40 m depth, water content falls dramatically down to a depth of 80 m where unweathered bedrock may be present. The information obtained from geophysical, geological and geomorphological studies carried out in this research, enabled us to consider various hypotheses as to the origin of this depression. According to these data, the Navamuño depression may be explained as the result of a transtensional process from the Puerto de Navamuño strike-slip fault during the reactivation of the Iberian Central System (Paleogene-Lower Miocene, Alpine orogeny), and can be correlated with the pull-apart type basins described in these areas. The neotectonic activity of this fault and the ice-dammed processes in these areas during the Last Glacial Cycle (MIS2) were the main causes of recent sedimentary infill in this depression., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Projects CGL2013-44076-P and CGL2016-78380-P).