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The stratigraphy and dating of lacustrine sediments and loess derivatives from Rodderberg, a crater of the East Eifel Volcanic Field in Germany, is based on luminescence dating and incorporates radiocarbon ages, fingerprinting of key tephra layers of the East Eifel Volcanic Field (Rieden Tephra, Hüttenberg Tephra, Laacher See Tephra), pollen stratigraphy, varve counting data, and a correlative age–depth model. These methods yield a robust age–depth model for the last 258 ka. Beyond this, luminescence ages differ from tephra‐derived ages. In light of the apparent presence of the Rieden Tephra, the lowermost interglacial is assigned to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 or 420 ka. This provides a high‐resolution record of environmental conditions representing an analogue for the Holocene, characterized by a warming planet. However, new luminescence ages may indicate a younger age for basal sediments, with the lowermost interglacial representing MIS 9. Both age–depth models constrain regional environmental changes during the Middle Pleistocene controlled by global climate variations. For the hydrologically closed nature of the Rodderberg crater, with limited pathways for sediment inflow and erosional export, these results shed new light on the continuity of long Middle Pleistocene records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalagmites are useful archives in reconstructing paleoclimates: most paleoclimate studies used stalagmites that are distributed in specific locations and ages. We examined a stalagmite (GYM-1) collected from Nara Prefecture, central Japan, where limestone areas are limited. Applying 238U–234U method, the ages of GYM-1 were determined as 744 ± 70 to 677 ± 74 ka (based only on analytical uncertainties, 1σ). Even assuming a 10% uncertainty in the initial activity of 234U/238U, (234U/238U)0, this age could be still older than 460 ka. Temperatures calculated based on δD in the fluid inclusions and δ18O in the calcium carbonate ranged from 9.0 to 11.9 °C (10.8 ± 0.9 °C on average) or from 6.0 to 9.1 °C (7.9 ± 0.9 °C on average) depending on the equation. The estimated temperature suggests that GYM-1 formed during an interglacial period of the Middle Pleistocene. Synchronous behavior of isotopic values with lamination likely reflects seasonal temperature in a highly ventilated cave system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surajkund Formation of Central Narmada Basin exhibits fining upward sequences of pebbly conglomerate, coarse-fine grained sandstone, siltstone and association of seven lithofacies, namely massive pebbly conglomerate, coarse-medium grained sandstone with large scale tabular cross bedding, massive coarse grained sandstone, coarse to medium grained sandstone with horizontal parallel bedding, fine grained sandstone with parallel lamination, fine grained sandstone with ripple lamination and siltstone, indicates their deposition in mixed load meandering river. Granulometric studies of Surajkund sediments also support the fluvial depositional environment. Soft sediment deformation structures documented in the siltstones suggest sediment liquification due to earthquake shocks. Abundant development of nodular, bedded calcretes and rhizoliths within these sediments are indicative of semi-arid climate and related subaerial exposure. These sediments are prominently lithic arenites, and clay mineralogy as well as geochemistry indicate deposition in the proximity of source, short distance of transport and mixed provenance of a variety of pre-Quaternary rocks such as Precambrian metamorphic rocks and granites, Vindhyan and Gondwana Supergroups, Deccan Trap basalt and laterite. Evidences of fresh water phreatic as well as vadose zone diagenesis linked to the semi-arid climatic conditions, together with subaerial exposure of these sediments, are seen in thin sections, which are supported by δ13C (av. −5.67%) and δ18O (av. −3.88%) values of calcretes. These values also suggest calcretes formed due to pedogenic and shallow groundwater processes in warm climate with C4-dominated vegetation. OSL date of one sample from Surajkund Formation gave an Ionian Age of Pleistocene Epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Middle Pleistocene archaeological site of Casal de' Pazzi (MIS 7, ∼240–200 ka) in central Italy provided a complex of paleontological (both fauna and flora) and archaeological evidence, as well as a cranial fragment of Homo heidelbergensis. Here, we investigated the stable carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios of tooth enamel from six herbivore species (Palaeoloxodon antiquus , Hippopotamus amphibius, Bos primigenius , Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis , Equus ferus , and Dama Dama) to contribute to the understanding of the paleoenvironment of the site through the reconstruction of the diet and habitat of Pleistocene mammals. Our results indicate that the analyzed taxa fed on C 3 plants and exploited both closed and open environments. This is consistent with the macro-botanical remains (leaf fossil impressions of Zelkova sp., Laurus nobilis , and Cercis siliquastrum) found at Casal de' Pazzi and pollen evidence from the nearby lake of Valle di Castiglione. The area around the site was characterized by diversified Mediterranean evergreen forest tree species, accompanied by mesophilic elements of the mixed deciduous oak and beach forest, alternating with diversified wooded/forested vegetation and xeric vegetation. This was the environmental context in which the late Middle Pleistocene Homo lived. Comparisons with published isotopic data from other European archaeological localities between ∼600 and 125 ka evidenced considerable environmental differences through time and space, according to the general climate trends and local factors, such as latitude, temperature, and vegetation composition. • Mammals from Casal de' Pazzi fed on C 3 plants in closed and open environments. • Between ∼600 and 125 ka, mammals occupied diverse ecological niches. • Homo heidelbergensis of Casal de' Pazzi lived in a mosaic C 3 -plant-dominated landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Pleistocene environmental history of the north of West Siberia is very incomplete. Only a few poorly preserved paleoarchives are known so far in this huge part of Eurasia encompassing up to one million square kilometers. Here we present new data (micromammals, insects, plant macrofossils and luminescence dating) from the lower reaches of the Ob' and Irtysh Rivers. We reconstruct the circumstances of the formation of the fossil-bearing sites Bolshaya Ob 440 km – Khashgort (BOB440) and Gornopravdinsk 2 (GP2) and compare the results with the current state of knowledge of the environmental change in this area. The combined evidence suggests that the fossil-bearing unit known as the Khashgort diagonal sands at BOB440 yields 1) a late Middle Pleistocene complex of fauna and flora of a cold terrestrial environment with tundra-like vegetation, 2) a Middle Pleistocene flora of interglacial environment with temperate vegetation, and 3) reworked fossils form the Late Cretaceous – Oligocene. Geochronometric data suggest that the Khashgort sand unit at BOB440 might have been formed during the Middle/Late Pleistocene transition. However, because of a high variation in results obtained on repeated samples from the same strata, some uncertainty of the luminescence dating remains, which requires further verification. The fossil-bearing fluvial sequence at GP2 represents the lower part of the Chembakchino Formation and encompasses the lower part of the Tobolian Horizon (correlated with Holsteinian). The micromammal complex comprises Dicrostonyx simplicior (intermediate morphological stage S2 sensu Smirnov et al., 1997), Lasiopodomys gregalis , Microtus nivaloides lidiae and other taxa, which are characteristic of the early evolutionary stage of late Middle Pleistocene faunas in the north of West Siberia. The paleoecological analysis of plant and animal remains at GP2 suggests an environmental change from cold, tundra-like landscapes at the Shaitanian/Tobolian transition (MIS 12 – MIS 11) to non-analogous open patchy landscapes with highly productive moss and herbaceous vegetation during the early Tobolian time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grey voles Microtus sensu lato represent one of the youngest and most successful radiations of rodents in the Holarctic that gave rise to several genera and over 60 living species. Despite abundant fossil record encompassing up to one million years, the early stages of Microtus' evolution remain poorly understood. We describe Microtus voles from fluvial deposits (Tobolsky Horizon, the Late Middle Pleistocene) found in 2019–2020 in Gornopravdinsk 2, West Siberia. Based on linear measurements, m1 morphotypes, and configuration of mandibular masseteric crests, we identify the sample as a new taxon M. nivaloides lidiae ssp. nov. It appears more advanced than type specimens of M. nivaloides sensu stricto from West Runton Freshwater Bed (the Early Middle Pleistocene, Great Britain), and falls within the range of m1 variability of M. nivaloides sensu lato from the Middle Pleistocene of Eastern Europe. M. n. lidiae is found in a non-analogue faunal assemblage with Lemmus sibiricus, Dicrostonyx simplicior, Alexandromys oeconomus, Lasiopodomys gregalis, rare Clethrionomys cf. glareolus, Alexandromys aut Microtus cf. malei, Lagurus sp. We hypothesise that M. n. lidiae was a meadow-steppe element in the Middle Pleistocene communities and a terminal taxon in the 'nivaloides' clade that became extinct with no descendants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations at Oak Tree Fields, Cerney Wick, Gloucestershire, in western England have revealed a sequence of fluvial deposits dating from Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 7 to 5. At the base of the sequence, a series of gravel and sand facies were deposited, initially as part of a meandering river. Reductions in flow energy of the latter and avulsion led to the development of short‐lived channels and episodic backwater environments, the deposits of which are recorded as Facies Associations 1–3. Poorly sorted, probably colluvial deposits formed beyond the limit of the channel (Facies Association 4). Mollusca, Coleoptera, plant macrofossils, pollen and vertebrates recovered from the channel facies indicate broadly similar climatic conditions throughout accretion. Temperature ranges derived from mutual climatic range analysis of the Coleoptera almost completely overlap with those of Cerney Wick at the present day, albeit that winters may have been cooler when the channel was active. Further, the floral and faunal data suggest that the meandering river flowed through an open grassland environment, the latter heavily grazed by large vertebrates, most notably mammoth. Most of the botanical and faunal remains, together with four optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age estimates ranging from 225 ± 23 to 187 ± 19 ka, suggest correlation of the channel deposits with MIS 7. The basal deposits (Facies Association 1) yielded the majority of vertebrate remains and all the lithic artefacts, most of which seem likely to have travelled only a short distance. Although only a few artefacts were recovered, they add to the relatively limited evidence of human activity from the upper Thames. The channel deposits are overlain by sheet gravels (Facies Association 5) which are attributed to the Northmoor Member of the Upper Thames Formation. These were likely to have been deposited as bedload in a braided stream environment, while two OSL age estimates of 129 ± 14 and 112 ± 11 ka suggest accumulation during MIS 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cave lion (Panthera spelaea) was one of the most widespread carnivores in the Pleistocene. The species ranged throughout Eurasia and even into North America as a member of the Mammuthus-Coelodonta fauna. However, the species has not previously been reported from the Mammuthus-Coelodonta fauna from the Pleistocene assemblages of the Songhua River. This study presents evidence of two Panthera spelaea specimens from the Middle and Late Pleistocene Songhua River fossil assemblages (MIS 10–8 and MIS 5–3). A combination of lower population due to vegetation shifts in the region and misidentification of specimens as Panthera tigris may explain why Panthera spelaea has not previously been reported in the region. The Middle Pleistocene specimen displays traits regarded as primitive in European cave lions. The Late Pleistocene specimen displays a mixture of primitive and advanced traits. These traits indicate a morphological transition within the species and also a possible ancestral relationship to Panthera atrox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau is an important area for studying global climate change, but the answers to many scientific problems remain unknown. Here, we present new information from the lacustrine sedimentary record in the western Tibetan Plateau, related to the third most‐recent glaciations. Continuous sediment data, including sporopollen, particle size, total organic carbon, mass susceptibility, CaCO3, CaSO4, BaSO4 contents and chronological data, were reconstructed and revealed that climate and environmental conditions obviously and distinctly changed between 600 and 700 thousand years ago. In comparison, the data obtained from the Guliya ice core in this area also corresponds to the global glacial climatic characteristics recorded in basin sediments in the eastern and southeastern regions of the plateau and to the information obtained from ice cores in the Antarctic and Arctic regions. In this study, we conclude that the main reason for the glaciations and new tectonic movement must be a geomagnetic polarity reversal 774 thousand years ago (from Matuyama to Brunhes). Indeed, the results of this study suggest that the described reversal event might have influenced the current global climate pattern and will continue to impact climatic changes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil record of jaguar lineage (or jaguar-like animal), i.e., Panthera gombaszogensis and Panthera onca, is one of the best and complete among the mammals, making it one of the best-known living species with knowledge of origin, dispersal, and morphological evolution. However, a large gap is present in eastern Asia, which is the gateway for jaguar migration from the Old World to the New World. Here we report a nearly complete mandible from the Middle Pleistocene deposits of Jinyuan Cave, Luotuo Hill of Jinpu New District, Dalian, Liaoning Province of northeastern China. The mandibular morphology fits that of the jaguar, and the dental traits are closest to P. gombaszogensis and Irvingtonian P. onca, but shows robust premolars and represents a new subspecies P. g. jinpuensis. The new find fills the geographic gap for jaguar linage, and supports a northern dispersal routine from western Asia-central Asia-northeastern China to North America, whereas the southern China Early Pleistocene seems to be occupied by a similar sized but taxonomically different pantherine cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents recently obtained palebotanical data regarding the evolution of Lake Paleolotos in the Middle Pleistocene. Its evolution was more complicated than the development of the adjacent lakes in the coast of Peter the Great Bay (the Sea of Japan). The Middle Pleistocene lacustrine sediments accumulated in the downstream of the Tumannaya River (the most southwestern area of Primorye, Russia Far East) were studied using diatom and pollen analytical methods. We found that the Lake Paleolotos arose during Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11) and disappeared during MIS 6. For more than half of its existence (MIS 11–8), it was a freshwater oligotrophic basin with a depth of at least 20 m, with clear waters and poor organic matter content. The lake occupied most of the modern accumulative plain on the left bank of the Tumannaya River, reaching a size of at least 10–12 km across. During MIS 7–6 Lake Paleolotos turned into a shallow-water basin (its depth most likely did not exceed 1–3 m) of a eutrophic type with turbid waters rich in organic matter. Palynological data suggest that during MIS 11, 9 and 7 the area adjacent to the Lake was covered with coniferous/broad-leaved forests with presence of some thermophilic plants of North China and North Korea Flora (Castanea , Celtis , Magnolia , Tsuga and Cupressaceae). This indicates that vegetation zones were displaced by about 500–700 km to the north relative to their present position. During periods of cooling they were replaced by coniferous/small-leaved forests with the participation of shrub species of birch and alder (MIS 10) and coniferous/small-leaved forests consisted of pine, birch, and spruce with the participation of elm and oak (MIS 8 and 6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stone tools in association with Pleistocene elephant remains were recovered from Pampore, Kashmir, India, in 2000 from channel deposits in the Pampore Member of the Upper Karewa Group of sediments, which are interpreted as Middle Pleistocene in age. In March 2019 the elephant remains were re-examined to establish taxonomy, cause of death and evidence of human intervention, alongside study of the stone tools and age of the site. This paper reports the results of this work. Most of the elephant remains, including skull and tusks, are from a large adult, but at least two other elephants are also represented. Taxonomic analysis shows that the adult belongs to the genus Palaeoloxodon , but with a mix of features not seen in typical Palaeoloxodon skulls from the Indian Subcontinent. Pathology of the skull indicates severe sinusitis, which may have contributed to the death. No cut-marks from butchery were found on the elephant bones, although three elephant bone flakes were identified, linking human intervention with elephants at the site. The small lithic assemblage is in fresh condition with some refitting artefacts, both suggesting minimal post-depositional movement. Most of the artefacts consist of flakes, flake tools and cores, but with several points and blades suggestive of an early Mode 3 prepared core technology. This might indicate a late Middle Pleistocene age for the site. Further dating evidence using amino acid racemisation on elephant tooth enamel is ongoing, but consistent with this age. The association of stone tools with humanly-modified elephant remains is rare, while prepared core technology is currently scarce further north or east in Asia in the late Middle Pleistocene. The significance of the discovery is discussed in the wider context of Middle Pleistocene elephant-human interaction. • The Pampore elephant, Kashmir, India, from the Pampore Member of the Upper Karewa Group, dates to the Middle Pleistocene. • New investigations by an Indo-British team in 2019 attribute the elephant to Palaeoloxodon. • It is the only Middle Pleistocene elephant site from India to be found in association with an in situ lithic assemblage. • The lithic assemblage is probably attributable to a Mode 3 industry, which suggests a late Middle Pleistocene age. • Elephant bone breakage and flaking shows exploitation of the bones by humans, but no evidence of hunting or butchery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the discovery of more than a hundred Pleistocene Paleolithic sites, the Nihewan Basin of North China has become an area of reference for the study of human evolution and behavioral adaptations during and after the spread of hominins out of Africa and into Eurasia. However, most research has focused on the Early and Late Pleistocene archaeological record, whereas studies of the Middle Pleistocene sequence are relatively limited. Here we contribute to fill this gap by introducing the archaeological assemblage and 26Al/10Be burial dating of the newly discovered Jijiazhuang (JJZ) Paleolithic site. Systematic excavations in recent years have yielded well-preserved stone artifacts and mammalian fossils in fluvio-lacustrine sediments at the site. Cosmogenic 26Al/10Be burial dating indicates that hominins occupied the site between 0.49 ± 0.10 and 0.63 ± 0.11 Ma, corresponding to the extra-long interglacial period of MIS 15-13. The JJZ lithic assemblage shows evidence of relatively long-distance resource procurement, and the increased number of retouched tools indicate standardized, extensive and refined modification, even shaping strategies. The JJZ lithic technology shows advanced features that may shed light on the regional emergence of Middle Paleolithic technologies, in a paleoecological context where the extra-long duration of interglacial/mild stadial climate events (MIS 15−13) may have provided favorable conditions for increased technological capabilities among Middle Pleistocene hominins from the Nihewan Basin. Our study is the first to present a detailed techno-typological analysis of a Middle Pleistocene lithic assemblage in the Nihewan Basin and contributes to the characterization of technological adaptions in the high latitudes of East Asia. • The Nihewan Basin is crucial for understanding early human adaptation in East Asia. • The Jijiazhuang (JJZ) site is constrained between 0.49 ± 0.10 and 0.63 ± 0.11 Ma by 26Al/10Be burial dating. • The JJZ hominins exhibited standardized, extensive and refined shaping strategies. • The flexible behavior may correlate with the extra-long interglacial period of MIS 15−13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of species composition and species richness from the end of the Middle Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene (∼200–5 ka, MIS7–MIS1) studied in two Central European bioregional mammal assemblages include 176 chrono-species. The study is based on the list of 745 palaeontological sites and 1604 dated localities. For each region, the descriptive models (non-metric multidimensional scaling technique used) of evolution were obtained for full mammal assemblages as well as particular mammalian "guilds" (carnivorous, large herbivorous, small herbivorous and insectivorous). The models for full assemblages revealed several properties of the evolution process: non-linearity, combination of stationary and nonstationary states, irreversible (evolutionary per se) and reversible changes, threshold like effects accompanying transitions between stationary and non-stationary states, and elements of adaptive dynamics in changing environmental conditions. The evolutionary trajectories of mammal "guilds" have the same properties but differ significantly from each other and their relative complexity is no less than the trajectories of full mammal assemblages. Hence, the evolution shows emergent property and irreducibility of complexity at different structural levels of an assemblage. Throughout MIS7–MIS1 the regional faunas responded to global climate changes (δ 18O used as temperature variable), but had various contents, directions, consequences mediated by current species composition and geographic positions in relation to the Saale and the Weichsel continental ice sheets. The study shows a time/spatial invariance (scale-invariant property) of species richness for the stationary states of fauna evolution (especially during MIS3), which is described by a power law function. A mammal assemblage evolution is discussed within the framework of concept of open non-linear self-organising complex quasi-deterministic system with an ability of adaptive behaviour. Internal organisation of such systems justifies their existence and evolution in the area at a borderline between order and chaos and thus their evolution is intrinsically unpredictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Schöningen 13II-4 site is a marvel of Paleolithic archaeology. With the extraordinary preservation of complete wooden spears and butchered large mammal bones dating from the Middle Pleistocene, Schöningen maintains a prominent position in the halls of human origins worldwide. Here, we present the first analysis of the complete large mammal faunal assemblage from Schöningen 13II-4, drawing on multiple lines of zooarchaeological and taphonomic evidence to expose the full spectrum of hominin activities at the site—before, during, and after the hunt. Horse (Equus mosbachensis) remains dominate the assemblage and suggest a recurrent ambush hunting strategy along the margins of the Schöningen paleo-lake. In this regard, Schöningen 13II-4 provides the first undisputed evidence for hunting of a single prey species that can be studied from an in situ, open-air context. The Schöningen hominins likely relied on cooperative hunting strategy to target horse family groups, to the near exclusion of bachelor herds. Horse kills occurred during all seasons, implying a year-round presence of hominins on the Schöningen landscape. All portions of prey skeletons are represented in the assemblage, many complete and in semiarticulation, with little transport of skeletal parts away from the site. Butchery marks are abundant, and adult carcasses were processed more thoroughly than were juveniles. Numerous complete, unmodified bones indicated that lean meat and marrow were not always so highly prized, especially in events involving multiple kills when fat and animal hides may have received greater attention. The behaviors displayed at Schöningen continue to challenge our perceptions and models of past hominin lifeways, further cementing Schöningen's standing as the archetype for understanding hunting adaptations during the European Middle Pleistocene. • The Schöningen "Spear Horizon" likely accumulated over a short period of time. • Middle Pleistocene hominins potentially occupied the Schöningen lakeshore year-round. • Schöningen hunters were highly selective in prey choice and prey target groups. • Carcass exploitation at Schöningen focused on situational needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological site of Payre (South-eastern France) has yielded a remarkable Early Middle Palaeolithic sequence with mixed occupations of Neanderthal and large carnivore occupations ranging from MIS 8 to 6. Recent discoveries during the reassessment of collections brought to light at least a dozen cave (Ursus spelaeus) and brown bear (Ursus arctos) remains bearing cut marks, indicating the in situ carcass processing (skinning, evisceration, dismembering, defleshing) of these large carnivores by early Neanderthals. This is just one of an increasing number of such examples throughout Europe, highlighting once again the diversity of food and non-food resources exploited by these hominins. Furthermore, so far, these discoveries are the sole evidence of large carnivore exploitation by Neanderthal in the western part of the middle Rhône basin, where Palaeolithic sites and Pleistocene bone accumulations are abundant. These new discoveries are put into context with the other known occurrences in Europe. • Large carnivores exploitation played a part in the dietary and cultural behavior of early Neanderthal populations. • Several species of Ursids have been exploited. • Early Neanderthals took advantage of a wide range of resources from these animals. • These practices occurred occasionally on a wide time span covering the Middle Palaeolithic. • Large carnivores exploitation is a Europe-wide phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical views of Asia as an evolutionary 'backwater' are associated with the idea that Homo erectus experienced long periods of stasis and ultimately went extinct. However, recent discoveries of well-dated Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils in China have considerably challenged these ideas and provide sufficient data to propose a testable model that explains the patterning of variation in Middle Pleistocene China, and why it changed over time. A series of hominin fossil studies comparing earlier-Middle and later-Middle Pleistocene groups confirm that the expressions of certain traits shift around 300 ka. Fossils from the later Middle Pleistocene are more variable with a mix of archaic traits as well as ones that are common in Western Eurasian early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. The period around 300 ka appears to have been a critical turning point for later-Middle Pleistocene morphological changes in China. It coincides with a phase of climatic instability in the Northern Hemisphere between Marine Isotope Stages 12 and 10 that would have led to changes in gene flow patterning, and regional population survival/extinction. This localized and testable model can be used for future explorations of hominin evolution in later Pleistocene eastern Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of small mammal and freshwater mollusk remains from the fluvial deposits of VI terrace of Dniester R. in Levada section (Moldova, Transnistria) revealed the main characteristic of species composition and evolutionary level of these remains and permitted their placement in the stratigraphic scale of Middle Pleistocene faunas of Eastern Europe. The Levada fauna corresponds to the same stage as the fauna from the fluvial deposits of VI terrace of Dniester in stratotype of Tiraspolian faunistic complex in Kolkotova Balka section. These faunas existed between the Early Tiraspolian faunas which correlate to the second part of MIS 19 and with MIS 18, and the Late Tiraspolian (MIS 16 and MIS 15). Mimomys savini, Lagurus transiens, Microtus (Terricola) arvalidens, Lasiopodomys (Stenocranius) gregaloides are the species most characteristic of these faunas. The Levada fauna reflects interglacial climate conditions. The faunas of this evolutionary level existed during the second part of the Iliinskian Interglacial of the Russian Plain and during the Cromer Interglacial 2 of West Europe. The freshwater mollusks from Levada section (Viviparus tiraspolitanus Pavl., V. subcrasus Lung., Lithoglyphus naticoides C. Pf. and others) reflects a warm climate close to that of the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the analysis of a late Acheulean horizon from the EDAR 135 site, which was discovered in the Eastern Desert, Sudan, in an area heavily transformed by modern mining activity. A lithic assemblage was discovered there, within a layer of gravel sediments formed by a paleostream in a humid period of the Middle Pleistocene. This layer is OSL dated between 220 ± 12 and 145 ± 20 ka (MIS 7a/6). These dates indicate that the assemblage could be the youngest trace of the Acheulean in northeastern Africa. Technological analysis of the lithics reveals different core reduction strategies, including not only ad hoc ones based on multiplatform cores, but also discoidal and prepared cores. The use of prepared core reduction methods has already been confirmed at other Late Acheulean sites in Africa and the Middle East. Microwear traces observed on lithic artifacts could relate to on-site butchering activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bahçecik travertines, located in Gümü#hane (NE-Turkey) have been investigated for the first time using a multidisciplinary approach, which included sedimentological (lithofacies, depositional system), petrographic, radiometric 230Th dating, geochemical analysis (stable isotopes), palynomorphs and geophysics (GPR). A carbonate build-up, 12 m thick, was formed with some interruptions, through the middle Pleistocene period. For this study, two travertine sections (F and D) were extensively used to figure out palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic proxies. The main precipitation cycles, separated by palaeosol levels, have been described and interpreted from a sedimentological perspective. The carbonate deposits consist of shrubs, crystalline crust, reed, laminated (micritic), pisoids, oncoids, calcite thin rafts and coated gas bubbles, lithoclasts, and palaeosol levels. The sedimentological fieldwork and petrographic analysis show that the Bahçecik travertines formed in depression depositional and slope depositional systems. Moreover, the first 230Th ages, stable isotopic results and palynofloral data in this study, prove that the Bahçecik travertines might have been affected by climatic and tectonic interruptions. According to dating results, the travertine occurrences began to precipitate during the 353 ka and continued into the 263 ka. Based on the palynological data, an abundance of herbaceous plants species was recorded in the warming period of climate. The thickness ranges from 2 to 12 m of the Bahçecik travertines. This precise thickness and also the presence of two different travertine formations, separated by a palaeosol erosional surface, were recorded by the ground penetrating radar (GPR) geophysical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rio graben is a region of significant stratigraphic and palaeontological interest where several environmental changes have been recorded during the Quaternary. These changes are a result of active tectonism, related to the well-known rifting process that has been occurring in the geotectonic region of the Corinth-Patras Rift, as well as of the influence of continuous eustatic and climatic changes. Fossil assemblages from Middle to Upper Pleistocene transitional to marine and terrestrial sedimentary sequences located at Sichaena (Rio Graben) on the west side of Charadros river in NW Peloponnesus, Greece, are analyzed herein in order to distinguish tectonic and eustatic controls. The name of the studied section is Vigla 1 (50 m thickness), belonging to the NE-trending Rio graben, a structure bridging the Corinth graben to the east and the Patras graben to the west. The presence of two normal antithetic second order faults and an unconformity were identified separating the studied stratigraphic section into four distinct sedimentological sequences. The purpose of this work is to determine the palaeoenvironmental conditions of the studied section and to unravel the Middle-Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental changes. The micro-fauna evidences oligohaline lagoon sediments at the lower sequence (Sequence 1). Conversely, at the middle (Sequence 2) and at the upper sequence (Sequence 3), the recorded species indicate lagoonal to shallow marine depositional environments. At the top of the section, an unconformity brings into contact Sequence 3 with a sequence consisting a red conglomerate (Sequence 4) that indicates an alluvial fan environment. In order to constrain chronologically the sediments Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating was applied. According to the OSL dating results, an Upper Middle Pleistocene age has been attributed for the studied sequences. Moreover, projecting the dating results to the marine isotope curve, a high degree of consistency can be seen between the OSL ages and MIS 7e, 7c and 6d, where the transition from lagoonal facies to shallow marine alternations in sequence 2 correlates well with the MIS 7c highstand, and sequence 3 with MIS 7e and the MIS 6d low stand. Thus, our results indicate the spatial palaeoenvironmental evolution of the studied area which during the Upper Middle Pleistocene is characterised by intense local tectonic movements in conjunction with eustatic sea level changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Balkan Peninsula lies on a key geographical location between Africa and Eurasia. The southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, referred to as the Aegean region, was a passageway for faunal migrations throughout the Pleistocene. Recent advances in the Lower Palaeolithic archaeology of Greece and in the research of the submerged landscapes of the Aegean region prompt a reconsideration of the biogeographical role of this area in Middle Pleistocene hominin settlement and expansion. In this paper, we articulate and elaborate on a working hypothesis, namely that the Aegean region was not a barrier during the Middle Pleistocene but instead it offered attractive lands for occupation and viable pathways for dispersal. Several methodological challenges emerge associated with the dynamic nature of the Aegean context. We propose an interdisciplinary approach to address the challenges. Using available archaeological and palaeogeographical evidence within a GIS-based framework, we seek to explore the 'hominin factor' in relation to the changing Aegean landscapes and geographical affordances. Shifting away from the 'terrestrial Eurocentric' point of view in the discussion of the patterns of early colonisation of Europe and the dispersal routes followed by hominins, we propose a revised understanding of early European settlement and its eastern gateways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early and early Middle Pleistocene archaeological record in Britain from c. 900 to 500 ka marks a critical shift in human occupation of northwest Europe, from occasional pioneer populations with simple core and flake technology to more widespread occupation associated with the appearance of Acheulean technology. Key to understanding this record are the fluvial deposits of the extinct Bytham River in central East Anglia, where a series of Lower Palaeolithic sites lie on a 15 km stretch of the former river. In this paper we present the results of new fieldwork and a reanalysis of historical artefact collections of handaxes and scrapers to: 1) establish the chronostratigraphic context of the Bytham archaeological record; 2) examine variability in lithic artefact typology and technology through time; and 3) explore the implications for understanding variation in lithic technology in the European record. Six phases of occupation of Britain are identified from at least marine isotope stage (MIS) 21 to MIS 13, with the last three phases characterised by distinctive lithic technology. We argue that this relates to the discontinuous occupation of Britain, where each phase represents the arrival of new groups derived from different European populations with distinctive material culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mas des Caves site at Lunel-Viel, Southern France, is a complex of several caves, developed in Miocene limestone, that have yielded a rich archaeo-palaeontological sequence attributed to the Middle Pleistocene with abundant vertebrates and lithic artefacts. The first caves (LVI, II and III), discovered in 1800, were excavated at the beginning of the 19th century (Serres et al., 1828) before falling into oblivion for over a century. The main cavity is LVI , when LVII and III are smaller subparallel galleries not connected to LVI. In the early 1970s, research was conducted in the main gallery by E. Bonifay who discovered an extension named LVIV and the natural entrance (sinkhole, doline) both completely closed now. Recently, a multidisciplinary approach has been set up (DRAC-SRA Occitanie) to contextualize the ancient collections with the recent ones and to allow a better understanding of the site formation, palaeoenvironmental and behavioral history of the animals and humans who lived there (Brugal et al., 2021). The previous chronology based on faunal evidence yields important biomarkers (including new genus and species/subspecies) making Lunel-Viel a major Middle Pleistocene site in the European record. Among various dating techniques used in this study, trapped-charged methods such as combined ESR/U-series and pIR-IR 290 were applied on fossil tooth enamel and on K-feldspars, respectively. The results obtained by both methods are in agreement and suggest a period of human occupation between 300 and 200 ka. This age range matches well with the composition of the faunal assemblage attributed to the second part of the Middle Pleistocene (biochronology) and which constrains the occupation to a cool/temperate and humid period which could be contemporaneous with the MIS7 (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005) cited in figure 5 legend. • Multi-method dating approach to constrain the sequence of Lunel-Viel cave site, LVI. • The radiometric results are compared with other palaeoenvironmental data. • Ages range between 200 and 300 ka, in agreement with the faunal assemblage. • Possibly contemporaneity with a temperate period corresponding with the MIS7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La réalisation d'une fouille au lieu-dit « Le Cassé » (Cornebarrieu, Haute-Garonne), apporte des données nouvelles sur les productions techniques de la fin du Pléistocène moyen dans le versant septentrional des Pyrénées. Malgré une mise en place du site en plusieurs phases révélées par l'analyse des états de surfaces, le mobilier archéologique représente une certaine homogénéité technologique. L'approvisionnement en matières premières s'effectue dans les alluvions de la basse et de la moyenne terrasse de la Garonne. Quelques matériaux peuvent témoigner d'un territoire parcouru plus vaste : quartz et quartzite du Massif central ou de la Montagne Noire, silicite du Verdier (Tarn). Les choix pétrographiques se portent à 97 % sur des quartzites et des quartz et à 3 % sur des silicites. Une économie partielle de la matière première s'exprime avec l'utilisation des silicites pour du débitage Levallois, rare, et de l'outillage léger sur éclat ; en parallèle, l'outillage lourd est à 96 % en quartzite. Les chaînes opératoires de débitage sont souvent non standardisées, associées à des productions par alternance de surfaces et à un débitage Discoïde, souvent unifacial. L'outillage lourd, fréquemment sur gros éclats supports, est composé d'unifaces, de bifaces et de hachereaux. L'ensemble de ces données, mises dans le contexte des techno-complexes nord-pyrénéens, permet de proposer un rattachement de la série du Cassé à l'Acheuléen pyrénéo-garonnais. Dans un contexte plus global de la fin du Pléistocène moyen en Europe méridionale, les données du Cassé renforcent l'hypothèse, précédemment émise, d'une entité techno-culturelle commune au nord et au sud de la chaîne pyrénéenne. An excavation at Le Cassé (Cornebarrieu, Haute-Garonne) has provided new data on Late Middle Pleistocene technical production on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees. Despite the fact that the site was developed in several phases, as revealed by the analysis of the surface conditions, the archaeological remains show a certain technological homogeneity. Raw materials were obtained from alluvial deposits on the lower and middle terraces of the Garonne. Some materials, such as quartz and quartzite from the Massif Central or the Montagne Noire, and silica from Verdier, testify to the wider area covered by the site. The petrographic composition is 97% quartzite and quartzite and 3% silica. A partial economy of raw materials is expressed by the use of silicites for Levallois reduction, which is rare, and for light tools on flakes, whereas 96% of heavy-duty tools are made of quartzite. The reduction processes are often non-standard, associated with alternating surface production and Discoid, often unifacial. Heavy duty tools, often on large flake blanks, include unifaces, bifaces and cleavers. Taken together, this data, placed in the context of the techno-complexes of the northern Pyrenees, suggests that the Cassé series belongs to the Acheulean "pyrénéo-garonnais". In the broader context of the end of the Middle Pleistocene in southern Europe, the Cassé data supports the previously proposed hypothesis of a techno-cultural unit common to the north and south of the Pyrenees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823) is a medium-sized ursid that currently mostly inhabits environments of dense foliage and forests in southern and eastern Asia. This species is currently extinct in Europe, but during the Middle Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene its distribution was wider and reached until Southern Siberia, the Ural Mountains, Caucasus and western Europe. The main objective of this work is to provide a detailed description of all the Ursus thibetanus remains from the Iberian Peninsula, describing for the first time the new remains, and discuss the chronological framework of the presence of this taxon in the largest of the southern European peninsulas. The Iberian Peninsula has yielded paleontological evidence of this taxon in five sites (Bolomor, Koskobilo, La Llanera, Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja), and we present new paleontological evidence from the latter three sites, which is important due to the scarcity of U. thibetanus fossil remains. We compare the morphology of these new remains with both European Pleistocene fossils and recent U. thibetanus. Up until recently, its distribution in Iberia was thought to be restricted to the East of the Iberian Peninsula. But the recent identification of U. thibetanus remains in Koskobilo (Navarre) and in La Llanera (Oviedo) has resulted in a wider distribution of this species than what was previously thought. The dental remains from Koskobilo, La Llanera, Villavieja, Bolomor and Cau d'en Borràs fit well within the Pleistocene U. thibetanus from Europe morphologically and metrically. Some Iberian remains are morphologically similar to previously described U. thibetanus Pleistocene fossil subspecies. A M2 from Bolomor is morphologically closer to U. t. mediterraneus (MIS 7), and a M2 from Koskobilo is similar to U. t. kurteni (MIS 6–7). The postcranial fossil remains from Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja fit well within the recent U. thibetanus range of variation. Except for the remains from Bolomor (MIS 5e and MIS 7), the rest of the Iberian U. thibetanus fossils are difficult to ascribe chronologically. Based on other biochronological proxies, Cau d'en Borràs and Koskobilo can tentatively be assigned to the MIS 7–5 range, Villavieja could be assigned to MIS 13–5, and La Llanera is probably the oldest record of U. thibetanus in Iberia (MIS 15–13). However, until new direct datings are performed on the sites, the proposed chronologies should be regarded with caution. • We identified new Pleistocene Ursus thibetanus fossils, which is interesting due to the of this species scarcity during Pleistocene. • The postcranial fossil sample is enlarged, while the majority of the fossil record correspond to cranio-dental remains. • A new site that extends the range of distribution for the U. thibetanus in the Iberian Peninsula is identified. • A detailed description of the dental morphology is performed, as well as a review of the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the well-known small mammal assemblages of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, the one from Tunel Wielki Cave is one of the most interesting for the Pleistocene biochronology of Poland. As a new trench was opened in 2018, it was possible to reanalyse the entire sequence. Its complex stratigraphy is divided into two phases: the Holocene–Late Pleistocene series and the Middle Pleistocene. In this work, we present the study of a small mammal assemblage coming from this site, with a focus on the Middle Pleistocene material. The total assemblage was composed of 268 individuals divided into 43 taxa. In the Middle Pleistocene series, two oscillations, one mild and one cold, were detected. Among the determined taxa, some are crucial for defining the chronology of the lower part of the sequence. Arvicola mosbachensis was recorded, consisting of the first finding of this species in Poland. The presence of Pliomys coronensis was confirmed, as well as that of Pliomys episcopalis. The occurrence of Microtus cf. arvalis , Microtus cf. agrestis among rodents, Myotis bechsteinii cf. robustus , and Plecotus cf. abeli among bats, as well as the analyses of the morphological characters of the other species confirm that this part of the sequence can be related to the Middle Pleistocene, precisely to a moment between Marine Isotope Stages (MISs) 14 and 11, establishing Tunel Wielki Cave as the first Early Toringian site in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Pleistocene Homo erectus cranium from Hexian (Hexian 1, PA 830), in central eastern China, has been studied fairly extensively with respect to its evolutionary position. However, analysis of a series of neurocranial abnormalities identified on the Hexian fossil has never been attempted. Here, we present the first study of these abnormalities identified on the Hexian cranium, including (1) multiple breakages (including cracking) that fracture radially across the whole vault, caused by taphonomic modifications; (2) postmortem erosional lacunae with a matrix layer on the external surface of the supraorbital torus; (3) and two healed lesions with resorption and new bone formation on the back of the head, likely the result of trauma (tensile trauma to the scalp or partial scalp removal) or burning (with damage to the scalp and superficial neurocranium). The Hexian 1 individual was a young adult and had experienced multiple neurocranial alterations of antemortem traumatic lesions and postmortem taphonomic damage. The Hexian 1 specimen adds to the growing list of examples of bone surface modifications on Pleistocene hominin fossils across the Old World—a list that documents clearly the high level of risk experienced by Middle Pleistocene hominins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Miño River is one of the main Atlantic basins of Iberia and preserves extensive Pleistocene deposits. However, there is presently limited information concerning the first human occupation history of this region. Existing research undertaken across the region has identified a significant number of Large Flake Acheulean (LFA) sites with African affinities. These sites are associated with former fluvial environments and are now preserved as a sequence of fluvial terraces along the Miño River, located between relative elevations of + 40 m and + 20 m, and dated to between Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 9 and 6. The chronological range and observed technological patterns are similar to those recognised in other areas of South western Europe, particularly the central Iberian Peninsula and Aquitanian region (France) during the second half of the Middle Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The distal Pauzhetka tephra, formed by a large caldera-forming volcanic eruption in South Kamchatka, has been identified in eleven recently recovered marine sediment cores based on major and trace element compositions of tephra glass. Ten SO264 cores form a transect along the Emperor Seamount Chain (ESC) in the Northwest (NW) Pacific between ∼50.3° and ∼45°N, 800–1200 km southeast of the Pauzhetka caldera. One additional core LV28-41-4 was retrieved in the Okhotsk Sea, ∼600 km west of the caldera. The Pauzhetka tephra glass shards have a characteristic medium-K rhyolite composition and trace element content compatible with the rear-arc position of the source volcano that ensures their identification. In the NW Pacific SO264 cores, the tephra is preserved as layers in cores 33, 47, 49, 53, 55, 56 and 62, as a lens in core 45, and as cryptotephra in cores 57 and 66. It forms a cryptotephra in the Okhotsk Sea core LV28-41-4. Distinctively high XRF-retrieved K/Ti and K/Fe ratios compared to those for the host sediments help identify the Pauzhetka tephra. According to our refined stable oxygen isotope (δ18O)- and magneto-stratigraphy of two studied and two reference cores, the Pauzhetka tephra occurs within a local δ18O maximum during a transition from marine isotope stage 12 to 11c (Termination V) and below a paleointensity minimum referred to as the Bermuda excursion, at ca. 418 ka. Using the tephra age as an isochron, we show that average linear sedimentation rates decrease southward along a transect of the SO264 cores, except in core 55. It partially reflects an intensification of mid-depth currents causing winnowing, erosion or non-deposition along the ESC over the past 418 kyr. An increased linear sedimentation rate in core 55, recovered from the southern leeward side of the Minnetonka Seamount, appears to record the pelagic accumulation protected from the mid-depth current influence. Our findings expand the former ash dispersal area farther southeast in the NW Pacific and southwest in the Okhotsk Sea. The new data on the tephra thickness supports the axis direction of the fallout zone southeast of the Pauzhetka caldera. Our results suggest the Pauzhetka tephra as a key middle Pleistocene isochron for the stratigraphy and correlation of the NW Pacific and Okhotsk Sea sediments. • Ca. 418 ka Pauzhetka tephra from South Kamchatka was found in 11 marine sediment cores. • New major and trace element analyses allow identification of tephra glasses. • K/Ti and K/Fe maxima mark the Pauzhetka tephra presence in marine sediments. • The tephra occurs at Marine Isotope Stages 12 to 11c and below the Bermuda excursion. • The revised ash dispersal covers vast areas in the NW Pacific and Okhotsk Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the deep-sea sedimentary sequence of Hole U1437B, corresponding to the last 1 Ma, in the Izu-Bonin arc, NW Pacific Ocean, and refined its tephrostratigraphy. We correlated many tephras and cryptotephras with terrestrial and marine tephras on the basis of the major- and trace-element compositions of their glass shards by referring to the reported tephrostratigraphy of marine sediments in core MD012422 (since 0.35 Ma) off Shikoku Island, in Holes ODP1151C (0.2–0.8 Ma) and C9001C (since ca. 0.8 Ma) off northern and northernmost Honshu, respectively, and on the Boso Peninsula (since 1 Ma). Many widespread tephras and cryptotephras were detected in the hole such as those originated from the Kyushu volcanic zone (from north to south, Yufu-Tsurumi, Shishimuta, Aso, Kakuto, Kobayashi, Aira, Ata, and Kikai volcanoes/calderas), Hakkoda-Kokumoto tephra originated from Hakkoda caldera, northernmost Honshu, and some tephras probably originated from source(s) in northern Honshu. Among the widespread tephras, those with similar shard chemistries occurred at different horizons. Kasamori 5 tephra (Ks5) was newly detected by this study in a position above the previously reported "Ks5" horizon in Hole U1437B. The newly detected Ks5 tephra occurs in the marine isotopic stage (MIS) 12 segment of the δ18O stratigraphy, consistent with the reported stratigraphic age of Ks5 (MIS 12b–c) in Hole C9001C. Although the reported "Ks5" horizon also occurs in the MIS 12 segment in Hole U1437B, it is actually a different unidentified tephra, as indicated by its slightly different shard chemistry. Further, we correlated Kasamori 10 tephra (Ks10: mid-MIS 13) in Hole U1437B to subspike G19.3 in Hole C9001C but not to subspike G4.4 in Hole ODP1151C. Although subspike G4.4 in Hole ODP1151C was previously estimated on the basis of its shard major-element composition to correspond to subspike G19.3 in Hole C9001C, their shard trace-element compositions differ. Instead, on the basis of their shard chemistries, we correlated subspike G4.4 in Hole ODP1151C to spike G90 in Hole U1437B (MIS 14), which occurs below the Ks10. This tephra has not been reported in the marine Kasamori Formation on the Boso Peninsula. Further, spike G7 in Hole ODP1151C, which is below subspike G4.4 and above spike G9 (a correlative of Ks22 and Kaisho-Kamitakara tephra, MIS 16), is here correlated to Ks18 in the MIS 15 horizon of Hole U1437B on the basis of their shard chemistries. The stratigraphic ages of Ks5, Ks10, the spike G90 tephra, and Ks18 at most (but not all) locations are roughly consistent with the age of a globally correlated biohorizon, the last appearance datum of Pseudoemiliania lacunosa (ca. 0.45 Ma). These findings emphasize that Hole U1437B sediments are as good as or better than the marine sediments on the Boso Peninsula as archives of the regional tephrostratigraphy. Thus, they are useful for improving the Middle Pleistocene tephrostratigraphy in the NW Pacific region. • Glass shards in Hole U1437B (Izu arc) were characterized by compositional analyses • Widespread tephras with similar shard chemistries were found at different positions • Three tephras in MISs 13, 14, and 15 newly linked the Izu and NE Japan arcs • The tephra horizon ages are consistent with reported regional biohorizons [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way in which humans organize their social and family lives is a defining feature of our species. Base camps, places to which food is carried and shared, and where many other activities occur, are central features in the lives of hunter-gatherers. Paleoanthropologists have been occupied with the search for base camps/home bases among early hominins for decades. Evidence now suggests that this essential feature of human life emerged in the Middle Pleistocene by around 400,000 years ago in the stem lineage that gave rise to Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. Choices of where to live, the organization of stone tool making, butchery patterns, and widespread evidence of controlled use of fire around this time suggest a profound reorganization of the socioeconomics of daily life. These Middle Pleistocene campsites may not have functioned in exactly the same ways as those of more recent periods. They nonetheless set the stage for the evolution of many fundamental human tendencies and behavioral institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located within the Nakuru-Naivasha basin on the northern slope of Mt. Eburru, the open-air site of Prospect Farm (Central Rift, Kenya) is one of the few East African sites that have yielded a stratigraphic sequence containing archaeological levels dating from the late Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene. Excavations at the site by Barbara Whitehead Anthony and Glynn Isaac in 1963–1964 exposed Pastoral Neolithic (Stone Bowl culture) and Later Stone Age (LSA; Kenya Capsian) levels overlying four Middle Stone Age (MSA) levels attributed to the Prospect Industry, a local expression of the Kenya Stillbay. This paper integrates the information currently available for the site and discusses its relevance in a wider East African context. Furthermore, it presents the results of a density survey completed in 2014, mapping the spatial distribution of artifacts along the northern slope of Mt. Eburru and providing data on the landscape setting of the site. The survey identified marked differences in the distribution of diagnostic MSA vs. LSA artifacts: whereas MSA finds cluster at two particular mid-altitude locations (2,102–2,108 m and 2,138–2,140 m a.s.l.) corresponding to the position of Anthony's Localities I and II, LSA finds tend to show a much broader spatial distribution including both higher and lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a recent chronostratigraphic revision of 17 fossiliferous sites hosting assemblages constituting local faunas of the Aurelian Mammal Age for peninsular Italy, we provide a re-structured biochronological framework and discuss the current validity and significance of the middle Pleistocene Faunal Units (FU) for this region. Contrasting with the previous model of a wide faunal renewal during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 9 (∼ 330 ka), the First Occurrences (FO) of several species of the Torre in Pietra FU are significantly backdated and referred to the Fontana Ranuccio FU (530–400 ka). We show that the faunal renewal was more gradual and occurred earlier than previously assumed. Many taxa that are typical of the late Pleistocene register their FO in the Fontana Ranuccio FU, latest Galerian, which is characterized by the almost total disappearance of Villafranchian taxa and by the persistence of typical Galerian taxa such as Dama clactoniana , Bison schoetensacki and Ursus deningeri , and by the FO of Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis , S. hemitoechus , Hippopotamus amphibius , Cervus elaphus eostepahnoceros , Ursus spelaeus , Canis lupus, and Vulpes vulpes. The next Torre in Pietra FU is characterized only by the FO of Megaloceros giganteus and Mustela putorius. However, we observe that MIS 9 marks the actual moment when the faunal assemblages of this region are represented only by those taxa characterizing the late middle Pleistocene and late Pleistocene. For this reason, we propose to still consider the Torre in Pietra (lower levels) local fauna as a conventional boundary for the Galerian-Aurelian transition. Finally, we remark that the strong faunal renewal in MIS 13, with five FOs, coincides with the temperate climatic conditions due to the absence of marked glacial periods that could have favored the FO and the subsequent spread of these taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The analysis of the functional potential of bifaces, which are artefacts extending beyond our technical memory, is based on direct (micro-wear) or indirect approaches (experimentation, relationship between form/function, comparative ethnography). Indirect approaches are fundamental when artefacts are not well enough preserved for micro-wear analysis, which is frequent for the middle Pleistocene. This article proposes a new method based on the three-dimensional acquisition of artefact images, enabling us to measure cutting edge angles and depth of cut. This process allows us to distinguish, in particular, between cutting edges created for longitudinal or transverse cutting. The application of this analysis to bifaces from UA P3 of the "Caune de l'Arago" brings to light tools with a high functional potential for longitudinal cutting, some of which were used for incising, others for deep cutting. These results corroborate those obtained by most micro-wear analyses and present new ways of interpreting the functional potential of bifaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire control and conservation is a major innovation of early prehistory. It is evidenced on Early Palaeolithic sites in western Eurasia dating to between 400 and 300 ka. In southern Italy, a large group of open-air Acheulean sites, dated from 680 to 300 ka, attests to the early settlement and long-standing human occupation of the region since the Early-Middle Pleistocene. To date, these sites have yielded no evidence for early fire use. This observation raises the question of charcoal fragmentation and dispersion in the context of open-air sites. In order to diagnose early fire use on Palaeolithic sites, a protocol for the quantification of microcharcoal has been standardised. The quantification of microcharcoal has already been applied to Middle Pleistocene geological sediments and Early Palaeolithic archaeological deposits to evaluate the wildfire background and the potential use of fire by hominins. This study focuses on the Early-Middle Pleistocene (780–500 ka) and the late Middle Pleistocene (500–300 ka). It is based on microcharcoal analyses from the Boiano Basin (Campochiaro and S1 cores) as well as from the archaeological sites of Isernia La Pineta and Guado San Nicola. Wildfire background is recorded in the basin infill although runoff and long-distance transport to the basin may be responsible for the small-size particles and low concentrations observed. Fire use by hominins has not been identified in the archaeological layers from the Early Palaeolithic and the small size of the particles might be related to trampling by humans or animals. Notwithstanding the large group of archaeological sites in southern Italy, the low density of hominin populations constitutes a limitation to the dissemination of innovative techniques and new knowledge during the Early Palaeolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The African Middle Pleistocene (781–126 ka) is a key period for human evolution, witnessing both the origin of the modern human lineage and the lithic turnover from Earlier Stone Age (ESA) Acheulean bifacial tools to Middle Stone Age (MSA) prepared core and point technologies. This ESA/MSA transition is interpreted as representing changing landscape use with greater foraging distances and more active hunting strategies. So far, these behavioral inferences are mainly based on the extensive stone tool record, with only a minor role for site-based and regional faunal studies. To provide additional insights into these behavioral changes, this paper details a pan-African metastudy of 63 Middle Pleistocene faunal assemblages from 40 sites. A hierarchical classification system identified 26 well-contextualized assemblages with quantitative paleontological and/or zooarcheological data available for detailed comparative analyses and generalized linear mixed modeling. Modeling of ungulate body size classes structured around three dimensions (context, antiquity and technology) illustrates no one-to-one correlation between changes in lithic technology (Acheulean vs. MSA) and changes in prey representation. All assessed faunal assemblages are dominated by medium-sized bovids, and variations between smaller and larger body size classes are linked to site context (cave vs. open-air), with an increase in cave sites during the Middle Pleistocene. Current data do not signal a broadening of the hominin dietary niche during the Middle Pleistocene; no meaningful variation was visible in the exploitation of smaller-sized bovids or dangerous game, with coastal resources exploited when available. Proportions of anthropogenic bone surface modifications, and hence carcass processing intensity, do increase over time although more zooarcheological data is crucial before making behavioral inferences. Overall, this paper illustrates the potential of broad scale comparative faunal analyses to provide additional insights into processes of human behavioral evolution and the mechanisms underlying patterns of technological, chronological and contextual change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Cueva del Angel (Lucena, Spain) is an open-air archaeological site with a sedimentary sequence remnant of a collapsed rock shelter which was part of a still active karst complex. The lithic assemblage consists essentially of abundant retouched tools including 46 identified handaxes along with non-modified flakes, and is associated with faunal remains dominated by Equus ferus and other large bovids and cervids. A large proportion of bones has undergone intense anthropic actions and been subjected to intense fire, thus evidencing sustained use of animal meat resources by humans. In order to better ascertain the chronological framework of the site, we dated several proxies. Various speleothem samples were processed by U-series using a coupled induced plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS-MC). The resulting isotopic ratios are beyond the secular equilibrium and show that these samples do not appear to be in direct stratigraphic relation with the archaeological sequence. Nine Equus teeth were analyzed by the combined ESR/U-series method. These samples were taken from Unit I to Unit XVI representing at least 2.5 m of stratigraphic depth and approximately 90% of the infilling. Many of the dated samples are burnt given that more than 85% of the faunal remains exhibit traces of fire exposure. The bone retouchers, for which a comparative analysis with other sites has been published (Moigne et al., 2016), were probably produced during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS 11-5) chronological interval corresponding to the later part of the Middle Pleistocene, inference that is in agreement with the palaeontological assemblage of the site. The radiometric results presented here are consistent and indicate a range from 350 to 183 ka, suggesting that a major part of the sedimentary infilling coinciding with the human occupation was contemporaneous with the MIS 9 to 7 time period. Highlights • The Cueva del Angel site, Spain evidencing bifacial Acheulean industry in a cave environment. • More than 85% of the fauna has been subjected to intense fire throughout the archaeological sequence. • The dating results suggest a MIS 9 to MIS 7 period of human occupation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The fossil evidence of hominins in China is crucial to understand the human evolution and dispersal in Eurasia. However, the dating of Chinese Early and Middle Pleistocene hominin record remains a serious problem. In this study, we applied coupled ESR/U-series dating method on Bailongdong hominin cave site in Hubei Province, central China, which is a key area to study early human migration between South and North China. The U-series analyses show that the fossil teeth samples from three horizons are close or beyond equilibrium, which indicate very early uptake or potential loss of uranium. Single saturation exponential fitting of 10 dose points irradiated up to 4 kGy was used for D E determination except one by double saturation exponential fitting with 16 dose points up to 63 kGy. Calculated by two uranium migration models, we obtain a weighted mean age of 509 ± 16 ka for five fossil teeth from layer 2. Combined with cosmogenic nuclides 26Al/10Be burial dating carried out on the cave deposits beneath the fossil layers in previous study, the multi-methods dating study places Bailongdong site at the early stage of Middle Pleistocene, and pinpoints the deposition of the fossil remains to the time of marine isotope stages 13. This is in agreement with the fauna composition and sedimentary characteristics which show a subtropical-tropical warm forest-grass environment. The multi-methods dating of Bailongdong site by both cosmogenic and coupled ESR/U-series methods is a good example for the future chronological studies of early human sites in China. Highlights • A Middle Pleistocene hominin site was dated by coupled ESR/U-series method. • Multi-methods dating study by ESR fossil dating and 26Al/10Be burial dating. • D E estimation by two fitting functions with different maximum doses was compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Since the 1980's, the improvement of the electron spin resonance (ESR) geochronological method and its application to the dating of bleached quartz extracted from sediments currently permit to provide geochronological data on Pleistocene fluvial deposits. In the present study, we have applied this method on sediments carried out from the Yellow River terrace system in the sector of Zhongwei (Ningxia province, China). This alluvial system is composed of a set of stepped fluvial deposit remnants (T1 to T9) from the actual floodplain (T1) up to 160 m of relative height. The ESR ages obtained in this work, by placing the installation of the river terrace system in the Middle and Upper Pleistocene (between 712 and 60ka), give information in relation to the causes of the succession of terraces. The results show that the construction of the system seems not only linked to a continuous regional tectonic uplift in the Middle Pleistocene but that the succession of incisions also seems controlled by Quaternary climatic cycles. Highlights • ESR dating method was applied on quartz grains extracted from fluvial sediments of Yellow River. • The fluvial system in the Zhongwei area (Ningxia province, China) is composed by 9 stepped terraces. • Its development occurred during Middle Pleistocene due to both climatic and tectonic constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brittany region of France is located in a low seismicity intraplate zone. Most of the instrumented earthquakes are limited to a shallow crustal depth without surface rupture. A paleoseismological analysis was performed on deposits on the Crozon Peninsula and in the Elorn estuary. We highlight hydroplastic deformations induced by liquefaction leading to clay diapirism, which were likely triggered by past earthquakes. This diapirism seems to be frequent in continental nonconsolidated sediments and to develop on the inherited tectonic structures, when a shallow water table and confining layers exist. Timing of deformation is dated using paleoenvironmental data, and electron spin resonance and infrared-stimulated luminescence dating methods. Two seismic periods were identified in western Europe during early Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (~380 ka) and early MIS 8 (~280–265 ka). The lack of similar deformations affecting the Holocene tidal deposits in the Bay of Brest suggests that the magnitude of the triggering paleoearthquakes is probably higher (M w ~6) than the recent events (M w 5.4). These unusual intraplate major paleoearthquakes need specific factors affecting the far-field crustal stress loading to be triggered, such as a brief acceleration of the Africa-Eurasia lithospheric plate convergence, glacio-isostatic stress perturbations associated with the onset of major glaciations in northern Europe, or other processes induced by orbital forcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caune de l'Arago is a Middle Pleistocene site in Southern France, where Acheulean artefacts and hominin fossils were excavated. Rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) remains from Level F (MIS 12) were studied from a zooarchaeological and taphonomic perspective to investigate the potential human exploitation of this large taxon. The well‐represented butchering marks, as well as scarce carnivore marks, indicate primary access to rhinoceros carcasses by hominins. The juvenile‐dominated mortality profile further suggests aggressive scavenging or occasional opportunistic hunting. Furthermore, differential skeletal representation shows that humans selectively transported the nutrient‐rich body sections. In addition, thorough processing of the carcasses for consumption inside the cave is highlighted by the frequent cut marks, intensive fragmentation, and regular spatial distribution. The analyses of the Arago Level F rhinoceros confirm the rhinoceros exploitation by humans during the Lower Palaeolithic; however, the rhinoceros mortality profile differs from that of large mammals such as equids, argali, and all other game species of this archaeological layer. Caune de l'Arago is the earliest hominin site where the systematic exploitation of rhinoceros has been documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Climatic and environmental changes of the Middle Pleistocene in Europe provide the context for an important phase in the evolution and dispersal of early hominins. Pollen records from terrestrial and marine sediment sequences reveal patterns not usually visible in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from archaeological sites alone and show that hominin evolution took place against a background of marked environmental change as forests expanded and contracted in concert with global and regional climatic shifts. It is rare to find archaeological material in stratigraphically long and continuous palaeoenvironmental sequences, yet this is what is needed to enable particular phases of hominin evolution to be securely associated with climatic and environmental changes. At the well-known Middle Pleistocene archaeological site of Ceprano in Italy we have been able to produce a pollen record from the sedimentary unit directly below the stratum of the hominin remains. The new pollen data from Ceprano are presented here in full for the first time and provide a detailed picture of interglacial vegetation development during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 13. This evidence contributes significantly to our knowledge of the spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem responses to climatic change during this period and helps to further constrain the age of the hominin remains. New sites combining both archaeology and long, continuous high quality palaeoecological records would help clarify the relationship between hominin presence and palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions. In the meantime, better communication between the research communities can also go a long way to improving our understanding of the links between the two. Highlights • The paper presents the detailed palynological record from the early hominin site of Ceprano in central Italy. • An extensive review of central Italian Middle Pleistocene sites places the record in context. • A wider review of southern European Middle Pleistocene records provides the environmental background to hominin evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excavations in Hualongdong (HLD), East China, have yielded abundant hominin fossils dated to 300 ka. There is a nearly complete mandible that fits well with a partial cranium, and together they compose the skull labeled as HLD 6. Thus far, detailed morphological description and comparisons of the mandible have not been conducted. Here we present a comprehensive morphological, metric, and geometric morphometric assessment of this mandible and compare it with both adult and immature specimens of Pleistocene hominins and recent modern humans. Results indicate that the HLD 6 mandible exhibits a mosaic morphological pattern characterized by a robust corpus and relatively gracile symphysis and ramus. The moderately developed mental trigone and a clear anterior mandibular incurvation of the HLD 6 mandible are reminiscent of Late Pleistocene hominin and recent modern human morphology. However, the weak expression of all these features indicates that this mandible does not possess a true chin. Moreover, a suite of archaic features that resemble those of Middle Pleistocene hominins includes pronounced alveolar planum, superior transverse torus, thick corpus, a pronounced endocondyloid crest, and a well-developed medial pterygoid tubercle. The geometric morphometric analysis further confirms the mosaic pattern of the HLD 6 mandible. The combination of both archaic and modern human features identified in the HLD 6 mandible is unexpected, given its late Middle Pleistocene age and differs from approximately contemporaneous Homo members such as Xujiayao, Penghu, and Xiahe. This mosaic pattern has never been recorded in late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil assemblages in East Asia. The HLD 6 mandible provides further support for the high morphological diversity during late Middle Pleistocene hominin evolution. With these findings, it is possible that modern human morphologies are present as early as 300 ka and earlier than the emergence of modern humans in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavation of layer X of Gruta da Aroeira, dated to 389–436 ka. Faunal remains and a human cranium were found in association with this lithic assemblage. The raw materials used are mostly quartz and quartzite cobbles available in the vicinity of the site. Technological and systematic analysis shows that there are no Levallois elements and suggests that on-site knapping consisted of the reduction of centripetal cores. Flake cleavers are absent. Use-wear analysis indicates the processing of hard materials, mainly wood. Gruta da Aroeira represents one of the few Middle Pleistocene sites that provide securely dated diagnostic human remains and associated Acheulean lithics, thus representing a major step forward in our understanding of the variability of westernmost Europe's Acheulean and of the human populations that made it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogenetic affinities of Homo antecessor, a hominin dating from the early Middle Pleistocene of Europe, are still unclear. In this study we conducted a comprehensive review of the TD6 hypodigm within the context of the historical development of paleoanthropological issues concerning this species. H. antecessor, based on all available craniofacial features to date, displays a midfacial morphology very similar to specimens attributed to Classic Homo erectus, suggesting that H. antecessor is the geographical European variant of Classic H. erectus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pattern of the varying climatic conditions in southern Europe over the last million years is well known from isotope studies on deep-ocean sediment cores and the long pollen records that have been produced for lacustrine and marine sedimentary sequences from Greece, Italy and the Iberian margin. However, although relative glacial and interglacial intensities are well studied, there are still few proxies that permit quantitative terrestrial temperature and precipitation reconstruction. In this context, fauna-based climate reconstructions based on evidence preserved in archaeological or palaeontological sites are of great interest, even if they only document short windows of that climate variability, because (a) they provide a range of temperature and precipitation estimates that are understandable in comparison with present climate; (b) they may allow the testing of predicted temperature changes under scenarios of future climate change; and (c) quantitative temperature and precipitation estimates for past glacials and interglacials for specific regions/latitudes can help to understand their effects on flora, fauna and hominids, as they are directly associated with those cultural and/or biological events. Moreover such reconstructions can bring further arguments to the discussion about important climatic events like the Mid-Bruhnes Event, a climatic transition between moderate warmths and greater warmths during interglacials. In this paper we review a decade of amphibian- and reptile-based climate reconstructions carried out for the Iberian Peninsula using the Mutual Ecogeographic Range method in order to present a regional synthesis from MIS 22 to MIS 6, discuss the climate pattern in relation to the Mid-Bruhnes Event and the thermal amplitude suggested by these estimates and finally to identify the chronological gaps that have still to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]