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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]

Ctenomys, the only living Ctenomyidae, is the most diverse genus of hystricomorph rodents. Here, a new extinct species from the Middle Pleistocene of central Argentina is described. It is represented by the most complete skeleton for an extinct Ctenomys species. We analyze its remains and phylogenetic position in the context of other extinct and living Ctenomys species. Additionally, we present an updated and exhaustive timetree of the genus, and include the new species into a matrix of variables with morphofunctional significance. In the parsimony phylogenetic analysis, †C. uquiensis, †C. chapalmalensis, †C. rusconii, and †C. thomasi were placed at the base of the Ctenomys total clade, while †Ctenomys sp. nov. was the sister species of the crown group. Within the crown Ctenomys, a polytomy was obtained in the basal node formed by †C. dasseni, †C. kraglievichi, the clade †C. viarapaensis-C. osvaldoreigi, the frater species group, and the major clade consisting of the remaining eight species groups. The Bayesian tipdating analysis provided divergence estimates of 4.3 and 1.8 Ma for the origin of the genus and the crown clade, respectively. In the adaptive morphospace, the new species was located in the quadrant of lower scratch- and tooth-digger specialization, close to C. pulcer, a species currently distributed in semi-fixed dunes, pointing to the requirement of similar soil conditions. Finally, the new species co-occurs with †C. kraglievichi, a crown-group member with pronounced tooth-digging specialization, suggesting that Ctenomys experienced both significant cladogenesis and substantial eco-morphological diversification during the Middle Pleistocene. [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 Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating back ∼ 400,000 years, is one of very few Middle Pleistocene cave sites to provide a fossil hominin cranium in association with Acheulean bifaces and the by-products of fire usage. Zooarchaeological, taphonomic and tooth-wear analyses suggest that the accumulation of the faunal remains and their modification are anthropogenic. Large game constituted the basis of subsistence, with equids and cervids being preferentially targeted. Woodland and open landscapes formed the ecosystems supporting the populations of the mammals that were preyed upon by the inhabitants of the site. Most of the animal carcasses were carried to, and fully butchered at the site, which was used as a residential base camp. The features of the Aroeira faunal assemblage foreshadow the subsistence strategies developed by the hunter-gatherers of the Middle and the Upper Palaeolithic and testify to their very ancient roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated teeth of a lesser short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterusbrachyotis (Müller, 1838), a fulvous fruit bat Rousettusleschenaultii (Desmarest, 1820), and a dawn bat Eonycterisspelaea (Dobson, 1871) are described from the Middle Pleistocene Tham Hai cave locality in northern Vietnam (Lang Son Province). These are the first fossil findings of the Old World fruit bats in Vietnam. The Middle Pleistocene association of Pteropodidae from the Tham Hai locality may largely reflect the composition of species that roosted in local caves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract 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.

Objectives: Among low‐latitude apes, developmental defects of enamel often recur twice yearly, linkable to environmental cycles. Surprisingly, teeth of Homonaledi from Rising Star in South Africa (241–335 kya), a higher latitude site with today a single rainy season, also exhibit bimodally distributed hypoplastic enamel defects, but with uncertain timing and etiology. Newly determined Retzius periodicities for enamel formation in this taxon enable a reconstruction of the temporal patterning of childhood stress. Methods: Using high resolution casts of 31 isolated anterior teeth from H. naledi, 82 enamel defects (linear enamel hypoplasia [LEH]) were identified. Seventeen teeth are assigned to three individuals. Perikymata in the occlusal wall of enamel furrows and between the onsets of successive LEH were visualized with scanning electron microscopy and counted. Defects were measured with an optical scanner. Conversion of perikymata counts to estimates of LEH duration and inter‐LEH interval draws upon Retzius periodicities of 9 and 11 days. Results: Anterior teeth record more than a year of developmental distress, expressed as two asymmetric intervals centered on 4.5 and 7.5 months bounded by three LEH. Durations, also, show bimodal distributions, lasting 3 or 12 weeks. Short duration LEH are more severe than long duration. Relative incisor/canine rates of formation are indistinguishable from modern humans. Discussion: We invoke a disease and dearth model, with short episodes of distress reflecting onset of disease in young infants, lasting about 3 weeks, followed by a season of undernutrition, possibly intensified by secondary plant compounds, spanning about 12 weeks, inferably coincident with austral winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European populations of Homo heidelbergensis may have contributed to the genetic heritage of modern Eurasians. A better understanding of the possible effects of palaeoenvironmental alterations on the evolution of ancient humans can help to understand the origin of developed traits. For this purpose, the spatiotemporal alterations of physical factors were modelled in Europe for the period of 670–190 ka, covering the existence of Homo heidelbergensis in Europe. The factors included the following: paleoclimatic conditions, climatic suitability values of ancient humans, two prey species, and the European beech. Furthermore, the distribution and features of wood used for toolmaking were also investigated. Finally, changes in the relative mortality risk, the percentage of the body covered by clothing, and daily energy expenditure values in the coldest quarter of the year were modelled. The results suggest that H. heidelbergensis inhabited dominantly temperate regions in Europe where prey such as red deer were present. In the northern regions, European beech trees were abundant. When making wood tools, they preferred relatively light but not the strongest woods, which were readily available in the vicinity of the sites. Although hard and heavy woods were also occasionally used, at a European level, significant changes were observed in the relative mortality risk, the percentage of the body covered by clothing, and daily energy expenditure values during the period of 670–190 ka. However, substantial differences between archaeological sites in these values, indicating somewhat ecological variations, were not found during the studied period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seamounts are ubiquitous topographic units in the global oceans, and the Caiwei Guyot in the Magellan Seamounts of the western Pacific is a prime example. In this study, we analyzed a well-dated sediment core using magnetic properties, sediment grain size, and metal enrichment to uncover regional ventilation history during the middle Pleistocene and explore potential linkages to global climate changes. Our principal findings are as follows: (1) The median grain size is 3.3 ± 0.2 μm, and clay and silt particles exhibit minimal variation, with average values of 52.8 ± 1.8% and 38.2 ± 1.6%, respectively, indicating a low-dynamic process; (2) Three grain-size components are identified, characterized by modal patterns of ~3 μm (major one), ~40 μm, and 400–500 μm, respectively; (3) Magnetic coercivity of the deep-sea sediments can be classified into three subgroups, and their coercivity values are 6.1 ± 0.5 mT, 25.7 ± 1.0 mT, and 65.2 ± 2.1 mT. Based on these results, we propose a close linkage between magnetic coercivity and metal enrichment, correlating with changes in deep-sea circulation intensity. Conversely, sediment grain-size changes seem to be more strongly influenced by eolian inputs. Consequently, we suggest that regional ventilation has weakened since ~430 ka, likely linked to a reduction in Antarctic bottom water formation.

This work presents the Middle Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental and archaeological record of the Valle Giumentina basin (Abruzzo, Italy). A high-resolution geological study, including stratigraphy, sedimentology and micromorphology, was performed on the lower part of the sequence which correlates with the time span between MIS 15 and MIS 14 stages, i.e. between 570 and 530 ka. In addition to long-term climatic variability, sedimentological data highlight many short oscillations of varying amplitude during both Glacial and Interglacial periods. These results are confirmed by the studies of environmental proxies (pollen and molluscan analysis) previously undertaken on the Valle Giumentina sequence in 2016. Comparisons with global, Mediterranean and Italian climate archives confirm the consistency of the Valle Giumentina record and the contrasting characteristics of each isotopic stages. The three archaeological levels comprised in this part of the sequence can be assigned to isotopic sub-stages MIS 15a (Level AO1-20), MIS 14d (Level 24) and MIS 14c/14b (Level LBr). Human groups lived here during both temperate and cold periods, into woodland and steppe landscapes. Petrographic, traceological and technological studies were undertaken on the small lithic series (total of 119 artefacts). They suggest that raw material procurement was strictly local. The core and flake production is of techno-type C (recurrent unipolar flaking, SSDA, flaked flakes). Several morphologies of blanks occur with regular and mostly straight cutting-edges (small and thin flakes, notches, thick backed flakes). They are rarely retouched. Despite their good state of preservation, the pieces do not exhibit use-wear traces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cored succession of the Acerno basin, a tectonic palaeolake located in the southern Apennines (Italy), represents a key point of the Italian tephrostratigraphic network for the Quaternary. Trace element and isotope (87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd) data have been acquired on bulk rock, glassy groundmass and separated minerals (feldspar and pyroxene phenocrysts) from twenty-one tephra layers, dated between ∼570 and 470 ka, embedded in the lacustrine sediments of the basin. The already available major element compositions have been here combined with the newly acquired data. The whole dataset provides a full geochemical characterization of the tephra that strengthens and improves previous attempts to identify their volcanic sources and potential correlatives. In this context, several previously proposed correlations among distal archives have been here confuted. The geochemical fingerprints highlight that the volcanic record preserved in the Acerno lacustrine succession can be attributed to the explosive activity of the Roccamonfina, Colli Albani, Sabatini, Pontian islands (Latium region, Central Italy) and the Neapolitan Volcanic Area (Campania region, South Italy), providing new insights to enhance the current knowledge on the Middle Pleistocene volcanic record in Italy. Moreover, tephra attributions suggest still unknown eruptive activity of such volcanoes during the Quaternary. From this perspective, our study testifies how difficult it is to precisely correlate different geological archives even in a very short time interval. Such a difficulty arises from a large number of volcanic events concentrated in a relatively short time span, with products of similar chemical composition, and from the incomplete characterization of the successions in proximal outcrops. A thorough reconstruction of the eruptive history of these volcanic complexes requires a wider and denser study of distal archives, alongside further investigations in proximal areas.

The article considers the characteristics of the stone inventory from the sites Ainikab 3, Ainikab 4 and Ainikab 6 of the Early Paleolithic located on the 145-meter terrace of the Usisha River in Central Dagestan. Based on the generalization of paleogeographic data, the age of the terrace deposits has been established in a wide range within the first half of the Middle Pleistocene. The stone industries of the sites are mono raw material, based on the use of local Cretaceous flint of various shades of gray. Knapping of raw materials is characterized by the simplest methods of obtaining flakes mainly by unidirectional longitudinal removal without preliminary cores preparation. Flakes were the main type of blanks for tools, including for large cutting, splitting and crushing tools. In addition, flint fragments and nodules were used as blanks. The tools include unifacial and bifacial choppers, heavy-duty picks of triangular cross-section or a pointed end, flat picks, various retouched tools on flakes and fragments (scrapers, knives, notched tools, points, retouched flakes). The most significant feature of the industry under consideration, which distinguishes it from the older Oldowan complexes of Central Dagestan, is the presence of archaic forms of bifaсes in the tool set. These finds are the earliest known bifaсes in inner Dagestan and one of the oldest in the North Caucasus. The bifaсes are diagnostic for Acheulean. The presence of these tools together with piсks and other cutting tools in the stone inventory of the sites makes it possible to define the stone industry of these sites as Acheulean. These finds make it possible to include the inner Dagestan in the spread area of the Acheulean culture of the North Caucasus thereby expanding its territory.

Integrated stratigraphic‐compositional studies on alluvial successions provide a valuable tool to investigate the provenance of detritus in multi‐source systems. The Po Plain is an intermediate sink of the Po‐Adriatic source‐to‐sink system, fed by rivers draining two orogens. The Alps are characterized by extensive outcrops of plutonic‐metamorphic and ultramafic rocks to the north‐west and of Mesozoic carbonates to the east (Southern Alps). The Northern Apennines, to the south, are dominated by sedimentary successions. The Po River flows from the Western Alps to the Adriatic Sea, interacting with a dense network of transverse tributaries that drain the two orogens. Stratigraphic, sedimentological and compositional analyses of two 101 and 77.5 m‐long cores, recovered from the Central Po Plain, reveal the stacking of three petrofacies, which reflects distinct provenance and configurations of the fluvial network. A South‐Alpine sedimentary input between MIS 12 and MIS 10 is testified by petrofacies 1, characterized by carbonate‐ and volcanic‐rich detritus from rocks exposed in the Southern Alps. A northward shift of the Po River of more than 30 km is marked by a quartz‐feldspar and metamorphic‐rich detritus (petrofacies 2), similar to modern Po River sands. This dramatic reorganization of the fluvial network likely occurred around MIS 9–MIS 8 and is possibly structurally controlled. A further northward shift of the Po River and the onset of Apennine sedimentation in the Late Holocene is revealed by petrofacies 3, rich in sedimentary lithics from the Apennine successions. The results of this study document how compositional analysis, if framed in a robust stratigraphic picture, may provide clues on the evolution of multi‐source alluvial systems.Inferred palaeogeography of the central Po Plain, deduced from compositional variations of core sands, during: (a) MIS 12 and MIS 10 (petrofacies 1). (b) MIS 5–4 (petrofacies 2). (c) MIS 2 (petrofacies 2). (d) The early Holocene (petrofacies 2). (e) The late Holocene (petrofacies 3). [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]

A specimen of Macaca was discovered in the Sungho cave no. 3, Sungho County, North Hwanghae Province, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The only available skull remains are represented by a mandible, which displays a combination of mandibular and dental features indicating that the specimen may belong to the species Macacamulatta. This discovery extends the geographical range of the genus Macaca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent excavations at Olieboomspoort (OBP) in the Waterberg Mountains of South Africa confirmed previous research at the site that highlighted an abundance of ochre in the Middle Stone Age (MSA) deposits. Here, we report on the results of an analysis of the ochre from the MSA deposits excavated in 2018–2019. Fossilised equid teeth from these deposits were recently dated to approximately 150 ka, an early date for such a sizeable ochre assemblage in southern Africa. Calcium carbonate concretions were removed from ochre pieces using hydrochloric acid. Macro- and microscopic analyses were undertaken to identify raw material types and to investigate utilisation strategies. There are 438 pieces in the assemblage and only 14 of them show definite use-traces. The predominant raw material is a micaceous, hard specular hematite, which is rare at MSA sites elsewhere in southern Africa. A preliminary investigation into the geological nature of the ochreous materials in the archaeological sample and those available in the area was performed using semi-quantitative portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), XRF, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Together with site formation processes, we suggest possible, primarily local sources of the ochre found in the deposits. The data do not support previous suggestions that OBP was used as an ochre caching site that may have formed part of an exchange network during the MSA. Instead, the local abundance of nodules of specular hematite within the Waterberg sandstone, the limited number of used pieces in the assemblage, and the stratigraphic context indicate a more natural, less anthropogenic explanation for the abundance of ochre at the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Pleistocene site of Schöningen 13II-4 “Spear Horizon” is well known not only for the presence of a series of wooden spears, but also for the excellent preservation and richness of its faunal assemblage, the high resolution of its stratigraphical sequence and the large expanse of the excavated surface. These characteristics offer excellent conditions for developing refitting analyses. In this paper, we present the spatial analysis of the first refitting analysis of the faunal assemblage. Results from the refitting spatial analysis suggest that post-depositional processes had little influence on the displacement of the faunal assemblage, supporting previous studies that confirm the integrity of the site. In contrast, the movement of bones, bone fragments and bone tools throughout the site is due to biotic agents, mostly the result of hominin activity along with a limited carnivore activity. Refitting analysis allows distinguishing two major depositional zones—the main shoreline and the lake basin—not immediately connected to each other, each one showing distinct spatial patternings, and provides a detailed reconstruction of butchering activities at the “Spear Horizon”, including prey distribution, butchery processes and tool use. These results offer new insight on hominins use of space, group size and work organization during the Middle Pleistocene. [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]

Boxgrove is a key locale for our understanding of Middle Pleistocene human behaviour in Northwestern Europe. It provides high-resolution evidence for behaviour at scale in fine-grained sediments, dating from the end of the MIS13 interglacial at around 480,000 years ago. Excavations at this site in the last quarter of the twentieth century have provided a large body of interdisciplinary data, comprising stone artefact assemblages, well-preserved faunal remains and paleoenvironmental archives, from over 100 test pits and larger excavation areas. The excavation area designated Q1/B was excavated between 1995 and 1996 and provided a particularly deep and complex record of early human activity centred upon a pond or waterhole within the wider landscape. In this work, we present a new analysis of spatial data from a single sedimentary unit (Unit 4u) at the Boxgrove Q1/B site. We consider the spatial disposition of lithic and faunal materials, fabric analysis and the role of the palaeotopography in their distribution. The results indicate that, although the dynamic fluvial depositional environment had an undeniable role in the distribution of materials, the scale and nature of post-depositional movement are consistent with the artefacts being preserved within an autochthonous depositional context, not reworked from an earlier sedimentary unit or subject to long-distance transportation. These results are consistent with previous analysis which suggests that the overall lithic assemblage can be directly compared with others from the wider landscape in compositional terms to interpret the behavioural controls over site formation behind the Q1/B archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kill/butchering sites are some of the most important places for understanding the subsistence strategies of hunter-gatherer groups. However, these sites are not common in the archaeological record, and they have not been sufficiently analysed in order to know all their possible variability for ancient periods of the human evolution. In the present study, we have carried out the spatial analysis of the Early Middle Palaeolithic (MIS 9–8) site of Cuesta de la Bajada site (Teruel, Spain), which has been previously identified as a kill/butchering site through the taphonomic analysis of the faunal remains. Our results show that the spatial properties of the faunal and lithic tools distribution in levels CB2 and CB3 are well-preserved although the site is an open-air location. Both levels show a similar segregated (i.e. regular) spatial point pattern (SPP) which is different from the SPP identified at other sites with similar nature from the ethnographic and the archaeological records. However, although the archaeological materials have a regular distribution pattern, the lithic and faunal remains are positively associated, which is indicating that most parts of both types of materials were accumulated during the same occupation episodes, which were probably sporadic and focused on getting only few animal carcasses at a time. [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 paper compares different approaches to the reconstruction of environmental conditions from rodent fossil complexes, namely, the bioclimatic method and the method of reconstructing soil and plant conditions considering voles. For the reconstruction, data from ten localities in Western Siberia dated to the second half of the Middle Pleistocene were analyzed. The bioclimatic method allowed us to reconstruct the arid climatic zone in the south of Western Siberia (the Pre-Altai Plain and the Middle Irtysh) and the moderately cold and arctic climate for the localities situated northwards. The method of reconstruction of soil and vegetation conditions showed the predominance of xerophytic plant communities for the southern localities and mesophytic, mesohygrophytic, and hygrophytic for the northern ones. As additional indicators of environmental conditions, specialized species were proposed: subterranean animals (Siberian zokor and northern mole voles) and briophages (West Siberian lemming). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the compiled malacological record of the two most important loess–palaeosol sequences (LPS) in Serbia was used to reconstruct the Malacothermometer July Paleotemperature (MTJP) of the last nine glacials. The sieved loess samples yielded shells of 11 terrestrial gastropod species that were used to estimate the MTJP. Veliki Surduk (covering the last three glacial cycles) and Stari Slankamen (covering the last fourth to ninth glacial cycle) LPSs previously lacked the malacological investigations. After the sieving, a total of 66,871 shells were found, from which 48,459 shells were used for the estimation of the MTJP. Through the studied period, the reconstructed MTJP was ranging from 14.4 °C to 21.5 °C. The lowest temperature was recorded during the formation of the loess unit L5, equivalent to the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12. The second-coldest summers were occurring during the MIS 16 glacial. Although the warmest glacial was L8 (MIS 20) according to MTJP, these July temperatures might be overestimated due to only two samples from the poorly preserved L8 unit. The malacological material derived from the loess units at Veliki Surduk and Stari Slankamen LPSs showed great potential for July temperature reconstruction, as the comparison with other regional records showed similar climate changes. Further work is necessary to validate the age scale of the oldest samples, and a higher resolution sampling could lead to more detailed July temperature fluctuations, as was shown for the youngest glacial in this study. Likewise, estimating the July temperature using different proxies (e.g., pollen) from the same LPSs could be used to confirm the observed climate trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To study the deformation destruction mechanism and stability of the Middle Pleistocene ice-water sediment landslide in the western Sichuan Depression, this paper takes the K1887+350 landslide in the Chengdu-Yaan section of the G5 Beijing-Kunming Expressway as an example. Engineering geological surveys, physical and mechanical tests, and comprehensive monitoring are applied. Based on the actual deformation of the landslide, the paper analyzes the deformation and destruction mechanism of the landslide and studies the stability of the landslide before and after the reinforcement treatment and comprehensive monitoring technology. The results show that an unfavorable geological structure, slope toe, and precipitation induction are the main reasons for the deformation and instability of the K1887+350 landslide. The swell ability of fine-grained soil in the Middle Pleistocene ice-water sediment layer further reduces the soil shear properties. The long-term infiltration of atmospheric rainfall eventually leads to the superficial creep-pull deformation of ice-water sediments. Surface crack monitoring is an effective way to judge the current state of a mountain and analyze the stability of a landslide.

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]

Objectives: To assess the phenotypic affinities of the Sima de los Huesos (SH) mandibular incisors dental tissue proportions, and radicular dimensions, relative to Neandertals, recent modern humans (RMH), and a large comparative sample of Pleistocene hominins. Materials and Methods: Two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) data were extracted from SH (n = 22) incisors, and compared with specimens from Krapina (n = 6) and Ehringsdorf (n = 2), RMH (n = 42), as well as a comparative sample of hominins from the literature (n = 244). We calculated average enamel thickness (AET), relative enamel thickness (RET) and radicular variables (cervical area [CA] and root surface area [RSA], root linear dimensions [RL], dentine and pulp volume [RDV, RPV, TRV]). Results: We found that SH incisor crown variables were generally undiagnostic for 2D and 3D AET and 2D RET. Trends indicated thicker 3D RET in RMH relative to SH hominins, Tighenif hominins, and Neandertals. The SH and Neandertal mandibular incisors share similar RL, RSA, and root tissue volumes when compared to other extinct members of Homo. Relative to all other extinct hominins examined here, SH incisors display a relatively narrow cervical labio‐lingual diameter. Finally, we found a weak correlations in SH and RMH between the crown and root variables. Discussion: This study confirms that SH mandibular incisors' dental tissue proportions and root dimensions align more closely to Neandertals. However, the complete set of Neandertal apomorphies is not present within SH mandibular incisors. SH incisors concur with traits reported in SH canines, and contrasting patterns in the molars, revealing a dichotomy between the anterior and posterior teeth for dental tissue proportions. [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]

A complete mandible of a leopard-sized cat from the early Middle Pleistocene Arago cave MIS 14 level (Tautavel, France) was at first assigned to the snow leopard, Pantherauncia. A subsequent comprehensive description and analysis found the mandibular corpus snow leopard-like, but interpreted the dentition more like the leopard, Pantherapardus. Thus, this cat was classified as P.pardus. The re-study given in this paper presents the key to its real evolutionary place. The extant snow leopard is characterised by an autapomorphic excessively large dentition, not found in any other Panthera species. The Arago specimen represents the symplesiomorphic small-tooth type. Subtracting this character leaves diagnostic uncertainty, when only looking at the teeth, but provides an unambiguous P. uncia assignment when looking for the unique factor combination of the mandibular corpus. We deal with an ancestral snow leopard who demonstrates that the later large dentition was not yet evolved in the early Middle Pleistocene. An abstract heading in a symposium program book proposed the name Pantherapardustautavelensis nov. ssp., not available by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Therefore, the Arago snow leopard is named Pantheraunciapyrenaica ssp. nov. A single Pantherauncia record in the Eurasian late Middle Pleistocene from Zhoukoudian Locality 3 (China) perfectly bridges the difference between the Arago cat and the extant snow leopard. The early Middle Pleistocene European history of leopard-sized cats was originally understood as a more or less uniform development within the species P.pardus. This turns out to be a repeated replacement of different species and subspecies, involving Pumapardoides, Pantherapardus and Pantherauncia. It cannot even be excluded that snow leopards returned in each intense cold period of the Middle and Late Pleistocene from their Central Asian home to Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oriental vole Eothenomys eleusis (Thomas, 1911) is identified from the Middle Pleistocene Tham Hai cave locality in northern Vietnam (Lang Son Province) based on isolated teeth. This is the first record of the Pleistocene Arvicolinae in Vietnam and the first fossil find of Eothenomys outside of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Castillo Cave is one of the most important sites for understanding the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in Europe. Despite its importance, the absence of a widely used stratigraphic section with detailed lithostratigraphic descriptions and correlations between the different geological and archaeological interpretations has led to confusion in the correct identification of lithostratigraphic units in the lowermost, Middle Palaeolithic sequence. This study establishes a new lithostratigraphic framework for the site, which can be accurately correlated to previous geological and archaeological studies and generates a solid working basis for framing the Mousterian of El Castillo Cave in the Cantabrian region and southwestern Europe. The geological re‐evaluation of Unit XX ('Mousterian Alpha') has expanded its chronology, now ranging from 49 130–43 260 cal bp to 70 400 ± 9600 bp. Unit XXII ('Mousterian Bet') would consequently yield an age older than 70 400 ± 9600 bp and younger than the underlying speleothem (Unit XXIIIb), dated to 89 000 +11 000/‐10 000 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Link for citation: Plyusnin A.V., Sulima A.I., Marinov V.A., Vdovichenko S.I., SamodurovS.A. Results of studying the Pleistocene in the Vilgort section (Cherdyn district, Perm territory). Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2023, vol. 334, no. 5, рр.148-158.In Rus. The relevance. The study of glacial deposits, which is one of the main components of most continental sedimentary formations of all ages, makes it possible to identify the features of its structure and formation, as well as to establish the facies-genetic confinement. This is especially true for Quaternary geology, since makes it possible to carry out stratigraphic comparisons and identify paleogeographic settings for the formation of deposits. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive lithological and biostratigraphic study of the Vilgort section of the Kolva river valley, Cherdyn district of the Perm Territory. The main aim of the research is to study the geological section and substantiation of the age of the Mesozoic deposits according to the fauna complex. Objects: continental deposits of the Middle Pleistocene, exposed in the right side of the river Kolva. The deposits of this region are poorly studied. References are sown in the literature about the Mesozoic fauna found in the Vilgort section. Methods: geomapping, layered lithological description, layer-by-layer sampling, biostratigraphic studies. Results. These studies made it possible to carry out a detailed layer-by-layer description and stratigraphic subdivision of the Vilgort section. The Permian carbonate deposits are overlain by eluvial-deluvial deposits of the Likhvin horizon, they are overlain first by lacustrine-glacial, and then by glacial deposits of the Dnieper horizon of the middle Pleistocene with erratic blocks of Mesozoic repeatedly redeposited terrigenous rocks. Due to the neotectonic activity of the right-bank block part of the Vilgort area, which underwent uplift in the Late Pleistocene, most of the Upper Pleistocene deposits were eroded, which explains the stratigraphic unconformity, when modern deposits lie on glacial deposits of the Middle Pleistocene. According to the results of micropaleontological studies, foraminifers were identified from samples taken in the fifth layer: the Middle Volgian substage of the Volgian stage (sample 1); distributed in the interval of the Ryazanian Stage of the Lower Cretaceous (sample 3) and the middle and upper substages of the Volgian Stage (sample 4).

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]

Monte Medolano is a relict moraine relief located in the Municipality of Medole in the upper Mantuan plain (northern Italy), located south of the moraine hills of the Garda frontal moraine amphitheatre. It is reported in the maps starting from the 16th century and belongs to the Sedena Phase, late Middle Pleistocene (Riss Auctorum). This phase is proven only by a rather continuous alignment of small hills near the south-western shore of Lake Garda, along which Monte Medolano is part of the same geographical continuation. Currently, the moraine relict is protected as an Inter-Municipal Park by the local conservation laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A terrestrial (lacustrine and fluvial) palaeoclimate record from Hoxne (Suffolk, UK) shows two temperate phases separated by a cold episode, correlated with MIS 11 subdivisions corresponding to isotopic events 11.3 (Hoxnian interglacial period), 11.24 (Stratum C cold interval), and 11.23 (warm interval with evidence of human presence). A robust, reproducible multiproxy consensus approach validates and combines quantitative palaeotemperature reconstructions from three invertebrate groups (beetles, chironomids, and ostracods) and plant indicator taxa with qualitative implications of molluscs and small vertebrates. Compared with the present, interglacial mean monthly air temperatures were similar or up to 4.0°C higher in summer, but similar or as much as 3.0°C lower in winter; the Stratum C cold interval, following prolonged nondeposition or erosion of the lake bed, experienced summers 2.5°C cooler and winters between 5°C and 10°C cooler than at present. Possible reworking of fossils into Stratum C from underlying interglacial assemblages is taken into account. Oxygen and carbon isotopes from ostracod shells indicate evaporatively enriched lake water during Stratum C deposition. Comparative evaluation shows that proxy-based palaeoclimate reconstruction methods are best tested against each other and, if validated, can be used to generate more refined and robust results through multiproxy consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a marine Middle Pleistocene mollusc fauna from a borehole near Luxwoude (Friesland, northern Netherlands). The fauna contains several species, including Bittium species, Acanthocardia paucicostata and Polititapes senescens, that hitherto have been used as indicative for warm (lusitanian) conditions in the southern North Sea Basin during the Late Pleistocene Eemian (MIS5e) interglacial. However, the stratigraphic context of the Luxwoude marine fauna indicates a MIS11 or older age for this new fauna. This thermophilous fauna demonstrates very warm-temperate conditions and probably an open marine connection through the Dover Strait towards the south, during this Middle Pleistocene interglacial. In the North Sea basin, this distinctive lusitanian fauna with Bittium-dominated assemblages can therefore no longer be presumed to be of Eemian age without additional evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technocomplexes of the European Lower Palaeolithic are often attributed to the so-called Acheulean. Through several prehistoric sites located in the South Armorican coast, a distinct and contemporary Acheulean cultural facies was proposed at the end of the 1980s. Based on the study of lithic industries at the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site in Carnac, it is called "Colombanian" and is characterised by the coexistence of macro-tools on pebbles and a variety of small tools on flakes. As is often the case, the presence or absence of handaxes is a determining criterion to qualify a lithic assemblage as "Acheulean". However, this categorial attribution loses all meaning when a technological analysis is conducted. Consequently, we used a techno-structural approach to illustrate the technological and functional variability of lithic artefacts from the early occupations of the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site (layers 5, 6 and 7). The application of the "chaîne opératoire" principle allowed us to reveal the processes and objectives of the lithic production system and to establish a homogeneous reading grid among the different pieces of the assemblage. We present here the data from our study which clearly shows that the "Colombanian" is no longer valid and that we need to initiate a change of definition. The lithic industry of the Pointe de Saint-Colomban site is dominated by the concept of flaking (débitage) represented by numerous cores and flake tools. The concept of shaping (façonnage) is illustrated by only two sandstone pebble tools. All this highlights the diversity and originality of the lithic technical systems of the Lower Palaeolithic of the Atlantic Armorican coastline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite more than a century of investigations, parts of the Quaternary stratigraphy of Denmark with their fragmented record of deposits remain ambiguous. Here we describe a newly found interglacial clay deposit from Ejby on Sjælland, Denmark, from a borehole at 55.695°N, 11.839°E (terrain elevation 5.7 m above sea level). We place the new occurrence on record and provide details of the macrofossil analysis of the sample. The clay contains remains of the present-day temperate bivalve Corbicula fluminalis and the caddis fly Hydropsyche contubernalis – both inhabiting rivers. The presence of C. fluminalis indicates that the deposit most probably is of Middle Pleistocene age, older than the last interglacial, the Eemian.

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]

The Indian Monsoon profoundly impacts the climate, agriculture, and economy of the Indian subcontinent and southwestern China. However, the long-term variability of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and its forcing mechanism in the context of the stepwise Pleistocene cooling trend are poorly understood, due to the lack of high-quality terrestrial paleoclimate records. Quaternary loess and paleosol deposits in SW China provide the opportunity to study the long-term evolution of the ISM. Based on analyses of magnetic properties and chemical weathering indices, we found that decreased chemical weathering and pedogenic intensity occurred in SW China since the Middle Pleistocene. Comparison of our results with published paleoclimate records from the Indian Ocean and SW China suggest that substantial ISM weakening occurred after ∼0.7–0.6 Ma, coincident with the Mid-Pleistocene climatic transition. We conclude that decreasing global surface temperatures associated with the major growth of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets caused the Middle Pleistocene weakening of the ISM, leading to changes in precipitation regimes in the southern Asian continent and SW China. Our results suggest that global cooling is strongly linked with the South Asian monsoon climate system, and they provide clues for predicting future climate changes in its area of influence. • Decreased chemical weathering and pedogenic intensity occurred in SW China since the Middle Pleistocene. • A weakened Indian summer monsoon led to the decreased chemical weathering and pedogenic intensity. • Intensified glacial conditions drove the Middle Pleistocene weakening of the Indian summer monsoon. [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 so-called "Altamura Man" is a Neanderthal skeleton found in 1993 in the Lamalunga karstic system (southern Italy). The skeleton, dated between 172 and 130 ka, still lies deep within a spectacular cave setting, partly embedded within speleothems and extensively covered by coralloid concretions. These peculiar location and conditions would entail major difficulties in excavating and preserving ex-situ this skeleton. Moreover, a decision-making impasse among the institutions involved complicates the problem. Yet, this specimen is one of the best preserved human fossils known. From 2016 to 2020 we conducted extensive in situ investigations of the specimen. Digital techniques and equipment specifically designed for or adapted to the difficult underground context were used in carrying out the most detailed assessment possible of the skeleton. The data thus collected provide an insight into human evolution in Europe, and a first glance at the amount of information this amazing specimen could provide. In this contribution, we want to update the information on the problematic context of Lamalunga, and address the innovative solutions put in place in 2016–2020 to study and preserve the Neanderthal skeleton in this fragile environment. • The so-called "Altamura Man" is one of the most complete Neanderthal fossils. • The site and condition of preservation have made the study problematic for decades. • New studies in situ allowed a better characterization of the fossil and its context. • We review what is currently known of the specimen and its site in southern Italy. • We also present some of the innovative methods used for the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]