Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle

José Luis Peña-Monné; Lourdes Montes Ramírez; María Marta Sampietro-Vattuone; Rafael Domingo Martínez; Alicia Medialdea; Miguel Bartolomé; Virginia Rubio Fernández; Rosario García Giménez; Valentí Turú; Xavier Ros; Pere Baró; Juan Luis Bernal-Wormull; R. Lawrence Edwards

doi:10.1017/qua.2021.61

Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle

José Luis Peña-Monné, Lourdes Montes Ramírez, María Marta Sampietro-Vattuone, Rafael Domingo Martínez, Alicia Medialdea, Miguel Bartolomé, Virginia Rubio Fernández, Rosario García Giménez, Valentí Turú, Xavier Ros, Pere Baró, Juan Luis Bernal-Wormull, R. Lawrence Edwards

Earth and Environmental Sciences-Twin Cities

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Roca San Miguel (RSM) archaeological site was occupied during Mousterian times. Here we present a geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the site. Five stratigraphic units (A to E) formed by different archaeological levels are identified. Three optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages show that Unit A dates to between 169.6 ± 9.1 and 151.9 ± 11.1 ka, during the penultimate glacial period (PGP), and contains numerous signs of recurring hearths. Unit B is unexcavated. Unit C dates to between 118.9 ± 11.5 and 103.4 ± 6.9 ka (late Eemian-marine isotope stage (MIS) 5d) and shows an abundance of lithic remains as well as some faunal elements. Unit C is covered by Unit D, which incorporates materials moved downslope, and is dated at 81.2 ± 4.7 ka. These OSL ages concur with U/Th ages (129.3 ± 1.5 and 123.6 ± 0.6 ka) derived from a flowstone covered by both -C and D- post-flowstone units. Finally, Unit E covers the archaeological site, which was partially eroded during MIS2. The robust and well-constrained chronology of the RSM site and surroundings enables the establishment of its evolutionary model from the PGP to the last glacial cycle. The RSM site is the oldest Neanderthal occupation accurately dated in the Pre-Pyrenean region.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	162-181
Number of pages	20
Journal	Quaternary Research (United States)
Volume	106
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2021.61
State	Published - Mar 19 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Aragón Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Arén and the Diputación Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019.

Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Arag?n Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Ar?n and the Diputaci?n Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019. We wish to thank the editors and reviewers of Quaternary Research for their observations and comments to improve this work.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2021.

Keywords

Fluvial terraces
Geoarchaeology
OSL dating
Paleolithic
Pleistocene
Pyrenees

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1017/qua.2021.61

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Peña-Monné, J. L., Montes Ramírez, L., Sampietro-Vattuone, M. M., Domingo Martínez, R., Medialdea, A., Bartolomé, M., Rubio Fernández, V., García Giménez, R., Turú, V., Ros, X., Baró, P., Bernal-Wormull, J. L., & Edwards, R. L. (2022). Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle. Quaternary Research (United States), 106, 162-181. https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2021.61

Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle. / Peña-Monné, José Luis; Montes Ramírez, Lourdes; Sampietro-Vattuone, María Marta et al.
In: Quaternary Research (United States), Vol. 106, 19.03.2022, p. 162-181.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Peña-Monné, JL, Montes Ramírez, L, Sampietro-Vattuone, MM, Domingo Martínez, R, Medialdea, A, Bartolomé, M, Rubio Fernández, V, García Giménez, R, Turú, V, Ros, X, Baró, P, Bernal-Wormull, JL & Edwards, RL 2022, 'Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle', Quaternary Research (United States), vol. 106, pp. 162-181. https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2021.61

Peña-Monné JL, Montes Ramírez L, Sampietro-Vattuone MM, Domingo Martínez R, Medialdea A, Bartolomé M et al. Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle. Quaternary Research (United States). 2022 Mar 19;106:162-181. doi: 10.1017/qua.2021.61

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title = "Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Ar{\'e}n, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle",

abstract = "The Roca San Miguel (RSM) archaeological site was occupied during Mousterian times. Here we present a geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the site. Five stratigraphic units (A to E) formed by different archaeological levels are identified. Three optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages show that Unit A dates to between 169.6 ± 9.1 and 151.9 ± 11.1 ka, during the penultimate glacial period (PGP), and contains numerous signs of recurring hearths. Unit B is unexcavated. Unit C dates to between 118.9 ± 11.5 and 103.4 ± 6.9 ka (late Eemian-marine isotope stage (MIS) 5d) and shows an abundance of lithic remains as well as some faunal elements. Unit C is covered by Unit D, which incorporates materials moved downslope, and is dated at 81.2 ± 4.7 ka. These OSL ages concur with U/Th ages (129.3 ± 1.5 and 123.6 ± 0.6 ka) derived from a flowstone covered by both -C and D- post-flowstone units. Finally, Unit E covers the archaeological site, which was partially eroded during MIS2. The robust and well-constrained chronology of the RSM site and surroundings enables the establishment of its evolutionary model from the PGP to the last glacial cycle. The RSM site is the oldest Neanderthal occupation accurately dated in the Pre-Pyrenean region. ",

keywords = "Fluvial terraces, Geoarchaeology, OSL dating, Paleolithic, Pleistocene, Pyrenees",

author = "Pe{\~n}a-Monn{\'e}, {Jos{\'e} Luis} and {Montes Ram{\'i}rez}, Lourdes and Sampietro-Vattuone, {Mar{\'i}a Marta} and {Domingo Mart{\'i}nez}, Rafael and Alicia Medialdea and Miguel Bartolom{\'e} and {Rubio Fern{\'a}ndez}, Virginia and {Garc{\'i}a Gim{\'e}nez}, Rosario and Valent{\'i} Tur{\'u} and Xavier Ros and Pere Bar{\'o} and Bernal-Wormull, {Juan Luis} and Edwards, {R. Lawrence}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Arag{\'o}n Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Ar{\'e}n and the Diputaci{\'o}n Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019. Funding Information: This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Arag?n Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Ar?n and the Diputaci?n Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019. We wish to thank the editors and reviewers of Quaternary Research for their observations and comments to improve this work. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2021.",

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AU - Peña-Monné, José Luis

AU - Montes Ramírez, Lourdes

AU - Sampietro-Vattuone, María Marta

AU - Domingo Martínez, Rafael

AU - Medialdea, Alicia

AU - Bartolomé, Miguel

AU - Rubio Fernández, Virginia

AU - García Giménez, Rosario

AU - Turú, Valentí

AU - Ros, Xavier

AU - Baró, Pere

AU - Bernal-Wormull, Juan Luis

AU - Edwards, R. Lawrence

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Aragón Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Arén and the Diputación Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019. Funding Information: This research was supported by the Gaps and Sites (HAR2017-85023-P) and Gaps and Dates (PID2020-116598GB-I00) projects, funded by the MINECO/MICIN-AEI/FEDER, Spain/EU; and by the Research Group P3A from the Arag?n Government (H14_20R). We warmly thank the village and municipality of Ar?n and the Diputaci?n Provincial de Huesca for funding all the archaeological fieldwork between 2013 and 2019. We wish to thank the editors and reviewers of Quaternary Research for their observations and comments to improve this work. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2021.

PY - 2022/3/19

Y1 - 2022/3/19

N2 - The Roca San Miguel (RSM) archaeological site was occupied during Mousterian times. Here we present a geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the site. Five stratigraphic units (A to E) formed by different archaeological levels are identified. Three optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages show that Unit A dates to between 169.6 ± 9.1 and 151.9 ± 11.1 ka, during the penultimate glacial period (PGP), and contains numerous signs of recurring hearths. Unit B is unexcavated. Unit C dates to between 118.9 ± 11.5 and 103.4 ± 6.9 ka (late Eemian-marine isotope stage (MIS) 5d) and shows an abundance of lithic remains as well as some faunal elements. Unit C is covered by Unit D, which incorporates materials moved downslope, and is dated at 81.2 ± 4.7 ka. These OSL ages concur with U/Th ages (129.3 ± 1.5 and 123.6 ± 0.6 ka) derived from a flowstone covered by both -C and D- post-flowstone units. Finally, Unit E covers the archaeological site, which was partially eroded during MIS2. The robust and well-constrained chronology of the RSM site and surroundings enables the establishment of its evolutionary model from the PGP to the last glacial cycle. The RSM site is the oldest Neanderthal occupation accurately dated in the Pre-Pyrenean region.

AB - The Roca San Miguel (RSM) archaeological site was occupied during Mousterian times. Here we present a geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the site. Five stratigraphic units (A to E) formed by different archaeological levels are identified. Three optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages show that Unit A dates to between 169.6 ± 9.1 and 151.9 ± 11.1 ka, during the penultimate glacial period (PGP), and contains numerous signs of recurring hearths. Unit B is unexcavated. Unit C dates to between 118.9 ± 11.5 and 103.4 ± 6.9 ka (late Eemian-marine isotope stage (MIS) 5d) and shows an abundance of lithic remains as well as some faunal elements. Unit C is covered by Unit D, which incorporates materials moved downslope, and is dated at 81.2 ± 4.7 ka. These OSL ages concur with U/Th ages (129.3 ± 1.5 and 123.6 ± 0.6 ka) derived from a flowstone covered by both -C and D- post-flowstone units. Finally, Unit E covers the archaeological site, which was partially eroded during MIS2. The robust and well-constrained chronology of the RSM site and surroundings enables the establishment of its evolutionary model from the PGP to the last glacial cycle. The RSM site is the oldest Neanderthal occupation accurately dated in the Pre-Pyrenean region.

KW - Fluvial terraces

KW - Geoarchaeology

KW - OSL dating

KW - Paleolithic

KW - Pleistocene

KW - Pyrenees

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Geomorphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental context of the Mousterian site at Roca San Miguel (Arén, Huesca, Spain) from the penultimate to the last glacial cycle

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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