Early human collective practices and symbolism in the Early Upper Paleolithic of Southwest Asia, di O. Barzilai et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 17 December 2024, vol. 121, no. 51, e2404632121 - open access -

Identifying communal rituals in the Paleolithic is of scientific importance, as it reflects the expression of collective identity and the maintenance of group cohesion. This study provides evidence indicating the practice of deep cave collective rituals in the Levant during the Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) period. It is demonstrated that these gatherings occurred within a distinct ritual compound and were centered around an engraved object in the deepest part of Manot Cave, a pivotal EUP site in southwest Asia. The ritual compound, segregated from the living areas, encompasses a large gallery partitioned by a cluster of remarkable speleothems. Within this gallery, an engraved boulder stands out, displaying geometric signs suggesting a unique representation of a tortoise. Isotopic analysis of calcite crusts on the boulder’s grooves revealed alignment with values found in speleothems from the cave dated to ~37 to 35 ka BP. (...)

A Neanderthal's specialised burning structure compatible with tar obtention, di J. Ochando et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", Volume 346, 15 December 2024, 109025 - open access -

Here we present multiproxy evidence of a new type of Neanderthal hearth discovered in Vanguard Cave (VC) (Gibraltar), which is dated 65 kyr, and associated with Middle Paleolithic stone artefacts. The hearth structure coincides with predictions from theoretical studies which require the use of heating structures for obtaining birch tar, commonly used in hafting. We propose that the structure was used for heating rockroses (Cistaceae) under anoxic conditions by burning herbs and shrubs, over a guano mixed with sand layer. (...)

Neanderthal ancestry through time: Insights from genomes of ancient and present-day humans, di L. N. M. Iasi et alii, "Science", volume 386, Issue 6727, 13 dec 2024

Gene flow from Neanderthals has shaped genetic and phenotypic variation in modern humans. Most non-Africans living today derive ~1 to 2% of their ancestry from Neanderthals. Across the genome, some genomic regions harbor a high frequency of Neanderthal variants and are identified as “candidates of adaptive introgression,” whereas others are devoid of any Neanderthal ancestry and are referred to as “deserts.” However, the timing and evolutionary processes, for example, genetic drift or natural selection, that have shaped the landscape of Neanderthal ancestry remain elusive. Most of the previous studies have focused on genomes of present-day individuals, where separating the effects of past demography and selection is challenging. Ancient DNA analyses have transformed research into human evolutionary history by enabling the direct observation of genetic variation patterns that existed in the past. (...)

Wooden hafting technology in the early Neanderthal site of Poggetti Vecchi (Italy), di S. Florindi, F. Santaniello, B. Aranguren, S. Grimaldi, C. Melandri,  D. Puzio, A. Revedin, "Quaternary Science Reviews", Volume 345, 1 December 2024, 109014 - open access -

The invention of hafted tools, between about 500 Ka and 250 Ka years ago, was a fundamental technological innovation that has shaped human social, cognitive, and biological capabilities. Despite the recurrent evidence of hafting observed on lithic tools, handles from this period are rare since they were probably made of perishable materials. Three exceptional wooden sticks interpreted as handles have been found in the Poggetti Vecchi site, allowing a deeper investigation of the technical capabilities of the early Neanderthals who frequented the site around 170,000 years ago. (...)

The South Caucasus from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic: Intersection of the genetic and archaeological data, di C. Chataigner, "Quaternary Science Reviews", Volume 345, 1 December 2024, 109061 - open access -

The genomic characterisation of human remains and the study of archaeological assemblages are complementary keys to understanding the evolution of ancient human groups. This article proposes a dialogue between these two approaches for the South Caucasus between the Upper Palaeolithic and the Neolithic periods. In the Upper Palaeolithic before the Last Glacial Maximum (ca. 40.-23. ka cal BP), genetic and archaeological data demonstrate the originality of the populations of the South Caucasus (Caucasus_UP genome) compared with their neighbours in SE Europe and SW Asia and also show the existence of links between these different regions. For the post-LGM phase (ca. 20.9–11.7 ka cal BP), archaeological data suggest a certain continuity with the previous period during the cold phase of the Oldest Dryas, followed by a marked rapprochement with the Zarzian culture in the Zagros starting with the warming of the Bølling-Allerød. (...)

Temporal lobe evolution in Hominidae and the origin of human lobe proportions, di A. Pearson, P. D. Polly, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", Volume 185, Issue 4, December 2024, e25027 - open access -

Objectives Evolutionary changes in hominin social complexity have been associated with increases in absolute brain size. The temporal lobes are nestled in the middle cranial fossae (MCF) of the skull, the dimensions of which allow estimation of temporal lobe volume (TLV) in extant and fossil taxa. Materials and Methods The main aim of this study is to determine where along the hominid phylogeny, major temporal lobe size transitions occurred. We used computed tomography (CT) scans of crania, 3D photogrammetry data, and laser surface scans of endocranial casts to measure seven MCF metrics in 11 extant anthropoid taxa using multiple regressions to estimate TLV in 5 extant hominids and 10 fossil hominins. Phylogenetic comparative methods mapped temporal lobe size, brain size, and temporal lobe proportions onto phylogenetic trees broadly for Hominidae and specifically for Hominini. Results Extant Homo sapiens were not an outlier in relative brain size, temporal lobe size, or proportions of the temporal lobes, but some proportions within the lobe were uniquely altered. (...)

Middle Pleistocene teeth from Arbreda Cave (Serinyà, northeastern Iberian Peninsula), di M. Lozano et alii, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", Volume 185, Issue 4, December 2024, e25037 - open access -

We report the discovery and description of three human teeth from the Middle Paleolithic archaeological levels of Arbreda Cave (Serinyà, Catalonia, NE Iberian Peninsula).
The teeth, two molars (one right dm2 and one right M2) from Level N (older than 120 kyr) and one P3 from Level J (dated between 71 and 44 kyr), were morphologically described based on microCT images and compared with Neanderthal and Homo sapiens specimens.
The teeth belong to a minimum of three individuals: one adult and one infant from Level N and one juvenile from Level J. The premolar from Mousterian Level J, the best preserved of the three teeth, exhibits characteristics to those from our comparative sample of Homo neanderthalensis, such as the crown measurements, EDJ traits, enamel thickness and volume of the pulp cavity. (...)

Stone toolmaking energy expenditure differs between novice and expert toolmakers, di J. Pargeter, A. Cebeiro, S. B. Levy, Volume 185, Issue 4, December 2024, e25026 - open access -

This study investigates the energetic costs associated with Oldowan-style flake production and how skill differences influence these costs.
Nine adult participants, including novice and expert toolmakers, underwent a 2-h experimental session where we measured energy expenditure and flaking outcomes. We measured body mass (kg), percent body fat, and fat-free mass (kg) and used open-circuit indirect calorimetry to quantify energy expenditure. The lithic analysis used standard linear and mass measurements on the resulting cores and flakes. Qualitative observations from the video recordings provide insight into the subject's body positions and hand grips. (...)

Not just a technique! An experimental approach to refine the definition of the bipolar anvil reduction in the Uluzzian, di D. Delpiano et alii, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Numero 12, Dicembre 2024

The bipolar technique has been widely used across a wide range of prehistoric contexts, from the Lower Pleistocene to the Metal Ages, and is a defining feature of the Uluzzian technocomplex, evident in the Early Upper Palaeolithic of Italy and Greece. The objective of this paper is to examine whether the use of the bipolar technique within the Uluzzian extends beyond its conventional definition as a mere technique. To address this question, we conducted goal-orientated experimental flaking, focusing on the industries found at key Uluzzian sites in Italy: Broion, La Fabbrica, and Castelcivita. A comprehensive review of archaeological and ethnographic evidence further supplemented our study on the application of the bipolar technique. (...)

Epigravettian barbed points from Vlakno cave (Croatia): the earliest evidence for barbed point technology in the Adriatic, di S. Vitezović, D. Vujević, S. Radović, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Numero 12, Dicembre 2024

Barbed projectile points, produced from osseous raw materials, are considered to be a major advancement in the hunting techniques of prehistoric communities. They appear in Eurasia in the Upper Palaeolithic period, and were rather common during the Magdalenian technocomplex and later, among the Mesolithic communities in northern parts of Europe. When it comes to the Adriatic area and the Balkan hinterlands, barbed projectiles were rather scarce and mainly from the Early Holocene period – relatively large assemblage comes from the site of Odmut in Montenegro, and few were found in the Iron Gates region. (...)

Back(s) to basics: The concept of backing in stone tool technologies for tracing hominins' technical innovations, di D. Delpiano, B. Gravina, M. Peresani, "Evolutionary Anthropology", Volume 33, Issue 6, December 2024, e22045 - open access -

The evolution of Paleolithic stone tool technologies is characterized by gradual increase in technical complexity along with changes in the composition of assemblages. In this respect, the emergence of retouched-backed tools is an important step and, for some, a proxy for “modern” behavior. However, backed tools emerge relatively early and develop together with major changes in Middle-Upper Pleistocene stone tool technologies. We provide an updated review of the emergence and development of the “backing” concept across multiple chrono-cultural contexts and discuss its relationship to both the emergence of hafting and major evolutionary steps in the ergonomics of stone tool use. Finally, we address potential mechanisms of context-specific re-invention of backing based primarily on data from the late Middle Paleolithic of Western Europe. (...)

A biochronological date of 3.6 million years for “Little Foot” (StW 573, Australopithecus prometheus from Sterkfontein, South Africa), di F. Thackeray, "Evolutionary Anthropology", Volume 33, Issue 6, December 2024, e22049 - open access -

A debate has developed with regard to geological ages of hominin fossils attributed to Australopithecus africanus and Australopithecus prometheus in South African Plio-Pleistocene cave deposits. For the Sterkfontein caves (Members 2 and 4), cosmogenic nuclide isochron (10Be/26Al) dating has yielded age estimates ranging from 3.4 to 3.7 million years ago (Ma). However, biochronological approaches using nonhominin primates suggest an alternative age range between 2 and 2.6 Ma. Based on a new method of hominin biochronology, Thackeray and Dykes have recognized that Sterkfontein Member 4 has a mean age of 2.76 Ma associated with a wide range (circa 2.0–3.5 Ma). In this study, the Sterkfontein skull and skeleton (StW 573), nicknamed “Little Foot” from Member 2 and attributed to A. prometheus, is reassessed. (...)

Space Analysis in Palaeolithic Cave Art: Towards a Multidisciplinary and Integrated Approach, di O. Spaey, D. Garate, A. Irurtzun, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Numero 4, Dicembre 2024, pages 1803–1842 - open access -

We present a revision of the concept of space in Palaeolithic cave art. Previous research attempting to approach this notion encounters several gaps, which surface on multiple levels: subjectivity, vagueness, restrictions on its conceptualisation, its illustration (two-dimensional description and representation), among others. We reassess the key elements at play, interpretative attempts, and theoretical concepts to gain a better understanding of the notion of space as applied to cave art. This is achieved by examining the historiography not only in prehistory but also in related disciplines, integrating new theoretical approaches and insights from ethnoarchaeology, linguistics, cognitive science, and analytic philosophy. (...)

New Methods for Old Questions: The Use of Elliptic Fourier Analysis for the Formal Study of Palaeolithic Art, di M. García-Bustos, P. García Bustos, O. Rivero, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Numero 4, Dicembre 2024, pages 1843–1872 - open access -

One of the main objectives of Palaeolithic art researchers is to study and systematise the form of artistic representations. Some methodologies include the analysis of qualitative variables, linear measurements or the use of geometric morphometry with landmarks. However, these techniques depend to a large extent on the subjectivity of the researcher, which often leads to biased results. To overcome this issue, we present an application of geometric morphometry using Elliptic Fourier Analysis (EFA), together with multivariate statistics and hypothesis testing, for the first time to the study of form in prehistoric art. In order to explain its use, the “duck-bill” convention of pre-Magdalenian horses, often used as a chronological and geographical marker, has been used as a case study. (...)

Techné of Rock Engravings—the Timna Case Study, di L. Dubinsky, L. Grosman, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Numero 4, Dicembre 2024, pages 1917–1953 - open access -

Traditionally, rock engravings were studied through their visual characteristics. They have been analyzed with comparative and interpretative methodologies of iconography and iconology. However, there has been a recent shift towards identifying production processes, allowing reconstruction of operational characteristics through various methods. Nevertheless, the studies of the technological aspects typically focus on the operational and the mechanical, often omitting the visuality of the outcome. In the current paper, we are using ArchCUT3-D software for computational analysis of 3-D data acquired from various rock engravings located in Timna Park, southern Israel. (...)

Exploring Basalt: A Methodological Framework for Analysing Wear Traces on Basalt Tools, di L. Asryan, V. Rots, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Numero 4, Dicembre 2024, pages 1954–1983 - open access -

Basalt is a widely used raw material for tool manufacture at prehistoric sites, but a unified methodology for assessing how hominfins used basalt in prehistory is lacking. A comprehensive experimental investigation of basalt tools is, thus, necessary to establish a reliable methodological framework that can be used to explore the functional properties of archaeological basalt assemblages. The aim of this study is to contribute to the development of a methodological framework for the analysis of use-wear on basalt tools. Basalt, characterised by its distinct mechanical and structural properties and unique response to mechanical stress, requires specialised treatment and investigation. (...)

The Time of the Stones: A Call for Palimpsest Dissection to Explore Lithic Record Formation Processes, di S. Sossa-Ríos et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Numero 4, Dicembre 2024, pages 2188–2238 - open access -

The dissection of archaeological palimpsests has become a crucial process for achieving a diachronic understanding of the history of human groups. However, its widespread application to archaeological deposits has been hampered by both methodological and theoretical limitations, as well as by the inherent characteristics of the deposits. This paper explores whether overcoming these barriers, both methodological and theoretical, truly represents a significant shift in understanding past human behaviour, thereby motivating the pursuit of shorter timescales. To this end, we have analysed the lithic assemblages of Unit Xb from the Neanderthal site of El Salt (Alcoi, Iberian Peninsula) focusing on lithic attributes and raw material analyses, enabling the definition of raw material units and refitting sets. Considering these variables, we have applied archaeostratigraphic and spatial analyses in order to generate units of analysis whose content is compared to that of the entire unit. (...)

Modern African ecosystems as landscape-scale analogues for reconstructing woody cover and early hominin environments, di E. W. Negash et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 197, December 2024, 103604

Reconstructing habitat types available to hominins and inferring how the paleo-landscape changed through time are critical steps in testing hypotheses about the selective pressures that drove the emergence of bipedalism, tool use, a change in diet, and progressive encephalization. Change in the amount and distribution of woody vegetation has been suggested as one of the important factors that shaped early hominin evolution. Previous models for reconstructing woody cover at eastern African hominin fossil sites used global-scale modern soil comparative datasets. Our higher-spatial-resolution study of carbon isotopes in soil organic matter is based on 26 modern African locations, ranging from tropical grass-dominated savannas to forests. (...)

The human remains of Final Gravettian age from the Reclau Viver and Mollet III caves (Serinyà, NE Iberian Peninsula), di J. Soler, I. Rufí, N. Coromina, A. Solés, D. G. Drucker, N. Soler, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 197, December 2024, 103603

The anthropological record of the Upper Paleolithic in the Iberian Peninsula prior to the Last Glacial Maximum is scarce, and aside from the skeleton of Lagar Velho burial (Duarte et al., 1999; Zilhão and Trinkhaus, 2002), it is generally constituted by isolated remains. In the Cantabrian area, this includes four teeth discovered in Aitzbitarte III cave (de la Rua et al., 2012) and an infantile mandible unearthed in 1912 during Hugo Obermaier's work in Castillo cave (Garralda et al., 2019). In the Mediterranean area, the record is limited to the infant occipital bone from Malladetes cave (Arsuaga et al., 2002) and the remains from Reclau Viver and Mollet III caves that will be addressed in this article. (...)

Ostrich eggshell beads: Hole drilling technology at Little Muck Shelter, South Africa, di  N. Leoni Sherwood, T. Forssman, "Journal of Archaeological Science", Volume 172, December 2024, 106091

Ostrich eggshell beads (OES) are commonly found in forager sites across sub-Saharan Africa. Although they have received a reasonable amount of investigation, the drilling technology used to perforate OES beads has received little attention. As a result, not much is known about this technology. Providing a basic tool form for these drills could be useful for future researchers to identify such tools in assemblages, or to prompt revisiting older assemblages to identify these types of tools, which might have been overlooked or misidentified. This study made use of experimentation and use-wear to determine the types and shapes of materials most effective for perforating OES. (...)

Hearth management at a middle Paleolithic rock shelter site: Smoke density analysis at Tor Faraj, Jordan, di Y. Kedar, G. Kedar, S. Kadowaki, R. Barkai, "Journal of Archaeological Science", Volume 172, December 2024, 106107

Paleolithic rock shelters often include several hearths located in different parts of the site. In this paper, we analyze relevant data from Middle Paleolithic Tor Faraj rock shelter as a case study of smoke density in correlation with hearth location and functionality. Since one of the major negative fire products is smoke, which has an immediate effect on human health, we used computer simulations to analyze the effect of various parallel hypothetical hearth configurations on smoke density in the shelter, as categorized by the average smoke exposure recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (...)

- Hymnes à la Vie dans l’art pariétal du Paléolithique supérieur en Europe occidentale, di B. de Seille, J. M. de Seille

- Arts préhistoriques : un tournant ontologique?, di E. Honoré

- Œuvres d’art méconnues de la grotte du Mas d’Azil (Ariège). Les aurochs « mal définis » de la collection Marthe et Saint-Just Péquart. Musée d’Archéologie nationale, di A. Rouquette, C. Schwab, P. Paillet

- Masques et mascarades à Font-de-Gaume (Les Eyzies, Dordogne). Réflexions préliminaires sur une mystérieuse assemblée, di P. Paillet

- Sortir de l’ombre l’art des cavernes, di G. Sauvet

- L’art paléolithique du Portugal une quarantaine d’années après la publication des gravures de Mazouco, di A. T. Santos, T. Aubry

- As Related to the Interpretation of an Engraved Rib from the Upper Paleolithic Site of Mezhirich (Ukraine), di E. M. Baitenov

Dental evidence for extended growth in early Homo from Dmanisi, di C. P. E. Zollikofer, V. Beyrand, D. Lordkipanidze, P. Tafforeau, M. S. Ponce de León, "Nature", Volume 635, Issue 8040, 28 November 2024, pages 906–911 - open access -

Human life history is characterized by an extended period of immaturity during which there is a disjunction between cerebral and somatic growth rates. This mode of ontogeny is thought to be essential for the acquisition of advanced cognitive capabilities in a socially complex environment while the brain is still growing. Key information about when and how this pattern evolved can be gleaned from the teeth of fossil hominins because dental development informs about the pace of life history. Here we show that the first evolutionary steps towards an extended growth phase occurred in the genus Homo at least 1.77 million years ago, before any substantial increase in brain size. We used synchrotron phase-contrast tomography to track the microstructural development of the dentition of a subadult early Homo individual from Dmanisi, Georgia. (...)

Footprint evidence for locomotor diversity and shared habitats among early Pleistocene hominins, di K. G. Hatala et alii, "Science", vol. 386, issue 6725, 28 Nov 2024, pp. 1004-1010

For much of the Pliocene and Pleistocene, multiple hominin species coexisted in the same regions of eastern and southern Africa. Due to the limitations of the skeletal fossil record, questions regarding their interspecific interactions remain unanswered. We report the discovery of footprints (~1.5 million years old) from Koobi Fora, Kenya, that provide the first evidence of two different patterns of Pleistocene hominin bipedalism appearing on the same footprint surface. New analyses show that this is observed repeatedly across multiple contemporaneous sites in the eastern Turkana Basin. (...)

The effects of climate and population on human land use patterns in Europe from 22ka to 9ka ago, di P. M. Yaworsky, S. T. Hussain, F. Riede, "Quaternary Science Reviews", Volume 344, 15 November 2024, 108956 - open access -

Between 22ka and 9ka ago, after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and during the transition to the Holocene, mobile hunter-gatherer populations, differentiated by their stone tool assemblages, periodically dispersed and contracted across Europe. It is well understood that climate played an important role in human distributions and population sizes during the post-LGM Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, but the question remains as to whether increasing population sizes drove early human dispersal. Here, using a spatiotemporal species distribution model to infer the fundamental and potential human climatic niche space of Late Upper Paleolithic, Final Paleolithic and Early Mesolithic Europe, and hypotheses derived from the Ideal Distribution Model, we test i) how changes in climate affected the size and extent of the projected potential human niche space, ii) for effects of changes in size of projected potential niche on regional human population sizes, iii) whether increasing human population sizes drove human dispersal into less climatically suitable habitats, and iv) whether populations associated with different high-order material culture groupings (macro-level technocomplexes) occupied different climatic spaces. (...)

12,000-year-old spindle whorls and the innovation of wheeled rotational technologies, di  T. Yashuv, L. Grosman, 13 November 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312007 - open access -

‘The wheel and axle’ revolutionized human technological history by transforming linear to rotary motion and causing parts of devices to move. While its ancient origins are commonly associated with the appearance of carts during the Bronze Age, we focus on much earlier wheel-shaped find–an exceptional assemblage of over a hundred perforated pebbles from the 12,000-year-old Natufian village of Nahal Ein-Gev II, Israel. We analyze the assemblage using 3D methodologies, incorporating novel study applications to both the pebbles and their perforations and explore the functional implications. We conclude that these items could have served as spindle whorls to spin fibres. In a cumulative evolutionary trend, they manifest early phases of the development of rotational technologies by laying the mechanical principle of the wheel and axle. All in all, it reflects on the technological innovations that played an important part in the Neolithization processes of the Southern Levant. (...)

New insights into the Denisovans: New hominin group that interbred with modern day humans, 8 November 2024

Scientists believe individuals of the most recently discovered 'hominin' group (the Denisovans) that interbred with modern day humans passed on some of their genes via multiple, distinct interbreeding events that helped shape early human history. Scientists outline evidence suggesting that several Denisovan populations, who likely had an extensive geographical range from Siberia to Southeast Asia and from Oceania to South America, were adapted to distinct environments. They further outline a number of genes of Denisovan origin that gave modern day humans advantages in their different environments. (...)

- Small things matter: Microlaminar tools in the Magdalenian sequence of Cova de les Cendres (Alicante, Spain), di M. Ángel Bel, V. Villaverde

- A newly-discovered stone pendant from the Upper Palaeolithic of Poiana Cireșului-Piatra Neamț (Romania) and its wider context, di M. Cârciumaru et alii

- Zooarchaeological analysis of the Raşcov 7 Upper Palaeolithic site (Republic of Moldova), di L. Demay, R. Croitor, S. Covalenco, T. Obadă, V. Pascari

- Nouvelles données sur le Paléolithique supérieur du Bassin de Minoussinsk, Sibérie du Sud (le site d’Irba 2), di S. A. Vasil’ev et alii

- Le Paléolithique Supérieur (« PS ») ou le crépuscule de l’humanité. Vue Synthétique, di M. Otte

- Le Site Préhistorique et Protohistorique Karstique « Grottes d’Ibn Khaldoun » dans la reculée de Taoughzout, Tiaret-Ouest Algérien, di Z. Chabane

- Human behavior, space and activity. Methodological discussion on the spatial organization of camps by Mesolithic communities based on the Nieborowa I (Poland), di T. Boroń, M. Winiarska-Kabacińska

- Schème, schéma et chaîne opératoire : des concepts à croiser en préhistoire — application à l’instrumentation des pêcheurs mésolithiques d’Europe du Nord, di A. Mazet, É. David, P. C. Woodman

- Entre obsidienne et silex : stratégies d’utilisation des matières premières des chasseurs épipaléolithiques de la région de l’Elbrouz, Caucase du nord-centre, di E. V. Doronicheva

- Épipaléolithique du Caucase du Nord-Centre, di L. V. Golovanova, V. B. Doronichev, E. V. Doronicheva

- Post-Pleistocene adaptation and subsistence economy complex of hunter-gatherers of eastern Siberia: A case study of Ust’-Khaita I site, di A. A. Ulanov, A. V. Tetenkin, N. A. Savel’ev

- Stratégies d’habitat des chasseurs à l’Épipaléolithique de la région de l’Elbrouz, Nord Caucase, di L. V. Golovanova, V. B. Doronichev, I. G. Shirobokov, E. V. Doronicheva

Lower Paleolithic Stone-Animal ontologies: stone scrapers as mediators between early humans and their preferred prey, di V. Litov, R. Barkai, "World Archaeology", 01 Nov 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2024.2407305 - open access -

Animal meat, fat, and other animal-derived materials have been essential for human adaptation since the Early Palaeolithic, forming a crucial foundation for many hunter-gatherer societies until recently. In these societies, animals were perceived as vital beings with whom a balanced relationship, based on respect, was paramount. Stone tools for multi-stage butchery enabled efficient acquisition and processing of animal remains, aligning with Indigenous ontologies. Ethnographic and ethno-archaeological data globally indicate that stone tools used in hunting, butchery, and hide-working evolved alongside changes in animal availability, driven by practical and ontological factors. (...)

PaleoAntropologia, Volume 2024, Numero 2
Numero speciale: Integrazione di ZooMS e Zooarcheologia: sfide metodologiche e potenzialità interpretative - open access -

- Verso una più profonda integrazione di ZooMS e zooarcheologia nei siti paleolitici: sfide attuali e direzioni future. Numero speciale: Integrazione di ZooMS e Zooarcheologia: sfide metodologiche e potenzialità interpretative, di G. M. Smith, K. Ruebens, V. Sinet-Mathiot, F. Welker, pp. 186-211

- Integrazione di approcci morfologici e basati su ZooMS alla zooarcheologia nella grotta di Vogelherd nella Germania sud-occidentale, di N. Wang, N. J. Conard, K. Douka, pp. 212-229

- Indagine sulla composizione delle specie nell'Aurignaziano inferiore di Le Piage (Francia) tramite impronte digitali del collagene (ZooMS) di piccoli frammenti ossei recuperati tramite screening, di P. Raymond et alii, pp. 230-244

- La sussistenza umana prima e dopo l'evento di 8,2 ka cal BP nella penisola iberica settentrionale: dati archeozoologici e proteomici dall'assemblaggio di macromammiferi del riparo roccioso di El Mazo, di E. Arenas-Sorriqueta, A. B. Marín-Arroyo, I. Gutiérrez-Zugasti, D. Cuenca-Solana, F. Yang, T. O'Connell, pp. 245-262

- Integrazione di ZooMS e Zooarcheologia per valutare le occupazioni di Châtelperroniani e Carnivori a Cassenade (Dordogna, Francia), di K. Ruebens, G. M. Smith, E. Discamps, J. J. Hublin, pp. 263-281

- ZooMS può aiutare a valutare l'abbondanza di specie in assemblaggi ossei altamente frammentati? Integrazione di identificazioni morfologiche e proteomiche per il calcolo di uno ZooMS-eNISP aggiustato, di E. Discamps, K. Ruebens, G. Smith, J. J. Hublin, pp. 282-297

- Confronto tra la sussistenza dei Neanderthal e quella degli esseri umani moderni a Riparo Bombrini: un'analisi archeozoologica integrata, tafonomica multivariata e ZooMS, di G. Pothier-Bouchard, A. Burke, M. Buckley, F. Negrino, A. Vallerand, A. Belen Marín-Arroyo, J. Riel-Salvatore, pp. 298-334

- L'integrazione della morfologia e della fauna identificata da ZooMS fornisce informazioni sulla diversità delle specie e sulle interazioni tra Neanderthal e carnivori in paesaggi condivisi: prove da Picken's Hole, Gran Bretagna, di F. Holloran, D. Frémondeau, L. Wilson, L. Martin, R. E. Stevens, pp. 335-360

How the Famous Lucy Fossil Revolutionized the Study of Human Origins, di D. C. Johanson, Y. Haile-Selassie, "Scientific American Magazine", November 2024, Volume 331, Issue 4

Every once in a great while paleontological fieldwork turns up a fossil so extraordinary that it revolutionizes our understanding of the origin and evolution of an entire branch of the tree of life. Fifty years ago one of us (Johanson) made just such a discovery on an expedition to the Afar region of Ethiopia. On November 24, 1974, Johanson was out prospecting for fossils of human ancestors with his graduate student Tom Gray, eyes trained on the ground, when he spotted a piece of elbow with humanlike anatomy. Glancing upslope, he saw additional fragments of bone glinting in the noonday sun. In the weeks, months and years that followed, as the expedition team worked to recover and analyze all the ancient bones eroding out of that hillside, it became clear that Johanson had found a remarkable partial skeleton of a human ancestor who had lived some 3.2 million years ago. (...)

“How handy was early hominin ‘know-how’?” An experimental approach exploring efficient early stone tool use, di B. Eteson, S. Affinito, E. T. Moos, F. Alexandros Karakostis, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", Volume 185, Issue 3, November 2024, e25019 - open access -

The appearance of early lithic industries has been associated with the gradual development of unique biomechanical and cognitive abilities in hominins, including human-like precision grasping and basic learning and/or communicating capacities. These include tools used for activities exclusively associated with hominin contexts (cutting flakes) and hammerstones utilized for behaviors shared with non-human primates (e.g., nut-cracking). However, no previous experimental research has focused on comparing the factors affecting efficiency between these two key behavioral patterns and their evolutionary implications.
Here, we address this gap with an experimental design involving participants with varying tool-related experience levels (i.e., no experience, theoretical-only experience, and extensive practical knapping expertise) to monitor their success rates, biometrics, and surface electromyography (sEMG) recordings from eight important hand and forearm muscles. (...)

On time scales and “synchronic” variability in the archaeology of human origins: short-term technological variations at SHK (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania), di F. Diez-Martín et alii, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 11, article number 181, November 2024

The significance of the archaeological record unearthed in the SHK fluvial landscape represents a noteworthy dataset to study in greater detail the expression of inter-assemblage variability during the formally labelled Developed Oldowan/Acheulean interface in Olduvai Gorge. A precise stratigraphic interval, laterally continuous, and preserving fractions of anthropogenic activity at different points of the same fluvial network makes it feasible to identify the variable techno-economic ways in which hominins responded to the local paleo-landscape in a short time unit. In this work we present the results of the comparative techno-economic study of the three lithic collections retrieved from the time unit defined by an isochronous litho-stratigraphic volcanic horizon deposited in the fluvial landscape of SHK Main site and SHK Extension. (...)

Humanlike manual activities in Australopithecus, di J. Kunze, K. Harvati, G. Hotz, F. Alexandros Karakostis, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 196, November 2024, 103591 - open access -

The evolution of the human hand is a topic of great interest in paleoanthropology. As the hand can be involved in a vast array of activities, knowledge regarding how it was used by early hominins can yield crucial information on the factors driving biocultural evolution. Previous research on early hominin hands focused on the overall bone shape. However, while such approaches can inform on mechanical abilities and the evolved efficiency of manipulation, they cannot be used as a definite proxy for individual habitual activity. Accordingly, it is crucial to examine bone structures more responsive to lifetime biomechanical loading, such as muscle attachment sites or internal bone architecture. In this study, we investigate the manual entheseal patterns of Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus africanus, and Australopithecus sediba through the application of the validated entheses-based reconstruction of activity method. (...)

The dentition of a new adult Neanderthal individual from Grotte Mandrin, France, di J. Fuchs et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 196, November 2024, 103599 - open access -

Grotte Mandrin is located in the middle Rhône River Valley, in Mediterranean France, and has yielded 11 Pleistocene archeological and paleoanthropological layers (ranging from the oldest layer J to the youngest layer B) dating from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 to MIS 3. We report here the nearly complete dentition of an adult Neanderthal individual, nicknamed ‘Thorin,’ associated to the last phase of the Post-Neronian II, in layer B2 (∼44.50–42.25 ka). A previous paleogenetic analysis revealed that Thorin is a male individual and that he shows a deep genetic divergence with other penecontemporaneous Neanderthals from western Europe that possibly occurred ~105 ka. The 31 teeth of Thorin (including two distomolars) are described and analyzed using microcomputed tomography imaging and are compared with other Neanderthals and modern humans. (...)

Additional isolated hominin canine tooth from Kanapoi, Kenya, di C. V. Ward, J. M. Plavcan, F. K. Manthi, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 196, November 2024, 103592

In 2021, a team from the West Turkana Paleo Project conducted a brief survey of the deposits at Kanapoi, West Turkana, Kenya. During this visit, Robert Moru discovered an isolated hominin mandibular canine (KNM-KP 77321; Fig. 1) from the lower fluvial deposits at Kanapoi dated to between 4.195 and 4.108 Ma (McDougall and Brown, 2008). All hominin specimens from Kanapoi are attributed to Australopithecus anamensis (Leakey et al., 1995, 1998; Ward et al., 1999, 2001, 2013, 2020; Manthi et al., 2012). One of the features argued to distinguish A. anamensis from more recent australopith taxa is the relatively large size of the canine roots (...)

Children at play: The role of novices in the production of Europe’s earliest Upper Paleolithic ceramics, di R. Farbstein, A. Nowell, 25 October 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309107 - open access -

Although archaeologists are learning more about the lives of Upper Paleolithic children, the significant contributions they made to the welfare of their communities, including their role in craft production, remain understudied. In the present study, we use high resolution photographs of 489 ceramic artifacts from Dolní Věstonice I and II, Pavlov I and VI, and Předmostí, five archaeological sites in Czechia (ca. 30,000 BP) to address two questions: 1. Can the ceramic products of novices be distinguished from those made by experts? 2. If so, can we tell if these novices were children? To address these questions, we documented variables known ethnographically and archaeologically to be associated with learners in a sample from these five sites. The sample is composed of fired (“ceramic”) and unfired (“sedimentary”) anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, non-diagnostic figurine fragments and a sample of the so-called "pellets" from one site, Pavlov I. Our results support the hypothesis that ceramic objects are the products of novices, and in many cases, these novices are children. Our findings have implications for inter-generational knowledge transmission, the role of children in craft production and the importance of learning through play. (...)

Climatic and environmental changes of ~100 thousand years: The mammals from the early Middle Pleistocene sequence of Notarchirico (southern Italy), di B. Mecozzi, A. Iannucci, M. Carpentieri, A. Pineda, R. Rabinovich, R. Sardella, M. H. Moncel, 23 October 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311623 - open access -

Here we revise all the paleontological sample of Notarchirico, including historical collections and new findings collected during 2016–2023 excavations. Notarchirico is one of the most significant sites for the study of human evolution and terrestrial ecosystem dynamics during the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition, preserving nearly 100.000 years of environmental and climatic changes constrained between 695 ± 6 ka and 614 ± 12 ka. The deposit yielded the oldest human fossil of the Italian Peninsula, and one of the oldest European evidence of Homo heidelbergensis, as well as one of the earliest evidence of bifacial tools in western Europe, commonly associated with the Acheulean techno-complex. Our paleontological results revealed the presence of three different mammal complexes, documenting faunal dynamics in response of climatic driven-changes recognized during the early Middle Pleistocene. The lower complex (levels I2-G) indicates the dominance of wooded spaces, sparse steppes, and the existence of water bodies (lakes or ponds), indicating a deterioration of the fully interglacial conditions recorded during the end of MIS 17; the middle complex (levels G-C) with a low number of mammal remains can be attributed to the glacial conditions of MIS 16; the upper complex (levels B-above α) indicates an improvement in climate, transitioning towards the full interglacial conditions of the of MIS 15. (...)

Examining the effect of post-depositional processes on the preservation and identification of stone tool residues from temperate environments: An experimental approach, di D. Cnuts, V. Rots, 21 october 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309060 - open access -

Studying taphonomy is crucial for understanding how post-depositional processes impact archaeological remains. This knowledge is pivotal for accurately interpreting the archaeological record. Although taphonomy has a long tradition in archaeology, it is less developed in the analysis of stone tool residues compared to other subdisciplines. To address this gap, our study aims to further develop our understanding of the preservation potential of stone tool residues in temperate environments through actualist experiments. To achieve this, we develop a multidimensional experimental program that features the first biweekly monitoring of weathering processes on residues over a one-year cycle, aiming to understand the short-term effects of weathering immediately after tool discard. Additionally, the program involves the study of longer-term burial and weathering visual effects on different residue types within various previously unexplored depositional environments. This approach allows us to observe the visual effects of both weathering and burial processes and to improve our understanding of the different mechanisms involved in the diagenesis of stone tool residues. (...)

Between land and sea: A multidisciplinary approach to understand the Early Occupation of Sicily (EOS), di I. Patania et alii, 9 October 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299118 - open access -

The island of Sicily is considered to be among the first occupied by humans in the European Upper Paleolithic. Studies to understand early occupation of the island are mostly concentrated on the northern shores. Our project, Early Occupation of Sicily (EOS), focuses on southeastern Sicily so to address questions regarding dispersal to Mediterranean islands and Late Pleistocene landscapes and environments. Here, we present the initial results of our terrestrial and underwater surveys in combination with archival work and analyses of museum collections. In SE Sicily very few Upper Paleolithic sites have been excavated and analyzed using scientific methods. We have relocated and assessed ~20 caves and rock shelters identified between the 1870s and 1990s, studied museum collections, and collected raw material to reconstruct procurement patterns. To identify new sites, we conducted land and underwater surveys to reconstruct paleo-shorelines and past environments. We have identified three sites, two on land and one partially submerged, that still contain unexplored archaeological sediments, demonstrated in one instance through seismic tomography. This work shows the potential of re-examining minimally studied sites and materials to reconstruct mobility patterns and environmental impact of the first inhabitants of the island. (...)

The DNH 7 endocast of Paranthropus robustus from Drimolen, South Africa: Reconsidering the functional significance of an enlarged occipital-marginal (O/M) sinus system in robust australopithecines, di D. Falk, A. Marom, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", Volume 185, Issue 2, October 2024, e25010 - open access -

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the endocast of one of the most complete Paranthropus robustus crania known, DNH 7, from the Drimolen site (South Africa), and compares it with the morphology of other australopithecine endocasts. We focus on endocranial volume, the impressions of cortical sulci, cranial sutures, and the pattern of cranial venous sinuses on the endocast. A noteworthy observation is the estimated endocranial capacity of 403 cm3, which is small for an adult Paranthropus. Fragmentary sulci identified in the frontal and temporal lobes of DNH 7 exhibit similarities with patterns observed in chimpanzees and gracile australopithecines. We observe the presence of a large remnant of an occipital-marginal sinus on DNH 7 and provide an updated table of 13 Paranthropus endocasts that are scorable for this trait, which reinforces the hypothesis that an enlarged occipital-marginal (O/M) sinus system was fixed across the three species of Paranthropus. (...)

Geochemical and mineralogical characterization on an ochre residue adhering to a pebble found in the Oriente A Epigravettian burial, in the Grotta d’Oriente of Favignana (Egadi, Italy), di G. Vita, M. L. Saladino, F. Armetta, L. Sineo, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 10, article number 175, October 2024

The Grotta d’Oriente, on the island of Favignana (Egadi, Sicily) has yielded a series of burials and human remains attributable to the final Epigravettian and Mesolithic. The Epigravettian burial, known as Oriente A, is characterised by funerary equipment consisting of perforated shells and a pebble with traces of red ochre. This site is one of the rare cases in which there is evidence of the use of ochre in a funerary context in Sicily and therefore the archaeological reconstruction requires the chemical-mineralogical characterization of this pigment using SEM, EDS, XRD, FORS and Raman spectroscopy. (...)

The emergence of large flake-based Acheulian technology: perspective from the highland site-complex of Melka Wakena, Ethiopia, di T. Gossa, E. Hovers, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 10, article number 172, October 2024 - open access -

Isaac GL (1969) proposed that Large Cutting Tools (LCTs) made on large flake blanks detached from giant/boulder cores are the key technological variable that distinguishes the Acheulian from the Oldowan. The production of large flake blanks was initially observed in the earliest records of the Acheulian technology in Africa ca. 1.75 Ma, subsequently becoming a technological feature of many sites across eastern Africa. Still, the mode and tempo of evolution of the large flake-based Acheulian technology remains poorly understood. Here we report on the large flake-based Acheulian assemblage at locality MW5 in the Melka Wakena site-complex, chronologically constrained between 1.37 and 1.34 Ma. At the site-complex level we note that aspects related to small flake production remain relatively unchanged since ~ 1.6 Ma. (...)

Not only domestic spaces: dismantling short-term occupations in Level 497D of Cova Gran de Santa Linya (Pre-Pyrenees, Spain), di L. Sánchez-Romero, J. Martínez-Moreno, A. Benito-Calvo, J. Sánchez-Martínez, R. Mora Torcal, "Journal of Quaternary Science", Volume 39, Issue 7, October 2024, Pages 1078-1097 - open access -

The Early Upper Paleolithic Level 497D of Cova Gran (Pre-Pyrenees, Spain) comprises large assemblages of lithics, fauna, hearths, ash accumulations and well-preserved refitting sequences. This provides exceptional information to analyze spatial patterns and deepen our understanding of the socio-economic behavior of these human groups. This large interdisciplinary dataset has allowed us to carry out a detailed spatial study based on density analysis, geostatistics, fabric analysis and orientation techniques, revealing a structuring of the activities performed within the rock shelter. The distribution and accumulation of lithic artifacts, fauna and refits, and their association with the 10 hearths and ash accumulations, show that different types of activities were developed at the site, as well as showing the different uses of the hearths. (...)

Taxonomic and stable isotope analyses of mammal remains from the Lateglacial site of Grotta Polesini (central Italy): Paleoenviromental implications, di F. Giustini, A. Iannucci, G. Porcelli, I. Micarelli, M. Brilli, R. Sardella, B. Mecozzi, "Journal of Quaternary Science", Volume 39, Issue 7, October 2024, Pages 1098-1115

Grotta Polesini is one of the most famous paleontological and archaeological sites of central Italy, which testifies to its human occupation during the Lateglacial. The site comprises a cave system where systematic excavation campaigns have been carried out since the 1950s. In 1974, 656 mammal remains were collected but never studied. This fossil collection is here described for the first time through taxonomic and stable isotope analyses of the enamel of selected mammal teeth. The aim is to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental and climatic conditions of the site and to offer new information on terrestrial ecosystems during the Lateglacial in central Italy. The faunal assemblage studied herein, in addition to other species reported in previous works, suggests cold climate conditions. (...)

The archaeological visibility of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) nut-cracking, di T. Proffitt, S. Soiret Pacome, J. S. Reeves, R. M. Wittig, L. V. Luncz, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 195, October 2024, 103582 - open access -

The earliest evidence for complex tool use in the archaeological record dates to 3.3 Ma. While wooden tools may have been used by our earliest ancestors, the evidence is absent due to poor preservation. However, insights into possible early hominin wooden tool use can be gained from observing the tool-use practices of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). By using stone hammers used to crack various nuts, chimpanzees leave a durable material signature comprised of formal tools and associated diagnostic fragments. While the archaeological evidence of chimpanzee wooden tool use is temporary, the combination of stone hammers and wooden anvils can create a more enduring lithic record. This study explores the lithic assemblages associated with wooden and stone anvil use at nut-cracking sites in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, using technological and use-wear analyses. Our results indicate clear differences in density, fracture patterns, and use-wear in the lithic records between wooden anvil and stone anvil sites. (...)

No scientific evidence that Homo naledi buried their dead and produced rock art, di M. Martinón-Torres, D. Garate, A. I. R. Herries, M. D. Petraglia, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 195, October 2024, 103464

The Rising Star Cave system has yielded a stunning concentration of hominin remains estimated to belong to more than 15 individuals representing all age groups, assigned to a new species, Homo naledi (Berger et al., 2015; Dirks et al., 2015). Previous publications (e.g., Dirks et al., 2015; Randolph-Quinney, 2015), as well as popular interviews with the team leaders have suggested that H. naledi was engaged in deliberate disposal of the dead. However, other researchers have cited geological, taphonomic and paleontological evidence to suggest that natural formation scenarios may account for skeletal accumulations, such as a natural death trap, water transport of bodies/body parts and carnivore activity (...)

Patterns of lithic procurement strategies in the Pre-Pyrenean Middle Magdalenian sequence of Cova del Parco (Alòs de Balaguer, Spain), di L. M. Jiménez et alii, "Geoarchaeology", Volume 39, Issue 5, September/October 2024, Pages 453-469 - open access -

Archaeological studies carried out in recent decades have demonstrated that the Pre-Pyrenees, a mountain range in north-east Iberia, were regularly frequented by several human groups during the Late Pleistocene. The Cova del Parco archaeological site is an example of this large-scale and regular human presence. The site was discovered and first excavated in the 1970s, and since the 1980s, a team from the University of Barcelona has been conducting archaeological work. So far, we have found that the site was at least frequented from the Middle Magdalenian upon historical times. In this paper, we present the results of the archaeopetrological, geochemical and geographic information system (GIS) analyses of chert tools ascribed to the Middle Magdalenian sequence. (...)

Chronology of Upper Paleolithic human activities recorded in a stalagmite at Points Cave (Aiguèze, Gard, France), di M. Richard et alii, "Geoarchaeology", Volume 39, Issue 5, September/October 2024, Pages 470-484

In this article, we propose an approach to reconstruct the timing of human activity at Points Cave, an Upper Paleolithic rock art site located in the middle of the Ardèche River Gorge (Rhône valley, France), based on the dating and characterisation of a stalagmite containing soot. Points Cave (‘Grotte aux Points’ in French), also called the ‘little sister of Chauvet Cave’, is famous for its parietal art including a series of dots made of palm prints. A large number of stalagmites formed in the cave during the last 500 ka. However, quarrying of the cave floors during historic times led to the partial destruction of the sedimentary deposits, and many of the stalagmites were found lying on the floor. In particular, one of them (STM-18-04) showed the presence of at least four dark layers in cross-section, which appeared as possible remnants of fire-related activities in the cave. Despite being present at the same site, no other specific link between STM-18-04 and the rock art has been documented. (...)

Design and development of a sensorized hammerstone for accurate force measurement in stone knapping experiments, di C. Barroso-Medina, S. C. Lin, M. W. Tocheri, M. Sreenivasa, 17 September 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310520 - open access -

The process of making stone tools, specifically knapping, is a hominin behaviour that typically involves using the upper limb to manipulate a stone hammer and apply concentrated percussive force to another stone, causing fracture and detachment of stone chips with sharp edges. To understand the emergence and subsequent evolution of tool-related behaviours in hominins, the connections between the mechanics of stone knapping, including the delivery of percussive forces, and biomechanics and hominin anatomy, especially in the upper limb, are required. However, there is an absence of direct experimental means to measure the actual forces generated and applied to produce flakes during knapping. Our study introduces a novel solution to this problem in the form of an ergonomic hand-held synthetic hammerstone that can record the percussive forces that occur during knapping experiments. This hammerstone is composed of a deformable pneumatic 3D-printed chamber encased within a 3D-printed grip and a stone-milled striker. During knapping, hammer impact causes the pneumatic chamber to deform, which leads to a change in pressure that is measured by a sensor. (...)

Unravelling an ancient European extinction mystery: Disappearance of dwarf megafauna on palaeolithic Cyprus, 17 september 2024

Scientists have unravelled a mystery about the disappearance of dwarf hippos and elephants that once roamed the picturesque landscape on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus before palaeolithic humans arrived. Cyprus only had two species of megafauna present during the Late Pleistocene -- the 500-kg dwarf elephant (Palaeoloxodon cypriotes), and the 130-kg dwarf hippo (Phanourios minor), but both species disappeared soon after humans arrived around 14,000 years ago. (...)

The Neanderthals may have become extinct because of their isolated lifestyle, 12 September 2024

In recent years, researchers have offered different explanations for why modern humans survived and the Neanderthals became extinct some 40,000 years ago. A new study from the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen supports one of the main hypotheses. The researchers behind the new study discovered Neanderthal remains of a male in a cave in southern France, and the discovery supports the hypothesis that the Neanderthals may have gone extinct because of their antisocial lifestyle.(...)

Deux lignées de néandertaliens séparées il y a 100 000 ans, 12 septembre 2024

Au moins deux lignées de néandertaliens séparées il y a 100 000 ans. Il y a 42 000 ans il y avait, au moins, deux lignées de néandertaliens. La dernière a été génétiquement identifiée près de la grotte Mandrin à Malataverne. Ce sont dents et une mâchoire qui ont permis de découvrir cette autre population néandertalienne. (...)

Les néandertaliens d’Abric Pizarro une population profitant de toutes les ressources, 9 septembre 2024

Les néandertaliens d’Abric Pizarro une population profitant de toutes les ressources. Abric Pizarro au nord de Lerida dans les Pyrénées, est l’un des rares sites néandertaliens datant d’une période entre 100 000 à 65 000 ans. (...)

Death at the water hole: Opportunistic hunting and scavenging events in the upper sequence of Middle Paleolithic Nesher Ramla, Israel, di M. Orbach et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", Volume 339, 1 September 2024, 108852

Distinguishing between selective and opportunistic hunting is a major challenge in Paleolithic archaeology, requiring the comparison of the human hunting record to the usually unknown natural prey abundance. Open-air hunting camps are ubiquitous in the Eurasian Middle Paleolithic (MP) record, alongside cave sites, and are often dominated by large-bodied species. In the Levant, MP faunal records differ between caves and open-air sites: Caves are dominated by mountain gazelle and fallow deer, while open-air sites are more aurochs-dominated. This discrepancy can be explained by transport patterns, but whether the abundance of aurochs in open-air sites is due to deliberate targeting or natural abundance in the landscape is unclear. The Nesher Ramla open-air site is a natural sinkhole in central Israel with an 8-m-deep MP sequence. Detailed zooarchaeological, dental wear, and isotope analyses of the upper sequence fauna found a highly diverse assemblage dominated by medium-sized ungulates in the uppermost phases (Units I and IIa). (...)

Morphological and morphometric study of the hominin dental casts from Grotta-Riparo di Uluzzo C (Apulia, southern Italy), di F. Seghi et alii, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", Volume 185, Issue 1, September 2024, e24998 - open access -

Grotta-Riparo di Uluzzo C (Apulia, southern Italy) is a pivotal site for investigating the evolution of the Middle Paleolithic and the earliest phases of the Upper Paleolithic in southern Italy, as the extensive stratigraphic record of this site includes a thick Mousterian sequence followed by the Uluzzian. Here, we investigate the taxonomic affinity of seven unpublished deciduous human teeth retrieved from the site of Uluzzo C in 1960.
The teeth are represented by seven plaster dental casts, which are housed at the Museo Civico di Paleontologia e Paletnologia in Maglie (Lecce, Apulia). The location of the original specimens remains unknown, rendering these casts the only human remains evidence yielded by Uluzzo C to date. Based on occlusal-view photographs and digital models of the casts, we examined the external morphology and morphometry of the teeth, comparing them to Homo sapiens and H. neanderthalensis samples. Through geometric morphometric methods and statistical analyses, we analyzed the crown outline of the deciduous molars. (...)

Testing tools: an experimental investigation into technical and economic aspects of Levantine rock art production, di N. Santos da Rosa, D. Fiore, R. Viñas, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 9, article number 155, September 2024

For over a century, scholars have presented several proposals regarding the paint application tools used to create Levantine rock art. However, such proposals have largely rested on theoretical assumptions and inductive inferences that have not been rigorously tested. In this experimental investigation, we compiled these hypotheses and crafted 60 tools that were tested through systematic experiments to assess their performance and technical affordances for the creation of images with techno-visual features equivalent to those of the Levantine paintings. These experiments allowed us to obtain analytical parameters with independent validation, which were used as diagnostic criteria to analyse the rock art from nine sites located in eastern Spain. Results reveal that out of 60 tools, only 10 –five hair brushes, three plant brushes, and two feather brushes–afforded the production of images with techno-visual features highly similar to those of the archaeological paintings. (...)

Odontological, pathological and contextual patterns of the Late Glacial human tooth assemblage from Level E at Balma Guilanyà (south-eastern Pyrenees, Iberian Peninsula), di S. Arenas del Amo, J. López López, J. Martínez-Moreno, R. Mora Torcal, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 9, article number 147, September 2024

Balma Guilanyà shelter (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, Spain) contains a stratigraphic sequence spanning the Late Upper Palaeolithic to early Holocene. During excavations from 1992 to 2008, seventeen human teeth, and several cranial and postcranial bones were unearthed from the layer E (Late Glacial). In this contribution, we report new unpublished dental remains, which add to the previously dental assemblage from level E at Balma Guilanyà. The purpose of this article is to provide an updated description of the morphology of this material, as well as an analysis of the MNI, age at death, and the presence of several pathologies, approaching it from a holistic vision of the teeth assemblage from the Late Glacial. This review has made it possible to diagnose a dens invaginatus, the persistence of a deciduous upper central incisor (possibly caused by a mesiodens), teeth with cavities, deep occlusal pits conducive to cariogenesis, an atypical lower second molar and several molars with fused roots. This pattern of dental anomalies attributed to a single individual (Individual III) is not usual among hunter-gatherers who lived 13,000 years ago. (...)

Homo sapiens and Neanderthal Use of Space at Riparo Bombrini (Liguria, Italy), di A. Vallerand, F. Negrino, J. Riel-Salvatore, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Issue 3, September 2024, pages 1292–1332

Because it is often assumed that fundamental behavioral differences distinguish Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, the ability to structure space within the sites they occupied into distinct activity areas is often invoked as a key distinctive trait of our species. However, this behavior has never been assessed for both groups at a single site, hindering direct comparisons to date. To help resolve this question, this study uses a single methodology to evaluate the spatial organization in the Protoaurignacian levels (A1-A2, associated with Homo sapiens) and the latest Mousterian levels (MS1-MS2, associated with Neanderthals) at Riparo Bombrini (Liguria, Italy) to assess the changes over these three stratigraphic units vis a vis other information about site use. (...)

New Approaches to the Bipolar Flaking Technique: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Kinematic Perspectives, di G. Cenk Yeşilova, A. Arroyo, J. M. Vergès, A. Ollé, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", Volume 31, Issue 3, September 2024, pages 1333–1382 - open access -

The bipolar technique is a flaking strategy that has been identified from 3.3 Ma until the twentieth century, with no geographical or chronological homogeneous distribution. It is represented by the intentional contact of an active percussive element against a core rested on an anvil. This tool composite has been described by some researchers as a sign of low-skill of hominins, unable to perform successfully free-hand flaking or for flaking low-quality raw materials. Based on this premise, our research focused on the following question: Are there any quantitative and qualitative differences in terms of both kinematic parameters and technical skills between knappers with different levels of expertise when flaking using the bipolar technique? To get an answer, we developed a systematic experimental program with 12 volunteer participants with different levels of expertise. (...)

A Mismatched Piece in a Cultural Middle Stone Age Puzzle: Traces of Human Activity Dated to 90 kya (MIS 5) at Sites EDAR 134 and 155 in the Eastern Sahara, Sudan, di G. Michalec et alii, "Journal of Field Archaeology", Volume 49, 2024 - Issue 7, Pages 484-507 - open access -

This article presents the results of research carried out at two previously unreported Eastern Desert Atbara River project (EDAR) Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites—EDAR 134 and EDAR 155. Luminescence dating results indicate human activity in this area during the Marine Isotope Stage 5 period (MIS 5), approximately 90 kya. Discussion concerning the affiliation of both analyzed inventories will be provided, including another MSA site from the EDAR area, where an assemblage dated to MIS 6/5e does not have technological features known from other technocomplexes in the eastern Sahara region (EDAR 135). Microscopic analysis of traces of tool use for the EDAR 155 assemblage shows the high impact of post-depositional (aeolian) processes on the state of preservation of lithic material. Sites EDAR 134 and 155 provide evidence for hominin activity during the late Pleistocene within an area only episodically accessible, due to arid conditions prevailing in the Saharan deserts. (...)

3D Recording of Palaeolithic Rock Art through Different Techniques: a Critical Comparison and Evaluation, di M. García-Bustos, X. Eguilleor-Carmona, O. Rivero, A. M. Mateo-Pellitero, "Journal of Field Archaeology", Volume 49, 2024 - Issue 7, Pages 508-526

Palaeolithic graphic activity documentation is essential not only for its preservation and dissemination but also for its scientific analysis. Nowadays, researchers can use advanced techniques such as photogrammetry, lidar, or structured light scanning to record this heritage. However, there is a lack of studies comparing these three technologies. Therefore, this article presents a comparison of these techniques based on three variables: namely, time employed, geometric reconstruction, and resolution. The study examines how these factors affect the final result of the digital recording of rock art. (...)

Adhesive technology based on biomass tar documents engineering capabilities in the African Middle Stone Age, di P. Schmidt, A. Charrié-Duhaut, E. February, L. Wadley, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 194, September 2024, 103578 - open access -

The foragers of the southern African Middle Stone Age were among the first humans to adapt their environment and its resources to their needs. They heat-treated stone to alter its mechanical properties, transformed yellow colorants into red pigments and produced moldable adhesive substances from plants. Until now, only Podocarpus conifers have been identified as the botanical origin of Middle Stone Age adhesives. This is curious as these conifers do not produce sticky exudations that could be recognized as potential adhesives. To obtain an adhesive, tar must be made with a technical process based on fire. However, the nature of these technical processes has remained unknown, hampering our understanding of the meaning of this adhesive technology for the cultural evolution of early Homo sapiens. Here, we present the first evidence of a technique used for tar making in the Middle Stone Age. (...)

A 4.3-million-year-old Australopithecus anamensis mandible from Ileret, East Turkana, Kenya, and its paleoenvironmental context, di J. E. Lewis et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", Volume 194, September 2024, 103579

A hominin mandible, KNM-ER 63000, and associated vertebrate remains were recovered in 2011 from Area 40 in East Turkana, Kenya. Tephrostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic analyses indicate that these fossils date to ~4.3 Ma. KNM-ER 63000 consists of articulating but worn and weathered mandibular corpora, with a broken right M2 crown and alveoli preserved at other tooth positions. Despite extensive damage, KNM-ER 63000 preserves diagnostic anatomy permitting attribution to Australopithecus anamensis. It can be distinguished from Australopithecus afarensis by its strongly inclined symphyseal axis with a basally convex, ‘cut-away’ external surface, a lateral corpus that sweeps inferomedially beneath the canine-premolar row, and alignment of the canine alveolus with the postcanine axis. KNM-ER 63000 is distinguished from Ardipithecus ramidus by its thick mandibular corpus and large M2 crown. (...)

Living on the edge: Abric Pizarro, a MIS 4 Neanderthal site in the lowermost foothills of the southeastern Pre-Pyrenees (Lleida, Iberian Peninsula), di S. C. Samper Carro et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Science", Volume 169, September 2024, 106038 - open access -

Extensive research carried out during the last 30 years in the lowermost foothills of the Southern Pyrenees has revealed the significance of this area for studying Neanderthal lifestyle and settlement histories in the Iberian Peninsula. With a large number of cave and rock shelter sites, broad-ranging chronologies, and relatively well-known sedimentation rates and environmental conditions, this enclave continues to improve our knowledge about Neanderthal behaviour in Western Europe. Here we present the chronostratigraphic, technological, faunal, and palaeoenvironmental results from Abric Pizarro, a recently discovered site from the region. Its archaeological sequence is centred on MIS 4, a poorly known period in Neanderthal history. (...)

Micro-computed tomography of the fired clay venus of Dolní Věstonice (Czech Republic), di P. Neruda et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Science", Volume 169, September 2024, 106034

Small figurines made from fired clay belonging to the Gravettian (Pavlovian) culture (30–25 ka cal BP) represent one of the main forms of spectacular Palaeolithic art. The most well-known example is the Venus from Dolní Věstonice I in the Czech Republic, which is the biggest and best-preserved human figurine made from clay. Due to its high cultural value, exploration of the internal structures of this figurine has represented a huge challenge, as only non-destructive methods could be applied. Thanks to tremendous technological advancements, we were able to use high-resolution micro-CT imaging. (...)

Virtual reconstruction of stone tool refittings by using 3D modelling and the Blender Engine: The application of the “ReViBE” protocol to the archaeological record, di J. Sánchez-Martínez, K. Calmet, J. Martínez Moreno, X. Roda Gilabert, 29 August 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309611 - open access -

Visual representation of material culture plays a crucial role in prehistoric archaeology, from academic research to public outreach and communication. Scientific illustration is a valuable tool for visualising lithic artefacts and refittings, where technical attributes must be drawn to enhance our understanding of their significance. However, the representation of lithic refittings, which involve dynamic and sequential transformations of a volume, requires an alternative approach to traditional two-dimensional models such as photography or illustration. Advances in imaging technologies have improved our ability to capture and communicate the multifaceted nature of archaeological artefacts. In this context, we present the ReViBE protocol (Refitting Visualisation using Blender Engine), which integrates photogrammetry, 3D modelling and the animation software Blender© for the virtual representation of lithic refittings. This protocol allows the sequential study of core reduction phases and their associated flakes, as well as other aspects related to knapping decision making (core rotations, surface modifications, and direction and position of impact points). (...)

Reconstruction of human dispersal during Aurignacian on pan-European scale, di Y. Shao, C. Wegener, K. Klein, I. Schmidt, G. C. Weniger, "Nature Communications", volume 15, article number: 7406 - open access -

The Aurignacian is the first techno-complex related with certainty to Anatomically Modern Humans in Europe. Studies show that they appeared around 43-42 kyr cal BP and dispersed rapidly in Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic. However, human dispersal is a highly convoluted process which is until today not well understood. Here, we provide a reconstruction of the human dispersal during the Aurignacian on the pan-European scale using a human dispersal model, the Our Way Model, which combines archaeological with paleoclimate data and uses the human existence potential as a unifying driver of human population dynamics. (...)

Spatial sampling bias influences our understanding of early hominin evolution in eastern Africa, di W. A. Barr, B. Wood, "Nature Ecology & Evolution", 20 August 2024

The eastern branch of the Eastern African Rift System (EARS) is the source of a large proportion of the early hominin fossil record, but it covers a tiny fraction (ca. 1%) of the continent. Here we investigate how this mismatch between where fossils are preserved and where hominins probably lived may influence our ability to understand early hominin evolution, using extant mammals as analogues. We show that the eastern branch of the EARS is not an environmentally representative sample of the full species range for nearly all extant rift-dwelling mammals. Likewise, when we investigate published morphometric datasets for extant cercopithecine primates, evidence from the eastern branch alone fails to capture major portions of continental-scale cercopithecine cranial morphospace. (...)

Human population dynamics in Upper Paleolithic Europe inferred from fossil dental phenotypes, di H. Rathmann et alii, "Science Advances", 16 Aug 2024, Vol 10, Issue 33 - open access -

Despite extensive archaeological research, our knowledge of the human population history of Upper Paleolithic Europe remains limited, primarily due to the scarce availability and poor molecular preservation of fossil remains. As teeth dominate the fossil record and preserve genetic signatures in their morphology, we compiled a large dataset of 450 dentitions dating between ~47 and 7 thousand years ago (ka), outnumbering existing skeletal and paleogenetic datasets. We tested a range of competing demographic scenarios using a coalescent-based machine learning Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) framework that we modified for use with phenotypic data. (...)

PALEO, 33-2023:

- Michel Lenoir. Préhistorien-Géologue (1947-2023), di M. Bruno, A. Turq

- Nécrologies : Francine David et Michel Orliac, Laboratoire d’Ethnologie préhistorique and Équipe de Pincevent

- Nécrologie: Francine David, di J. P. Brugal, J. Jaubert

- Robert Simonnet (1931-2023), di F. Bon

- Grégor Marchand (1968-2023), di J. P. Demoule, C. Dupont, N. Naudinot

- Les parures de la zone externe de la grotte Santa Maria di Agnano (Ostuni, Italie): premiers résultats, di H. Baills, D. Coppola

- Référentiel néotaphonomique: accumulation faunique actuelle en surface de grotte (Mas-des-Caves, Lunel-Viel, Hérault, France), di J. P. Brugal, O. Morand, T. Garcia-Fermet, P. Magniez

- Un autre visage de la grotte ornée de Gabillou (Sourzac, Dordogne, France). Étude du mobilier lithique et osseux des fouilles de J. Gaussen, di M. Langlais et alii

- La grotte de Font-de-Gaume (Les Eyzies, Dordogne): quelques jalons pour une histoire sans fin et emblématique, di P. Paillet, E. Paillet

- Le site paléolithique de Chez-Pinaud 1 (Charente-Maritime, France): lithostratigraphie, processus de formation, approche taphonomique, di J. P. Texier, M. Thomas

- Os qui roule n’amasse pas mousse. Une expérimentation sur le tri différentiel des vestiges lithiques et osseux dans un écoulement turbulent, di M. Thomas, E. Discamps, M. Lejay, X. Muth, J. Guillaume Bordes

- Nucleus percutants et percuteurs débités: choix techniques au Paléolithique moyen dans le site de l’ancien aérodrome (Brive-la-Gaillarde/Saint-Pantaléon-de-Larche, Corrèze, France), di C. Viallet, C. Mathias

The residential occupation of the Gruta da Aroeira (Almonda, Portugal) cave site: shedding light on hunting and subsistence practices in the Middle Pleistocene of western Eurasia, di M. Sanz, J. Daura, F. Rivals, J, Zilhão, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 8, article number 139, August 2024 - open access -

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. (...)

Living in the Mountains. Settlement patterns in Northwestern Iberia during the Palaeolithic period, di M. Díaz-Rodríguez, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 8, article number 137, August 2024

Despite the presence of a theoretical model describing the settlement patterns of Palaeolithic sites in Northwestern Iberia, it has not yet been empirically tested using statistical analysis. This study explores the settlement patterns of the Palaeolithic period in Northwestern Iberia within two regions that share similar chronology and research traditions: the Northern and Central Mountain ranges of Northwestern Iberia. Employing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial statistics, the methodology has provided robust empirical support for several aspects of the theoretical model. (...)

Technological variability in El Castillo cave during MIS 4, di I. González-Molina et alii, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 8, article number 132, August 2024 - open access -

The variability in Neanderthal behaviour is one of the key debates in Middle Palaeolithic archaeology. Here we present the analysis of the lithic industry from a unit at one of Europe’s main Palaeolithic sites: El Castillo Cave. Unit XXf1.1, dated to the beginning of MIS 4, is an example of human occupation during a period of population decrease. In this assemblage, the technology is organised with the aim of obtaining the largest possible blanks in an environment in which small-sized raw materials predominate, with the presence of imported tools and clear differences in the management of different raw materials. This assemblage is characterized by the predominance of centripetal exploitation methods, and there is only a small number of blanks with laminar tendency, and cleavers. From all this we can observe how Neanderthals were able to find ways to achieve their specific objectives, planning their behaviour to overcome the limitations imposed by the environment. (...)

Unraveling the spatial imprint of hominin and carnivore accumulations in Early Pleistocene African sites, di A. Merino-Pelaz, L. Cobo-Sánchez, E. Organista, E. Baquedano, M. Domínguez-Rodrigo, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 8, article number 128, August 2024 - open access -

Reconstructions of palimpsest formation and dynamics in Early Pleistocene African archaeological deposits have undergone significant advances thanks to taphonomic research. However, the spatial imprint of different agents implicated in most of these accumulations still needs to be addressed. We hypothesize that different site formation dynamics may yield diverse spatial distributions of archaeological remains, reflecting the intervention of different agents (i.e., hominins, felids, hyaenids) in palimpsests. This study aims to investigate the spatial patterns of archaeological remains in a selected sample of Early Pleistocene accumulations with the goal of understanding and characterizing their spatial dynamics. Building on previous taphonomic interpretations of twelve paradigmatic archaeological deposits from Olduvai Bed I (FLK Zinj 22 A, PTK 22 A, DS 22B, FLK N 1–2 to 5, FLK NN 3, DK 1–3) and Koobi Fora (FxJj50, FxJj20 East and FxJj20 Main), we explore the spatial patterns of remains statistically and use hierarchical clustering on principal components analysis (HCPC) to group the highest-density spots at these sites based on a number of spatial variables. (...)

Reindeer prey mobility and seasonal hunting strategies in the late Gravettian mammoth steppe, di A. J. E. Pryor et alii,  "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", Volume 16, Issue 8, article number 123, August 2024 - open access -

Reindeer are part of the faunal suite that dominated central Europe during the last glacial cycle. Their importance to Late Gravettian hunters as prey and a source of raw materials (hide, bone, antler) is well attested, however the context of Late Gravettian reindeer predation is lesser understood. This paper presents an investigation of human and reindeer predator-prey interactions at the Late Gravettian kill-butchery site of Lubná VI, Czech Republic. We reconstruct seasonal mobility (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), diet (δ13C, δ15N) and season of death (dental cementum) of up to nine reindeer prey, to inform on the strategic choices made by Late Gravettian hunters. Results indicate that most hunted reindeer lived year-round in the foothills of the Bohemian-Moravian highlands near where Lubná is located, at altitudes between ~ 200–450 m above present sea level, while a smaller number showed evidence of seasonal migration between this area and the open plains of the Elbe river corridor (Bohemian Cretaceous basin). (...)

Wounded Animals and Where to Find Them. The Symbolism of Hunting in Palaeolithic Art, di O. Rivero, M. García-Bustos, G. Sauvet, "Cambridge Archaeological Journal", Volume 34, Issue 3, August 2024, pp. 511-529 - open access -

Representations of wounded animals and humans in European Upper Palaeolithic art have traditionally been conceived as figures related to the hunting activities of hunter-gatherer societies. In this paper, we propose an analysis of Franco-Cantabrian figurative representations showing signs of violence between 35,000 and 13,000 cal. BP to qualify the interpretations of hunting and death in Palaeolithic art. To this end, both multivariate statistical analyses and hypothesis tests have been used to highlight the formal, thematic, chronological and regional similarities and differences in these types of artistic representations. The results show that wounded graphic units are mythograms coded by different variables that do not seem to reflect the actual hunting of the animal, but rather a more complex meaning. (...)

The recognition of death and grief: An evolutionary perspective. Its relations with the most ancient rituals and burials of humanity, di É. Crubézy, "L'Anthropologie", Volume 128, Issue 3, July–August 2024, 103280

The concept of grief, the metamorphosis of the deceased into the departed, a subject recreated and rethought by the psyche, is crucial for understanding the significance of the grave and funeral rites. We can divide the funeral rites into three phases: seeing the dead person presented socialized, hiding him to begin the mourning process, and finally metamorphosing him into the deceased. Moreover, these three phases typically require the involvement of several community members, some of whom may be less affected by sorrow — a factor that hinders action — compared to close relatives. Considering these factors, it becomes apparent that grief and, consequently, the tomb are more fundamentally social phenomena than cultural ones. (...)

Neandertal burial practices in Western Asia: How different are they from those of the early Homo sapiens?, di E. Been, O. Barzilai, "L'Anthropologie", Volume 128, Issue 3, July–August 2024, 103281

The Middle Paleolithic of Western Asia is one of the more composite time periods in human evolution as it hosted at least two hominin species – early Homo sapiens and Neandertals. The early Homo sapiens originated from Africa whereas Neandertals arrived from Europe. In the Levant, these populations explored the same geographical niches, utilized similar resources, and may even inhabited the same caves. While the biological and morphological evidence discriminate between the two hominin populations, the material culture does not. Middle Paleolithic Neandertals and Homo sapiens used the same knapping methods to make their formal stone tools (i.e., Levallois core technology). This unique scenario hypothetically proposes that the two species shared one material culture. (...)

Aesthetics of Death in the Paleolithic and Mesolithic of Italy. The Evolution of Grave goods, di F. Martini, G. Giacobini, "L'Anthropologie", Volume 128, Issue 3, July–August 2024, 103279

This paper presents an updated panorama of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic burials in Italy, with references to the trend known for the European area. The entire repertoire is divided into two macroblocks, the Gravettian and the Epigravettian. The Gravettian burials are characterized by a certain variability (number of deceased, decubitus) and at the same time by a marked homogeneity relating to the richness of the grave goods, with a strong aesthetic-emotional value. The funerary ritual seems aimed at maintaining the identity of the deceased through the originality of the grave goods and personal ornaments. The second block of burials refers to the Final Epigravettian, in the last millennia of the Pleistocene. (...)

Mesolithic burials and mortuary practices: Traditions, developments and individuality of the early postglacial hunter-fisher-gatherers in Europe, di J. M. Grünberg, "L'Anthropologie", Volume 128, Issue 3, July–August 2024, 103278

Currently, more than 280 Mesolithic burial sites with the skeletal remains of about 2400 individuals are known in 25 European countries. This contribution reviews the various graves and mortuary practices between ca. 9700 and 3800 cal BC, when the period ended in Northern Europe. Cultural traditions, regional differences and chronological developments are summarised. The diversity of individual treatments concerning sex, age, status and circumstances of the death of the deceased is examined to obtain information about the social structures of the early postglacial hunter-fisher-gatherer communities. (...)

A dubious Mesolithic burial without any archaeo-stratigraphic relationship in Rond-du-Barry Cave (Polignac, Haute-Loire, France), di J. P. Raynal et alii, "L'Anthropologie", Volume 128, Issue 3, July–August 2024, 103274

A new excavation zone – numbered 139 – set back from the cave porch, was opened in 2019 at the foot of the north wall in the Rond du Barry cave. Beneath the pottery levels, a layer over one meter thick has delivered a lithic assemblage with lamellar and small laminar components, associated with evidence of large-scale wildlife consumption and antler and bone artefacts. It evokes the Mesolithic but has been dated on bone and charcoal to the very Early Neolithic. While earlier excavations eliminated any direct stratigraphic relationship between Zone 139 and the area where a human fossil was found in 1986, then considered Magdalenian I (Badegoulian) in age but since reattributed to the Mesolithic, another human remains found earlier in Layer D shows a similar Mesolithic age. (...)