Temporal patterns in Mesolithic activity at Duvensee, Germany, di J. Kleijne et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 353, 1 april 2025, 109230

The Duvensee peat bog is one of the best-known prehistoric landscapes in northern Europe, with hunter-gatherer activities located on small islands on the western edge of an Early Holocene lake. Excellent organic preservation, precise excavation, and rigorous radiocarbon sample selection permit the application of Bayesian chronological modelling. Over 250 radiocarbon results date a dozen Mesolithic sites to an extended period between the 9th and 7th millennia BCE. Each site may only have been used briefly – perhaps only for a single season in some cases – but some were used repeatedly over the course of decades or even centuries. (...)

Human consumption of carnivorans during Prehistory. The case of the Iberian Peninsula, di J. López-Parés, I. Cáceres, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 352, 15 march 2025, 109205

Zooarchaeological evidence of the consumption of carnivorans (order Carnivora) by Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic/Mesolithic humans on the Iberian Peninsula is scarce, but it is still significant enough to be studied as a phenomenon on its own. In this work, we conduct an updated and comprehensive review of the data on the human butchering and consumption of carnivorans in pre-Neolithic Prehistory on the Iberian Peninsula. Chronologically, the evidence spans from the time of Homo antecessor (950-800 Ka BP) to the Epipalaeolithic/Mesolithic-Neolithic transition (6-5 Ka BP) and includes a wide taxonomical variety of carnivorans: canids, mustelids, ursids, pinnipeds, felids and hyenids. We propose several alternative interpretations regarding why the hunter-gatherers of the Iberian Peninsula hunted and consumed these animals based on ethnographical data from recent human communities that still engage in these practices. (...)

Bevel-ended bone artefacts from Pulli, Estonia: Early Mesolithic debarking tools?, di G. Osipowicz, L. Lõugas, H. Luik, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 3, march 2025

This paper reports the results of the first attempt of traceological studies (technological and functional) of bone products from the unique Early Mesolithic site of Pulli, Estonia. The analysis covered a group of specific tools made primarily from elk’s metapodial bones, referred to as Pulli-type bevel-ended tools. Through microscopic studies, the complete biography of these artefacts was reconstructed, considering all stages of their production and the phases of use and abandonment. (...)

Solving the puzzle of neanderthal occupations: a reassessment of temporal indicators of occupation duration, di V. Lubrano, A. Rufà, R. Blasco, F. Rivals, J. Rosell,  "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 3, march 2025  - open access -

The identification of the duration of Neanderthal occupations is a tricky topic by the palimpsest nature of archaeological assemblages. This study explores the challenges associated with distinguishing between long and short-term occupations, using qualitative and quantitative data from relevant archaeological sites in the Late Middle Palaeolithic in Spain and south-eastern France. We highlight the proposed occupation models and their specific characteristics, considering the heterogeneity of archaeological evidence and the limitations of current methodologies. (...)

Archaeology, chronology, and sedimentological context of the youngest Middle Palaeolithic assemblage from Jebel Faya, United Arab Emirates, di K. Bretzke, F. Preusser, K. Raith, G. Preston, S. Kim, S. Jasim, E. Yousif, A. G. Parker, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 3, march 2025  - open access -

Due to the scarcity of stratified and well-dated archaeological horizons, diachronic as well as spatial patterns of Pleistocene lithic traditions are not very well understood in Arabia. To contribute to this topic, we present new archaeological, sedimentological and chronological data from archaeological horizon II (AH II), the stratigraphically youngest Middle Palaeolithic assemblage at Jebel Faya, Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Results of optically stimulated luminescence dating reveal that AH II was deposited about 80 ka ago at the end of Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5). The lithic assemblage shows a preference for elongated flakes and blades produced predominantly by bidirectional methods, both Levallois and non-Levallois. The few tools feature simple retouch often forming denticulated edges. (...)

Personal ornament in transition. Final Paleolithic – Mesolithic data from the Iberian Mediterranean Region (16.5 – 7 ky cal. BP), di Begonya Soler Mayor et alii,  "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 3, march 2025  - open access -

The present study aims at a better understanding of personal ornaments during the Late Paleolithic and Mesolithic transitions. The approach consists of a combination of the shell beads and pendants from Santa Maira (Alacant) and the information from the Mediterranean façade of the Iberian Peninsula, including the Ebro valley, allowing a systematic evaluation of species richness from a spatio-temporal perspective. An assessment of access to the source and its impact on diversity was also carried out. (...)

Comparative Context of Hard-Tissue Sexual Dimorphism in Early Hominins: Implications for Alpha Taxonomy, di K. L. Balolia, B. Wood, "Evolutionary Anthropology", volume 34, issue 1, march 2025, e22052 - open access -

Sexual dimorphism is one of the main factors confounding attempts to generate sound alpha taxonomic hypotheses in the early hominin fossil record. To better understand how between-sex variation may confound alpha taxonomic assessments, we consider some of the factors that drive hard-tissue sexual dimorphism in extant primates. We review the socioecological correlates of body size sexual dimorphism, how sexual selection may be associated with craniofacial sexual dimorphism in the context of visual signaling, and how sex-specific patterns of growth and development in primates contribute to intra-specific variation. (...)

Birth of Paranthropus, di B. Wood, D. Biggs, "Evolutionary Anthropology", volume 34, issue 1, march 2025, e70000 - open access -

Robert Broom, who is best known among vertebrate paleontologists for his research on mammal-like reptiles, was drawn into paleoanthropology because of his defense of Raymond Dart's interpretation of the Taung infant skull. Our contribution documents Robert Broom's background, his life and career, and how he became directly involved with human origins research in South Africa in the second and third decades of the 20thC. It focuses on the circumstances surrounding Broom's interest in what was being recovered at Sterkfontein, how Broom “discovered” the site of Kromdraai, and the fossil evidence that led to his 1938 paper announcing the discovery of a new hominin genus and species, Paranthropus robustus. (...)

Archaeological and Experimental Lithic Microwear Classification Through 2D Textural Analysis and Machine Learning, di P. Sferrazza, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", volume 32, issue 1, march 2025, article number 31 - open access -

The paper focuses on introducing 2D texture analysis as a quantitative method for functional analysis in archaeology. The paper aims to demonstrate the validity of this method for quantifying use-wear analysis and to evaluate different processing, extraction, and classification techniques. The method presented relies on five techniques of quantitative feature extraction from photographic images and nine classification techniques through machine learning algorithms. After creating a training dataset with experimental traces, machine learning models were validated through experimental and archaeological image classification. (...)

Evidence for discrete ochre exploitation 35,000 years ago in West Africa, di L. Dayet et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Science", volume 175, march 2025, 106150 - open access -

Despite new impetus for Late Pleistocene research in West Africa, little is known about the range of Middle Stone Age behaviours in this region. Yet, the multiplicity of Middle Stone Age lithic technologies testifies to significant behavioural and demographic dynamics, marked by innovation and adaptability. Here, we present the first in-depth analysis of ochre remains in West Africa. New data from Toumboura III site, eastern Senegal, dated between 40 ± 3 and 30 ± 3 ka, point towards the use of ochre pieces as part of an occasional and specialized ochre crushing activity, probably dedicated to the production of powders, as well as the use of ochre sticks. (...)

Stone disc production at Pincevent (France) reveals versatile uses of colouring materials in the Late Magdalenian, di C. Peschaux et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Science", volume 175, march 2025, 106152 - open access -

Level IV0 at Pincevent, dating from the Late Magdalenian (15-14 ka cal BP), has revealed a singular assemblage of more than 400 artefacts in colouring materials, including a unique series of perforated discs. This unusual occurrence of shaped colouring materials extends the diversity of uses and functions of these mineral resources. Using a combination of non-invasive petrographic analysis and detailed study of traces of anthropogenic modifications, we identified the nature, provenance and petrophysical properties of the rocks used, as well as the techniques employed to work them and their possible uses. (...)

Reliability and validity in determining the relative chronology between neighbouring scars on flint artefacts, di M. Kot, J. Tyszkiewicz, M. Leloch, N. Gryczewska, S. Miller, "Journal of Archaeological Science", volume 175, march 2025, 106156 - open access -

We aimed to experimentally test the credibility of the diacritic analysis, which is one of the methods used to study lithic knapping technology. A series of blind tests conducted by lithic experts and students on experimentally knapped artefacts were used to estimate the reliability and validity of the method. The estimated average error rate was 21%, although it was smaller among the experts in the method (15%) and higher (25%) for the beginners. (...)

Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 – Stratigraphy, chronology, and archaeological find density from MIS 3 to MIS 1 on the edge of the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain (south coast, South Africa), di N. E. Cleghorn, X. Villagran, R. B. K. Saktura, Z. Jacobs, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 351, 1 march 2025, 109180

Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 (KEH-1), a south-facing archaeological site on the southern coast of South Africa preserves the first record directly relevant to the lives and environments of people living on the edge of the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain (PAP) from later Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 after ~45 thousand years ago (ka) and continuing throughout the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 26.5–19 ka). This stratified deposit dated from at least ~45 ka until ~15 ka (modelled ages), includes periods of intensive site use by human forager populations from ~34 ka to ~19 ka and during the Holocene. Here we present a synthesis of the stratigraphy, chronology, and archaeological find distribution, including estimates of relative find density over time. (...)

Reassessing the Middle Palaeolithic lithic technology of Grotta Romanelli (Lecce, southern Italy), di B. Muttillo, R. Gallotti, L. Forti, G. Lembo, I. Mazzini, P. Pieruccini, R. Sardella, "Quaternary International", volume 721, 1 march 2025, 109686 - open access -

Located in the southernmost part of the Italian Peninsula, specifically the Salento area in the Apulia region, Grotta Romanelli (Lecce) is one of Italy's most significant Palaeolithic sites. It shows evidence of human occupation from the Middle to the late Upper Palaeolithic. This study presents a re-analysis of historical lithic collections and also includes a new analysis of artefacts from recent excavations within Middle Palaeolithic Inside Stratigraphic Unit 3 (ISU3). This unit, formerly referred to as level G or “terre rosse”, is dated to at least the MIS 5 interglacial period. Our findings offer a revised perspective on past interpretations of Grotta Romanelli's Middle Palaeolithic lithic industry. Interpretations of this industry have varied over time, especially regarding the presence of Levallois core technology — an important cultural and chronological marker. (...)

The volcanic rock spheres of Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia) at Gombore IB and later Acheulean sites, di M. Mussi, "Quaternary International", volume 721, 1 march 2025, 109681

Rock spheres have been discovered at several prehistoric sites of Melka Kunture in the volcanic surroundings of the Upper Awash in the Ethiopian highlands. The paper describes those found at eight Acheulean sites spanning more than one million years, from Gombore IB (1.7 Ma or earlier) to Garba I (0.6 Ma), providing detailed metrical information. Contrarily to those from other Pleistocene localities, the spheres of Melka Kunture are not the endproduct or byproduct of anthropic activity, but rather carefully selected natural shapes of volcanic origin, i.e. lavas and accretionary lapilli. (...)

Climate change in Europe between 90 and 50 kyr BP and Neanderthal territorial habitability, di A. Degioanni, S. Cabut, S. Condemi, R. S. Smith, 26 february 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308690 - open access -

After having lived as the dominant human species in Europe for over 200 kyr, Homo neanderthalensis (the Neanderthals) disappeared around 40 kyr BP (Before Present) Higham T (2014). Competition with Homo sapiens, who arrived in Europe around the same time, is often invoked to explain this extinction. Others have argued that climate change may have reduced the living space of this population making its disappearance more rapid. In order to test the climate change hypothesis we modelled the Neanderthals’ ecological niches in Europe between 90 and 50 kyr BP through paleoenvironmental reconstructions and Eco-Cultural Niche Modelling. We selected five environmental variables (orographic height, mean annual precipitation, mean temperature of the coldest month, carrying capacity and friction, see below) from climate model simulations of 5 periods between 90 and 50 kyr BP in Europe. We used Structural Similarity (SSIM) index to compare the probability maps of suitable niches to Neanderthals performed by Maxent. (...)

Earliest modern human genomes constrain timing of Neanderthal admixture, di A. P. Sümer et alii, "Nature", volume 638, numero 8051, 20 febbraio 2025, pp. 711–717 - open access -

Modern humans arrived in Europe more than 45,000 years ago, overlapping at least 5,000 years with Neanderthals. Limited genomic data from these early modern humans have shown that at least two genetically distinct groups inhabited Europe, represented by Zlatý kůň, Czechia and Bacho Kiro, Bulgaria. Here we deepen our understanding of early modern humans by analysing one high-coverage genome and five low-coverage genomes from approximately 45,000-year-old remains from Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany, and a further high-coverage genome from Zlatý kůň. We show that distant familial relationships link the Ranis and Zlatý kůň individuals and that they were part of the same small, isolated population that represents the deepest known split from the Out-of-Africa lineage. Ranis genomes harbour Neanderthal segments that originate from a single admixture event shared with all non-Africans that we date to approximately 45,000–49,000 years ago. This implies that ancestors of all non-Africans sequenced so far resided in a common population at this time, and further suggests that modern human remains older than 50,000 years from outside Africa represent different non-African populations. (...)

Semicircular canals shed light on bottleneck events in the evolution of the Neanderthal clade, di A. Urciuoli, I. Martínez, R. Quam, J. Luis Arsuaga, B. A. Keeling, J. Diez-Valero, M. Conde-Valverde, "Nature Communications", volume 16, article number: 972 (2025), 20 february 2025 - open access -

Revealing the evolutionary processes which resulted in the derived morphologies that characterize the Neanderthal clade has been an important task for paleoanthropologists. One critical method to quantify evolutionary changes in the morphology of hominin populations is through evaluating morphological phenotypic diversity (i.e., disparity) in phylogenetically informative bones as a close proxy to neutral evolutionary processes. The goal of this study is to quantify the degree of disparity in the Neanderthal clade. We hypothesize that a reduction in bony labyrinth disparity is indicative of the underlying genetic variation resulting from bottleneck events. (...)

Flake production: A universal by-product of primate stone percussion, di T. Proffitt, P. de Sousa Medeiros, W. Pereira Martins, L. V. Luncz, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 18 february 2025, vol. 122, no. 7, e2420067122 - open access -

The evolution of stone tool technology marks a significant milestone in hominin development, enabling early humans to manipulate their environments. The oldest known evidence, dating to 3.3 Ma, indicates a combination of percussive and flake production activities. Studying the archaeological signature of percussive stone tool use in living primate provides a potential analog to the origin of stone flake technology in the hominin lineage. Here, we present a yellow-breasted capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos) stone tool assemblage from Fazenda Matos, Brazil, to explore the variability of the material signatures associated with percussive tool use. Our analysis of this record demonstrates many archaeological features previously associated with intentional flake production. (...)

Human subsistence in a montane ecotone habitat during the Lower Magdalenian c. 19,000–18,000 years ago: The case of El Mirón cave (Cantabria, Spain), di J. M. Geiling, A. B. Marín-Arroyo, L. Guy Straus, M. R. González Morales, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 350, 15 february 2025, 109133

We reconstruct the subsistence strategies of foragers during the Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian (19.3–18ka cal BP) based on an extensive archaeofaunal assemblage from El Mirón Cave. The cave, situated in the montane interior of northern Atlantic Iberia, likely served as a repeatedly occupied, long-term residential base camp for mobile hunter-gatherers in the post-LGM period. The exploitation of ungulates was intensive and versatile, as evidenced by skinning, disarticulation, filleting cut marks, and impact marks on cancellous and long bones (for extraction of grease and marrow) from Spanish ibex and red deer. (...)

Tracing the transfers of raw materials in the Gravettian of Moravia and Silesia, di  M. Moník, Z. Nerudová, M. Novák, A. Přichystal, F. Gregar, P. Hamrozi, T. Pluháček, "Quaternary International", volume 719, 15 february 2025, 109665

In order to reconstruct the procurement pattern of lithics in the Moravian/Silesian Gravettian culture and to make a comparison with neighbouring areas, raw material analysis from five Gravettian sites in Moravia/Silesia (Czech Republic) was carried out using stereomicroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). In Moravia, the characteristic raw material economy of the Gravettian was the import of fine-grained cherts and erratic flints from northern Moravia (and Silesia) or Southern Poland. However, radiolarites from the Pieniny Klippen Belt (present-day Slovakia and Poland) were also used and complemented on sites under the Pavlovské vrchy Hills by local (gravel) materials. (...)

Fauna from the early Acheulean site of Gombore IB, Melka Kunture, upper Awash, Ethiopia: Systematics and paleoecology, di D. Geraads, "Quaternary International", volume 719, 15 february 2025, 109672

The fauna from the Early Acheulean site of Gombore IB is relatively abundant but quite fragmented. As in the other sites of Melka Kunture, it is dominated by hippos and alcelaphin bovids, followed by equids. Suids are rare, and all other taxa (i.e., rhinos, giraffids, tragelaphins, primates) are virtually absent. In spite of the presence of forested areas nearby, the taphocenosis sampled an open-country faunal assemblage. The fauna resembles that of the nearby site of Garba IVD, but exact contemporaneity is unlikely. (...)

Out of Africa: celebrating 100 years of human-origins research, Editorial, "Nature", volume 638, numero 8049, 6 febbraio 2025

On 7 February 1925, Nature published an article about a curious fossil unearthed in South Africa. ‘Australopithecus africanus: The Man-Ape of South Africa’ had been sent in by Australian palaeoanthropologist Raymond Dart, who was then at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. In his memoirs, Adventures with the Missing Link (1959), Dart notes that he was dressing for a wedding when he was distracted by the delivery of two large boxes of rocks, containing the face of Australopithecus and the braincast (known as an endocast) — an internal cast of the braincase formed from sediment — that fitted into the skull, like a ball in a baseball pitcher’s mitt.
The specimens’ site of origin — a lime-works and adjacent farmland in Taung, South Africa — was already known as a source of monkey fossils. A humanlike skull2 had also been found in 1921 at a mine near Broken Hill in what is now Kabwe, Zambia. In The Descent of Man (1871), Charles Darwin had predicted that the roots of the human lineage lay in Africa. Although Australopithecus had its antecedents, Dart’s discovery was the start of a century-long journey of discovery that has confirmed Darwin’s prediction. (...)

‘Taung Child’ fossil offers clues about the evolution of childhood, di D. Falk, "Nature", volume 638, numero 8049, 6 febbraio 2025

In November 1924 — on the day they were hosting a wedding at their Johannesburg home in South Africa — Australian anatomist and physician Raymond Dart and his wife Dora noticed two men staggering up the drive with two large boxes. According to Dart’s memoirs, written decades later1, Dora had bemoaned the fact that the fossils Dart had been expecting had arrived on this day “of all days”. She had begged him not to “go delving in all that rubble until the wedding [was] over and everybody [had] left”. In just a few weeks — astonishingly — Dart was able to use this one individual to surmise the broad course of human evolution as we understand it today. Previous evidence for human ancestry made use of fossils that bore a closer resemblance to modern humans. (...)

New insights of cultural cannibalism amongst Magdalenian groups at Maszycka Cave, Poland, di F. Marginedas et alii, "Scientific Reports", volume 15, article number: 2351 (2025), 06 february 2025 - open access -

The manipulation of human corpses started to become commonplace during the Upper Paleolithic. This well-documented behavior among Magdalenian peoples consists of perimortem manipulation and the removal of soft tissues and has been understood as forming part of the cultural repertoire of mortuary actions. The study of these practices has given rise to several interpretations with the consumption of human flesh (cannibalism) occupying a central position. The human assemblage of Maszycka Cave (18,000 cal. BP) is part of this ongoing debate. Although initial research in the 1990s suggested cannibalism, more recent studies challenge this interpretation arguing that the low incidence of human activity rule out the likelihood of processing for the purpose of consumption and proposing skull selection as a funerary practice. (...)

Palaeoenvironmental, stratigraphic and geochronological study of the coastal site of Dalani i Vogël (Vlora, Albania): new evidence for late Neanderthal occupation and prehistoric archaeology, di F. Badino et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 349, 1 february 2025, 109111

The Balkan Peninsula is a key biogeographical region in Southern Europe, which acted as a refugium for late Pleistocene flora and fauna during cold spells and favoured the survival of Neanderthals and the migration of modern human populations. This study focuses on the site of Dalani i Vogël (DIV), selected from a cluster of open-air coastal sites north of Vlora (Triporti-Portonovo area, Albania), where lithic artefacts have been related to a multi-layered profile exposed by sea erosion. We sampled the DIV sequence for geochronological analyses (OSL and 14C), magnetic susceptibility, sedimentary proxies [Loss On Ignition (LOI) steps, calcimetry, nutrients], microstratigraphy, micropaleontology and microbotanical analyses. This exploratory multi-proxy study reveals a long sequence spanning the last 43,000 years, i.e., the period from MIS 3 to 1. (...)

Corrigendum to “Changes in pollen and small mammal spectrum compositions and in human-landscape relationships during the last 40,000 years of the Pleistocene in El Mirón Cave, Cantabrian Spain” [Quatern. Int. 713 (2024) 109569 1–18], di M. J. Iriarte-Chiapusso et alii, "Quaternary International", volume 718, 1 february 2025, 109634

The authors regret that Table 1, Table 2 are inverted. Table 1 (Iriarte-Chiapusso et al., 2024: 8) has the correct table caption: Chrono-cultural sequence of El Mirón (Hopkins et al., 2021), but the table below the table caption corresponds to the small mammals identified in the sequence distributed by levels. In Table 2 (Iriarte-Chiapusso et al., 2024: 10) the opposite occurs. The table caption is correct: Minimum number of individuals (MNI) of the small mammals identified in the sequence of El Mirón Cave, distributed by levels, but the table below is the one that describes the chrono-cultural sequence of El Mirón. (...)

How Neandertal DNA may affect the way we think, di E. L. Casanova, F. A. Feltus, february 2025, volume 332, Issue 2

When Neandertals were first discovered nearly 170 years ago, the conceptual gap between their lineage and that of modern humans seemed vast. Initially scientists prejudicially believed that the Neandertals were primitive brutes hardly more intelligent than apes and that their lack of advanced thinking had doomed them to extinction. Since that time, researchers have amassed evidence that they shared many of the cognitive abilities once considered unique to our species, Homo sapiens. They made complex tools, produced staples such as flour, treated their ailments with plant-based medicines, used symbols to communicate and engaged in ritual treatment of their dead. (...)

Prehistoric communities in the Bayuda Desert, Sudan, di H. Paner et alii, "Antiquity", volume 99, issue 403, february 2025, e1

Large-scale field research is providing extensive data on the prehistoric settlement history of the Bayuda Desert in Sudan. The authors briefly examine notable outputs from the project, including some of the more than 100 radiocarbon dates that permit a more nuanced understanding of the chronology of settlement pattern changes. (...)

Butchery activities associated with member 5 at Sterkfontein, South Africa, di R. Hanon, A. Val, R. Sambo, D. Stratford, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 2, february 2025 - open access -

The origin of animal tissue consumption within the hominin lineage remains a central question in palaeoanthropology and taphonomy. This question is mostly addressed through the study of bone surface modifications (e.g., butchery marks) observed on fossils from East African sites. Albeit somewhat overlooked compared to East Africa, South Africa provides an additional body of evidence regarding the evolution of hominin behaviours. Here, we provide a comprehensive description and analysis of a butchered bone assemblage from the Sterkfontein Name Chamber and Member 5 East Oldowan infill in South Africa, dated conservatively to between 1.4 and 2.18 Ma. Based on the anatomical location and morphology of the bone surface modifications, we demonstrate that hominins using Oldowan tools were capable of performing a complete butchery sequence that included skinning, disarticulation, defleshing and marrow extraction. (...)

Early Upper Palaeolithic marine mollusc exploitation at Riparo Bombrini (Balzi Rossi, Italy): shellfish consumption and ornament production, di S. Gazzo, E. Cristiani, F. Negrino, J. Riel-Salvatore, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 2, february 2025 - open access -

This research explores the modes of exploitation of marine molluscs at Riparo Bombrini (Ventimiglia, north-west Italy) during the Protoaurignacian and the Early Aurignacian. Our results prove that Early Modern Humans who inhabited the rockshelter extensively exploited marine malacofauna for both dietary purposes and ornament production, offering new insights into human adaptation to coastal environments during the early phases of the Upper Palaeolithic along the Mediterranean coast. Combining taxonomy and taphonomy, we identified five main categories of shell remains within the assemblage: edible specimens, shell beads, non-worked ornamental shells, accidental introductions, and potential ornamental shells. A total of 91 perforated gastropods were recovered during the excavations of the Early Upper Palaeolithic layers. (...)

Setbacks in the use of a handaxe: lithic investment and seasonality in the Early Acheulean, di J. Clark, G. J. Linares-Matás, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 2, february 2025 - open access -

From their first appearance in the archaeological record, the varying degree of biface presence in individual assemblages has long been a notable aspect of discussions surrounding the nature of the Early Acheulean. These debates have largely focused on the relative influence of random processes, site formation dynamics, raw material constraints, biological and/or cultural groupings, and differences in ecology and activity. Here, we collate published technological information from Early Acheulean assemblages 1.8–1.2 Ma, attempting to document patterns of wider inter-assemblage variability, and focus on the potential role of seasonality in structuring some of this variation. We suggest that there are relationships between a number of lithic variables in the Early Acheulean that are a reflection of consistent activity variants and patterns of landscape use, and that these variables account for discrete clusters of sites according to shared technological bases. (...)

Exploring the Middle Stone Age lithic technology at DGS, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, di I. Solano-Megías et alii, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 2, february 2025 - open access -

Olduvai Gorge, nestled between the East African Rift Valley and the Mozambique Belt, is key to understanding human evolution. Even though extensive archaeological and palaeoanthropological findings have been unearthed here since the 1930s, the Middle Stone Age in this area has nonetheless received less attention than the Oldowan or the Acheulean. This paper presents the lithic technology analysis of Dorothy Garrod Site (DGS), a newly-documented MSA site located at the junction of the main gorge and the side gorge at Olduvai. DGS provides valuable additional knowledge to our understanding of the MSA groups that inhabited the region, offering insights into the mobility and settlement patterns of human groups in East Africa during MIS 4. This study focuses on the techno-typological characterization of the DGS lithic assemblage through an analysis of the raw material management strategies and knapping methods employed. (...)

Did Homo erectus Have Language? The Seafaring Inference, di R. Botha, "Cambridge Archaeological Journal", volume 35, issue 1, february 2025, pp. 21-37 - open access -

Various authors have claimed over the years that Homo erectus had language. Since there is no direct evidence about the matter, this claim represents the conclusion of a multi-step composite inference drawn from putative non-linguistic attributes of the species. Three maritime behaviours are central among these attributes: crossing open seas to get to insular islands such as Flores in the Indian ocean and Crete in the Mediterranean; building complex watercraft for the crossings; and undertaking navigation in making the crossings. Dubbing it the ‘Seafaring Inference’, the present article reconstructs and appraises the way in which Barham and Everett use the Seafaring Inference to build a case for the claim that Homo erectus had language. (...)

Evaluating the Evidence for Lunar Calendars in Upper Palaeolithic Parietal Art, di A. Nowell, P. Bahn, J. L. Le Quellec, "Cambridge Archaeological Journal", volume 35, issue 1, february 2025, pp. 38-55 - open access -

In this paper, we examine the lunar calendar interpretation to evaluate whether it is a viable explanation for the production of Upper Palaeolithic parietal art. We consider in detail the history of this approach, focusing on recently published variations on this interpretation. We then discuss the scientific method and whether these recent studies are designed to address the research questions necessary to test a lunar calendar hypothesis. More broadly, we explore challenges related to inferring meaning in art of the deep past, the use of secondary sources and selecting appropriate ethnographic analogies. (...)

Historical Dimensions of Rock Art: Perspectives from ‘Peripheries’, di M. Cruz Berrocal, D. Gárate, "Cambridge Archaeological Journal", volume 35, issue 1, february 2025, pp. 56-69 - open access -

Research on rock art around the world takes for granted the premise that rock art, as a product of the Upper Palaeolithic symbolic revolution, is a natural behavioral expression of Homo sapiens, essentially reflecting new cognitive abilities and intellectual capacity of modern humans. New discoveries of Late Pleistocene rock art in Southeast Asia as well as recent dates of Neandertal rock art are also framed in this light. We contend in this paper that, contrary to this essentialist non-interpretation, rock art is a historical product. Most human groups have not made rock art. (...)

The Earliest Taphonomic Evidence of Rabbit Exploitation by Humans in the Northwestern Mediterranean at Terra Amata (Nice, France), di J. S. Meier, K. El Guennouni, P. Valensi, A. M. Moigne, E. Morin, "Current Anthropology", volume 66, number 1, february 2025

Recent taphonomic research has sparked new debates about the breadth and scale of early hominin exploitation of small game animals, including rabbits and other small-bodied, fast taxa. In this article, we present a detailed assessment of the earliest evidence of the hunting and use of leporids by an early human community in the northwestern Mediterranean region, at the site of Terra Amata (Nice, France). Taphonomic reanalysis sheds new light on the potential agent(s) responsible for the accumulation of many remains of rabbits in five stratigraphic units that contain evidence of human occupation. (...)

Insufficient Evidence for a Severe Bottleneck in Humans During the Early to Middle Pleistocene Transition, di T. Cousins, A. Durvasula, "Molecular Biology and Evolution", volume 42, issue 2, february 2025, msaf041 - open access -

A recently proposed model suggests a severe bottleneck in the panmictic ancestral population of modern humans during the Early to Middle Pleistocene transition. Here, we show this model provides a worse fit to the data than a panmictic model without the bottleneck. (...)

Palaeolithic map engraved for staging water flows in a Paris Basin shelter, di M. Thiry, A. Milnes, "Oxford Journal of Archaeology", volume 44, issue 1, february 2025, pages 2-26

The Ségognole 3 shelter lies within a quartzitic sandstone megaclast in a lag deposit in the Paris Basin. It displays a female sexual configuration associated with a horse engraving, stylistically attributed to the Upper Palaeolithic. Recent studies have demonstrated that modifications to the natural features of the shelter had been undertaken to cause water to flow through what is seen as the vulva. New investigations reported here describe additional modifications to natural features in the shelter to direct rainwater infiltration to a network of channels engraved onto the shelter floor to form a functioning representation of watercourses. (...)

The biography of a fragment. A late mesolithic antler object from the strandvägen site, south central Sweden, di L. Larsson, F. Molin, "Oxford Journal of Archaeology", volume 44, Issue 1, february 2025, pages 40-56 - open access -

When investigating a settlement dated to the late Mesolithic, c.5500 cal BC, at Strandvägen in south-central Sweden, an extensive assemblage of implements made of bone and antler was found. Among these finds was a richly decorated antler piece, likely part of an antler axe. Originally it was equipped with shallow ornamentation that was later removed and replaced by a second deeper motif of longitudinal bands with filling, occurring in three distinct zones. The degrees of precision shown, manners of execution and motif selection in the later set of decorations suggest that more than one person carried it out. Subsequently, the axe was broken and transformed into another tool, probably a harpoon, which eventually also became fragmented. Finally, the remaining part was deliberately deposited among other selected finds on a stone platform in the river just off the shoreline of the settlement. (...)

Lower Palaeolithic small flake prehension: Use-wear and residue analyses reveal hominin grasping potential at late Acheulean sites in Israel and Italy, di F. Marinelli, S. Nunziante-Cesaro, R. Barkai, C. Lemorini, "Journal of Quaternary Science", volume 40, issue 2, february 2025, pages 332-354 - open access -

There is currently substantial debate over the use of prehension or hafting of tools by hominins. Many studies have been carried out to understand the prehension and hafting of hominin tools through experiments and through study of the anatomy and muscle system of both non-human primates and humans. This paper discusses the results of the analyses of macro-traces and micro-residues of prehension found on small flakes from the late Acheulean sites of Revadim (Israel), Jaljulia (Israel) and Fontana Ranuccio (Italy). Small flakes are ubiquitous in many Late Lower Palaeolithic sites where they were used for various activities, including butchering. (...)

"Journal of Human Evolution", volume 199, february 2025:

- Shanidar 3 ‘rings the bell’: Virtual ribcage reconstruction and its implications for understanding the Neanderthal bauplan, di J. M. López-Rey, D. García-Martínez, M. Bastir

- Divergent otolithic systems in the inner ear of Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus africanus, di C. M. Smith et alii

- Stone selection by wild chimpanzees shares patterns with Oldowan hominins, di D. R. Braun et alii

- Contextualizing the Upper Paleolithic of the Armenian Highlands: New data from Solak-1, central Armenia, di T. Z. Kovach et alii

- The Grotte du Bison Neandertals (Arcy-sur-Cure, France), di J. Henrion et alii

- Interpreting statistical significance in hominin dimorphism: Power and Type I error rates for resampling tests of univariate and missing-data multivariate size dimorphism estimation methods in the fossil record, di A. D. Gordon

A provenance investigation on Middle–Upper Paleolithic chipped chert tools from North Bosnia, di C. Petros, R. Tonko, P. Ivana, "Geoarchaeology", volume 40, issue 1, january/february 2025, e22020 - open access -

This study presents the results of a provenance study on Middle–Upper Paleolithic chert tools from North Bosnia. It is part of a larger geoarchaeological research dedicated to using interdisciplinary methodologies to collate and review the known Middle–Upper Paleolithic archaeological record of North Bosnia. Chert is a raw material commonly used in prehistory for tool crafting and this region is known to have abundant geological sources. However, there is a lack of detailed data, especially regarding the geochemical characteristics and composition of these sources. The Middle-Upper Paleolithic lithic assemblages found in North Bosnia are dominated by chert and there is an untested theory suggesting the exploitation of local sources. (...)

Examining the distribution of Middle Paleolithic Nubian cores relative to chert quality in southern (Nejd, Dhofar) and south-central (Duqm, Al Wusta) Oman, di M. I. Eren et alii, "Geoarchaeology", volume 40, issue 1, january/february 2025, e22019 - open access -

Lithic raw material properties are often invoked to explain the presence, absence, form, or ontogeny of Paleolithic stone tools. Here, we explore whether the frequency of the Middle Paleolithic Nubian core form and core-reduction systems co-varies with toolstone quality in two neighboring regions in Oman: the southern region of Nejd, Dhofar, and the south-central region of Duqm, Al Wusta. Specifically, we predicted that if raw material differences were influencing the distribution of Nubian cores, the chert would be of higher quality in the southern region, where Nubian cores were frequent, and of lower quality in the south-central region, where they were scarce. We tested this prediction by collecting 124 chert samples from 22 outcrops and then quantitatively assessed two geochemical variables that are widely thought to influence knapping: impurity amount and silica content. (...)

Site Formation Processes at Tinshemet Cave, Israel: Micro-Stratigraphy, Fire Use, and Cementation, di P. García, Y. Zaidner, C. Nicosia, R. Shahack-Gross, "Geoarchaeology", volume 40, issue 1, january/february 2025, e22023 - open access -

Recent excavations at the Middle Paleolithic site of Tinshemet Cave, Israel, showcase hominin burials and associated material culture that uniquely provide new information on hominin behavior in the south Levant around 120–100 ky ago. This study presents the site's stratigraphy in association with findings from sediment micromorphological analyses, shedding light on natural and anthropogenic site formation processes as well as human activities. Results indicate that two main types of sediment have been deposited—wood ash and reworked Terra Rossa soil—mixed to various degrees across the stratigraphic units. Hominin occupation started shortly after a partial roof collapse, intermittent with carnivore presence (Unit C). (...)

The Mesolithic Hunter–Gatherer Camp Site at Sammakko in Norrbotten, Northernmost Sweden—Archeological Finds and Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction, di P. Möller et alii, "Geoarchaeology", volume 40, issue 1, january/february 2025, e22030 - open access -

A small Mesolithic camp site near Sammakko in northernmost Sweden has been identified through its abundance of burnt bone and quartz refuse from stone tool manufacturing/maintenance. Radiocarbon dating places hunter–gatherer activity here around 8900 years ago, 1800 years later than the oldest known settlement in Norrbotten, the Aareavaara site. Sediment stratigraphy in nearby lake basins suggests that the final melting of stagnant ice, trapped in the undulating Veiki-moraine landscape, occurred around 9200 years ago. Initially, after deglaciation, the area was covered with arctic heath, transitioning to an open birch forest by 9100 years ago. At the time of the Sammakko settlers, it was an open birch forest with elements of pine, and various dwarf shrubs, including dwarf birch, willow, and juniper. Grasses, sedges, and various herbs in the semi-open grounds were also common. (...)

Lower Palaeolithic Site Kamianka in Eastern Ukraine: Geoarchaeological Assessments, di V. N. Stepanchuk, Y. M. Veklych, "Geoarchaeology", volume 40, issue 1, january/february 2025, e22036

The paper presents an initial attempt to assess ancient findings in Eastern Ukraine through a synthesis of archaeological and geomorphological data. It focuses on a newly discovered Lower Palaeolithic site on a valley slope of a right-bank tributary of the Seversky Donets River, cutting into the Jarkiv stage terrace (Pliocene) of the Ukrainian stratigraphic scale. Flint, quartzite, quartz flakes, and modified pebbles were found in the clastic material from the upper cover layer. The artefacts date from 2.6 to 0.6 Ma, corresponding to the interval between the boundary separating Bogdanivka and Beregove stages (i.e., Reuverian and Tiglian, respectively) and the Lubny (Cromerian) stage. A new terrace analysis method identified the lower boundary near the Pliocene-Quaternary transition, with the upper boundary based on regional archaeological analogies. (...)

L’iconographie anthropomorphe dans l’art rupestre et pariétal d’Eurasie à l’Holocène: un panorama ordonnéAnthropomorphic iconography in the rock and cave art of Eurasia in the Holocene: An organized overview, di J. Masson Mourey, "L'Anthropologie", volume 129, issue 1, january–march 2025, 103345

L’art rupestre et pariétal postglaciaire du supercontinent eurasiatique accorde généralement une place non négligeable aux anthropomorphes, c’est-à-dire à la représentation du corps humain dans divers états. L’article est conçu comme un bref tour d’horizon de ces images particulières dont il est proposé ici une typologie thématique quadripartite. (...)

Sentient beings? Rethinking the meaning of stone in mesolithic burials and beyond, di A. Little, "World Archaeology", 24 january 2025, doi: doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2024.2444371 - open access -

Considerable attention has been given to the skeletal remains and personal ornaments from Mesolithic funerary contexts. Relatively less analytical attention, however, has been given to lithic objects frequently found in the same graves. As a result, understandings of grave goods and the broader ontological frameworks surrounding Mesolithic mortuary practices can be argued to be incomplete. A partial picture is perhaps why we have struggled to move beyond monolithic accounts of grave goods as status items. In this paper, I draw on empirical evidence for lithics playing diverse roles in funerary rites and rituals. Connections between stone objects and human bodies are drawn from funerary and other contexts to argue that, rather than being simply inanimate and utilitarian, some stone tools were perceived as living entities. Taking this new ontological perspective enables a radical rethink of the meaning of lithic artefacts in Mesolithic burials and beyond. (...)

Rapid change in red cell blood group systems after the main Out of Africa of Homo sapiens, di S. Mazières, S. Condemi, W. El Nemer, J. Chiaroni, "Scientific Reports", volume 15, article number: 1597 (2025), 23 january 2025 - open access -

Despite the advances in paleogenomics, red cell blood group systems in ancient human populations remain scarcely known. Pioneer attempts showed that Neandertal and Denisova, two archaic hominid populations inhabiting Eurasia, expressed blood groups currently found in sub-Saharans and a rare “rhesus”, part of which is found in Oceanians. Herein we fully pictured the blood group genetic diversity of 22 Homo sapiens and 14 Neandertals from Eurasia living between 120,000 and 20,000 years before present (yBP). From the ABO, Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, MNS, Diego, H, secretor and Indian systems, we noted that the blood group allele diversity in the Neandertals remained unchanged since 120,000 yBP, while H. sapiens conquered Eurasia with blood group alleles presently exclusive to non-African populations, suggesting they may have differentiated right after the Out of Africa, between 70,000 and 45,000 yBP. (...)

Starch-rich plant foods 780,000 y ago: Evidence from Acheulian percussive stone tools, di H. Ahituv et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 21 january 2025, vol. 122, no. 3, e2418661121

In contrast to animal foods, wild plants often require long, multistep processing techniques that involve significant cognitive skills and advanced toolkits to perform. These costs are thought to have hindered how hominins used these foods and delayed their adoption into our diets. Through the analysis of starch grains preserved on basalt anvils and percussors, we demonstrate that a wide variety of plants were processed by Middle Pleistocene hominins at the site of Gesher Benot Ya’aqov in Israel, at least 780,000 y ago. (...)

Hominin presence in Eurasia by at least 1.95 million years ago, di S. C. Curran et alii, "Nature Communications", volume 16, article number: 836 (2025), 20 january 2025 - open access -

The timing of the initial dispersal of hominins into Eurasia is unclear. Current evidence indicates hominins were present at Dmanisi, Georgia by 1.8 million years ago (Ma), but other ephemeral traces of hominins across Eurasia predate Dmanisi. However, no hominin remains have been definitively described from Europe until ~1.4 Ma. Here we present evidence of hominin activity at the site of Grăunceanu, Romania in the form of multiple cut-marked bones. Biostratigraphic and high-resolution U-Pb age estimates suggest Grăunceanu is > 1.95 Ma, making this site one of the best-dated early hominin localities in Europe. Environmental reconstructions based on isotopic analyzes of horse dentition suggest Grăunceanu would have been relatively temperate and seasonal, demonstrating a wide habitat tolerance in even the earliest hominins in Eurasia. (...)

Australopithecus at Sterkfontein did not consume substantial mammalian meat, di T. Lüdecke et alii, "Science", vol 387, issue 6731, 17 january 2025, pp. 309-314

Incorporation of animal-based foods into early hominin diets has been hypothesized to be a major catalyst of many important evolutionary events, including brain expansion. However, direct evidence of the onset and evolution of animal resource consumption in hominins remains elusive. The nitrogen-15 to nitrogen-14 ratio of collagen provides trophic information about individuals in modern and geologically recent ecosystems (<200,000 years ago), but diagenetic loss of this organic matter precludes studies of greater age. (...)

Evolution: Early humans adapted to extreme desert conditions over one million years ago, 16 january 2025

Homo erectus was able to adapt to and survive in desert-like environments at least 1.2 million years ago, according to a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment. The findings suggest that behavioural adaptations included returning repeatedly over thousands of years to specific rivers and ponds for fresh water, and the development of specialised tools. The authors propose that this capability to adapt may have led to the expansion of H. erectus’ geographic range. There has been significant debate over when early hominins acquired the adaptability to survive in extreme environments, such as deserts or rainforests. Previous research has frequently concluded that only Homo sapiens were able to adapt to such environments. Julio Mercader, Paul Durkin, and colleagues collected archaeological, geological, and palaeoclimatic data at Engaji Nanyori in Oldupai Gorge, Tanzania — a key early hominin archaeological site. The authors report that between approximately 1.2 million and 1 million years ago, semi-desert conditions persisted in the area with characteristic plant life evident. (...)

Climate frameworks for the Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age in Northwest Africa, di S. Boisard, C. D. Wren, L. Timbrell, A. Burke, "Quaternary International", volume 716, 15 january 2025, 109593 - open access -

This paper examines climate conditions in Northwest Africa for Marine Isotope Stage 4, 3, and 2 (71,000–11,000 years ago) and their impact on the distribution of potential suitable areas on a regional scale. The analysis uses climate simulations to model: 1) the geographical extent and variability of macro-refugia based on ethnographic data; and 2) the frequency of suitable areas based on climate ranges obtained at dated archaeological occupations. The results include the production of maps of MSA and LSA site distribution, and annual precipitation and temperature values for each dated human occupation. (...)

Exploring early Acheulian technological decision-making: A controlled experimental approach to raw material selection for percussive artifacts in Melka Wakena, Ethiopia, di E. Paixão, T. Gossa, W. Gneisinger, J. Marreiros, S. Tholen, I. Calandra, E. Hovers, 9 january 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314039 - open access -

The evolution of human behaviour is marked by key decision-making processes reflected in technological variability in the early archaeological record. As part of the technological system, differences in raw material quality directly affect the way that humans produce, design and use stone tools. The selection, procurement and use of various raw materials requires decision-making to evaluate multiple factors such as suitability to produce and design tools, but also the materials’ efficiency and durability in performing a given task. Therefore, characterizing the physical properties of various lithic raw materials is crucial for exploring changes in human interactions with their natural environment through time and space and for understanding their technological behaviour. In this paper, we present the first step in an ongoing program designed to understand the decision-making criteria involved in the use of raw materials by the early Acheulian tool-makers at the Melka Wakena (MW) site-complex, located on the Ethiopian highlands. (...)

A sedimentary ancient DNA perspective on human and carnivore persistence through the Late Pleistocene in El Mirón Cave, Spain, di P. Gelabert et alii, "Nature Communications", volume 16, article number: 107 (2025), 02 January 2025 - open access -

Caves are primary sites for studying human and animal subsistence patterns and genetic ancestry throughout the Palaeolithic. Iberia served as a critical human and animal refugium in Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), 26.5 to 19 thousand years before the present (cal kya). Therefore, it is a key location for understanding human and animal population dynamics during this event. We recover and analyse sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) data from the lower archaeological stratigraphic sequence of El Mirón Cave (Cantabria, Spain), encompassing the Late Mousterian period, associated with Neanderthals, and the Gravettian (c. 31.5 cal kya), Solutrean (c. 24.5–22 cal kya), and Initial Magdalenian (d. 21–20.5 cal kya) periods, associated with anatomically modern humans. (...)

Peopling of the Americas: A new approach to assessing dental morphological variation in Asian and Native American populations, di G. R. Scott et alii, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", volume 186, issue 1, january 2025, e24878

All Native American groups have a similar degree of morphological affinity to East Asia, as 10%–15% are classified as East Asian. East Asians are classified as Native American in 30% of cases. Individuals in the Western Hemisphere are decreasingly classified as Arctic the farther south they are located. Equivalent levels of classification as East Asian across all Native American groups suggests one divergence between East Asians and the population ancestral to all Native Americans. Non-arctic Native American groups are derived from the Arctic population, which represents the Native American founder group. (...)

The use of shaped stone balls to extract marrow: a matter of skill? Experimental- traceological approach, di E. Assaf, S. Díaz Pérez, E. Bruner, C. Torres, R. Blasco, J. Rosell, J. Baena Preysler, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 1, january 2025 - open access -

Technological skills associated with the Paleolithic culture have been explored extensively in recent years, with regard to the production of stone tools. Aspects of skill related to the use of these tools, however, have yet to be comprehensively explored. In this paper, we use a combined experimental-traceological approach to explore aspects of skill in the use of Lower Paleolithic (LP) shaped stone balls (SSBs) as percussion tools for marrow extraction. We examine the effect of skill, or lack thereof, on the accumulation of distinctive use wear traces upon these implements, while also considering handling, grip, and body posture of skilled versus unskilled participants in our experiment. In addition, we investigate possible indicative morphologies attesting to skill level on the processed bones. (...)

Incised stone artefacts from the Levantine Middle Palaeolithic and human behavioural complexity, di M. Goder-Goldberger, J. Marreiros, E. Paixão, E. Hovers, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 1, january 2025 - open access -

In recent years, archaeological research has demonstrated the presence of abstract non-utilitarian behaviour amongst palaeolithic hominins, fuelling discussions concerning the origin and implications of such complex behaviours. A key component in these discussions is the aesthetic and symbolic character of intentionally incised artefacts. In this study, we emphasize the geometry of the incisions as clues to intentionality. Using 3D surface analysis, we characterised incisions found on a Levallois core from Manot cave, and on a flake and retouched blade from Amud cave. In addition, we applied the same methodology to the previously published engraved Levallois core from Qafzeh and the plaquette from Quneitra. The incisions on the Manot, Qafzeh and Quneitra artefacts show similar geometric characteristics. (...)

AutoZooMS: Integrating robotics into high-throughput ZooMS for the species identification of palaeontological remains at Grotte Mandrin, France, di E. M. Oldfield, M. S. Dunstan, M. Pal Chowdhury, L. Slimak, M. Buckley, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 1, january 2025 - open access -

As the vast majority of excavated palaeontological skeletal remains are fragmentary to the extent that they cannot be identified by morphological analysis alone, various molecular methods have been considered to retrieve information from an otherwise underutilised resource. The introduction of collagen fingerprinting, known as Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), has become one of the most popular approaches to improve taxonomic data yields from fragmentary bone. However, manual laboratory work remains a barrier to the analysis of larger sample numbers. Here we test the incorporation of liquid-handling robots to further develop ZooMS into a more automated technique using samples excavated from Grotte Mandrin, France. (...)

Was fire use a cultural trait of the Gravettian? New micro-archaeological data from Fuente del Salín cave (Val de San Vicente, Cantabria), di G. Alzate-Casallas, M. A. Sánchez-Carro, A. Barbieri, M. R. González-Morales, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 17, issue 1, january 2025 - open access -

Micro-archaeological data from sites located in central and eastern Europe show that, in comparison with other Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers, Gravettian foragers used fire more intensively and for a wider range of purposes. At these sites, this shift in pyrotechnology overlaps with the onset of periglacial conditions. Gravettian occupations of non-periglacial regions have been poorly investigated with micro-archaeological methods, and it remains to be further demonstrated whether these foragers also made a similar intensive and multipurpose use of fire. To further investigate this topic, we studied the sequence preserved at the cave of Fuente del Salín, in Cantabria, where previous excavations unearthed potential fire residues of Gravettian age. (...)

Evidence for the oldest Middle Palaeolithic cave occupation in the Romanian Carpathians, di C. Schmidt et alii, "Journal of Quaternary Science", volume 40, issue 1, january 2025, pages 22-35 - open access -

The Middle and Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Carpathians and Danube lowlands constitute key contexts for tracing the dispersal of Homo sapiens into central-western Europe and the replacement of Homo neanderthalensis. Surprisingly, the Romanian archaeological inventory lacks transitional technologies and only a few sites have been systematically excavated and numerically dated, explaining the incomplete understanding of the Middle Palaeolithic and hence Neanderthal population dynamics. Here we present new age constraints for the Abri 122/1200 and Peștera Mare caves in the Romanian Carpathians, obtained by radiocarbon dating of charcoal and bone and by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of cave sediments. (...)

A multimethod analysis for tracing Gravettian red ochre provenance at Arene Candide Cave (NW Italy), di I. Rellini, G. Martino, R. Cabella, E. Sessa, R. Maggi, J. Riel-Salvatore, volume 40, issue 1, january 2025, pages 36-52 - open access -

Arene Candide Cave, a key site for Western Mediterranean prehistory, is famous for the discovery of the richly adorned Mid–Upper Palaeolithic burial of the ‘Young Prince’ and for its use as a burial site at the end of the Pleistocene (Late Epigravettian). In both contexts, red ochre was a conspicuous element of the burial practices. Unfortunately, few provenance studies and analytical data are available for the pigments recovered in the cave. Likewise, the geographical and geological origins of these colouring materials, which are naturally abundant in the Liguro-Provençal Arc, have received little to no attention despite their technical and symbolic value. (...)

Hominin fossil inventory: Quantification and comparison of discrete regional and element representation among early African fossil hominins prior to the emergence of Homo erectus, di R. T. McRae, B. Wood, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 198, january 2025, 103615

For all but the past few hundred thousand years, skeletal and dental morphology is the only evidence we have of our extinct ancestors and close hominin relatives. With a few exceptions, most lists of early hominin fossils have been assembled for single sites, formations, or taxa, with little attention paid to how different regions of the skeleton contribute to taxon hypodigms. We recognize there are different ways to divide up the hominin fossil record into taxa, but here, we present an inventory of the fossil evidence for the hypodigms of 14 early African hominin taxa that predate the emergence of Homo erectus. (...)

An assessment of puberty status in adolescents from the European Upper Paleolithic, di M. E. Lewis et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 198, january 2025, 103577 - open access -

Childhood and adolescence are two life-history stages that are either unique to humans, or significantly expanded in the human life course relative to other primates. While recent studies have deepened our knowledge of childhood in the Upper Paleolithic, adolescence in this period remains understudied. Here, we use bioarchaeological maturational markers to estimate puberty status of 13 Upper Paleolithic adolescents from sites in Russia, Czechia, and Italy (...)

Postcranial evidence does not support habitual bipedalism in Sahelanthropus tchadensis: A reply to Daver et al. (2022), di M. Cazenave et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 198, january 2025, 103557

In TM 266-01-63, although the base of the neck is preserved for only ca. 15 mm (Daver et al., 2022: Supplementary Note 2), Macchiarelli et al. (2020: SOM Fig. S1) concluded that the preserved morphology was consistent with a neck-shaft angle for TM 266-01-063 of between 138° and 146°, with a conservative estimate of >135° (Macchiarelli et al., 2020: 5, table 1). Although Daver et al. (2022) did not consider the neck-shaft angle, their high-quality images of TM 266-01-063 allowed us to (...)

Mapping lateral stratigraphy at Palaeolithic surface sites: A case study from Dhofar, Oman, di J. I. Rose et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Science", volume 173, january 2025, 106117 - open access -

Open-air accumulations of chipped stone debris are a common feature in arid landscapes, yet despite their prevalence, such archives are often dismissed as uninformative or unreliable. In the canyonlands of Dhofar, southern Oman, lithic surface scatters are nearly ubiquitous, including extensive, multi-component workshops associated with chert outcrops. These sites typically display chronologically diagnostic features that correspond to distinct taphonomic states, which in turn appear linked to spatial distribution, with more heavily weathered artifacts often found farther from the chert outcrops. (...)

"Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 8, issue 1, december 2025:

- A First Look at the Gravettian Open-Air Site Ollersdorf-Heidenberg (Austria): Recent Fieldwork and First Results on Stratigraphy, Chronology, Organic Preservation and Combustion Activity, di M. D. Bosch et alii

- In Search of the Origins of Distance Hunting—The Use and Misuse of Tip Cross-sectional Geometry of Wooden Spears, di D. Leder, A. Milks

- Within and Beyond: Chert Procurement Patterns During The Upper Palaeolithic in Southwesternmost Iberia, di Joana Belmiro et alii

- Unravelling the Development of Large Flake Technology During the Early Acheulean: The Evidence from Simbiro Gully at Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia), di E. Méndez-Quintas, M. Mussi

- Probable Use of Labrets Among the Mid Upper Paleolithic Pavlovian Peoples of Central Europe, di J. C. Willman

- Revisited and Revalorised: Technological and Refitting Studies at the Middle Stone Age Open-Air Knapping Site Jojosi 1 (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), di G. H. Dietrich Möller et alii

- Nubian Levallois Cores from MIS 5 Alluvial Terraces in the Negev Desert: New Insights into the Middle Paleolithic in the Arid Regions of the Southern Levant, di M. Oron et alii

- The Uluzzian and Châtelperronian: No Technological Affinity in a Shared Chronological Framework, di G. Marciani et alii

- Refitting the Context: A Reconsideration of Cultural Change among Early Homo sapiens at Fumane Cave through Blade Break Connections, Spatial Taphonomy, and Lithic Technology, di Armando Falcucci et alii

- Bone Refits and Implications for the Reconstruction of a Late Middle Palaeolithic Context: Unit A9 of Fumane Cave, di Marta Modolo et alii