Searching for Clues of Neanderthal Occupation and Mobility in Combustion Structure Residues: A Micromorphological and Biomarker Study of El Salt Unit Xb, Alcoy, Spain

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Charred Organic Matter in the Archaeological Sedimentary Record" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Neanderthal lithic and faunal record shows a short-term occupation, high mobility trend throughout Eurasia. Although combustion structures, which are numerous and well preserved in most Middle Paleolithic sites, play a central role in short-term occupations, they have not been sufficiently investigated from a geoarchaeological perspective to explore settlement patterns. This paper examines eleven combustion structures of the Middle Paleolithic site of El Salt (Spain), Unit Xb, with a focus on Neanderthal settlement patterns. The study is conducted using micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis and compound specific isotope analysis. Results show in situ hearths build on a vegetational surface previously occupied by herbivores, preserved as black layers. Likewise, the results indicate a presence of angiosperms surrounding the occupation site. Regardless of a high density of overlapping combustion structures, each hearth was built on a surface previously uninhabited by humans, pointing to short stays and therefore a high mobility. Mobility was additionally noted for fuel acquisition through an absence of conifer biomarkers in the fires, despite conifers being identified as a major source of fuel. A microscopic and molecular approach in the study of combustion structures provides insight for our understanding of Neanderthal settlement patterns.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Charred Organic Matter in the Archaeological Sedimentary Record   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24588