The Sopeña Rockshelter, a New Site in Asturias (Spain) bearing evidence on the Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic in Northern Iberia

Abstract

Iberia has become a major focus of modern human origins research because the early dates for the Aurignacian in some sites in northernSpain seem to preclude an ‘Aurignacian invasion’ from east to west. Neanderthals associated with Mousterian industries occur late in time. The occurrence of Neanderthal-modern hybrids dated to around 24 ka, and the possibility of in situ transition between the Middle and Upper Paleolithic along the north Spanish coast, also raise important questions. To approach these questions requires excavations with modern methods of sites containing relevant archaeological records, in situ stratigraphic deposits, and reliable dating. Here we offer a preliminary report on the Sopeña site, a rockshelter containing well stratified late Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic deposits. We describe the sedimentology for the archaeological layers, dates obtained so far, and lithic and faunal materials including the micromammal taphonomy from a deep test pit along the east wall.

Keywords

• Middle Paleolithic
• Early Upper Paleolithic
• Gravettian
• Auriñaciense
• Mousterian
• northern Spain
• Cantabrian Mountains