Joan Daura

A Common Genetic Origin for Early Farmers from Mediterranean Cardial and Central European LBK Cultures

The spread of farming out of the Balkans and into the rest of Europe followed two distinct routes: An initial expansion represented by the Impressa and Cardial traditions, which followed the Northern Mediterranean coastline; and another expansion represented by the LBK (Linearbandkeramik) tradition, which followed the Danube River into Central Europe. Although genomic data now exist from samples representing the second migration, such data have yet to be successfully generated from the initial Mediterranean migration. To address this, we generated the complete genome of a 7,400-year-old Cardial individual (CB13) from Cova Bonica in Vallirana (Barcelona), as well as partial nuclear data from five others excavated from different sites in Spain and Portugal. CB13 clusters with all previously sequenced early European farmers and modern-day Sardinians. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that both Cardial and LBK peoples derived from a common ancient population located in or around the Balkan Peninsula. The Iberian Cardial genome also carries a discernible hunter–gatherer genetic signature that likely was not acquired by admixture with local Iberian foragers. Our results indicate that retrieving ancient genomes from similarly warm Mediterranean environments such as the Near East is technically feasible.

Stratigraphic context and direct dating of the Neandertal mandible from Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona).

Stratigraphic study of the Cova del Gegants sedimentary fill revealed different cycles of accumulation of typical interior cave and delta facies. A precise chronology for these deposits, the faunal remains and stone tools contained therein was obtained by radiocarbon, U-Th and OSL. Our results indicate that the Upper Pleistocene archaeological sequence dates between 49.3 +/- 1.8 ka BP, the U-Th age of the overlying flowstone, and 60.0 +/- 3.9 ka BP, the OSL age of the basal deposits. We have also directly dated the sites Neandertal mandible to 52.3 +/- 2.3 ka by U-Th.

New Middle Pleistocene hominin cranium from Gruta da Aroeira (Portugal)

Significance We describe a recently discovered cranium from the Aroeira cave in Portugal dated to around 400 ka. This specimen is the westernmost Middle Pleistocene cranium of Europe and is one of the earliest fossils from this region associated with Acheulean tools. Unlike most other Middle Pleistocene finds, which are of uncertain chronology, the Aroeira 3 cranium is firmly dated to around 400 ka and was in direct association with abundant faunal remains and stone tools. In addition, the presence of burnt bones suggests a controlled use of fire. The Aroeira cranium represents a substantial contribution to the debate on the origin of the Neandertals and the pattern of human evolution in the Middle Pleistocene of Europe. The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because it marks the appearance of both fossil hominins ancestral to the later Neandertals and the Acheulean technology. Nevertheless, European sites containing well-dated human remains associated with an Acheulean toolkit remain scarce. The earliest European hominin crania associated with Acheulean handaxes are at the sites of Arago, Atapuerca Sima de los Huesos (SH), and Swanscombe, dating to 400–500 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11–12). The Atapuerca (SH) fossils and the Swanscombe cranium belong to the Neandertal clade, whereas the Arago hominins have been attributed to an incipient stage of Neandertal evolution, to Homo heidelbergensis, or to a subspecies of Homo erectus. A recently discovered cranium (Aroeira 3) from the Gruta da Aroeira (Almonda karst system, Portugal) dating to 390–436 ka provides important evidence on the earliest European Acheulean-bearing hominins. This cranium is represented by most of the right half of a calvarium (with the exception of the missing occipital bone) and a fragmentary right maxilla preserving part of the nasal floor and two fragmentary molars. The combination of traits in the Aroeira 3 cranium augments the previously documented diversity in the European Middle Pleistocene fossil record.

Karst evolution of the Garraf Massif (Barcelona, Spain): Doline formation, chronology and archaeopalaeontological archives

This paper forms part of two research projects, Humans, Carnivors i medi natural al Garraf and El Plistoce Superior i l’Holoce a Catalunya, supported by 2014SGR-108 and 2009ACOM00090 (Generalitat de Catalunya), HAR2011-26193, CGL2010-18616 and CGL2009-07392 projects (MI-CINN-FEDER). Fieldwork was supported by Servei d’Arqueologia i Paleontologia (Generalitat de Catalunya) and Ajuntaments de Vallirana i Begues. J. Daura has been supported by a postdoctoral grant (Juan de la Cierva Subprogram, JCI-2011-09543)

First Evidence of Collective Human Inhumation from the Cardial Neolithic (Cova Bonica, Barcelona, NE Iberian Peninsula)

ABSTRACT Excavations at Cova Bonica (Barcelona, Spain) have revealed 98 human remains, grouped into five age clusters and corresponding to a minimum of six non-articulated individuals. The remains are clearly associated with Cardial pottery, lithic artifacts, and ornaments suggesting an Early Neolithic horizon. The radiocarbon dating of three human individuals provides a reliable attribution to this period, with a range between ca. 5470 and 5220 cal b.c., identifying it as one of the few assemblages of human remains directly dated from this period. These remains correspond to a rare collective human inhumation and join a growing body of samples from the Cardial Neolithic, which is providing some of the important sites for the study of population movement and the spread of Neolithization along the western Mediterranean coast.

The Neandertals of northeastern Iberia: New remains from the Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona)

The present study describes a new juvenile hominin mandible and teeth and a new juvenile humerus from level V of the GP2 gallery of Cova del Gegant (Spain). The mandible (Gegant-5) preserves a portion of the right mandibular corpus from the M1 distally to the socket for the dc mesially, and the age at death is estimated as 4.5-5.0 years. Gegant-5 shows a single mental foramen located under the dm1/dm2 interdental septum, a relatively posterior placement compared with recent hominins of a similar developmental age. The mental foramen in Gegant-5 is also placed within the lower half of the mandibular corpus, as in the previously described late adolescent/adult mandible (Gegant-1) from this same Middle Paleolithic site. The Gegant-5 canine shows pronounced marginal ridges, a distal accessory ridge, and a pronounced distolingual tubercle. The P3 shows a lingually-displaced protoconid cusp tip and a distal accessory ridge. The P4 shows a slightly asymmetrical crown outline, a continuous transverse crest, a mesially placed metaconid cusp tip, a slight distal accessory ridge, and an accessory lingual cusp. The M1 shows a Y5 pattern of cusp contact and a well-developed and deep anterior fovea bounded posteriorly by a continuous midtrigonid crest. Gegant-4 is the distal portion of a left humerus from a juvenile estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old at death. The specimen shows thick cortical bone. Although fragmentary, the constellation of morphological and metric features indicates Neandertal affinities for these specimens. Their spatial proximity at the site and similar ages at death suggest these remains may represent a single individual. The addition of these new specimens brings the total number of Neandertal remains from the Cova del Gegant to five, and this site documents the clearest evidence for Neandertal fossils associated with Middle Paleolithic stone tools in this region of the Iberian Peninsula.

Palaeoenvironmental record of the Cal Maurici wetland sediment archive in Barcelona (NE Iberian Peninsula) between c. 6000 and 4000 cal. yr BP

This study presents the results of a multi-proxy analysis conducted to improve our understanding of the palaeoenvironmental conditions of the freshwater and brackish marshes of Cal Maurici (Barcelona, Spain) and the human impact on them during the mid-Holocene (6171–3891 cal. yr BP). The study integrates data from pollen, phytolith, diatom, charcoal, seeds and malacological analyses and helps to reconstruct the ecological conditions during the early establishment of farming communities in western Mediterranean facade. The results indicate a landscape dominated by Mediterranean vegetation with aquatic plants in the shallow marshes and well-developed forests in the nearby area, providing for the first time in the Holocene of NE Iberian Peninsula the palaeoecological conditions of deltaic areas. Ecofactual evidence indicates an initial landscape dominated by brackish marshes (6171–5773 cal. yr BP) in which Ruppia cf. maritima was predominant and human impact was low. Between 5026 and 4839 cal yr. BP, freshwater conditions expanded with an increase in Potamogeton sp. and the presence of Typha angustifolia and Spirogyra sp. algae with well-developed oak woodlands and deciduous trees in nearby areas. The expansion of evergreen forest occurred later (from 4960 to 4825 cal. yr BP until 3712 cal. yr BP), with the decline of deciduous woodland and the expansion of evergreen oaks, pinewoods, wild olive trees and box, coinciding with a period of increased human activity in the area. Additionally, the presence of marine resources at several archaeological excavation sites and domestic plants at Cal Maurici provides an opportunity to evaluate the interaction between earlier farmers and marine or deltaic ecosystems.

Carnivore involvement in bone assemblages based on taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses of Cova del Coll Verdaguer site (Barcelona, Iberian Peninsula)

Abstract Carnivores are the main biological agents identified in the Upper Pleistocene assemblage of Cova del Coll Verdaguer (NE Iberian Peninsula). At the site, ungulate bones were primarily accumulated and modified by hyenas, as shown by partly digested bones, coprolites and the pattern of damage on bones. However, other small- to medium-sized carnivores seemed to be involved in the accumulation, owing primarily to the presence of their bones and coprolites. Finally, other carnivores, including the brown bear, used the cave to hibernate and for birthing cubs. The combination of zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies, together with previous coprogenic analyses, at the site indicates that it is only by using these combined approaches that it is possible to identify the majority of the agents involved in an accumulation.

Amber, beads and social interaction in the Late Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula: an update

The identification of archaeological amber has been used in Iberian prehistory to evidence long-distance exchanges and engage Iberia in networks that connect western Europe with central and northern Europe, the emergence of social complexity, and the consolidation of trade networks. However, until now, no comprehensive analytical study of the Iberian amber has been produced to support any of the interpretive models currently in use. This paper approaches the analysis of Iberian Peninsula amber artefacts by considering their provenance (based on FTIR characterization), chronology, and spatial relationship with other exotica. Our work increases the number of analyzed artefacts to 156 (24%), out of the c. 647 currently known for the Iberian Peninsula. Based on these new data and a review of Murillo-Barroso and Martinón-Torres (2012), this overview outlines amber consumption patterns from the 6th to 2nd millennia BCE and demonstrates long-distance amber exchange connecting Iberia with the Mediterranean region from the Neolithic period onwards.

The endemic deer Haploidoceros mediterraneus (Bonifay) (Cervidae, Mammalia) from the Late Pleistocene of Cova del Rinoceront (Iberian Peninsula): origin, ecomorphology, and paleobiology

ABSTRACT This article reports the findings from a morphological and demographic analysis of the craniodental remains of the endemic continental deer Haploidoceros mediterraneus from the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5) of the Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona, Iberian Peninsula), the most complete assemblage of this species recorded in Europe. The presence of vestigial distal antler palmation and a posterior crown tine suggests that the genus Haploidoceros belongs to the Arvernoceros-Rucervus phylogenetic stock. The direct phyletic relationship between Haploidoceros mediterraneus and the ‘Cervus elaphoides’ from the Early Pleistocene of Venta Micena is confirmed by the dental morphology and the shape of the proximal portions of the antlers. The article discusses the evolution of the typical morphological features of H. mediterraneus: including its protruding tube-shaped orbits; relatively large cheek teeth; and, narrow, pointed premaxillary bones. The demographic structure of the cervid remains (a predominance of juvenile and prime adult males) suggests a seasonal mortality peak for young males expelled from the optimal habitat during autumn and winter.