Stalagmites from Almonda Cave, located near Nazare in semi-arid west-central Portugal, are being ... more Stalagmites from Almonda Cave, located near Nazare in semi-arid west-central Portugal, are being investigated in order to reconstruct the region's paleoenvironmental history. Here we report our initial attempts to construct growth histories for these samples using uranium-series dating. The stalagmites collected from Almonda Cave, one of the deepest and most extensive cave systems in Portugal, are characterized by intervals of growth separated by multiple hiatuses. Where dated, these growth pulses appear centered at 74, 64-60, 45-44, and 18-16 ka, although the dates on all but the youngest stalagmite are complicated by high abundances of 232Th and an uncertainty in initial 230Th/232Th ratios. We corrected for detrital 230Th using an initial 230Th/232Th atomic ratio of 4.5 ppm (±50%), the average crustal silicate value. The Pleistocene-age stalagmite most precisely dated grew from 18.0±0.6 to 15.7 ±0.4 ka, coincident with the onset and termination of ice-rafted debris associated with Heinrich Event 1 in core S075-6KL from the Iberian margin (Boessenkool et al., 2001). The remaining dates also suggest, albeit with large uncertainties, that stalagmite growth may have also been coincident with Heinrich Events 5 and 6 (45 and 60 ka, respectively). Based on a coupled analysis of both pollen and the oxygen isotopic composition of dinoflagellate cysts from S075-6KL, Boessenkool et al. (2001) argued that reduced sea surface temperatures associated with Heinrich events increased aridity in western Portugal. However, in arid and semi-arid climates, meteoric precipitation exerts a primary control on speleothem growth (Polyak and Asmerom, 2001), and thus this apparent correlation of speleothem growth and Heinrich events is surprising and may reflect a more complex control of sea surface temperatures on moisture balances along western Iberia than has been proposed."
Durante a implementação do sistema de abastecimento e saneamento de águas do concelho de Leiria, ... more Durante a implementação do sistema de abastecimento e saneamento de águas do concelho de Leiria, foram identificados, na localidade de Maceira, alguns fragmentos de cerâmica pertencentes a um número mínimo de nove recipientes. Estes exemplares cerâmicos encontravam-se isolados, não se tendo identificado qualquer estrutura ou outros materiais da mesma cronologia associados. Neste conjunto, estão presentes formas cerâmicas rectas, ovóides, com elementos de preensão, nomeadamente asas de rolo e mamilos junto ao bordo. Do ponto de vista decorativo registam-se as seguintes técnicas: impressa, destacando-se a impressão a “boquique”; incisa, verificando-se motivos em espiga, linhas e sulcos abaixo do bordo; compósita, destacando-se a “impressão + decoração plástica”. A maioria destes fragmentos apresenta-se bem conservada, com superfícies frescas (raramente apresentam rolamento) e com uma consistência das pastas variável entre as categorias “compacta”, “média” e “friável”. Tanto as formas como as técnicas decorativas acima enunciadas remetem este conjunto artefactual para uma cronologia enquadrada no Neolítico Antigo. Estando ausentes os indicadores que remetem para um eventual transporte dos materiais, admite-se a sua deposição intencional, havendo, no actual território português, vários paralelos, entre os quais se contam os “vasos isolados” do Neolítico Antigo de Santarém, Casével, Cartaxo, São Julião e Ponte da Azambuja 3. Pretende-se, com o presente trabalho, apresentar a caracterização tecnológica e tipológica exaustiva deste conjunto, sem esquecer o seu contexto e a formação do registo arqueológico, questionando-se o tipo de comportamento social que estará associado a esta acção.
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 2010
To diversify edible oil thermoresponsive polymer composites, polymeric linoleic acid peroxide (PL... more To diversify edible oil thermoresponsive polymer composites, polymeric linoleic acid peroxide (PLina) and polymeric linolenic acid peroxide (PLinl) were obtained by the autoxidation of linoleic acid (Lina) and linolenic acid (Linl), respectively. The autoxidation of Lina and Linl under air at room temperature rendered waxy soluble polymeric peroxide, having a soluble fraction in chloroform of more than 91 wt% and containing
Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-hol-10.1177_09596836211011666 for A speleothem record from Portug... more Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-hol-10.1177_09596836211011666 for A speleothem record from Portugal reveals phases of increased winter precipitation in western Iberia during the Holocene by Alexa Benson, Dirk L Hoffmann, Joan Daura, Montserrat Sanz, Filipa Rodrigues, Pedro Souto and João Zilhão in The Holocene
the middle Pleistocene human cranium from the Acheulean of Gruta da Aroeira The discovery of a c.... more the middle Pleistocene human cranium from the Acheulean of Gruta da Aroeira The discovery of a c.400,000 year ‐old cranium at Gruta da Aroeira sheds new light on the diversity of past humans and the Acheulean settlement of Europe. The fossil is a partial cranium encased in the hard breccia forming Unit 2 of the stratigraphic sequence. It was found in association with a rich collection of bifaces and large mammal remains. It preserves most of the right half of the calvarium (with the exception of the occipital bone), as well as a portion of the left side of the frontal squama and supraorbital torus. The combination of traits in the Aroeira 3 cranium increases the diversity previously documented in the Middle Pleistocene fossil
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Mar 13, 2017
The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because i... more 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 represente...
The Gruta da Oliveira is a Middle Paleolithic site discovered in 1989 in the framework of the spe... more The Gruta da Oliveira is a Middle Paleolithic site discovered in 1989 in the framework of the speleo- -archeological exploration of the karstic system associated with the spring of the Almonda River. Removal of the thick brecciated rubble that sealed its collapsed entrance allowed excavation, between 1992 and 2012, of the underlying, ~9 m -thick archeological stratification. Besides lithic assemblages in flint, quartz and quartzite totaling >25,000 objects, Neandertal skeletal remains, and hearth features, the deposit also yielded abundant microfaunal, faunal and wood charcoal remains. Dated to the ~35 -105 ka interval by Radiocarbon, Uranium- -Thorium and Thermoluminescence, the Gruta da Oliveira is a reference succession for the paleoenvironmental and paleoanthropological study of the Upper Pleistocene of Iberia
A 8 ST Ra CT Tradirionally, the inland amas OF Alenrcjo (South Portugal) have been considered ar ... more A 8 ST Ra CT Tradirionally, the inland amas OF Alenrcjo (South Portugal) have been considered ar empry of Pdeolirhic and Epipalealithic senlemenr Rorll have been raken as" on--exisrenr, or ar learr unkno\ vn. This perspecrive lacks, horvever, gounding on ...
A descoberta de um crânio humano com cerca de 400.000 anos de antiguidade na Gruta da Aroeira vem... more A descoberta de um crânio humano com cerca de 400.000 anos de antiguidade na Gruta da Aroeira vem reforçar o conhecimento da diversidade humana e do povoamento acheulense da Europa. O crânio foi encontrado na Unidade 2, associado a uma importante colecção de bifaces e a uma fauna de grandes mamíferos. O fóssil é uma porção considerável do lado direito da caixa craniana, sem o occipital, mas conservando parte do lado esquerdo da escama frontal e do toro supraorbital, bem como a região interorbital, incluindo a parte vertical dos ossos nasais. Algumas características do crânio da Aroeira são traços primitivos presentes em fósseis do Plistocénico médio mas ausentes nos Neandertais.The discovery of a c.400,000 year‑old cranium at Gruta da Aroeira sheds new light on the diversity of past humans and the Acheulean settlement of Europe. The fossil is a partial cranium encased in the hard breccia forming Unit 2 of the stratigraphic sequence. It was found in association with a rich collection...
The European climate during the Holocene period is characterised by frequent changes of temperatu... more The European climate during the Holocene period is characterised by frequent changes of temperature and precipitation. The North Atlantic plays a major role as a driver for European climate and is a dominant precipitation source, particularly for the western European and north African realm. Atmospheric pressure gradients over the Atlantic (North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO), Atlantic circulation patterns (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, AMO) or positioning of the Atlantic jet stream have been suggested to be responsible for precipitation patterns across western Europe. However, proxy data provide an inconsistent picture on how precipitation responds to changes in the Atlantic realm such as changes of Atlantic temperature (IRD), atmospheric pressure (NAO), water circulation (AMO) or the jet stream. Here we present a record of speleothem-based winter precipitation amount from Portugal. The record covers most of the Holocene and demonstrates that wetter conditions were synchronous in...
Arqueologia em Portugal 2020 - Estado da Questão - Textos, 2020
Dated to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), the site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portug... more Dated to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), the site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal) is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities that have yielded a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces, in a cave context. Our multi-analytical approach to the site’s archaeological record focused on different aspects: the human cranium (Aroeira 3), the faunal remains, the use of fire, and the lithic industry. The Aroeira 3 fossil cranium displays a primitive bony labyrinth and a perimortem bone fracture. The lithic assemblage suggests limited mobility, with on-site knapping; the bifaces, however, were brought to the site as finished tools. Among the faunal remains, the primate Macaca sylvanus is present and cervids, including the Mediterranean deer Haploidocerus mediterraneus, previously undocumented in the Middle Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula, predominate. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction using the small vertebrate assemblage suggests an open wood...
Despite the abundant remains from Sima de los Huesos and Arago, human cranial variability in the ... more Despite the abundant remains from Sima de los Huesos and Arago, human cranial variability in the earlier Middle Pleistocene of Europe is poorly known, which makes it difficult to assess patterns of human diversity and possible regions for ancestral populations associated with the western Eurasian spread of the Acheulian technocomplex. A recently discovered partial cranium from the Gruta da Aroeira may shed some light on this period. U-series dating of stratigraphically overlying flowstone provides a minimum age of 390 ka, placing the fossil in the relevant time period . This cave site was first excavated between 1998 and 2002, revealing a rich collection of Acheulian bifaces in association with large mammals and two human teeth [1-2]. Work resumed in 2013, intent on reaching bedrock and establishing the chronology of the stratigraphic sequence, which, at the back of the cave, spans 4 m and comprises three major stratigraphic units. Unit 1 is a colmatation breccia. Unit 2 is a 2.2 m-thick mud-supported breccia rich in angular and sub-rounded clasts comprising Acheulean layer X. Basal unit 3 is a fluvial cave deposit comprising two layers: XI, with faunal remains but no artefacts; XII, sterile. The layer X lithics include handaxes and other bifacial tools; the Levallois method was not used. The highly fragmented faunal remains are dominated by cervids and equids and include Rhinocerotidae, bear, a large bovid, a caprid, and tortoise. Burnt bone fragments were recovered at the base of layer X. A partial human cranium encased in rockgrade breccia was discovered at the base of layer X. It consists of a large part of the right side of a braincase, lacking the occipital bone, but also preserving a portion of the left side of the frontal squama and supraorbital torus, as well as the interorbital region, including the vertical part of the nasal bones. A fragment of the right maxilla, with two molars partially preserved, was also found attached to the calvarium but not in anatomical position. Based on the degree of synostosis of the right coronal suture, the individual was a mature adult. There is no plastic deformation of the preserved regions although an extensive area of the outer surface of the frontal squama and the supraorbital torus was mechanically eroded (abraded) before final deposition, indicating a certain amount of transportation. As a consequence of the abrasion, the frontal squama was considerably thinned and the midorbital and lateral (trigone) parts of the supraorbital arches are lost. The fossil was mechanically removed from the breccia with great care and accuracy, and then CT-scanned and virtually reconstructed, using the Mimics v.18 software program. Although neither the sagittal suture nor bregma are preserved, there remains enough of the right portion of the frontal bone (including the interior frontal crest) to identify the midline. The preserved portions were mirror-imaged and the main transverse neurocranial diameters were measured. The Aroeira skull shows relatively thick bones, and an angular torus is present on the right parietal bone. This latter feature is a primitive trait found on some Middle Pleistocene fossils from the Sima de los Huesos , Caune de l’Arago and Ceprano, but not found in Neandertals and is consistent with a geological age between 400 ka and 500 ka. When the reconstructed braincase is viewed posteriorly, the parietal walls are fairly vertical but converge slightly towards the top. The general measurements of the Aroeira neurocranium are well within the ranges of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca) collection and other European fossils attributed to the mid Middle Pleistocene, although the thickness of the supraorbital torus and the interorbital breadth are outstanding.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, ... more The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, has provided evidence of early modern humans from southern Iberia. The remains, the largely complete skeleton of a '4year-old child buried with pierced shell and red ochre, is dated to ca. 24,500 years B.P. The cranium, mandible, dentition, and postcrania present a mosaic of European early modern human and Neandertal features. The temporal bone has an intermediate-sized juxtamastoid eminence. The mandibular mentum osseum and the dental size and proportions, supported by mandibular ramal features, radial tuberosity orientation, and diaphyseal curvature, as well as the pubic proportions align the skeleton with early modern humans. Body proportions, ref lected in femorotibial lengths and diaphyseal robusticity plus tibial condylar displacement, as well as mandibular symphyseal retreat and thoracohumeral muscle insertions, align the skeleton with the Neandertals. This morphological mosai...
The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to... more The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities to have provided a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces in a cave context. The multi-analytic study reported here of the by-products of burning recorded in layer X suggests the presence of anthropogenic fires at the site, among the oldest such evidence in south-western Europe. The burnt material consists of bone, charcoal and, possibly, quartzite cobbles. These finds were made in a small area of the cave and in two separate occupation horizons. Our results add to our still-limited knowledge about the controlled use of fire in the Lower Palaeolithic and contribute to ongoing debates on the behavioural complexity of the Acheulean of Europe.
Fruits of the sea The origins of marine resource consumption by humans have been much debated. Zi... more Fruits of the sea The origins of marine resource consumption by humans have been much debated. Zilhão et al. present evidence that, in Atlantic Iberia's coastal settings, Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals exploited marine resources at a scale on par with the modern human–associated Middle Stone Age of southern Africa (see the Perspective by Will). Excavations at the Figueira Brava site on Portugal's Atlantic coast reveal shell middens rich in the remains of mollusks, crabs, and fish, as well as terrestrial food items. Familiarity with the sea and its resources may thus have been widespread for residents there in the Middle Paleolithic. The Figueira Brava Neanderthals also exploited stone pine nuts in a way akin to that previously identified in the Holocene of Iberia. These findings add broader dimensions to our understanding of the role of aquatic resources in the subsistence of Paleolithic humans. Science , this issue p. eaaz7943 ; see also p. 1422
La description de l'industrie lithique acheuléenne issue de la couche X de la Gruta da Aroeira, d... more La description de l'industrie lithique acheuléenne issue de la couche X de la Gruta da Aroeira, datée de 389-436 ka, révèle un pourcentage élevé de bifaces. Les fouilles archéologiques ont mis au jour un crâne humain associé aux vestiges lithiques et fauniques. L'approvisionnement en matières premières est dominé par le quartz et le quartzite. Les analyses typo-technologiques révèlent des séquences de production à partir de nucléus centripètes. Aucun élément diagnostique Levallois n'a été identifié. Les bifaces dominent l'outillage, alors que les hachereaux sont absents. Les analyses tracéologiques ont permis d'identifier une activité principale liée à la transformation du bois et d'autres types de matériaux durs. La Gruta da Aroeira est l'un des rares sites du Pléistocène moyen à fournir à la fois des restes humains diagnostiques et une industrie datés de manière fiable. Elle signifie donc un apport important à la compréhension de la variabilité des industries acheuléennes et des populations du Pléistocène moyen dans la partie la plus occidentale de l'Europe.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1999
The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, ... more The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, has provided evidence of early modern humans from southern Iberia. The remains, the largely complete skeleton of a ≈4-year-old child buried with pierced shell and red ochre, is dated to ca . 24,500 years B.P. The cranium, mandible, dentition, and postcrania present a mosaic of European early modern human and Neandertal features. The temporal bone has an intermediate-sized juxtamastoid eminence. The mandibular mentum osseum and the dental size and proportions, supported by mandibular ramal features, radial tuberosity orientation, and diaphyseal curvature, as well as the pubic proportions align the skeleton with early modern humans. Body proportions, reflected in femorotibial lengths and diaphyseal robusticity plus tibial condylar displacement, as well as mandibular symphyseal retreat and thoracohumeral muscle insertions, align the skeleton with the Neandertals. This morphological mosaic i...
We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Alm... more We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Almonda, Torres Novas) by the ARQEVO research project. We have identified an Early Neolithic occupation featuring a characteristic artefact assemblage with impressed wares (both cardial and “boquique”), geometric microliths and ornaments. The age of the assemblage has been corroborated by the radiocarbon dating of sheep and human bone samples. Comparable, coeval occupation contexts exist in the Central Limestone Massif of Estremadura, paramount among which is the Galeria da Cisterna’s (Almonda karst system)
portuguesA descoberta de um hipogeu campaniforme em 2012, durante o acompanhamento das obras de r... more portuguesA descoberta de um hipogeu campaniforme em 2012, durante o acompanhamento das obras de recuperacao do edificio do Convento do Carmo (Torres Novas), desencadeou trabalhos de escavacao sistematica que viriam a ter lugar entre agosto de 2014 e janeiro de 2015. Apesar de muito afetado pela construcao de sucessivos edificios de epoca historica no local, este hipogeu (formado por uma unica galeria com pilar central) continha elementos muito relevantes para o estudo das populacoes campaniformes. A analise osteologica dos restos humanos indicou um numero minimo de quinze individuos (onze maturos e quatro imaturos), entre os quais ha pelo menos cinco masculinos e cinco femininos. As praticas funerarias terao envolvido deposicoes primarias seguidas da criacao de ossarios. As oferendas incluem cerâmica campaniforme (internacional e lisa) e cerâmica comum, objetos em metal (armas e adornos em cobre e ouro), botoes em osso e marfim, e contas de colar (em minerais e conchas de Trivia sp....
Stalagmites from Almonda Cave, located near Nazare in semi-arid west-central Portugal, are being ... more Stalagmites from Almonda Cave, located near Nazare in semi-arid west-central Portugal, are being investigated in order to reconstruct the region's paleoenvironmental history. Here we report our initial attempts to construct growth histories for these samples using uranium-series dating. The stalagmites collected from Almonda Cave, one of the deepest and most extensive cave systems in Portugal, are characterized by intervals of growth separated by multiple hiatuses. Where dated, these growth pulses appear centered at 74, 64-60, 45-44, and 18-16 ka, although the dates on all but the youngest stalagmite are complicated by high abundances of 232Th and an uncertainty in initial 230Th/232Th ratios. We corrected for detrital 230Th using an initial 230Th/232Th atomic ratio of 4.5 ppm (±50%), the average crustal silicate value. The Pleistocene-age stalagmite most precisely dated grew from 18.0±0.6 to 15.7 ±0.4 ka, coincident with the onset and termination of ice-rafted debris associated with Heinrich Event 1 in core S075-6KL from the Iberian margin (Boessenkool et al., 2001). The remaining dates also suggest, albeit with large uncertainties, that stalagmite growth may have also been coincident with Heinrich Events 5 and 6 (45 and 60 ka, respectively). Based on a coupled analysis of both pollen and the oxygen isotopic composition of dinoflagellate cysts from S075-6KL, Boessenkool et al. (2001) argued that reduced sea surface temperatures associated with Heinrich events increased aridity in western Portugal. However, in arid and semi-arid climates, meteoric precipitation exerts a primary control on speleothem growth (Polyak and Asmerom, 2001), and thus this apparent correlation of speleothem growth and Heinrich events is surprising and may reflect a more complex control of sea surface temperatures on moisture balances along western Iberia than has been proposed."
Durante a implementação do sistema de abastecimento e saneamento de águas do concelho de Leiria, ... more Durante a implementação do sistema de abastecimento e saneamento de águas do concelho de Leiria, foram identificados, na localidade de Maceira, alguns fragmentos de cerâmica pertencentes a um número mínimo de nove recipientes. Estes exemplares cerâmicos encontravam-se isolados, não se tendo identificado qualquer estrutura ou outros materiais da mesma cronologia associados. Neste conjunto, estão presentes formas cerâmicas rectas, ovóides, com elementos de preensão, nomeadamente asas de rolo e mamilos junto ao bordo. Do ponto de vista decorativo registam-se as seguintes técnicas: impressa, destacando-se a impressão a “boquique”; incisa, verificando-se motivos em espiga, linhas e sulcos abaixo do bordo; compósita, destacando-se a “impressão + decoração plástica”. A maioria destes fragmentos apresenta-se bem conservada, com superfícies frescas (raramente apresentam rolamento) e com uma consistência das pastas variável entre as categorias “compacta”, “média” e “friável”. Tanto as formas como as técnicas decorativas acima enunciadas remetem este conjunto artefactual para uma cronologia enquadrada no Neolítico Antigo. Estando ausentes os indicadores que remetem para um eventual transporte dos materiais, admite-se a sua deposição intencional, havendo, no actual território português, vários paralelos, entre os quais se contam os “vasos isolados” do Neolítico Antigo de Santarém, Casével, Cartaxo, São Julião e Ponte da Azambuja 3. Pretende-se, com o presente trabalho, apresentar a caracterização tecnológica e tipológica exaustiva deste conjunto, sem esquecer o seu contexto e a formação do registo arqueológico, questionando-se o tipo de comportamento social que estará associado a esta acção.
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 2010
To diversify edible oil thermoresponsive polymer composites, polymeric linoleic acid peroxide (PL... more To diversify edible oil thermoresponsive polymer composites, polymeric linoleic acid peroxide (PLina) and polymeric linolenic acid peroxide (PLinl) were obtained by the autoxidation of linoleic acid (Lina) and linolenic acid (Linl), respectively. The autoxidation of Lina and Linl under air at room temperature rendered waxy soluble polymeric peroxide, having a soluble fraction in chloroform of more than 91 wt% and containing
Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-hol-10.1177_09596836211011666 for A speleothem record from Portug... more Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-hol-10.1177_09596836211011666 for A speleothem record from Portugal reveals phases of increased winter precipitation in western Iberia during the Holocene by Alexa Benson, Dirk L Hoffmann, Joan Daura, Montserrat Sanz, Filipa Rodrigues, Pedro Souto and João Zilhão in The Holocene
the middle Pleistocene human cranium from the Acheulean of Gruta da Aroeira The discovery of a c.... more the middle Pleistocene human cranium from the Acheulean of Gruta da Aroeira The discovery of a c.400,000 year ‐old cranium at Gruta da Aroeira sheds new light on the diversity of past humans and the Acheulean settlement of Europe. The fossil is a partial cranium encased in the hard breccia forming Unit 2 of the stratigraphic sequence. It was found in association with a rich collection of bifaces and large mammal remains. It preserves most of the right half of the calvarium (with the exception of the occipital bone), as well as a portion of the left side of the frontal squama and supraorbital torus. The combination of traits in the Aroeira 3 cranium increases the diversity previously documented in the Middle Pleistocene fossil
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Mar 13, 2017
The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because i... more 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 represente...
The Gruta da Oliveira is a Middle Paleolithic site discovered in 1989 in the framework of the spe... more The Gruta da Oliveira is a Middle Paleolithic site discovered in 1989 in the framework of the speleo- -archeological exploration of the karstic system associated with the spring of the Almonda River. Removal of the thick brecciated rubble that sealed its collapsed entrance allowed excavation, between 1992 and 2012, of the underlying, ~9 m -thick archeological stratification. Besides lithic assemblages in flint, quartz and quartzite totaling >25,000 objects, Neandertal skeletal remains, and hearth features, the deposit also yielded abundant microfaunal, faunal and wood charcoal remains. Dated to the ~35 -105 ka interval by Radiocarbon, Uranium- -Thorium and Thermoluminescence, the Gruta da Oliveira is a reference succession for the paleoenvironmental and paleoanthropological study of the Upper Pleistocene of Iberia
A 8 ST Ra CT Tradirionally, the inland amas OF Alenrcjo (South Portugal) have been considered ar ... more A 8 ST Ra CT Tradirionally, the inland amas OF Alenrcjo (South Portugal) have been considered ar empry of Pdeolirhic and Epipalealithic senlemenr Rorll have been raken as" on--exisrenr, or ar learr unkno\ vn. This perspecrive lacks, horvever, gounding on ...
A descoberta de um crânio humano com cerca de 400.000 anos de antiguidade na Gruta da Aroeira vem... more A descoberta de um crânio humano com cerca de 400.000 anos de antiguidade na Gruta da Aroeira vem reforçar o conhecimento da diversidade humana e do povoamento acheulense da Europa. O crânio foi encontrado na Unidade 2, associado a uma importante colecção de bifaces e a uma fauna de grandes mamíferos. O fóssil é uma porção considerável do lado direito da caixa craniana, sem o occipital, mas conservando parte do lado esquerdo da escama frontal e do toro supraorbital, bem como a região interorbital, incluindo a parte vertical dos ossos nasais. Algumas características do crânio da Aroeira são traços primitivos presentes em fósseis do Plistocénico médio mas ausentes nos Neandertais.The discovery of a c.400,000 year‑old cranium at Gruta da Aroeira sheds new light on the diversity of past humans and the Acheulean settlement of Europe. The fossil is a partial cranium encased in the hard breccia forming Unit 2 of the stratigraphic sequence. It was found in association with a rich collection...
The European climate during the Holocene period is characterised by frequent changes of temperatu... more The European climate during the Holocene period is characterised by frequent changes of temperature and precipitation. The North Atlantic plays a major role as a driver for European climate and is a dominant precipitation source, particularly for the western European and north African realm. Atmospheric pressure gradients over the Atlantic (North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO), Atlantic circulation patterns (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, AMO) or positioning of the Atlantic jet stream have been suggested to be responsible for precipitation patterns across western Europe. However, proxy data provide an inconsistent picture on how precipitation responds to changes in the Atlantic realm such as changes of Atlantic temperature (IRD), atmospheric pressure (NAO), water circulation (AMO) or the jet stream. Here we present a record of speleothem-based winter precipitation amount from Portugal. The record covers most of the Holocene and demonstrates that wetter conditions were synchronous in...
Arqueologia em Portugal 2020 - Estado da Questão - Textos, 2020
Dated to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), the site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portug... more Dated to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), the site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal) is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities that have yielded a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces, in a cave context. Our multi-analytical approach to the site’s archaeological record focused on different aspects: the human cranium (Aroeira 3), the faunal remains, the use of fire, and the lithic industry. The Aroeira 3 fossil cranium displays a primitive bony labyrinth and a perimortem bone fracture. The lithic assemblage suggests limited mobility, with on-site knapping; the bifaces, however, were brought to the site as finished tools. Among the faunal remains, the primate Macaca sylvanus is present and cervids, including the Mediterranean deer Haploidocerus mediterraneus, previously undocumented in the Middle Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula, predominate. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction using the small vertebrate assemblage suggests an open wood...
Despite the abundant remains from Sima de los Huesos and Arago, human cranial variability in the ... more Despite the abundant remains from Sima de los Huesos and Arago, human cranial variability in the earlier Middle Pleistocene of Europe is poorly known, which makes it difficult to assess patterns of human diversity and possible regions for ancestral populations associated with the western Eurasian spread of the Acheulian technocomplex. A recently discovered partial cranium from the Gruta da Aroeira may shed some light on this period. U-series dating of stratigraphically overlying flowstone provides a minimum age of 390 ka, placing the fossil in the relevant time period . This cave site was first excavated between 1998 and 2002, revealing a rich collection of Acheulian bifaces in association with large mammals and two human teeth [1-2]. Work resumed in 2013, intent on reaching bedrock and establishing the chronology of the stratigraphic sequence, which, at the back of the cave, spans 4 m and comprises three major stratigraphic units. Unit 1 is a colmatation breccia. Unit 2 is a 2.2 m-thick mud-supported breccia rich in angular and sub-rounded clasts comprising Acheulean layer X. Basal unit 3 is a fluvial cave deposit comprising two layers: XI, with faunal remains but no artefacts; XII, sterile. The layer X lithics include handaxes and other bifacial tools; the Levallois method was not used. The highly fragmented faunal remains are dominated by cervids and equids and include Rhinocerotidae, bear, a large bovid, a caprid, and tortoise. Burnt bone fragments were recovered at the base of layer X. A partial human cranium encased in rockgrade breccia was discovered at the base of layer X. It consists of a large part of the right side of a braincase, lacking the occipital bone, but also preserving a portion of the left side of the frontal squama and supraorbital torus, as well as the interorbital region, including the vertical part of the nasal bones. A fragment of the right maxilla, with two molars partially preserved, was also found attached to the calvarium but not in anatomical position. Based on the degree of synostosis of the right coronal suture, the individual was a mature adult. There is no plastic deformation of the preserved regions although an extensive area of the outer surface of the frontal squama and the supraorbital torus was mechanically eroded (abraded) before final deposition, indicating a certain amount of transportation. As a consequence of the abrasion, the frontal squama was considerably thinned and the midorbital and lateral (trigone) parts of the supraorbital arches are lost. The fossil was mechanically removed from the breccia with great care and accuracy, and then CT-scanned and virtually reconstructed, using the Mimics v.18 software program. Although neither the sagittal suture nor bregma are preserved, there remains enough of the right portion of the frontal bone (including the interior frontal crest) to identify the midline. The preserved portions were mirror-imaged and the main transverse neurocranial diameters were measured. The Aroeira skull shows relatively thick bones, and an angular torus is present on the right parietal bone. This latter feature is a primitive trait found on some Middle Pleistocene fossils from the Sima de los Huesos , Caune de l’Arago and Ceprano, but not found in Neandertals and is consistent with a geological age between 400 ka and 500 ka. When the reconstructed braincase is viewed posteriorly, the parietal walls are fairly vertical but converge slightly towards the top. The general measurements of the Aroeira neurocranium are well within the ranges of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca) collection and other European fossils attributed to the mid Middle Pleistocene, although the thickness of the supraorbital torus and the interorbital breadth are outstanding.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, ... more The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, has provided evidence of early modern humans from southern Iberia. The remains, the largely complete skeleton of a '4year-old child buried with pierced shell and red ochre, is dated to ca. 24,500 years B.P. The cranium, mandible, dentition, and postcrania present a mosaic of European early modern human and Neandertal features. The temporal bone has an intermediate-sized juxtamastoid eminence. The mandibular mentum osseum and the dental size and proportions, supported by mandibular ramal features, radial tuberosity orientation, and diaphyseal curvature, as well as the pubic proportions align the skeleton with early modern humans. Body proportions, ref lected in femorotibial lengths and diaphyseal robusticity plus tibial condylar displacement, as well as mandibular symphyseal retreat and thoracohumeral muscle insertions, align the skeleton with the Neandertals. This morphological mosai...
The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to... more The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities to have provided a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces in a cave context. The multi-analytic study reported here of the by-products of burning recorded in layer X suggests the presence of anthropogenic fires at the site, among the oldest such evidence in south-western Europe. The burnt material consists of bone, charcoal and, possibly, quartzite cobbles. These finds were made in a small area of the cave and in two separate occupation horizons. Our results add to our still-limited knowledge about the controlled use of fire in the Lower Palaeolithic and contribute to ongoing debates on the behavioural complexity of the Acheulean of Europe.
Fruits of the sea The origins of marine resource consumption by humans have been much debated. Zi... more Fruits of the sea The origins of marine resource consumption by humans have been much debated. Zilhão et al. present evidence that, in Atlantic Iberia's coastal settings, Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals exploited marine resources at a scale on par with the modern human–associated Middle Stone Age of southern Africa (see the Perspective by Will). Excavations at the Figueira Brava site on Portugal's Atlantic coast reveal shell middens rich in the remains of mollusks, crabs, and fish, as well as terrestrial food items. Familiarity with the sea and its resources may thus have been widespread for residents there in the Middle Paleolithic. The Figueira Brava Neanderthals also exploited stone pine nuts in a way akin to that previously identified in the Holocene of Iberia. These findings add broader dimensions to our understanding of the role of aquatic resources in the subsistence of Paleolithic humans. Science , this issue p. eaaz7943 ; see also p. 1422
La description de l'industrie lithique acheuléenne issue de la couche X de la Gruta da Aroeira, d... more La description de l'industrie lithique acheuléenne issue de la couche X de la Gruta da Aroeira, datée de 389-436 ka, révèle un pourcentage élevé de bifaces. Les fouilles archéologiques ont mis au jour un crâne humain associé aux vestiges lithiques et fauniques. L'approvisionnement en matières premières est dominé par le quartz et le quartzite. Les analyses typo-technologiques révèlent des séquences de production à partir de nucléus centripètes. Aucun élément diagnostique Levallois n'a été identifié. Les bifaces dominent l'outillage, alors que les hachereaux sont absents. Les analyses tracéologiques ont permis d'identifier une activité principale liée à la transformation du bois et d'autres types de matériaux durs. La Gruta da Aroeira est l'un des rares sites du Pléistocène moyen à fournir à la fois des restes humains diagnostiques et une industrie datés de manière fiable. Elle signifie donc un apport important à la compréhension de la variabilité des industries acheuléennes et des populations du Pléistocène moyen dans la partie la plus occidentale de l'Europe.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1999
The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, ... more The discovery of an early Upper Paleolithic human burial at the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Portugal, has provided evidence of early modern humans from southern Iberia. The remains, the largely complete skeleton of a ≈4-year-old child buried with pierced shell and red ochre, is dated to ca . 24,500 years B.P. The cranium, mandible, dentition, and postcrania present a mosaic of European early modern human and Neandertal features. The temporal bone has an intermediate-sized juxtamastoid eminence. The mandibular mentum osseum and the dental size and proportions, supported by mandibular ramal features, radial tuberosity orientation, and diaphyseal curvature, as well as the pubic proportions align the skeleton with early modern humans. Body proportions, reflected in femorotibial lengths and diaphyseal robusticity plus tibial condylar displacement, as well as mandibular symphyseal retreat and thoracohumeral muscle insertions, align the skeleton with the Neandertals. This morphological mosaic i...
We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Alm... more We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Almonda, Torres Novas) by the ARQEVO research project. We have identified an Early Neolithic occupation featuring a characteristic artefact assemblage with impressed wares (both cardial and “boquique”), geometric microliths and ornaments. The age of the assemblage has been corroborated by the radiocarbon dating of sheep and human bone samples. Comparable, coeval occupation contexts exist in the Central Limestone Massif of Estremadura, paramount among which is the Galeria da Cisterna’s (Almonda karst system)
portuguesA descoberta de um hipogeu campaniforme em 2012, durante o acompanhamento das obras de r... more portuguesA descoberta de um hipogeu campaniforme em 2012, durante o acompanhamento das obras de recuperacao do edificio do Convento do Carmo (Torres Novas), desencadeou trabalhos de escavacao sistematica que viriam a ter lugar entre agosto de 2014 e janeiro de 2015. Apesar de muito afetado pela construcao de sucessivos edificios de epoca historica no local, este hipogeu (formado por uma unica galeria com pilar central) continha elementos muito relevantes para o estudo das populacoes campaniformes. A analise osteologica dos restos humanos indicou um numero minimo de quinze individuos (onze maturos e quatro imaturos), entre os quais ha pelo menos cinco masculinos e cinco femininos. As praticas funerarias terao envolvido deposicoes primarias seguidas da criacao de ossarios. As oferendas incluem cerâmica campaniforme (internacional e lisa) e cerâmica comum, objetos em metal (armas e adornos em cobre e ouro), botoes em osso e marfim, e contas de colar (em minerais e conchas de Trivia sp....
The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to... more The site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal), with evidence of human occupancy dating to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities to have provided a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces in a cave context. The multi-analytic study reported here of the by-products of burning recorded in layer X suggests the presence of anthropogenic fires at the site, among the oldest such evidence in south-western Europe. The burnt material consists of bone, charcoal and, possibly, quartzite cobbles. These finds were made in a small area of the cave and in two separate occupation horizons. Our results add to our still-limited knowledge about the controlled use of fire in the Lower Palaeolithic and contribute to ongoing debates on the behavioural complexity of the Acheulean of Europe.
Arqueologia em Portugal. 2020 - Estado da Questão., 2020
We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Alm... more We present the results of the first year of the field work carried out at Lapa da Bugalheira (Almonda, Torres Novas) by the ARQEVO research project. We have identified an Early Neolithic occupation featuring a characteristic artefact assemblage with impressed wares (both cardial and “boquique”), geometric microliths and ornaments. The age of the assemblage has been corroborated by the radiocarbon dating of sheep and human bone samples. Comparable, coeval occupation contexts exist in the Central Limestone Massif of Estremadura, paramount among which is the Galeria da Cisterna’s (Almonda karst system).
Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer... more Bifaces dominate the Acheulean stone tools recovered during the archaeological excavationof layer X of Gruta da Aroeira, dated to 389–436 ka. Faunal remains and a human craniumwere found in association with this lithic assemblage. The raw materials used are mostly quartz and quartzite cobbles available in the vicinity of the site. Technological and system-atic analysis shows that there are no Levallois elements and suggests that on-site knappingconsisted of the reduction of centripetal cores. Flake cleavers are absent. Use-wear analysisindicates the processing of hard materials, mainly wood. Gruta da Aroeira represents one of the few Middle Pleistocene sites that provide securely dated diagnostic human remains andassociated Acheulean lithics, thus representing a major step forward in our understanding of the variability of westernmost Europe’s Acheulean and of the human populations that made it.
The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human
evolution in Europe, because i... more 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.
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Drafts by Pedro Souto
Neste conjunto, estão presentes formas cerâmicas rectas, ovóides, com elementos de preensão, nomeadamente asas de rolo e mamilos junto ao bordo. Do ponto de vista decorativo registam-se as seguintes técnicas: impressa, destacando-se a impressão a “boquique”; incisa, verificando-se motivos em espiga, linhas e sulcos abaixo do bordo; compósita, destacando-se a “impressão + decoração plástica”. A maioria destes fragmentos apresenta-se bem conservada, com superfícies frescas (raramente apresentam rolamento) e com uma consistência das pastas variável entre as categorias “compacta”, “média” e “friável”.
Tanto as formas como as técnicas decorativas acima enunciadas remetem este conjunto artefactual para uma cronologia enquadrada no Neolítico Antigo.
Estando ausentes os indicadores que remetem para um eventual transporte dos materiais, admite-se a sua deposição intencional, havendo, no actual território português, vários paralelos, entre os quais se contam os “vasos isolados” do Neolítico Antigo de Santarém, Casével, Cartaxo, São Julião e Ponte da Azambuja 3.
Pretende-se, com o presente trabalho, apresentar a caracterização tecnológica e tipológica exaustiva deste conjunto, sem esquecer o seu contexto e a formação do registo arqueológico, questionando-se o tipo de comportamento social que estará associado a esta acção.
Papers by Pedro Souto
Neste conjunto, estão presentes formas cerâmicas rectas, ovóides, com elementos de preensão, nomeadamente asas de rolo e mamilos junto ao bordo. Do ponto de vista decorativo registam-se as seguintes técnicas: impressa, destacando-se a impressão a “boquique”; incisa, verificando-se motivos em espiga, linhas e sulcos abaixo do bordo; compósita, destacando-se a “impressão + decoração plástica”. A maioria destes fragmentos apresenta-se bem conservada, com superfícies frescas (raramente apresentam rolamento) e com uma consistência das pastas variável entre as categorias “compacta”, “média” e “friável”.
Tanto as formas como as técnicas decorativas acima enunciadas remetem este conjunto artefactual para uma cronologia enquadrada no Neolítico Antigo.
Estando ausentes os indicadores que remetem para um eventual transporte dos materiais, admite-se a sua deposição intencional, havendo, no actual território português, vários paralelos, entre os quais se contam os “vasos isolados” do Neolítico Antigo de Santarém, Casével, Cartaxo, São Julião e Ponte da Azambuja 3.
Pretende-se, com o presente trabalho, apresentar a caracterização tecnológica e tipológica exaustiva deste conjunto, sem esquecer o seu contexto e a formação do registo arqueológico, questionando-se o tipo de comportamento social que estará associado a esta acção.
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.