Neanderthal footprints in the “Matalascañas trampled surface” (SW Spain): new OSL dating and Mousterian lithic industry

• Published in: Quaternary science reviews Vol. 313; p. 108200
• Main Authors: Neto de Carvalho, Carlos, Muñiz, Fernando, Cáceres, Luis M., Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín, Medialdea, Alicia, Val, Miren del, Cunha, Pedro Proença, García, Jose María, Giles-Guzmán, Francisco, Carrión, José S., Belaústegui, Zain, Toscano, Antonio, Gómez, Paula, Galán, José María, Belo, João, Cachão, Mario, Ruiz, Francisco, Ramirez-Cruzado, Samuel, Finlayson, Geraldine, Finlayson, Stewart, Finlayson, Clive
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2023
• Subjects: Hominin footprints; Lithic industry; Mousterian; Neanderthals; OSL dating; Lithic industry; Neanderthals; Mousterian; Hominin footprints; OSL dating
• ISSN: 0277-3791; 1873-457X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108200

In the Huelva Coast of SW Spain erosion by recent marine storms revealed the presence of a paleosol where an extensive tracksite known as “Matalascañas Trampled Surface” (MTS) has been documented. The MTS includes tracks and trackways of large species of mammals, along with bird trace fossils, invertebrate burrows and root traces. Within this record, the presence of several hominin footprints and trackways stands out. Despite previous uncertainties about the producer of these footprints, new OSL age of 151 ± 11 ka secures their attribution to Neanderthals, the only hominins known to have been present in the Iberian Peninsula during the MIS6-5 transition. Moreover, typical Mousterian lithic industry with Levallois knapping was found associated with the ichnological record. This lithic industry is characterized by the selection of raw materials from outcrops in a short-distance range to the tracksite. The general characteristics of the lithics are derived both from the nature of the raw material and from the nature of the site itself, which cannot be seen as a settlement, but rather as a place of passage for fauna, including Neanderthals, where a few human individuals performed short-term activities, such as food procurement and/or meat processing. •The Matalascañas Trampled Surface (MTS) include tracks and trackways of Neanderthals.•These tracks accompany others of mammals and birds from the MIS 6-5 transition.•The new OSL dating of MTS reports an age of 151.1 ± 11 ka.•At MTS a typical Mousterian lithic industry with Levallois carving has been recorded.•MTS is related to shallow water lakes developed in a coastal interdune position.