Further Solutrean evidence in El Mirón Cave (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria)

• Main Authors: Guy Straus, Lawrence, González Morales, Manuel R., Gutiérrez Zugasti, Fernando Igor, Iriarte Chiapusso, María José
• Other Authors: Universidad de Cantabria
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi 2011
• Subjects: Solutrean; El Mirón Cave; Last Glacial Maximum; Cantabria; Solutrense; Cueva del Mirón; Ultimo Máximo Glacial; Cueva; Greenland; Ner
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10902/6483

ABSTRACT. In 2010 and 2011, the area of the test pit in which Solutrean levels originally had been exposed in El Mirón Cave was doubled. These deposits, in sharp contrast with the overlying Initial and Lower Magdalenian levels (which lie relatively flat and are extraordinarily rich in organic matter and all man- ner of cultural debris–artifacts of many types, features and faunal remains–indicative of major, repeated, multi-functional, residential occupations of the cave), follow the 15 degree slope of the erosional face of the alluvial fill of the inner cave and are culturally rather poor. The Solutrean levels are radiocarbon dated between 19,230 and 18,390 BP (uncal.), although the topmost level (121) is ambiguous due to the lack of Solutrean points in the small area (now 4 m2) in which it has been dug. The other Solutrean levels (122-127) are particularly rich in foliate and shouldered point fragments of diverse types (including concave base points) and lithic débitage, but relatively few other retouched tools, suggesting that the successive occupa- tions may have been related to brief hunting expeditions in the montane interior of eastern Cantabria in part during times of slight climatic amelioration within the Last Glacial Maximum (sensu lato– specifically soon after Heinrich Event 2, during or immediately after Greenland Interstadial 2), when ice sheets nonetheless still covered the upper slopes of the adjacent Cordillera. Other indicators of hunting include broken antler points (sagaies), some of which are shaped and decorated in ways that are classic for this period in Cantabria. On the other hand, these levels are unusually rich in marine shells (of diverse species), many of which are perforated. These are accompanied by other perforated objects (red deer canines, bones and stones fashioned to resemble such canines), confirming the pattern observed in the initial test pit. Faunal remains are present, but are not very abun- dant, suggesting that carcasses were either butchered and the bones deposited ...