Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast
Abstract Here, we report the recent discovery of 87 Neandertal footprints on the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Doñana shoreline, Spain) located on an upper Pleistocene aeolian littoral setting (about 106 ± 19 kyr). Morphometric comparisons, high resolution digital photogrammetric 3D models and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83413-8 |
| _version_ | 1818431198168350720 |
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| author | Eduardo Mayoral Ignacio Díaz-Martínez Jéremy Duveau Ana Santos Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez Juan A. Morales Luis A. Morales Ricardo Díaz-Delgado |
| author_facet | Eduardo Mayoral Ignacio Díaz-Martínez Jéremy Duveau Ana Santos Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez Juan A. Morales Luis A. Morales Ricardo Díaz-Delgado |
| author_sort | Eduardo Mayoral |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Here, we report the recent discovery of 87 Neandertal footprints on the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Doñana shoreline, Spain) located on an upper Pleistocene aeolian littoral setting (about 106 ± 19 kyr). Morphometric comparisons, high resolution digital photogrammetric 3D models and detailed sedimentary analysis have been provided to characterized the footprints and the palaeoenvironment. The footprints were impressed in the shoreline of a hypersaline swamped area related to benthic microbial mats, close to the coastline. They have a rounded heel, a longitudinal arch, relatively short toes, and adducted hallux, and represent the oldest upper Pleistocene record of Neandertal footprints in the world. Among these 87 footprints, 31 are longitudinally complete and measure from 14 to 29 cm. The calculated statures range from 104 to 188 cm, with half of the data between 130 and 150 cm. The wide range of sizes of the footprints suggests the existence of a social group integrated by individuals of different age classes but dominated, however, by non-adult individuals. The footprints, which are outside the flooded area are oriented perpendicular to the shoreline. These 87 footprints reinforce the ecological scenario of Neandertal groups established in coastal areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:45:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7893cd465d2a49cfb4ee09469154aa22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:45:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7893cd465d2a49cfb4ee09469154aa222022-12-21T22:55:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-03-0111111210.1038/s41598-021-83413-8Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coastEduardo Mayoral0Ignacio Díaz-Martínez1Jéremy Duveau2Ana Santos3Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez4Juan A. Morales5Luis A. Morales6Ricardo Díaz-Delgado7Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de el Carmen, Universidad de HuelvaUniversidad Nacional de Río Negro-IIPGHistoire Naturelle de l’Homme Préhistorique, CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Université Perpignan Via DomitiaCCTH-Centro de Investigación Científico Tecnológico, Universidad de HuelvaDepartamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de el Carmen, Universidad de HuelvaDepartamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de el Carmen, Universidad de HuelvaAl Futuro ArquitecturaEstación Biológica de Doñana-CSICAbstract Here, we report the recent discovery of 87 Neandertal footprints on the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Doñana shoreline, Spain) located on an upper Pleistocene aeolian littoral setting (about 106 ± 19 kyr). Morphometric comparisons, high resolution digital photogrammetric 3D models and detailed sedimentary analysis have been provided to characterized the footprints and the palaeoenvironment. The footprints were impressed in the shoreline of a hypersaline swamped area related to benthic microbial mats, close to the coastline. They have a rounded heel, a longitudinal arch, relatively short toes, and adducted hallux, and represent the oldest upper Pleistocene record of Neandertal footprints in the world. Among these 87 footprints, 31 are longitudinally complete and measure from 14 to 29 cm. The calculated statures range from 104 to 188 cm, with half of the data between 130 and 150 cm. The wide range of sizes of the footprints suggests the existence of a social group integrated by individuals of different age classes but dominated, however, by non-adult individuals. The footprints, which are outside the flooded area are oriented perpendicular to the shoreline. These 87 footprints reinforce the ecological scenario of Neandertal groups established in coastal areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83413-8 |
| spellingShingle | Eduardo Mayoral Ignacio Díaz-Martínez Jéremy Duveau Ana Santos Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez Juan A. Morales Luis A. Morales Ricardo Díaz-Delgado Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast Scientific Reports |
| title | Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast |
| title_full | Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast |
| title_fullStr | Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast |
| title_short | Tracking late Pleistocene Neandertals on the Iberian coast |
| title_sort | tracking late pleistocene neandertals on the iberian coast |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83413-8 |
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