Hundidero: mis 4 open air neanderthal occupations in Sierra de Atapuerca

Neanderthals in the Sierra de Atapuerca exhibited consistent cultural behaviors during the Middle Paleolithic, spanning 70 to 56 thousand years ago (ka), as revealed by archaeological excavations at Hundidero and 30 other open-air sites. These findings indicate repeated visits by Neanderthal groups sharing a common technological tradition, characterized by expedient tool production, diverse exploitation techniques, microlithic tendencies, and a preference for dorsal faces, along with the reuse of tools. Notably, these patterns appear independent of raw material conditions, climate, or group activities, suggesting a stable cultural adaptation. The study, based on surface surveys and excavations initiated in 2004, provides rare insights into Neanderthal behavior during the first half of the Late Pleistocene (MIS 4 and 3), typically underrepresented in cave deposits.

Navazo, M., Alonso-Alcalde, R., Benito-Calvo, A., Díez, J. C., Pérez-González, A., & Carbonell, E. (2011). Hundidero: mis 4 open air neanderthal occupations in Sierra de Atapuerca. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, 39(4), 29–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeae.2012.02.004