Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain): New Insights About the Early Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula

New excavations at Cova de les Malladetes, Valencia, Spain, reveal critical insights into the Early Upper Palaeolithic period in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula. The study, using 29 new radiometric dates and comprehensive analysis of archaeobotanical, micro- and macrofaunal assemblages, lithic, and osseous industries, refines the chronology of the Aurignacian (levels XIVA–XII) and Gravettian (levels XI–VII). Notably, it identifies three previously unrecognized levels (XIVB, XV, XVI), with level XIVB indicating a brief human occupation hiatus. Levels XV and XVI show evidence of hearths and anthropic activity, though cultural attribution remains uncertain due to ambiguous lithic material. The research challenges the notion of significant temporal gaps in early human occupation, providing a more precise characterization of the Evolved Aurignacian techno-typological structure, including the presence of Roc-de-Combe subtype Dufour bladelets. This advancement enhances our understanding of palaeoclimatic conditions and human settlement patterns during this pivotal period.

Villaverde, V., Sanchis, A., Badal, E., Bel, M. Á., Bergadà, M. M., Eixea, A., Guillem, P. M., Martínez-Alfaro, Á., Martínez-Valle, R., Martínez-Varea, C. M., Real, C., Steier, P., & Wild, E. M. (2021). Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain): New Insights About the Early Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula. Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-021-00081-w