• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Anthropology

Neanderthal remains discovered in Arbreda cave, Spain

by Dario Radley
November 19, 2024

Researchers have unearthed significant Neanderthal dental remains at Arbreda Cave, part of the Reclau Caves complex in the Prehistoric Caves Park of Serinyà, Girona, northeastern Spain. The study, published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, was led by Dr. Marina Lozano of IPHES-CERCA and involved collaboration with institutions including the Catalan Institute of Research in Cultural Heritage (ICRPC-CERCA) and the University of Girona.

Neanderthal remains discovered in Arbreda cave, Spain
Juvenile Neanderthal tooth recovered from the Arbreda cave site. Credit: M. Lozano et al., American Journal of Biological Anthropology (2024). [This image is used under the CC BY-NC license for non-commercial and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder and object to its use, please contact us for immediate removal.]
The team identified three teeth belonging to at least three Neanderthal individuals: an infant, a juvenile, and an adult. Two teeth, retrieved from Level N of the cave, are estimated to be over 120,000 years old, while the third, from Level J, dates to between 71,000 and 44,000 years ago. These findings mark two distinct periods of Neanderthal habitation at the site.

Advanced techniques such as microtomography (µCT) were used to generate detailed 3D models of the teeth, revealing features such as enamel thickness, the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ), and pulp cavity volume. Dr. Lozano said:

“The remains allow us to obtain more information about Neanderthals’ presence in Arbreda at different times, including a period close to their extinction when they may have coexisted with modern humans.”

Arbreda Cave has played a pivotal role in the study of the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic in Western Europe. First excavated in 1972, it contains cultural layers spanning from the Middle Paleolithic to the Neolithic. The site has yielded Mousterian tools, typically associated with Neanderthals, and evidence of long-term and seasonal occupations.

RelatedStories

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025
43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world's oldest

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world’s oldest

May 30, 2025
Neanderthal remains discovered in Arbreda cave, Spain
Reconstruction of a Neanderthal family in the Anthropos Pavilion, Brno, Czech Republic. Credit: Jaroslav A. Polák, via Flickr

The earlier occupations, associated with Level N, reflect extended Neanderthal habitation, while Level J’s findings suggest shorter, seasonal stays. These patterns may indicate shifts in subsistence strategies and adaptation to environmental changes, as noted by Dr. Joaquim Soler of ICRPC-CERCA, a co-director of the excavations:

“Arbreda Cave is fundamental for understanding Neanderthal presence in Catalonia and their eventual replacement by modern humans. These findings show that their occupations here were much more prolonged than previously thought.”

The Iberian Peninsula hosts numerous sites with Mousterian levels, yet many yield only sparse human remains. The Arbreda findings contribute significantly to the paleoanthropological record, particularly regarding the lifestyles of late Neanderthals.

The researchers suggest that the Neanderthals at Arbreda adapted to climatic and environmental shifts, alternating between prolonged and short-term cave occupations. This adaptability might have played a role in their resilience, even as they approached extinction. The Level J premolar is especially noteworthy, representing a time when Neanderthals may have interacted with anatomically modern humans in the Iberian Peninsula.

IPHES-CERCA

More information: Lozano, M., Soler, J., López-Onaindia, D., Solés, A., Julià, R., Ceperuelo, D., … Soler, N. (2024). Middle Pleistocene teeth from Arbreda Cave (Serinyà, northeastern Iberian Peninsula). American Journal of Biological Anthropology, e25037. doi:10.1002/ajpa.25037


Stay updated with us! Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin, and join our WhatsApp and Telegram channels for the latest in archaeology, all directly on your favorite platforms!
ShareTweetShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago
Archaeology

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025
Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning
Anthropology

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist
Archaeology

18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

May 30, 2025
Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite
Archaeology

Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

May 30, 2025
43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world's oldest
Archaeology

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world’s oldest

May 30, 2025
4,500-year-old clay baby rattles in Syria reveal mass production and parenting in the Bronze Age
Archaeology

4,500-year-old clay baby rattles in Syria reveal mass production and parenting in the Bronze Age

May 29, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
105K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

May 27, 2025
Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

December 15, 2024
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025
Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

May 30, 2025
Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

May 30, 2025
43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world's oldest

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world’s oldest

May 30, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.