The emergence and development of the Acheulean in Atapuerca: the Galeria site (C. 500-250KA)

Abstract

Galería is one of the main sites of the Trinchera del Ferrocarril (Atapuerca), together with Gran Dolina and Sima del Elefente. This site has a long well dated sequence from 500Ka to 250Ka, which have let us to make a diachronic study of the technology. At the lower levels of Galería, we have documented the first vestiges of Acheulean in Atapuerca. This is characterized by the use of quartzite cobbles to shape Large Tools (mainly handaxes and cleavers) and by the exploitation of large flakes of Neogene chert. As a consequence of the maintenance of the same occupational patterns and the same “toolkit”, the technology of Galería has kept an image of technological stability through the Middle Pleistocene. Nevertheless, we have isolated technological characteristics which reflect technological changes through time. In addition, we have made a synchronic study of the occupations. The most part of the knapping sequences are made outside the cave and the operative chains are very fragmented, as a consequence of short and sporadic occupations, for the only purpose of obtaining the animals that had fallen into the cave through a natural trap created by the TN shaft, in successful competition with carnivores. In spite of this, through the refits we have characterized not only the spatial distribution of the activities but the knapping sequences developed inside the cave. This two areas, (outside – inside) mean different knap strategies. The Galería excavations were developed during the 80s and 90s. These were recently restarted at the upper levels of the sequence. This has allowed us to make a synthesis of the ancient dates and plan the whole set of new questions to solve with the new interventions. 1. Is there any change in the occupational pattern at the end of the sequence? 2. Which is the real degree of technological activity inside the cave? 3. Is it possible to consolidate the technological features documented through the Galería’s sequence?.