Arlanzian: A new industry from inland Iberia with Initial Upper Paleolithic features.

Abstract

The Arlanzian industry found in interior Iberia calls into question prevailing views on the transition from the Middle Palaeolithic to Upper Palaeolithic in Southwestern Europe and sheds light on the intricacies of this process. This discovery is noteworthy for several reasons: (i) it pioneers the development of Upper Palaeolithic stone tool technologies in Iberia while still incorporating elements of the Middle Palaeolithic; (ii) it lacks a counterpart in Iberia, but has similarities with the Initial Upper Palaeolithic industries in Western Eurasia; (iii) it is located in the Iberian hinterland (Arlanza Valley), being the first and earliest industry with Upper Palaeolithic features found south of the Ebro Basin; (iv) it predates the end of the Mousterian in Iberia, including the bio-geographic region where it is located, suggesting that their makers might have coexisted with geographically close Neanderthal groups. Further research is required to fully understand the origin of the Arlanzian industry.