Neanderthal morphology, behaviour and adaptation at Valdegoba Cave (Northern Spain) during late MIS 6 – early MIS 5

Abstract

Valdegoba Cave (Burgos, Spain) is a site of longstanding importance for studying Neanderthal behaviour and anatomy within the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. Previous research at Valdegoba has explored various aspects of Neanderthal life histories, including records of mitochondrial DNA and oral microbiomes, use of the mouth for manual tasks, and resource acquisition – particularly specialised hunting of chamois. This latest article presents significant new insights into Neanderthal use of Valdegoba Cave based on the discovery of additional human remains, analysis of unpublished lithic artifacts, and examination of new geochronology results obtained using luminescence (single-grain OSL and pIR-IRSL) dating of sediments and amino acid racemisation (AAR) dating of mammal teeth. Our combined chronological dataset indicates that Neanderthal occupation of Valdegoba's Levels 4 and 5 (Unit D) occurred within, or close to, the transition between Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 and 5, most likely between ∼140 and ∼120 ka. The newly discovered fifth distal phalanx from Level 5 presents clear Neanderthal morphology characterized by the expansion of the distal region (apical tuft), which is a typical Neanderthal trait. The updated lithic analysis of Valdegoba demonstrates the technological variability of Neanderthals in the Iberian Peninsula during the MIS 6/5 transition and their ability to adapt to diverse environments and resources. Our latest findings suggests that the Neanderthal group from Valdegoba Cave employed varied strategies for territorial and subsistence management towards the end of the Middle Pleistocene and beginning of the Late Pleistocene.