Reconstructing dietary preferences in the Middle Pleistocene Sima de los Huesos population: A molar macrowear perspective

Abstract

Molar macrowear analysis is a valuable tool for inferring dietary preferences in extinct hominins, ultimately aiding in the reconstruction of subsistence strategies and paleoenvironmental conditions. Radiometric studies suggest that the Middle Pleistocene population from the Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos site likely lived during Marine Isotope Stage 12, one of the coldest global periods. In this study, we applied the occlusal fingerprint analysis method to maxillary M1s and M2s from this population to assess whether their macrowear patterns reflect these environmental conditions. Given the nature of the hominin accumulation and the limited availability of faunal, lithic, and pollen remains at the site, we rely on published data from the nearby Trinchera sites of Gran Dolina and Galería to reconstruct paleoecological conditions and subsistence strategies. Our occlusal fingerprint analysis results indicate that the Sima de los Huesos population had a mixed diet, consuming similar proportions of meat and plant foods. This dietary pattern does not align with expectations for a strictly cold environment, such as that of Marine Isotope Stage 12, but instead it suggests a diverse landscape, as supported by pollen, faunal, and isotopic evidence.