Cova del Parco (Alòs de Balaguer, La Noguera, Lleida). The Magdalenian sequence

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Javier Mangado*, José Miguel Tejero*, Josep Maria Fullola*, Maria Àngels Petit*, Marta Sánchez *.

Cova del Parco (Alòs de Balaguer, La Noguera, Lleida). The Magdalenian sequence

Cova del Parco is located in the pre-Pyrenees at Lleida, in the village of Alòs de Balaguer, in the Noguera region (coord. UTM 31 T – X: 329322; Y: 4642202). The archaeological site is placed 420 m above sea level and 120m above the Segre River, with a north-south orientation. A single 10.5 long by 4.5m wide gallery of triangular shape at the entrance forms the cavity, laterally communicates with a large shelter of 5.5 m by 30 m, is enclosed by a masonry wall of historic period. The discovery of the archaeological site dates back to the middle 1970´s when the first excavations were carried out by professor Joan Maluquer

de Motes in 1974, 1981 and 1984, which included almost the complete digging of the upper stratigraphic sequence containing ceramic levels. Ten years after the discovery, in 1984, a 3 m2 trench allowed Dr. Maluquer de Motes to establish a stratigraphic sequence in six strata, finding in the deepest one a set of lithic materials of the Final Upper Palaeolithic (Maluquer de Motes, 1983-1984, 1985; Fullola et al., 1988). Dr. Fullola restarted excavation activities in 1987, starting excavation campaigns which are still annually conducted and headed by several investigators from the Seminari d’Estudis I Recerques Prehistòriques at the University of Barcelona.

Figure 1. Location and archaeological site plan.

*

SERP (Seminari d’Estudis i Recerques Prehistòriques) de la Universidad de Barcelona, área de Prehistoria, Departamento de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Universidad de Barcelona; calle Montalegre, 6, E-08001, Barcelona.

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respond to rock falls –levels XV and XIV– being sterile from an archaeological point of view. From level XIII to VI low intensity runoff processes, with a high human-induced activity, are produced. Climatically, the levels between XI and VII present a wet environment, except from level IX where a colder pulse is detected. From a palynological point of view, the presence of oak and fern spores in level XII demonstrate warmer and wetter conditions, as in levels VIII and VII where the presence of hazel and willow are recorded for the first time and the presence of oak remains. However, levels X and IX are cold and dry, highlighting the presence of conifers: Pinus and Juniperus, always in low percentages (Fullola et al., 1997).

Figure 2. West sequence stratigraphy of the Dr. Maluquertrench analysed by Bergadà (M.M. Bergadà, 1998).

1. Sedimentary Sequence and Palaeoenvironmental Evolution The detailed analysis of the sedimentary sequence and the establishment of the palaeoenvironmental evolution from the “West stratigraphic sequence” led by Dr. Maluquer trench, were possible thanks to the studies of the PhD of M.M. Bergadà in which a sedimentary sequence in fifteen levels was established, one of the first scientific contributions from Cova del Parco to the Upper Palaeolithic in Catalonia (Bergadà, 1998:46-51, Bergadà et al., 1999). In the analysis of the sedimentary sequence two processes were observed: sedimentary as –runoffs and rock falls – and post-depositional –humidity and biological activity-. The lower levels cor-

Sedimentation in levels VI to I presents high intensity runoffs and rock falls due to the break up processes of the wall and roof cavity. Also, from level VI to IV sedimentary crust formations can be observed pointing at arid conditions and colder pulses than the former ones. In levels III and II, especially in the first, a gravel deposit, limestone blocks, and conglomerates in cracked states were observed, related to periglacial conditions, coming up from the cavity´s wall and roof breaking up. In level II an increase in humidity was recorded. In level II contact, large limestone blocks and fallen conglomerates can be seen as a consequence of climatic process. Finally, sedimentation of notable strength in level I is due to different intensity runoff processes in the water flow. In the higher part of level I, clastic evidences are located: small rock falls and wall break up. The environmental conditions would be semi-arid with humidity pulses and cold temperatures. In short, locates in levels XI and VII is a wet and warm environment with a cold pulse. From level VI, a semi-arid ambience is detected –storm rainfall regime– with cold pulses. Later, in level III, cold conditions still rule, however in level II humidity increases. In level I, an increase in storm rainfall eroding the slopes is produced –high sedimentation rates– in semi-arid conditions, with humidity and cold episodes (Bergadà, 1998: 79-80). 2. Cova del Parco archaeological Sequence Archaeological materials at Cova del Parco, found during the excavations of Dr. Maluquer de Motes and housed in the Montsec Museum at Ar-

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was the first time that the presence of a “classic” Epipaleolithic sequence in western Catalonia defined by Fortea was recorded with some microbladelets levels to which geometrical levels with triangles and segments were overlapped, together with many microburins. The excavation allowed the establishment of its corresponding cultural and chronological sequence. Under a very ancient Epipaleolithic geometrical horizon –level Ia2, into depths of about –175/– 200 cm– dated from charcoals coming up from two combustion structures –henceforth EC, Estructuras de Combustion in Spanish–: EC11 and EC12 in 10930±100BP (GifA 95562) and 10770±110BP (GifA95563) respectively, and with an industry in which micro-bladelets and geometric elements of Sauveterrian type are documented –triangles and segments– (Fullola et al., 1998), a micro-laminar Epipaleolithic moment had appeared –levels Ib and Ic, into depths of about –200/–230 cm.–; this was dated with charcoal from the EC15a in 11430±60BP (OxA 8656) (Fullola et al., 2004).

Figure 3. Some of the Magdalenian hearths at Cova del Parco.

tesa de Segre, show the different Neolithic settlements from Cardial to Recent Neolithic, as well as the III millennium Bell Beaker Culture and the Early Bronze Age (Petit, 1996). The excavations carried out by our team from 1987 have allowed the recording of a cultural sequence presenting three stages. Firstly, in the Neolithic levels remain, almost inexistent, the basal part of a storage structure – silo– was recorded, dated with charcoal remains in 6120±90BP (GrN-20058); the ceramic content placed the abandonment in the Epicardial Neolithic, a moment in which it was reused as a landfill with plenty of manure and ashes (Petit, 1996). Secondly, the excavation and the register of Epipaleolithic levels in the archaeological site were developed –from 1993 to 1999-, the presence of which had formerly gone unnoticed. This

Finally, under this microlaminar Epipaleolithic and after an abandonment period, we document a very precise stratigraphic moment –a depth between 230/-240 cm– dated in 12605±60 BP (OxA 10796), corresponding to the last Final Upper Magdalenian settlement –level II–; it was separate from the rest of the Magdalenian settlements sequence due to a huge rock fall –about –240/–260 cm.–. After this moment, the Magdalenian settlements sequence, still being excavated today, was developed. 3. Radiocarbon dating of the Magdalenian levels at Cova del Parco The sedimentary sequence analyzed by M. M. Bergadà (1998) was dated from charcoal samples removed from the same section she described. During these years, new dating carried out from recovered charcoals during the excavation process of different EC have allowed us to establish the chronological sequence that we present, hereunder all radiocarbon dates are uncalibrated. Thus, we have distinguished a Final Upper Magdalenian, dated in 12460±60BP (OxA10797) (z-269 cm) and 12560±130BP (OxA10835) (z-271 cm) (the date 13175±60BP corresponding to OxA10798 from charcoal recovered in the inner part of the EC19 (z-273 cm), is not considered valid) from an Upper Magdalenian, placing its beginning in

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depths between –280/–285 cm. based on the elongated scalene triangles documentation with different dating: 12995±50BP (OxA13597) (z-285 cm), 13025±50BP (OxA13596) (z-280 cm) and 13095±55BP (OxA17730) (z-293,5 cm). The progressive disappearance of these lithic elements, as well as, the appearance of different technological changes, for example, in the laminar support modules: typological –new spear point types– and functional –in the settlement dynamic, as well as the last radiometric dating obtained: 13255±50BP (OxA29336) (z-322 cm) and 13475±50BP (z-318 cm) establish the hypothesis of detecting the Middle Magdalenian settlements. 4. Cova del Parco Magdalenian settlements main features We are now presenting a synoptic summary about what archaeological excavations at Cova del Parco represent in the Magdalenian. This production will be incomplete as the field work still continues. 4.1. Intrasite dynamic We want to point out that the excavation over a 40m2 extension of the Magdalenian settlements at Cova del Parco is not casual. One of our main priorities in the moment of dealing with the Magdalenian study in this archaeological site has been to develop it from an socio-economic perspective and human behaviors. This is why we carried out an excavation in extension, which allowed us to observe the spatial relations between the multiple traces –artifacts and ecofacts– and the evidenced structures. The combustion structures – EC– deserve a special mention from us, as we consider that the majority of the productive, social, and cultural activities of those communities were carried out around them, this being why they have received special attention throughout these years. However, we must not obviate that our work faces an important problem: the trench-survey carried out in 1984 by Dr. Maluquer de Motes longitudinally divided the archaeological site by its central part, affecting the whole archaeological sequence. This is why we cannot establish with absolute certainty the stratigraphic continuity among the activities developed in each area in which the site has been divided, namely: on the

right side, the space properly defined as a cave, and on the left side, the outer field considered a shelter. Furthermore, the trench suffered the irremediable loss of the contextual information attached to the archaeological materials recovered during their excavation, finally forming only a material collection. The Magdalenian settlements at Cova del Parco are characterized by great complexity, highlighted by different elements. Firstly, by the number and diversity of the discovered and excavated structures; we also have the ECs, flat and not-delimited or delimited by a stone crown, or a pave in a bucket, simple or double; and we have the “Knapping Remains Deposits” “KRD”, or “DRT“ in Spanish (Depósito de Restos de Talla)– defined as carving remains accumulation, in a very small surface coming out from a concrete technical process (Mangado et al., 2009, 2010). Secondly, the complexity has been proved from several activities recorded thanks to the typological and functional lithic tool diversity (Calvo, 2004) and over hard animal materials (Tejero, 2005). Both the production and repairing of lithic tools (Langlais, 2004, 2010), osseous tools (Tejero and Fullola, 2008), and the leatherwork in different stages of the operational chain (Calvo, 2004) attest to this. Regarding the Final Upper Magdalenian, the spatial distribution studies of the traces, as well as the analysis of the combustion structures main features –typology, micro-stratigraphy and content– show us an important and multifunctional settlement of the cave´s central area where, together with the hearths´ culinary functionality –attached to many faunal burned remains– other activities arise, mainly of the working type: lithic works/flintknapping, bone, leather... In this way, those areas closer to the walls show their functional marginality and are mainly reserved as buildup of waste areas, as faunal remains of little or void nutritional value and lithic traces which were rejected for manufacturing are recovered in them (Mangado et al., 2006-2007). The outer area, or shelter area, is also characterized for this marginal behavior in which working activities were hardly developed, such as the possible smoking of skin or food (Bergadà, 1998: 77-79). This behavior, so different in the use of spaces regarding the activities recorded in them, will be modified as we break into the Upper Magdalenian. Thus, the EC attached to this moment increase in presence and reuse in the outer area. The shelter´s

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EC shows, at the same time, a higher typological and functional variability. In this way, together with the activities of purely signaling and lighting, lithic carving work activities attached to those structures emerge, which have allowed even technological refitting among different lithic elements. The other structures showing the settlement complexity carried out by the Magdalenian hunter-gatherers are the already mentioned –KRD– which allow us to rebuild the mobility intrasite (Mangado et al., 2006-2007). 4.2. Resource Management Throughout the Magdalenian at Cova del Parco The studies carried out throughout these years have allowed not only a certain intrasite perception towards the Magdalenian occupants working and life space system at Cova del Parco, but also a certain perception towards the outer area extrasite, beyond the archaeological site, to know the territory´s management and its resources by these communities. Accordingly, we have also observed some differences between the Final Upper Magdalenian and the Upper Magdalenian. 4.2.1. Abiotic Resources Along the analyzed period, we have documented the presence of concrete flint types being the object of detailed petro-archaeological features which progressively reveal the way a decrease in the flint types used is variably produced as these further varieties are not represented during the Final Upper Magdalenian, the result of which we may consider a certain regionalization process of the exploitation of the resource. In this way, for the most ancient stages of the studied sequence, so far –Upper Magdalenian-, we have proved little presence of materials coming from long and/or very long distances, exceeding widely the regional state displacement; these materials were introduced in the archaeological site in both engraved bladed supports and configured cores. This discovery, which forms part of one of our ongoing PhD – MS-, and which will shortly be launched, brings to light a behavior of siliceous materials supply over the long-distance axis enclosing both the Pyrenees slopes and some neighboring territories, not strictly Pyrenean, a circumstance showing us a wide mobility of these Upper Magdalenian groups. This mobility will gradually be reduced along the Final Upper Magdalenian, during which the recorded

materials are of a regional support, adopting a local resource regime during the last hunter-gatherers settlements from very Early Holocene. The C.O.L for the tool manufacture attached to these siliceous resources, also reveals along the studied sequence a progressive adaptive behavior both to the metric features and to the raw materials knapping used in tool manufacturing. Thus, during the Upper Magdalenian the bladed module, presenting both blades and bladelets produced in the archaeological site from the core reduction sequence of high-quality raw materials, mainly pyramidal and prismatic morphologies and at the same time part of the core maintenance elements –flakes and cortical flakes– for the diverse domestic tool making –endscrapers, side-scrappers, burins, becs, etc– is recovered. Progressively, we observe minor module exploitation of raw materials and therefore a larger number of bladelets rather than blades is produced on the site, the former seeming to be produced as supports or even as finished tools –some endscrapers and burins highlight this– while at the same time, the configuration and maintenance activities of the bladelets´ cores are simplified since the volume exploitation of smaller size raw materials and from poorly modified cores are usually invoked (Langlais, 2010). Consequently, the tool technology is affected by this circumstance and the local flint of a minor knapping quality is progressively used for manufacturing different lithic tool types (Mangado, 2005). Lithic tools of Magdalenian levels at Cova del Parco are widely dominated by the projectile elements throughout the exhumed sequence. Backed bladelets and backed points predominance reveal a wide typological variety in which the presence of truncated backed bladelets highlights, an element we used as a cultural marker to point out the transition between Final and Upper Magdalenian stage. The hunting set is supported by domestic tools showing wide diversity of working activities developed at the archaeological site, both referring to scraping, hammering, and leather work (Calvo, 2004) and to osseous tool production and maintenance (Tejero and Fullola, 2008) 4.2.2. Biotic resources The industry in osseous raw materials at Cova del Parco includes two large subsections. The first one is referred to as domestic and hunting equipment made of bones and deer antlers. Secondly, we have a set of objects of personal ornament,

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Figure 4. Upper Magdalenian settlements Lithic and bone industry at Cova del Parco (graphics R. Álvarez). 1,10,16: endscrapers. 2: bec. 3: backed bladelet. 4-9: scalene triangles. 11-13: burins. 14-15: bladelets cores. 17: retouched blade fragment. 18: Dentalium sp. 19: Nasarius sp. 20: Homalopoma sanguineum. 21: Theodoxus fluviatilis. 22: pendant of deer´s atrophied canine tooth. 23: needle. 24: spear point distal fragment. 25: spear point (pointe de sagaie)

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which, with the exception of two pendants made of atrophied deer canine tooth, were made from different mollusks species shells. Both entities of the Cova del Parco archaeological material register form an important set from the numeric point of view and above all from a qualitative perspective, as they include not only objects but also other “technical” elements –wastes, pieces being processed, blanks–. These last ones are essential to rebuilding the technical operative sequence of the exploitation of organic material of animal origin. This feature constitutes exactly the largest osseous industry (bone and antler) contribution in Cova del Parco to the knowledge of the site´s Magdalenian settlements and, by extension, of the Iberian Magdalenian. Although the osseous industry development is fairly recently related to the lithic technology, its huge capacity has been widely demonstrated for the better knowledge of the paleoethnographic aspects of the hunter-gatherers in the Upper Palaeolithic (Averbouh, 2000). The analysis´ results show that the operative sequence of the bone and antler exploitation is driven to the production of the rod or baguette type blanks through the double longitudinal grooved procedure (Tejero 2005, Tejero and Fullola 2006, 2008, Tejero et al., 2010). In the bone´s case, the blocks to be exploited are plausibly selected among the bone remains removed from the food chain without observing specific fracture patterns of technical nature. The fauna recovered in the Magdalenian levels at Cova del Parco are mainly goat´s remains (Nadal, 1998). The exploited antlers, always from deer (Cervus elaphus), probably come up from shed antler collections if we abide by their modules of thick cortical tissue and the lack of deer presence among the fauna hunted at Parco. The bone and antler blanks are transformed by an overall scraping, respectively by needles and spear points (projectile elements). This correspondence between raw material and type of object, not limited to the Magdalenian, is related to the structural properties of every material, making them more efficient in transformation tasks –bone– or as projectile elements –antler– (Christensen and Tejero i.p). With reference to the personal ornament objects, Cova del Parco has provided a set of more than one

hundred pieces, with an important presence of marine gastropods (Homalopoma sanguineum and Cyclopeneritea) and fluvial gastropods (Theodoxus fluviatilis) (Tejero 2005, Estrada 2009, Estrada et al., 2010). The shells of the different mentioned taxa –some of them keep ochre remains– were perforated probably through an indirect percussion. The use of this technique to perforate the shell of very small and relatively thin species requires very precise control of the process. This fact shows a high degree of technical expertise in the Magdalenian inhabitants of Cova del Parco. At the same time, the selection of a few varieties –difficult to work with– among the wide range of mollusks available to the Magdalenian populations at Cova del Parco shows an election guided by cultural criteria and not by a technical availability and/or efficiency. However, most parts of faunal elements recorded during Magdalenian at Cova del Parco corresponds to hunted and consumed faunal remains. Its conservation status is usually fragile, as it appears really fragmented. Despite that, cut marks identification has been possible in many occasions, showing an intensive prey exploitation of mainly Capra pyrenaica. 5. Conclusions The excavations during more than a decade of the Magdalenian levels at Cova del Parco by the SERP of the UB team has been the key for the understanding of the Final Upper Pleistocene settlements in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Both for the large sedimentological and paleoenvironmental sequence and for the quantity and quality of the cultural traces and the exhumed human structures, this archaeological site is an essential reference point for the global study of the Magdalenian settlements in both the Pyrenees slopes. 6. Acknowledgments In recent years, research work has been carried out as part of programme SGR2014-108 of the Generalitat de Cataluña and programme HAR2011-26193 of the MINECO.

ROBERT SALA RAMOS (EDITOR) EUDALD CARBONELL | JOSÉ MARÍA BERMÚDEZ CASTRO | JUAN LUIS ARSUAGA (COORDINATORS)

PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE HUNTER-GATHERERS IN IBERIA AND THE GIBRALTAR STRAIT: THE CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD