El Provencio (Cuenca, Spain) the research possibilities of a new complete stratigraphic and archaeological sequence from Lower to Middle Paleolithic Domínguez-Solera et al 2019

EL PROVENCIO (CUENCA, SPAIN): THE RESEARCH POSSIBILITIES
OF A NEW COMPLETE STRATIGRAPHIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SEQUENCE FROM LOWER TO MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC
S.D. Domínguez-Solera
(1)
, D. Moreno,
(2)
, C. Pérez
(3)
, G.I. López
(2)
, M. Muñoz
(1)
(1) ARES Arqueología y Patrimonio Cultural, C/San Vicente 2, 16001, Cuenca (España) ares.arqueologia@hotmail.com
(2) Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Paseo Sierra Atapuerca, 3 09002, Burgos (España)
davinia.moreno@cenieh.es gloria.lopez@cenieh.es
(3) Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Calle Calera, 1 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid (España) carlos.perez@igme.es
Resumen (El Provencio (Cuenca, España): Las posibilidades para la investigación de una nueva secuencia estratigráfica
y arqueológica desde el Paleolítico Inferior al Medio): Esta breve comunicación contiene los resultados preliminares del
proyecto de investigación arqueológica sobre el Paleolítico Inferior y Medio en el término municipal de El Provencio (Cuenca,
España). Durante los primeros 6 años de proyecto, se ha definido un hasta ahora desconocido complejo arqueológico con una
gran concentración de restos de industria lítica de Modos 1, 2 y 3, asociados a secuencias fluviales y lacustres de gran extensión.
Se presentan aquí las primeras edades obtenidas por dos métodos de datación complementarios: Resonancia Paramagnética
Electrónica (ESR por sus siglas en inglés) y Luminiscencia Óptica (OSL por sus siglas en inglés). Las fechas de 41 ka y 800 ka
corresponden a los niveles 2 y 3 de la secuencia estratigráfica respectivamente. El potencial arqueológico contenido en este
enclave sugiere una ocupación humana ininterrumpida e intensa de esta región durante 800 ka.
Palabras clave: Paleolítico Inferior; Paleolítico Medio; OSL; ESR; industria lítica.
Key words: Lower Paleolithic; Middle Paleolithic; OSL dating; ESR dating; lithic industry.
INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION
New results from the Lower to Middle Paleolithic
archaeological site of El Provencio Complex, located
in the municipality that bears the same name in the
south of the Province of Cuenca (central Spain) are
summarized herein. The stratigraphic sequence is
part of La Mancha plateau and is composed by an
extensive succession of horizontally emplaced fluviolacustrine units rich in gravels and sands pertaining
to the Záncara River deposits, one of the main
tributaries of the Guadiana River. Three decades
ago, during the industrial exploitation of some sand
quarries, Mammuthus meridionalis and Bison dental
remains were found and studied by several experts
(Pérez-González et al., 1990). Preliminary analysis of
lithic artifacts may appear to belong to Modes 1, 2
and 3 which in turn have been reinforced by the first
Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and Optically
Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) ages ever obtained
for this region.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
The research project in El Provencio began in 2013
and belongs to a bigger research program about the
human origins which encompasses all three regions
pertaining to the Province of Cuenca: Alcarria,
Mancha and Sierra (Domínguez-Solera & Martín,
2015; Domínguez-Solera, 2018a). This specific
research program started with systematic surveying
of old quarries which in turn, allowed to select new
excavation sites such as El Pinar de la Vega, El
Pinarico, Los Marines… forming El Provencio
Complex. Between 2013 and 2015 surface findings
unveiled a rich quartzite and flint lithic industry
(retouched and unretouched tools, cores and debris
of various types) as well as some faunal remains.
During the subsequent excavations campaigns
(2015-2017) at El Pinar de la Vega, the lithic artifacts
Fig. 1: Stratigraphic profiles from the excavation in El
Pinar de la Vega (above) and from the quarry profile in El
Pinarico (below). S.D. Domínguez-Solera.
were found in stratigraphic position (DomínguezSolera & Muñoz, 2015; Domínguez-Solera, 2018b).
Archaeological surveys and excavations were
focused on the sand- and gravel-rich layers found
throughout El Provencio Complex, which seemed to
be the most associated with the Paleolithic riches in
the region.
RESULTS
Geochronology
Samples were collected using sampling strategies
recommended for trapped-charged dating techniques
(Moreno et al, 2017). Dosimetry measurements were
obtained both in the lab and in-situ using highprecision Germanium detectors and portable Gamma
spectrometry, respectively (Table 1).
To establish the chronology of El Provencio
Complex, the first two ESR and OSL samples were
collected in 2015 at El Pinarico and El Pinar de la
Vega quarries profiles, respectively (Figure 1).
ESR sample EPO15-06 was collected in the sterile
Layer 3 of El Pinarico profile whereas OSL sample
EPP15-05 was retrieved from sub-level 2E at El
Pinar de la Vega cut (Figure 2).
STRATIGRAPHY
The general stratigraphy of the El Provencio
Complex is composed of 3 main layers with an
overall thickness of up to 5 m and deployed in an
extension of at least 4.5 km. None of the strata seem
to be affected tectonically. The bottommost layer is
characterized by massive sands and is sterile of
archaeological remains. Layer 2 shows inter-bedding
of sands and gravel and is sub-divided into several
sub-levels (e.g., A to I in El Pinar de la Vega profile;
Figure 1). The main concentration of lithic industry of
Modes 1 to 3 is found in this layer. The uppermost
layer, Layer 1, is clay-rich and contains Mode 4 lithic
industry, as well as Neolithic-Calcolithic ceramics and
microliths. This horizontal stratigraphic scheme is
repeated symmetrically and consistent throughout all
the quarries and profiles studied in El Provencio
Complex.
Sample
preparation,
irradiation,
bleaching,
measurements and analyses were carried out at the
ESR and Luminescence laboratories at the CENIEH
(Burgos, Spain) (Table 1).
ESR dating was performed on pure quartz separates
(100-200 μm) using the Multiple Centre approach
(Toyoda et al., 2000). ESR signals of Aluminum (Al)
and Titanium (Ti) centers were systematically
measured on 14 aliquots by triplicates over different
days. The ESR ages obtained for Layer 3 are 826 ±
48 ka (Al-center) and 846 ± 43 ka (Ti-center) (Table
2).
Sample
DĮ
Dȕ
DȖ
Dcos
Dint
Dose Rate
EPP1505
-
150 ± 10
150 ± 10
150 ± 10
-
450 ± 20
EPO1506
11 ± 2
532 ± 7
380 ± 14
157 ± 16
50 ± 30
1131 ± 37
Table 2. Dosimetric data from ESR and OSL samples
(DĮ: alpha; Dȕ: beta; DȖ: gamma; Dcos: cosmic; Dint:
internal doses). Values in μGy/a.
Sample
DE
Age
EPP1505
18.6 ± 0.6
41 ± 2.2
EPO1506
Al-center
934 ± 78
826 ± 48
Ti-center
957 ± 37
846 ± 43
Table 2. ESR and OSL dose equivalent (DE) values (in
Gy) and corresponding ages (in ka).
OSL dating was determined on pure quartz
separates (90-125 μm) using the Single-Aliquot
Regenerative-Dose (SAR) protocol (Murray & Wintle,
2000) on 24 multiple-grain aliquots (2 mm diameter).
A Central Age Model (CAM) age of 41 ± 2.2 ka was
obtained for layer 2 (Table 2).
Both samples were taken from different quarries, but
we had corroborated, previously, that they were part
of the same geologic and stratigraphic sequence.
Archaeology
Thousands of lithic artifacts were gathered and
described during the surface surveys in several
locations from El Provencio Complex including El
Pinar de la Vega, El Pinarico, Los Marines, La
Mezquita or El Tostado.
Fig. 2. Photographs of ESR and OSL samples on the
respective quarry profiles from El Pinarico and El Pinar
de la Vega.Photos: D. Moreno.
artifacts were made in quartzite and the rest in flint.
All the quartzite artifacts are easily classified as
Mode 1 industry and the flint artifacts as Modes 2
and 3. Including a fragmented biface. From the
original 247 processed artifacts, 81 were found on
the surface during initial surveying, hence out of
stratigraphic position. Whereas, the rest 166 artifacts
found in stratigraphic position while excavating -with
the exception of three retouched quartzite Mode 1
artifacts- are classified as Mode 3. These show
typical features of Levallois reduction (Table 3).
Preliminary traceology analyses have already begun.
Nonetheless, it has been difficult to find traces of use
on the edges of even the best preserved tools.
DISCUSSION
The abundance of artifacts detected in El Provencio
Complex may imply a continuous and intense human
occupation between the Lower and Middle Paleolithic
in this central region of the Iberian Peninsula. This is
a different point of view as other interpretations
suggested by different authors where the abundance
of Paleolithic artifacts and populations is
concentrated near the coast (e.g., De la Torre, 2017).
The features observed in surface and stratigraphy
artifacts suggest a classification in the three earliest
modes of tool-making: Modes 1, 2 and 3. The
hominins that produced such artifacts may be
chronologically associated to Homo antecessor and
Homo heidelbergensis populations that were already
present in Atapuerca (Carbonell et al., 2008).
A preferential usage of the local materials to make
the three modes of industry is argued and also a
continuity of the same operational chain in Mode 3
expanded across 150.000 years. Hence, El
Provencio Complex may bear the potential of further
investigations concerning social learning and
imitations as already proven effective analytical
methods in other important Paleolithic archaeological
sites in Spain (e.g., Baena et al., 2008; Blasco et al.,
2013).
Fig. 3. Examples of lithic Modes 1 and 3 from the areas
of El Pinarico, El Pinar de la Vega and Los Marines. S.
D. Domínguez-Solera.
The ESR age of ~800 ka obtained for Layer 3 gives a
terminum ante quem for the beginning of Mode 1 in
El Provencio Complex. The youngest sub-level,
Layer 2E, dated by OSL gave an age of 41 ka. But
there are five more levels with Mode 3 industry above
(layers 2A, 2B, 2C, 2DI and 2DII). This could be
associated with Neanderthal timing of Southern
Europe. The limit of Mousterian or Neanderthal
history in South Europe is being established 30.00024.000 years ago (Garralda, 2005; Finlayson et al.,
2008). To further prove the existence of
Neanderthals in this region at this younger period,
more archaeological campaigns are envisioned.
The identified Mode 1 artifacts (both from excavation
and surveys) are all retouched and cortical flakes
made from flint or quartzite, as well as cores with
simple reduction strategy (no more than 6
extractions; Figure 3). Also, there are several
examples of Mode 2 bifacial handaxes and largeformat tools, always in flint material. The largest lithic
assemblage, hence the most studied thus far at El
Provencio Complex, pertains to Mode 3 industry
(Figure 3): most of them show a stereotypical
Levallois centripetal technique but also the Levallois
parallel method. In both cases, local flint little nodules
(5-10 centimeters long) were the raw material.
CONCLUSIONS
Over the last 800 ka, human hunter and gatherer
bands of different species came recurrently on an
uninterrupted way (independently of the different
stages of climate change), to the old Záncara
margins attracted by the different animal and
vegetable resources that there were concentrated
During the two excavation campaigns carried out in
El Pinar de la Vega a total of 255 different artifacts
have already been obtained, most of them from
secure stratigraphic origin. 8 are flint cores without
traces of reduction, while the other 247 show traces
of knapping. In terms of raw material, 14 of those 247
LITHIC (FIINT) FROM EXCAVATION IN EL PINAR DE LA VEGA (EL PROVENCIO)
Cores
Flakes/blades/points
Debris
TOTAL
1
4
1
6
1
5
8
14
4
3
15
22
15
6
8
29
17
12
24
53
1
1
4
6
1
4
13
18
5
5
5
15
46
40
78
163
5,75
5
9,75
20,37
28%
24%
48%
100%
CORES FROM EXCAVATION IN EL PINAR DE LA VEGA (EL PROVENCIO)
Levallois
Levallois little dimensions
Levall. cor. for
Other
blades
Layer
Centripetal
Parallel
NI
Centripetal
Parallel
NI
2 A-B
1
2C
1
2DI
1
1
1
1
2D2
3
3
7
1
1
2E
2
7
4
4
1
2F
1
2G
1
2H
2
2
1
DISCRIMINATION TOOLS/DEBRIS FROM EXCAVATION PIECES IN EL PINAR DE LA VEGA (EL PRV.)
Layer
Retouched tools
Without functional retouch
2 A-B
3
2
2C
6
7
2DI
4
14
2 D II
7
7
2E
12
14
2F
1
4
2G
9
7
2H
5
5
TOTAL
47
60
AVERAGE
5.87
7,5
Layer
2 A-B
2C
2DI
2 D II
2E
2F
2G
2H
TOTAL
AVERAGE
%
Table 3. Inventory tables of excavation lithic pieces from El Pinar de la Vega (El Provencio).
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Campo, Cuenca). AnMurcia, 31: 109-116
Domínguez-Solera, S. D. and Muñoz, M. (2015). El
Paleolítico en El Provencio. Nuestro Entorno. Nuestra
Historia, 1: 18-22.
Finlayson, C. et al. (2008). Gorham’s Cave, Gibraltar – The
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Garralda, M. D. (2005). Los Neandertales en la Península
Ibérica. Munibe, 57: 289-314.
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here. These groups would use local raw materials
(flint and quartzite), reducing, processing and
elaborating tools as well as discarding them in situ.
Even though much geological work is yet to be done,
the geochronological data obtained so far
corroborates the archaeological findings. Future work
is not only envisioned towards Zooarchaeology (the
few faunal remains that were found for now are all
surface and very eroded materials) but also to obtain
a better chronostratigraphical control of El Provencio
Complex.
The potential of El Provencio Complex is still
unknown and could provide much information related
to the last 800 ka in the central region of the Iberian
Peninsula.
Acknowledgements: The authors thank the Council
of El Provencio, especially its Culture Councilor (D.
José Manuel Triguero Valladolid) for supporting and
financing this project (authorized by the JCCM
administration). We also thank the local inhabitants
and all those that help us during all these past years.
S.D. Domínguez would also like to thank ARES
ARQUEOLOGÍA staff.
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