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E irón Cave, Canta rian Spain

The Site and Its Holocene Archaeological Record

EDITED BY LAWRENCE GUY STRAUS AND MANUEL R. GONZÁLEZ MORALES

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Univenity o(New Mexico Press I Albuquerque o U)I2. by lhe Univcrsity ofNew Mexico Press Ali rights reserved. Published lOll Printed in lhe Uniled Slates or America

17 16 15 14 I) 12 1 234 56

LIBRARY OF CONG RESS CATALOGING-IN-PUB lICATION DATA

EI Miron Cave, Cantabrian Spain ; lhe site and ils Holocene archaeological record I cditcd by Lawrence Guy Slraus and Ma nuel R. González Morales. p. cm. Ineludes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-826)-5148-7 (dolh : alk. paper) - ISBN 978-0 -826)-5150-0 (eleetronic)

L Mirón Cave (Spain) 2. Neolithic period- Spain- Cantabria. 3. Mesolilh ic perlod­ Spain- Cantabria. 4. Excavations (Archaeology)-Spain-Cantabria. 5. Geology, Stmtigraphic- Holocene. 6. Paleobotany- Holocene. 7. Cantabria (Spain)- Antiquities. I. Straus, Lawrence Guy. 11. González Mo rales, Manuel R. DI. Title: Miron Cave, Canlabrian Spain.

GN776.1l.S7I!S 2Q12 9)6.6·351 - dc23 201 10 4)902

OESIGN ANO lAYOUT: MEI.ISSA TAND YS H Composed in 10.)/14 Minio n Pro Display type is Cronos PrO

Financing of color plates was provided by The FUlld for Stone Age Research (UNM Foundation) whose principal donors are Jean and Ray Auel. CHAPTER TWHVE

Holocene Biostratigraphy and Climatic Change in Cantabria The Micromammalian Faunas of EI Mirón Cave

Gloria Cuenca Bescós ",d Jua n Carlos García I'imiema TR.ANSLATED BY LAWRENCE GUY STRAUS

1 Miron Ca~. near Ramalts de la Victoria on the northtm td~ ofthe Cantabrian Cordillera in eutem Cantabna. has a 'arge mouth and moderate overallltngth. It is aI an eleo. .... tion of a.bout 260 m above presem sea levei. )°27 West of lhe Gr«nwich Meridian and 4t1S' Norlh (figures 12.1 and 11..1). IIS favored locatkm at a crossroads of vaIJeys ltading imo Vizcaya and O\'er lhe cordillera to Burgos boi only about lO km fmm ibt HolocrM couthne. wilh iLS moulh (adng due west, 100 to ilS having bttn uliliud by bwtwts evt"r since aI least Mouslerian timn (Straus and Gonzãlez Mondes 100lb). Until JUSta rew~ars ago dlC~pherds used lhe ytSlibule as a Iivestock stable. Ahhough EI Miron was disco\'ered scientincally aI lhe beginning of lhe twentieth century. s)'ltem3tic excólvations did nOl begin Wl li11996. Ever since Ihen, underthe direction ofLG. Slr.msand M. Gonlálet. Moralcs ("10013. b), ri 'eam offivc 10 ' wcnly-five students has been exc3vati ng ln lhe cave for

Fil- 12. 1. locJluon of EI Mlmn Cóllve on the lberlólln Ptnmwlõl. Map b)' GIOriil Cuenn. I~"O ntontlui n 'c:ry summc:r. 1ht main cxClvalion area.s ha\'e b«n neM lhe: fronl oft~ \'fttlbldc: (lh~Cabin) and /-_ •• ___o aI ds lTar (lhe Corral), •o lhr HoIocc:ne: sc:dl menlS (10m lhe: Cabin arc:a wen: waltr-scrc:ened (or lhe: rtCOVtry o( smaJl arch~ogicaJ 1-- ' 1 and paleontologlcul rc:mains. Sol11n8 ofthe: sue:e:n resi­ duc:s jn~vN sc:parallon o( artl(acIs. \'e:rttbrates, and bolilnicaJ re:m.nms. whkh wc:re: IMo prrpared for study and CUrltlon (Stnaus anel Gontáln. Monles 'lOOIa. b), i his sludr pruc:nl.s the: first mults of our ana1~ o( lhe: mkrom'llumalhan remains (rom lhe Holoce:ne CANTADRIA leveis orEI Mlrón. namely (rum lhc: Cabin arc:a ofthe Ollter vestibu le. AI lhe: time of wriling this excavation nrcll had rCRchecl " lultl l dcplh of IlbO UI 3 m. dowlI 10 Ihc: early 10 mid-Magdll lcnian. Durlng lhe ( ourse of the: ~cava li on somc: 14 Holoce:nc·age: leveis and lenses were define

I 206 I Chapltr TwellJf Chronology of EI M lr6n Cave eXQvatiOI1 areOl. nlis (calUrt manm.'Stly cul through MosI ofthe micromalllmallan sôlmpl('f ha\'i! becn Indi­ allea.sl l.C'~15 ).).'1, ,,, and S Ilnd iOlo lhe tops ofl4=\'d rtetJy dated by means of r"ddiocurbon dating of charcoal 6 and n'en l.t\-d ,. iIs n::bl.lOnship 10 lhe disconlm­ from lhe' ~'ds (Strausand Gonúlez ~torales 200101. b). UOU5 palChtos lha! colUlitute Levd ]. Is uncleM. and Thr Holocenc In'els a n be g(()U~ Inlo tive ~riods: neltoo ís it radiometrieaUy datcd. ii d~ p~tt La'Ô I and did not )'idd modern artjfacts (Stt fig­ Mode'm: lne:11 ure 1.l....4). Thb dug-ou! or crosi\'t mfe:ature could Prolohi lorie H): l.t-\-e:1 J.S (pII fill) bc 611td wlm scdJments pertalOing to lhe $O-Gllled Early Bronu Agr: Levds '1 and J (+ LtnSt'S J.o-J... d lroo Age CoM I>twt: (l900-l)OO BP) lMllw becn Chakolithk: Le\-e:lJ -4-7 observed in northe:.utem Spóun in opcn'aJr conlexl!í NfllLi t.hlc: Levcls 8-10 and descnbed by lhe: nUlhors as a cold, hunüd epi­ MHOlith ic: LtvtllO.1 sode lhal comcided wllh a minor advance: of mon­ tane slacic:rs and hlgher prtdp1lation lhan in lhe 1M radiocnrbon dates for lhe I-Ioloctnt' levd$ aresum· prectding warm. sub.1tJallllC poIlt'n 7.onc:-hf!llCC:m marizcd ln t"blc 11...... erosive pcriod (Gulu:rrez I!Imu anel Petul-Monné 19.98). Howcvcr, no Irol1 Age artlfncts wcre found in !t. l he micro fu llt Hl I (Isscmblngc frolTl Levei J.S con­ Summary of the Micromammalian Faunas sisl! of lhe followlog lllXll: A rll/cola Icrrt.'Strls, Mkrotus af EI Mirón Cave in Strat igraphic Conrext agrnlis, M. armllS. M. o«o"omus, allo"om~ nJWJlis. lhe mICmmanlmalian re.mains analyud here. com~ ~tllrionom)'1 ghJrtoIus. T~rrirola IUliralllrus. Plimn)'S fUXli the Cabin aOlvalion :un IR 1m: outer V6tibule. lmh. Apodt!mus S)·' ...'Uricus-jUl1'JCoIII$. G/is gli$, Taipa squ.am H-J/h4; thelr\'ffllcal provenance cootm con· sp.. Sorr.x ronmatln·artUlCUJ.. S. mitllltus, N«Jm)'S sp-o s:ists ofln"c1s and 5pl1$ and lhtlr horizontal provmana: Croddlllil sp.. M)'Olls. llOd MUI/da sp. lhe pre:senct ronsi5ls ofrnt'lér squllres and quarter-me:ter subsquare:s of PfJOtn)'S in such. m:mt d~1 iS hlghly unusuaJ. 16gult:S I1.J and 1.1.-4 )" as will bc: commenttd upon btlow_ ln Ihis 5CClion ~ dt'SCri~ lht str.allgr.aphle umls le!"el 1; DISConllnuoU5 r alchC!S of bc.lg~ (Ir )'d· Wlth their micromammalian conleoU (mm 10p 10 bot· lowlsh. And)' dar btlow lhe cabin 1100r, esSl'n· 10m wimin lhe HoIoce:nt dtposll. Prt:liminary pub­ tially ai lhe t'a.sl~rn sidt' of lhe! e!xcavalion ara.. licatiOn) .. s well as chaplers in lhe prtknt volume by DomC:Slicaled animal bono . r~ abundanl. hUI 1m: lhe pro;«t dirtctors C5(na us et aL :1001) and 8«)logists onl)' micromammals aTe! agam Arvicola tt!rrtSlris gl\'C' sedllncnlologial and SIr3llgnphlc dttulls lhal we and 7idpa. ,,",11 nOI rtrcat here. ln contrast, we eOIlCt'ntrate 011 lhe mícrOnlllmma1iUI1 fnunas that charactcrizc each leveI l evei J (+ Lcnses J.O- l .•): A complcx of lhe main (a nd the rel al !vc Illlportu ncc of t h!! d ifrcrc nt taxa) (sec levei (3) . which is II bl'Own, sllly ln:Hll (I l1 d various also lables Il.1. lInd 11.3). Frolll to p 10 bOllam: mu lt icolored lcnses rormcd b)' sueh dlversc pro­ cesses as caldul1l caroomlle pr«ipltalion and burn­ ing. 1his compla preJ(::nts. much higher di\'e:rsily l.t\'d I: This isag~y-browndtposit IOpped byrcceDt dung. nraw, and modtm rc-fusc:. 11 contaios abun­ of micromammallan lua thiln o\~lymg lc\-els 1 danl organll: maUtrand rubbk: 611from Iht'collapsc:d and 1: "'n·jcola 'ti .oms. Mirrotus OgIOt'5. M. arva­ M. o«onOIllIIS, Orlonom)'1 nl\'alis, Cldll,.,otlomys cabin 'A-ôlll II is ustnltally a modem deposlt rdating liso gIonolus. Ttrricok, Illsllomrw. "/,o'"YS knki, Apode­ 10 US(' of the ca\'C as a hvcstock st4lble.. \\'e ha\'t' two mlCrOmmunal sampld fmm ln-d I; they Included mus S)"mlicw-jln,·,cuJlis. Clis gtis. Thlp..r sp., and MIIstela. lhe appólrent p~nce: of Phot,,)'1 is :too only tw() lua: ",,,,,cola ft' ,otris a.nd T/J/f'l. nolôlble hui probabty misleading in lhis 3700 BP Ln'd J.S: ThLS deptnlllonal unil is lhe m-IiUmg of Cu nCl!.) Bronu A8~ cont~l. as wllI bc: dl.scussal ai a bro;ad channcl ar pit ln lhe 'A-'CSlern slde of the lenglh bdow. • - ISO MI BD

posl (fi ll ed)

' PI, O' " ,

.- " o o • ·, '" I.2 - 350crnBO o aoO

Cl - 4()(1 c;m BD

,_ ---=__ _ .:00.. CM • - 5000mllJ o éboutis 01 2006 eKca~atlon 0_ (= lop of SI. 18) - __ charcosl .... bone o cavewall

Koy 11 gray belga gravelly sill La Cueva dei Mirón 3 lumpy moUlad brown silVloam 11 ,1 dark gray organlc-rich slll (Ramales de la Vicloria, 3.2 cream-colored tra~ertlne 11.2 yaHowish belga lo IIght gray clayey, slony sIIt Cantabria, Spaln) 4 gray to Ilght gray ash with charcos! 12 lighl yellOWlsh be/gEt slony sllt 13 crumbly yellowish belga clayey sill Veslibule, Wesl Section of 5 Ilghl brown lo gray clayey sll! 6 11ghl gray ashy sill wllh chafcoat 14 pura y&llowish Ilght brown beige clayey sI~ Cabin Excavation lanses 15 sama aa 13 and 14, but wilh angular amaI! G-H/1-4 (1997-2006) 7 yellowlsh orange clayey sill atones & eboolis a belge granular sill \6 derk brown clay with high sand content, 9. gray clayey SUl gravei & amall angular éboulis 9.6 IIghl belga granular sill \7 gray-brown lo dam brown sandy SUl wiIh very 10 fine white sll! (CaC03orich) abundant cobbles, fire-cracked rock, faunal lO 1 fine Ilght la dark gray silt (CaG03 ramaina, afIlfacts & charcoal rlch) t8 Ilght grey·lan sllty c!ay with Small·medium 5ize angular éboulis

Fig. 12.3. West section o f the Cabin arei'! eKcavation (G- HI1 -4), Secrion by L G. Straus, red rafted by Ronatd Stauber.

208 Chapter Twelve ,<> , - 150cmBO

- 200 cm BD ' Pi! O' 3.5 ,

- 250 cm BD

10

10.1 • • 10.1 • 300 cm BD '6,. I~ = '0 O • 00 11 .1 O"" " o 1, ~ -35Ocm60 o O o ~ " "

14 - 400 cm BD o

- "socrn BD base of 2001 excavation

oe Key -CM- --- , orange-yellow sanely sill wilh yellow lumps 3 lumpy moUled brown silt/loam 3.4 red bum! clay & hardened pebbly ash La Cueva dei Mirón 3.5 gray-brown pll 1111 with yellow motlling (Aamales de la Victoria, • gray to light gray ash w/charcoal Cantabria, Spain) 5 lighl brown to grsy clayey sill Vestibllle North Section 01 6 lighl gray ashy sil! Cabin Excavation H-J/4-5 6.1 white to grsy ash (1997-2001) 7 yellowish oranga clavey si!! B beiga granular sill 9 grsy clayey 5tlt CJ éboulis 9.6 light beiga granular sill O cobbla 10 fine wh ite slll (CaC03 rich) Q concretion 10.1 fine tighl to dark gray sill (esCOO rich) • ban' 11 gray beiga gravelly 511\ - .- charcoal 11.1 dar!< gray organic-rich sill , 1.2 yeUowish beiga to lighl gray clayey, stony sl1l 12 lighl yellowish beiga stony sill 13 crumbly yellowlsh beiga clayey s ill 14 pura yellowish IIght brown beige clayey sllt 15 same as 13 & 14 , but wilh angular small stones & éboulis 16 dark brown clay wil h high sand content, gravei & small angular éboulls

2.'. North section of the Cabin area excavation (H- J/4-S). Note lhe boundary between leveis 10.1 and 10 and the n o fl ~eI3.5 relative to the un derlying leveis. l evei 3.5 ha$ che geometry of a trench or channel that had cur into and lower leve is <"! nd thus is later than [hemo SectiOIl by L. G. Straus, redrafted by Rona ld Stauber.

Holocene Blostratigraphy and Climaric Change 209 Levei 4: This is a fire deposit formed of alternal­ 8.1, ash with eharcoaJ and fire -cracked rock. ing white and light-gray ash lenses Ihat are locally 8.1 is dated to 4680 BP, hut alI the cemented and charcoal patches, with fire-cracked lian remains come from Levei S sensu strieto. rocks. At leaSI two fire foei were found in 1996. are: Arvicola terrestris, Microtu$ agrestis, Ceramic sherds are concentrated around these fires, Chionomys nivaIis, Clethrionomys glareolus, anel some of them are burned. The miCfOmammals ola lusitanicus, I are less diverse than in the Levei 3 complex above: glis, Taipa sp., Sorex coronatus-araneus, S. mi"""", Arvicola terresfris, Microtus arvaIis, Clethrionomys Neomys sp., and Chiroptera. glareolus, Apodemus sylvaticus-jlavicollis, CUs glis, Levei 9 (+9.1- 9.8): This isa complex composed Taipa sp., Sorex coronatus-araneus, and Mustela sp. of Level 9 sensu slricto and a series of lemes; in LeveIs (+ Lenses 5.1-5.4): This is a complex of gray­ general the whole complex is dominaled b)' brown, clayey 8ilt with abundant organic malter, with ashes and charcoal. A charcoall'y"",,,ms including charcoal. There are several pit filIs and define lhe base ofthe complex in the lenses. LeveIs sensu stricto dates to 3820 BP and of the excavation area, without any Lens 5.1 to 4120 BP. Most of the micromammalian lenses below Lens 9.8 (see figure 12-4). The micro· remains are from five sensu suicto. ll1e combined mammals from this complex include: assemblage includes lhe fol1owing taxa: Arvicola ter­ terrestris, Micro/us agrestis, M. arvalis, resfris, Microtus agrestis, M. oeconomus, Chionomys nivaUs, CIethrionomys glareolus, Terricola lusitani· nivaUs, Clethrionomys glareolus, rerricola lusitani­ cus, Apodemus syIvaticus-jlavicollis, Clis g/is, EUQ· cus, Apodemus sy/vaticus-jlavicollis, GIis glis, Taipa mys quercinus, Taipa sp., Sorex coronatus·araneus, sp., Sorex coronalus-araneus, and Mustela sp. and Sorex "robust specics."

Levei 6: ll1is is a layer of white ash with fragments of Levei lO: This is a whitish, calcium carbonate­ charcoal. A1though there is a Lens 6.1, ali the micro­ rich silt. lt is more exlensive, conlinuous, and mammalian remains carne from six sensu stricto thicker than most of the overlying unils. Its micro· and include: Arvicola terrestris, Microtus agrestis, fauna include Arvicola terrestris, Microtus agreshs, Chionomys nivaUs, Clethrionomys glareolus, Apode­ M. arvaIis, Chionomys nivalis, Clethrionomys glau· mus syIvaticus-jlavicollis, Clis glis, Eliomys quercinus, olus, Terricola lusitanicus, Apodemus sylvalicus· Taipa sp., Sorex coronatus-araneus, and Neomys sp. jlavicollis, CUs glis, Eliomys quercinus, Taipa sp., Sorex coronatus-araneus, Sorex "robust spedes: Level7 (+ Lenses 7. 1-7.5): This is a eomplexcomposed Mustela sp., and lhe Chiroptera Myotis and Mini· ofLevel7 sensu strieto (a silty day) and a series of opterus. Leveis 10 and 10.1 are faunistically rela­ lenses rieh in ash and charcoal. Micromammals are tively similar, being distinguished by the presence rare but display a difference vis-à-vis the overlying in Levei 10 of Sorex minutus and Chiroptera, which strata, which will be diseussed below. Speeifically, are absent in Levei 10.1. The presence of the smaIJ therc are many fewer arvicolines than in the later cave bat Miniopterus could indicate tha! eitherthe leveis, with this being the only levei in which A. ter­ cave was partially abandoned by humans betll'een restris is absent. The taxa that are present indude: 5690 and 5570 BP or the sampling melhods were Microtus agresfis, Chionomys nivaIis, Apodemus syl­ insufficienl to reliably control for lhe presence of vaticus-jlavicollis, Glis glis , Eliomys quercinus, TaIpa this small Chiroptera at all times. Also nolable is sp., Sorex coronatus·araneus, and Crocidura sp. (A the presenee of Arvico/a sapidus in Levei 10.1, which date of 3740 BP from Levei 7 is out of stratigraphic represents the first refercnce to lhe water ral during order but would make more sense at + two standard lhe Holocene in the northern pari of the Iberian deviations [i.e., 3980 BP].-LGS) Peninsula. There are two other cases thal show Levei 8: Levei 8 sensu s/riclo is a beige-gray day with the presenee of Arvicola sapidus during the Upper ehareoal fragments; ii is underlain by hearth-fi!1 Lens Pleistocene in the Cantabrian region: one in the

210 Chapter Twelve Solutrean of La Ri em (Alt'u na 1986) and lhe other­ graphic relevance for dati ng and correlal'ion, late Upper also in the later Upper Paleolithic-at Las Caldas, Pleistocene and Holoccne siles are now dated by radio· both in Asturias (Corchón 1981). metric met hods, especially C- 14. Hmvever, in older sites (Pliocene and Lower, Midd le, and early Up per Pleisto· Leve!to.l; This is a grayish, silty d ay, aI so veryenriched cene), when other dating methods are difficult or impos· in CaCO)" Like Levei 1.0, it is lhick and continuOllS. siblc to apply, lhe micromammalian fa unas tan be used According to Straus and González Morales (2001a), to provide information on geologicaJ age of the deposits there seern to have becn depositional hiati bctwcen under study. ln addition, as shawn in lhe latest sludies, leveis la and 10.1 and bctween Levcllo,1 and undcr­ Quaternary micromamrnals can provide a great deal of lyingLevelll. Levei 10.1is lhe last levei to lack ceralUÍ( paleoecologieaJ and paleodimatic information and thus sherds and remains of domesticaled animals. II has must be taken into consideration in any Quaternary smalt numbers ofHtltic artifacts and only wild ungu­ paleoenvi ronmental reconstructions. ln lhe most recenl late remains. Together with these characteristics, its periods they can also shed light on possible corn mensal· dates, which range between 9550 and 8380 BP, imply ism and other aspects of the interactions ofhumans wilh a Mesolithic age. llle Levei 10.1 microfau nal assem­ their environ ment, such as sedentism or seasonality of blage is composed of Arvico/a terres/ris, A. sapidus, site occupati on (e.g., Morales Mufliz et aI. 1995; Tcher· Microtlls agreslis, Cllionomys nivalis, Ciethrionomys nov 1992). Recent studies (e.g., Pokines 1998; Pemán 198$. qwcinus, Taipa sp., Sorex COrOtUlt us-araneU$, and 1990b) in fac l demonstrate that aspects ohhe late Uppcr Mus/tla sp. Notable are lhe absences of M. lIrvalis, Pleistocene and Holocene can be reconstructed frOIll both species of Sorex, Crocidum, and the Chiroplera the study of successions or stratigraphic distributions of Myatú and Minioplerus. microvertebrales. lbe undoubted value of certain spe­ cies as envirorilllental indicators must be emphasized in the reconstruction ofloeal d imatic variatio lls: for exam­ Paleon(Ological 5cudy of the Micromammals pie, lhe proximity of waler bodies is ind icaled by Neo· rrom the Holocene of EI Mirón Cave 11Iy$, Arvico[a, and Microlu$ oeC01romu s~ lhe presence of Rardy are microvertebrales the subject of study in Span· woodland by Apodemus; hUlnid prairie by '/alpa; sunlit, isbarchaeological sites of Holocene age; indeed, they are rocky grouud by Chiollomys nil'alis; anel hum id d imate budlye..-ermenlioned as having been found in the depos- by Sorex. 1t5-as if they did nO I existo Exceplions can be noted the 'lo obtai n fossils of smal! size from lhe Holocene studies of Arturo Morales Mufiiz and associates (Morales deposits of EI Mirón Cave, nested scree ns ranging in !.1uf\iz. 1986; Morules Mu fliz et aI. 199$~ Morales and mesh size from 2 cm to 2 111m were uscd. The microver­ Rodriguez 1997), as weU as those of Pemán (1 987. 1988, tebrate rernai ns ""ere pickcd fro m the screen residues by 1990", b) an d laplana Conesa and Cuenca Bescós (1995). hand. This means that lhe smalleSI remains (e.g., lhose The smaU size of lhe rcmains (2.0-0.$ mm in most cases) of the majority of th e shrews and bal's in the orders lias probably becn the main reaSOI1 for mkromammals Eulipotyphla and Chiroptera, respectively, as weJl as bcing ignored in Holocene-age excavatiOI1S. Methods the hnier rodenls) are frequentJ y underrepresented, rortht retO\--ery of the remains of smaU mam mals, birds, thus biasing the composition of lhe overall collectioll. amphibians, reptil es, and fish are rather complex, as largc ln order to determine lhe extent of the possible bias, wc amounts of deposit have to be water-screened through have compared the Mirón Holocene collccHon resu lts fule mesh-either in Iheir entirety or in several column with Ihose of other authors working in the Cantabrian $.1I\\f'Ies of at least 1 m' in area. lllis costs a great deal of regioll. notably Pokines (1998), \\,hosc principal srudy lime, energy, and money bul is worth it in lerms of the was of micromammals from lhe Magdalcnian deposi! of long.term paleoenvironmen l'al detail that can be obtailled EI Ju yo Cave (coastal Cantabria), wbich was subjected \lith systematic micromammalian analysis. to syslematic Ilotation recovery me!hods (Freeman Although lhe study of micromammals from Quatcr­ el aI. 1998). Later, fo r the excavation of the Upper lLIf} Sl!es basically began as a resull of their biostrati· Pleislocene deposits in E1 Mirón, a flotation mamine

Holcx:ene Biostratigraphy and Climatic Change 21 1 designed by González Morales \'Ias used to recover the dislribution of speeies by leveis (i n this cast, finesl fraetions and minimum mesh size for screening 1- 10.1). For this sludy we have 3ssumed that \'Ias reduced (Straus, pers. comm.). eipal agents of accumulation nocturnal birds of prey. since, in facl, mostofthe MATER IAlS, METHOOS, ANO NOMENClATURE display a moderate degreeofweal hering Despite its imperfections in the fi rst season of exca~ are whole-signatures of having becn caught and valions (which is when mos! of lhe Holocene leveis lowed by raptorial birds. The absence of remains i reported on here were dug), the system of water- and leveIs or lenses could be an indicalion tha! raptors dry-screening and residue hand-picking at EI Jlv1ir6n Icss common in lhe cave did resul! in the collection of a large quantity of micro­ been due to a va riety of fac lors, mammalian remains. There are 309 sorted lou of mate­ lions or a sustained human presence. rial from Levei I to Levei 10.1. 'Ibese yielded a total MNl lhe Arvicola species could have Hved in EI Mirón Ca\'t (minimum Ilum ber of individuais ) of 1,5 41 individu­ occasionallYi Ihus lhe presence of thei! rernains in lhe ais (tables 12.2 and 12.3), distributed among 20 spe­ deposits could have two causes: cies based on CQ unts of the first lower molars (bolh as natural in silu dealh. We believe Ihat their l'"sisl",,,,.1 loose teeth and as teeth slill sei in mandibles), except lhe most recent leveis suggests lhal Ihey Slill live in tht in the cases of Taipa (mole) - for which the counl is cave today. (The excavators occasionally have foundli l"e based on the humerus- and lhe sorids- for \'Ihich, in voles in the Corral excavation area.-l GS) lhe absence of whole mandibles a r cra nia, lhe art ic­ Each of the 309 samples was studied "P,rnlld ,'o ular condyle of the mandible is used in c1assifica­ lable 12.3), bul for lhe purposes of the biostratigrapbk tion. The samples are labeled "EI Mir6n Microfauna analysis wc grouped aI! lhe samples corresponding to Leveis 1- 10.1;' and in the figures lhe differenl speeies each levei and ils related lcnses. Leveis 3.5 and 10.1 a~ are grouped by square and excavation spi! as \'leU as considered as separale straligraphic units. as explaJned by sample number (figures 12.5-11.11). Ali lhe samples above. since Levei 3.5 has nothing lO do \\'ilh le..-eIJ contain variable numbers af fo ssils, among which we (and is more recent ) and LeveI 10.l is older and cultur· have prcpared lhe dassification elements (teeth and a[] y distinct fram LeveI 10. olher diagnoslic skclelal items). The whole collecrion has been eurated in small boxes labeled with complete provenance informalion (EI Mirón, year, sample num­ Study af the Micromammals from the ber, square, subsquare, levei, and spil). The coUection Post-Paleolithic Leveis af EI Mirón Cave wiU be stored in the Canlabrian Regional Museum of As noted earlier, there are 21 species of small mammals Pre history in Santander. dislributed arnong lhe orders Eulipotyphla. Chiroptera, Our anal ysis, as indicated above. was generall y lim ­ Rodentia. and Carnivora in lhe Holocene deposit from ited to teeth (eilher loose or in mandibles) of rodenl, EJ MirÓn. The leporids (rabbits and hares), considered insectivore. and chiropteral1 species, excepl in n few to be micromammals in paleontological research, are insectivore cases for which identifications and counts studied separalely in archaeological sites si nce mOS! of minimum numbers of individuais can be made with of Iheir anatomical elements are Jarge enough to bt other elements. The MNI per species is usual ly calcu ­ pi ece-plotted. lated on lhe basis of lhe number of lower fi rst molnrs ln this scclion we prescnt a brief descriplion of each lo lhe case of the arvicolines, a diagnostic molar fo r lhe speeies found in lhe Holocene leveis ofEI Mimn aswell resl of lhe micromammals, or some equal1y identi fi able as a brief summary of the habitat and presentand pos­ post-cranial element . in ali cases divided by IwO, si nce sible Holocenc geographic distribution of the s~cies most ofthe diagnostk element s in vertebrate skeletons th roughout lhe lberian Peninsu la. The cl assificalions are paired. are based mainly on the dentition, since in most cases The methodology applied is biostratigraphic, con­ only loose teeth were preserved. For lhe description sisti ng of both qualitative and quanlilative sludy of lhe of lhe teeth of lhe various smal! mammal fu milies wc

212 Chapcer Twelve adopI lhe nomcnc1alure that has been established by the standa rd authors, and wc use the following abbre­ viations: J '" incisors. C '" canines, P '" premolars. and M = molars. A suptrscript indicatt:s that lhe dental e1e­ mmt is an upptr tooth and a subscript means a lower lOOth. ln arvkolines lht: letter , followed by a number refm to a dental cusp trianglt: with its standard posi­ tion dtsigna!ion.

OROER RODENTlA Flmily Muridae Arvicofa ferres/ris Subhmity Arvicolmae lhe arvicolines are general1y burrowing rodenls Ihal live in optn scnings wilh d~p sons lhal permil the digging of exlensive lunnels. They almost exc1 usively inhab it lhe Northern Hemisphere. The systematics of arvicolines is bnsed on thejuga l leelh (molars), which areabove ali characterizcd by hypsodonlY, Ihat is, a hlgh E F crown Ihal among mos! presenl spedes reaches lhe condition ofhypselodontia, or lhe toss of roots and con­ tinuous growth. Rools art: not even found in the final Fig. 12.5. Arvicolo furestns (l hmatll5.. 1 7S8).lev~ 3.S: stageS of devtlopment lhe morphometric parameters A (no. 123). B (no. 122); l.evd 6: C (no. 103); leve' J; D.U of the dentition are lhe principal dlstinguishing char­ (no. 2). Dfilwing by G l ori~ Cueou. aCleristics of the arvicolines; they indudc siu (Iength, widlh, developmenl of labial and lingual triangles, and devdopment of lhe anlerior complex). crown heighl. part of lhe triangles of lhe occlusal surfuce than on lhe presencu abstnce of roeis, ccmcnlum in lhe re<:esV's. distal parL This discrepancy ín lhe differcntiation of lhe erwntllhickness, numbe.r and morphology of recesses, enamel of A. turestris in Spain witb respect 10 olher and projeclions (triangles Itl) on lhe occlusal surface. populations in Europe is reflecterope, allhough in Sp õl in ii is fO\1nd on ly ln the norlh. ln lhe rest of Europc, wherc it has no competition, A. /erres /ris lives in fluvial envi ronmcnts. Amcola ItrrtJ/ris (Linnaeus. 1758) However. where A. sapidus is presentoi i ret.reats lOfields DESCR IPTl ON ANO OI SCUSS IO N and ground near rivers. Tht sptcies A. 'erres/ris. or mole ral (also known as lhe oorthern wa!er ral and ground vole), is a large arvi­ Arvicola sopidus (Miller, 1908) coIine charaClerized by lhe absence of lOOth roots. ctmtntum in lhe reasses, M, with lhr~ more-or-Iess DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSS ION dosed triangles, and an anterior complex formed by Morphologicall y, A. snpidus-the southern waler rat two lrianglts lhat join logelher with lhe anlerior lobe. or water vole-is sim ilar to A. terratrls. AI lhe pres­ A. lL"dtm has differenlialed enamel; among modem ent time it is lhe largest arvicoline among lhe Spanish Spanish populations it is slightly lhicker on lhe medial fauna. It is dislinguisht:d from A_ terrt'$lris by having

Holocene Biostr,l(Igraphy and Chmauc Change I 213 I Microtlls agrf!Stis (Linn:;aeus. 1761)

EI Mirón LevclJ-S. no. 122

OESCRIPTlON ANO OISCUSSION Ali lhe sp«ies of lhe genera Microtus. Temcola. and Chionomys have differenlÍated, MicrolllHype looth enamel, that is. thicker on lhe mes i:;al f:;ace than on the distal face of the occlusal lriilnglcs. M. agres/is is of medium size: its te<: lh ha\·ecemm­ lum bul no roolS. The M, has Ihree closed triangles in Lhe poslerior complex and fou r clostd or minimal/y Arvicola sapidus converging ones in lhe anterior com plex. II is cmrac­ leTÍ2ed by asymmetry and altemaliolloftriangles4.1s. and 16- 17. as well as marked alternation of lhe inward­ orienled angles. The M' has lhree lingual projections, which is lhe same thing as fOllr closed triangles.

Fig. 12.6. Arvlcolo sopidus (Miller; 1908), levei 10: A,8 (no. 249), C (no. 262 b). Orawlng b)' Glori .. (uenc... Fil- 11.7. MictoIUS"81atls (llnlUM. 1761 ~ djfferentiated dental enamel in plcsiomorphic state. of lewl ].5 lhe I ~ of Mimomys-thal is to 501Y. Ihicker on lhe dis­ (no. 122). tal tooth face lhan 00 lhe mesial (Maul zool). Drawingby Gloria Cuenu. HABITAT ANI> GEOGRAPU IC DI STR I BUTION Thisa species Iypical of me banksof rivers and irrigarion dilches in lhe I~rian Peninsula and lhe soulh·center of France. A. sapidlls prefers stagnanl walers with dense bank vegehuion; ii disappearsfrom polJuled areas. wbere iI is replaced by lhe common mi (Arrlzabalaga i Blanch, Montagud i Blas,and Gosálbez i Noguera 1986). [\ is nO! a common specics in northern Spain cithcr loday or in lhe carli cr Holocene (Zabala 1983; Ventura and Sans­ Fuenlcs 1997; Pokines 1998). Nor do wc know when it made iu firsl enlry into lhe Call1abrian region. since it is aJso rare in lhe Upper Pleisloune. having becn identi­ fied only in lhe Solulrean leveis at Las Caldas (Corchón 1981) and La Riera (Altuna 1986), both in Asturias. and probably in lhe Lower Magdalenian of EI Juyo levei 8 in Cantabria (Pokines 1998}. ln the Middle Pleistocene. however. there are several references to A. sapiclus cite

I l14 1 Chapter Twelve HABITAT AND GEOG RAJlIII C DIST RIB UTION HABITAT AND GEOGRA PHI C Ol ST RlUUT10N lbis species is cammonly known as lhe mountain or lhe distribution of M. nrvalis is similar to lhat of short-laill.'d vole. AI present }I'!. agrestis lives in northern M. agrtsris. ahhough iI is a more opportunistic spedes Europe and Asia, from Scandinavia to lhe Lena River. and is dislinguishw by having a more exlensive and a1tbougb il$ diSlribution is discontinuous in Siberia continuous spread Ihan ils relative. ln lhe lbe.rian Pen­ and it is 21$0 found in Greal Britain_ ln lhe norlhern insula it extends farlher soutb and iI can be found in Ibman Peninsula iI is distributed from lhe Pyrenees a wide variety ofh::lbit::lts. from paSlur~ to decidllous to Galicia and northern Portugal. lt is absent from lhe and coniferous woods (Pokines 1998). However, Ilnder Medill.'rrannn regians_I IS favarite habitaIS are wooded present condilions of aridity ln lhe Mediterranean prairies, foresl edgn, and even upland moors and dunes region iI has taken refuge in mountainous massifs like in Eul'Opt (MuSStr and Carlelon 1993; Pokincs 1998)- ln Javalambre and Pei\agolosa (ln lhe provinces ofTeruel Sp.nn ii is an indicator of Atlantic c1imate. ln Montseny and Castellón. resp«lively). having disappeared from (CaIOOnia). allhough a Mediterranean montane arca, caasta[ arcas where iI had Iived during the Upper btauseofitsallirude there are vegel,,' and animal com­ Pleistocene (Guillem 1995). munities th"t are more "!lorthem" in characler-inc1ud­ ingM. agrestis, which is fou nd from the oak zone 10 th e MicrotU$ oeCO" OIlIll S (Palias, 1776) be~ch zo ne but in dcforestcd ptllchcs with gmss cover. even occupying stone walls {lnd fi cld s (Arrizabalaga i EI Mirón Levei S, no. 110:1 Blanch, Montagud i Blas. and GosMbez i Noguera 1986). DESCRIPTlON ANO DISCUSSION lhe marsh. Nordic, or root vole prefers cold, humid Murolus an'tllil (Palias, 1779) habitats and is the most rare ofthe Micro/"s spec:ies in DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION lhe Holoct'ne of r:J Mimn. baving becn found only ln Tht M. is similar 10 Ihat of M. agrtsris, being different leveis 5 and 3 (see t::lblt' 1:1.l). Its M, has three closed Iri­ btcause ofthe nearly symmetrical and parallel disposi­ anglcs, wilh alternatiug 14 and IS, lhe latter converging tion o( LI - IS and especially 16-17, which creates a more rounded ptrimeler Ihm ln M. agrestis. M' has l'wo lin­ gual projections, which ::Ire equivalenl la three c10sed triangles.

BI~::::' c B

M. arvalis Microtus oeconomus

Fil-- 12.8. MlctO!U$ QfVQII$ (Palias. t 779). levei 35: A,D.C Fig. t 2.9. MictOtu.s oeconomus (PaH;as, 1776). levtl 35: no. 2S). ~wm8 by Garia Cue,:,ca. A (no. 122d); ltvel 5: li (00. 220). Orawing by Gloria Cuenca.

Holocene Bioscraugraphy anel CltmatJC Change I ;115 I significantly with t7 and the anterior lobe. The anterior the greatest abundance of Arvicola (figure 12.22), for complex is asymmetrical, since t6 is a barely marked which reaSon we believe that these late Chalcolithicl projection. Tn M. oeconomus there are tive lingual early Bronze Age times were cool and humid. recesses with cementum, although the most mesial of them is reduced. The fourth lingual recess is almost par­ Chionomys niva/is (Martins, 1842) alieI to the third labial recess, in contrast to M. agrestis, in which both recesses are alternating. DESCRIPTlON AND DlSCUSSlON Chionomys nivalis is the largest Microtus-type vole HABITAT AND GEOGRAPHIC DlSTRIBUTlON on the peninsula (although lberomys has molars that M. oeconomus is a typical inhabitant ofthe tundra and are transversally wider). (ln fact, it used to be called northern taiga zones of the Holarctic, from Canada Microfus nivalís.- LGS) lts M, is characterized hy to Honand and Scandinavia (Musser and Carleton an anterior lobe that is mushroom-shaped and tilted 1993). Although toda)' it is wel! represented in north­ toward the labial side. On the lingual side there are ern and central Europe (Pokines 1998; Nadachowski onl)' four recesses, one fewer than among most spe­ 1982), it disappeared from the British Isles (and prob­ cies of Microtus. Among young individuais this trait ably from the midlatitudes of western Europe north is less marked, leading to possible misidentification as of the Pyrenees) at the beginning of the Holocene M. agrestis, since the fourth lingual recess can range (Sutdiffe and Kowalski 1976). Its extinction in Spain from slightly provergent (forward-oriented) in juve­ is very recent, however, since it has been found in niles to ver)' provergent in adults. Roman-age leveIs at Amalda Cave in Guipúzcoa This vole is an inhabitant of high lllountain areas (Pemán 1990a) and now in Leveis 5 (Chalcolithic) and above the tree line in alpine regioos, up to 2,000 m 3 (early Bronze Age) in EI Mirón (see table 12.2). It in elevation- whence its name, snow vole. However, competes with M. arvalis, so that when this species its habitat seems to be controlled more by the pres­ is present M. oeconomus inhabits coi der, more humid ence of rocky, unvegetated ground and the presence habitats than pastures, namely bogs and marches, wet grasslands, tundra, and wooded steppe (Pokines 1998). According to Pokines, this is a solitar)' animal that cannot compete directly with M. arvalis, which, in contrast, lives in groups- a factor that has to be taken into consideration when analyzing its strati­ graphic distribution. Although there are few data on this species in the Iberian Peninsula, one of the latest citations of M. oeconomus is from Tardiglacial deposits in Eis Ermitons Cave in Gerom, Catalonia (AlcaIde Gurt 1982). Its presence in EI Mirón is one of the latest known for the Cantabrian region. Tt is found in targe quantities in the Magdalenian leveis (V, VI, and VI) c of Erralla Cave (Guipúzcoa), along with M. arvalis­ agrestis (Pemán 1985). It must have been ver)' humid ~~B in the environs of the site during the Magdalenian. Chionmys nivalís Erralla is dose to Amalda, and this area ofGuipúzcoa A must have had humid, cool conditions with open grasslands not onl)' during the Late Glacial but also in the Holocene, at least up to Roman times. ln EI Mirón Fig. 12.10. Chionornys nil/alis (Martins, 1842). levei 35: M. oeconomus is scarce, but its presence coincides A (no. 25); levei 3.5: B (no. 122); levei 6: C (no. 103). with that of M. arvalis as well as with episodes with Drawing by Gloria Cuenca.

216 Chapter Twelve of cracks and tlssures than by altitude, since today Clethrionomys glareoius (Schreber, 1780) in thc Cantabrian region C. nivalis can be found in areas ncar the seacoast (Junco 1987; Pokines 1998). El Mirón Levei 10, no. 62, and El Mirón Leveis, no. 220a During the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene (up to the Chalcolithic) it has also been found in sites at low OESCRIPTION ANO DISCUSSION elevations: in the Mousterian through Chalcolithic The species C. glareolus is the only present-day arvieoline of Amalda (205 m above present sea levei), in the on the Iberian Peninsula Ihat has both roots and cemen­ Aurignacian through Azilian of Aitzbitarte (220 m), in tum in its dental recesses. Another peculiarity of the red the Magdalenian of Ekain (90 m) (aI! in Guipúzcoa), or bank vole is its continuous enamel, which lacks open and in the Aurignaeian of Cueto de la Mina adjacent to zones and has the same thickness aeross the whole occlu ­ LaRiera (J5 m) in Asturias, among others. It is of course sal perimeter. The molars have convergent triangles. possible that the incre ase in elevation with respeet to glacial·age sea levei may also have had some elfeet on HABITAT AND GEOGRAPHIC OISTRlBUTlON the distribution of this speeies in the region. ln lhe The bank vole is one of the few modern arvicolines rest of Spain and the south of France the Mousterian that live in deciduous, more-or-less open woodlands may have been a time that was favorable to the exten­ or in areas vegetated with bushes or high grasses. It sion af the snow vole, since at thal time it was found in is a good indicator of a well-vegetated landscape con­ ll'lediterranean areas where it is now absent, such as at ditioned by a temperate, humid climate (Pemán 1985, Hortus in French Languedoc (Chaline 1972; Cabrera­ 1990a, b). It is found in the temperate latitudes of Millet, Britton-Davidian, and Orsini 1982) and in Spain Eurasia, from Lake Baikal to the British Isles. ln Spain atCarigüela (Granada) (Ruiz Bustos 2000); Los Toros (Teruel) (Gil and Sesé 1985); and Gabasa (Huesca) (Gil and Lanchares 1988) (although this last case is in need ofconfirmation).lt is probable that during the coldest phases of lhe Upper Pleistocene the increase in rocky areas wilhout vegetation may have been favorable to the spread of this speeies into lower elevations or into upland areas of the lberian interior. The climatic improvement of the Holocene was apparently not 50 uniform as to completely ali populations of C. nivalis, some of which have survived in isolated pockets up to lhe present.

HABITAT AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTlON A At present C. nivalis is found in the mountainous areas ofthe Mediterranean regions of westem Europe, from lhe Pyrenees to the Alps and even in Slovakia's Tatra Mountains, as well as in the eastem Mediterranean Clethrionomys fmm Mount Olympus in Greece to Lebanon and Israel glareolus in lhe Levant and as far east as the Zagros Mountains in

!ran (Musser and, Carleton 1993). ln Spaill ii is found in B _ ___ the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Cordillera as far west as Pontevedra, and the Sierras de Gredos, Guadarrama, and Nevada, llormally a bove 800 m, except in Cantabria Fig. 12.11 . Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreiber, 1780). and regions of the former Yugoslavia, where it can be Levei 5: A (no. 25); Levei 10: B (no. 162). Drawing by found below 300 m (Junco 1987; Pokines 1998). Gloria Cuenca.

Holocene Biostratigraphy and Climat ic Change 217 ils present dist ribution is confined mainly to the north­ should consult Srunet-Lecornte (1988), Brunel-Lecomte ernmost regions (Ventura, L6pez- Fuster, and Gos..í.lbez and Chaline (1990, 1993), and Brunet·Lecomte et ai. 1993; Pokioes 1998), although ir can also be fou nd io (1987). 111e species of Terrieola present at EI Miroo has lhe mount'ai nous massifs of Levanl ine Spain (e.g., an M, with lhe morphology ofT./lIsi/allims: t he~serond Monlseny in CataJonia), which have a Eurosiberian pitymyan rhombus" is fairly isolated in its anterior parto cl.imate despi te their proximity to lhe Mediterranean as in 1: lusi/{/IIieus and T pyretlaicus, whilethat ofT. dI/ir (Arrizabalaga i Slanch, Montagud i Blas, and Gosálbez decimcostalus converges significantly. When T.lmi /all;· i Nogucra 1986). cus and T. dllodecimcos /atus are allopatric lhis lrait is nlore variablc, and some isolatcd individuais are diffi· cult to distinguish on its basis alone (Brunet-Lecomte Terricoltl/usit{wicus (Gerbe, 1879) et alo 1987). TIle distinction belween T./usitauicu5 and EI Mir6n Levei 10, no. 249 '/: pyre,w;CIls is based OD lhe gre-.uer distal incli nation of lhe la bial triangles in the former relative 10 lhe lalter. DESCR lJ'TION AND Dl SCUSS ION Also Il oteworthy is the protuberance ofthe labial apices 'l1le degree of separation of t6 and 17, which make up of these triangles (figure 12.8), which constilllles ao evo· lbe second pitymyan rhombus, as well as the inclination lutionary novelty of lhe species T lusi/mricus. of the labial triangles are the keys lO classification of a species of Terrico/a as T lusitaniws. HABITAT ANO GEOGRA PHIC DISTRIBUT ION On the Iberian Peninsula there are prescnlly three The lhree spedes of Terricola 00 the Iberiao Peoinsula species of Terrico{a: T. duodecimcos/atus, T. pyrenaiws are burrowing animais that are similar io lhe kinds of gerbei, and T. IlIsitalliCIIs (Brunet-Lecomte and Chaline tunnels they dig. However, T dllodecimcostatus digs 1993) (or four species, if T. pyrenaiws and T. gerbei are and pushes lhe dirt forwa rd witb lhe help ofilS inci$Ol'$, considered separale species, as argued by Niethammer whil e T.lusitanieus and T. pyrenaiCIIs-bolh usuallydig­ and Kmpp [19821 and Giannoni, Sorghi, and Martinez ging in deeper soils Ihan T. duodecimco5folll5-push Ibe Rica [1993]). dirt back usi ng th eir hind limbs (G iannoni, Borgbi. ao d lhe systemalics of this group is complicated, and Mart inez Rica 1993). The use of lhe illcisors (as in lbe for a laxonomic discussion of the ge nus Terrieo/a, one case of Arvieo/a rerrestris) is reJaled 10 the faet Ihal T duodecim costtll llS digs in sedimenls Ihat are harder Ihan thosc in wh ich that the species using Iheir hind limbs dig (Gianooni, Uo rghi. and Martínez Rica 1992). r lllsitalli· cus needs fairly deep soils to dig ils burro\o,'s, for which reason it is li nked to a more oceanic (Atlant!c) climate than T. dllotlecimcostatus. Both species are sympatric in Cas ti !c and LCOll, while in Cantabria otle fineis T./mi/anj· cus in s}' mp

Subfamily Murinae Terrico/a lusifanicus The murines are rodents whose leelh havc roots, IlJw crowns (brachydont), and occlusa! surfaces formed b)' four to six principal cusps and a v3ri3ble number of Fig. 12.12. Terrico/a /usitanicus (Gerbe, 1879). Leve! lO: secondary cusps on the labial side ofthe molars. Their A,8,e (no. 249). Drawing by Gloria Cuenca. denlal iOrmula is d , 3M, as among lhe arvicolines.

:n8 I Chapter Twelve Apodrmu! sy/vtlllcrJ! or A. j/flvicolli!

E1 Mirón L~'d 4

DESCRIPT ION ANO OI SCUSS ION Apodrmus is characle!riud by havi ng a low occlu­ sal surfaa wi lh six pri nci jnl cusps on lhe! fi rsl upper ~'KIlowf:r molars and four cusps e!ach on lhe! $ttond and third molars.. On the! labiaJ foce!s of lhe! MIS lhere! Apodemus sy/vaticus 2ft thrtt s«ondary cusps while on Iht M2.S the! rt are - flavicollis one ortwo, and the M)s art reduced, wilh the poste­ nor par1 !>ting tape!red. The! pre5f!nt-day species of ApcHkmu! on lhe! Iberian Peninsu la are! A. sy/vatic:us Fig. 12.13. Apodf!nlUS sylvoticUJ or A. flovICo1HJ. levei 4. (wood mouse!) and A. jlavicollis (yetlow-necked held Drawing by Gloria Cuenu. mouse). Morphologically Ihcy are vcry simil ar. sharing sevtral dental Imits. Alt hough A. j /avicollis is on aver­ age larger thall A. sy/vnlicu$, whcn lhe t wo are sympal ­ Family Myoxidae rie their di mensions ovcrla p. which Ill akes ii very hard The rodenls or lh e glirid frllnily lI rc characteri zed by to differentiate them without a dctailed morphological teeth wilh roais, low cusps (brllchydont), and occIusal :m alysis. The size diffcren ce, which is more evident ill surfaces fu rrowed by transversal crests sep:l!'ôl1 ed by val­ Cllltral and northerl1 Europe, di rn inishes toward lhe leys. The taxonorn ic nomenclalure or the gli rids (dor­ §(Iuth such that lhe distinction bclwccn lhe two spe­ mice) is reviewed by Holden (1993). deson the lberian Peninsula (and in general on ali the Mft!nerranC!all peninsulas) is problematic (Nores 1988). Myo..'Cus (Glis) glis (Linnatus. 1766)

HAB ITAT ANO GEOGRAP III C OISTRIBUTlON EI Miron levei 10 Although both species ha\'e a broad distribution. A f.iWWlllS has a disconlinuous one! throughout Europe DESCRIPTl ON ANO Dl SCUSS ION and in Spain is round onJy in the north. fro m the Pyrenees This is the! largest of lhe Europt!an dormice:. It is dis­ lo Asturias, wh ile A. sylvtlf;CIIS is more Mediterranean tinguished by havi ng tecth wilh rectangular to square and is found Ihroughout lhe whole Iberian Pen insula. outlines and nal occ1 usll l pla nes, with I ransvcrsaJ crests

Fig. 12.14. Myoxus (C /is) g/is (linnaeus, 1766). leh INIndl ble wlth MI and M2. lM 10. Glis glis D~wing by Gloria CuenGI_

Holocene BlOStraugraphy and ChmatlC Change I 219 I Ihal 3re clearly separated by relativc\y wide valleys. lhese crests are developed labio·lingually. On lhe lower molars lhe crests lurn loward lhe anterior pari of the teeth, and on lhe upper molal'S they curve toward lhe posterior parto Belween lhe principal crests there are secondary crests, which are shorter and do nOI reach - eilhcr the labial ar lingual faces. -

HABITAT ANO GEOG RAPHI C DISTRIBUTlON The gray ar edible donnouse is a warm woodland spe~ cies Ihal ai presenl live$ in central and soulhem Europe. from lhe Caucasus lo Il orlhern Spain. 11 is also found B in soulhern Engla lld. bul tbere it may have b~n intro­ duced in Roman times and may be an occasiona1 com­ mensal with humans (Poki nes 1998). ln the sile of Eliomys quercinus Erralla (GuipÚzcoa). ii was found in warm-dimate lev­ eis oflhe seq uence (II , II I, V), associaled \Vil h hcliophi le spceies sueh as Chiollomys lliv(lUs (Pemán 1985). Fig. 12.1 S. Eliomys quercinus (Linnaeus, 1766). A: lefl mandible wlth Ml and M2; 8: occlusal of one of tht [ffih. Levei 10. Drawing by Gloria Cuenca. Elíomys quen::inus (linnaeus. 1]66)

DESC RIPTION AND DI SCUSS ION E. qflercimlS is g1irid of medium siu. smaller than to ccrt ai n micromammaJjan species while eliminating M. gUs but with molars of almost tbe same size. II is lhe others (Morales Mut\iz 1986). ln this sense the presence only dormouse thal has a distal mandibular foramen of E.. quercitlus seems la be linked 10 hunlõln actr.ity, thal is completely perforaled. The molars are charac~ although the exact nalure oC lhe relationshlp is diffi· terir.ed by concave occlusal surfuces on which the main cuh to specify. h could have to do wilh actual humilD crests run in the labial-lingual direction. bul ai lheir occupation or conditiOIl oflhe sil e afterward, due tome labialand lingual ends the principal cusps are especially crealion of artificial habitation places (hollows formtd notable for their large size. by burials, Slorage pits. or chambers). wh ich can f.n'Of the expansion ofthis species witbin its nalural habitatof HABITAT ANO GEOGRAPHIC DI STRIB UTlON rocky areas near lhe cdge of woods. lhe man·madehol· lhe garden dormousc is a species that is broadlydistrib­ lows mny make it easier for Ihem 10 dig Iheir burro,",. uled Ihroughout temperate Europe and lhe Mediterra­ Another example of Bronze Age burials and garbage nean rcgions, inc1uding North Afriea anel lhe Levant. pits I hat have favorcd lhe presence of E. qllerdlllls is lhe II is Cound in Corests and ol her wooded zones ali over site of La Balsa la Tamariz in Tauste. Zaragoza (Laplana the Iberian Penínsu la in areas where there are also Conesa and Cuenca Bescós 1995). stony c1earings. Like lhe edible dormouse, it is occa~ sionallya commensal with humans. NOlable is il5 near~ Taipa ~uropaea (Linnaeus, 1758) disappearance frem the Canlab rian region during the Uppcr Plcistocenc, si nce ii has been ciled only in lhe DESCRI PTlQN ANO DISCUSS ION Aurignacian of Cueto de la Mina (Asturias) (Pokines lhese Ololes are ehamcterized by having elongaltd 1998). Ils prescnce in silesdating la the Bronze Age (such mandibles and robusl angular and coronoid processes as La Encamada in Ciudad Real. La Mancha) could be thal conlmst with the delicate articular condylt, whirn relaled in some way to humans, aJbeit indirectly. since is simple and cylindrical. This structure is \'U)' distilKI thcy create artificial environmenls Ihal are fuvorable from thal of the insecti vo res of lhe soricid family. The

I 120 I Cha pter Twe/ve / ~ A - /' "' .::,.

8 Sorex Taipa europaea

Fig. 12.16. Taipa europaea (linnaeus, 1758). Righ[ Fig. 12.17. Sorex coronatus·araneus. A and B: leh and mandible, A: lingual view; B: labial view. Levei 10, (no. 261). righ[ arcicular condyles.levell0 (no. 260). Drawing by Dr.lwing by Gloria Cuenca. Gloria Cuenca.

moJe remains from EI Mirón belong to a large spe­ distinguish a more robust form and a more gracile o ne cies ando ahhough leeth and other cranial remains are among this material. searee, because oft'heir great size we think lha! they can Based on known geographic distribulions. it seems be assigned to the spedes T. europaea. probabJe Ihat lhe species presen! at EI Mirón is like the presenl-day S. corona /us that is found in lhe area HABITAT ANO GEOGRAPHIC D1 STRIB UTlON of Rama les de la Victoria. This, however, is something Moles are burrowing insectivores lhal require deep soils Ihat would have to be verified in the future. sioce we lo dig the ga ll eries in ,,,hich they live. They are lhe mos! know that lhe present distributions of olher species of underground of alllhe mammals found in El Miron, micromammals do not necessarily havc la coincide and the accumulation of their remains here could be \'\IiLh those of lhe earlier Holocene. due to their occasional habitation of lhe cave, probably during the mos! humid periods. HAB ITAT ANO GEOGRA IJH IC Dl ST RIB UT ION TIle three Sorex species are found in lhe !1orth of lhe Iberian Peninsula: lhe common shrew (5. anmclls) is Sera corollatus-arallellS distributed in a band in northe rn Catalonia from lhe DESCRI PT ION ANO Dl SCUSSIO N eastern Pyrenees to the Catalan pre- Pyrenees; S. coro­ AI the presen! lime lhe three species of Sorex o n Lhe natus extends in the north fram lhe Pyrenees to Galicia lberian Peninsula (S. araneus. S. granarius. S. corona­ and to lhe Sistema Ibérico mountains in lhe soulh. The /us) art difficult to distinguish on the basis of cranial Jberian shre\v (S. grmrarirls) is found from lhe Sistema characteristics or especially on isolated teeth, except if Central mounlains 10 lhe Illouth ofthe Tagus River and onc does an extensive morphometric analysis with large from lhcre no rthward to GaJicia (López-Fusler and coIlections (López-Fuster and Ve ntura (996). TIle Sorex Ventura 1996). Ali are species that inhabit humid p!aces remains ai El Mirón are 5carce and fragmentary, 50 it is with dense grass cover (wet pastures for S. cormltl/lIs) or no! possible to do such an analysis. Howevcr, wc can shrubs and even lrees (Pokines 1998).

Holocene Bioscrarigraphy and dimatic Change 1 221 by AJluna nnd Mariezkurrena (chap. 16, Ihis volume) However, lhe mosl nO lable fact- as commenttd did not include much cisc by way of small carnivores bOlh above and below- is lhe persislence of Microrus either: a very few marten relllnins in Leveis 8 and 10, oecollomllS. The presence of /'Uomys letlki in levd J.S wildcat in levei 8, fox in Levei 7, and dog in leveis 7. 8. needs la be interpretoo wilh exlreme caulÍ6n here,how. and 9.6. lhere is also one hedgehog bone in Levei 9.) ever, as admixlure by erosion (rom Magdalenian !e... ek upslope of lhe EI Miron Cave vestibule lhe presence oftypical artifacls and wild ungulatebooes Resulcs and Conclusions more heavily fossi1i7.ed Ihan Ihose normally found in TA PHONOMY ANO OtVERSITY OF THE Ibe Cha1coHthic and Bronu Age deposíts ofthat arn. MICROMAMMAlS Of THE HOlOCENE ln tablc 12.2 wc can Stt four firsl appearancesof spe-­ OF El MIR6N CAVE cies: Leveis 10. 9. S. and 3, wilh A. sapidfls. a robUS! fonu For methodological reasons, our analysis has been of Sore:c, and M . oecotlo/mu. Leaving aside lhe indder­ limited to lhe S3lllples from lhe Iiolocene deposits of minate farOl of Sora, ii is nOlewonhy Ihal M. 0tC01tO­ lhe Cabin excavalion area in lhe oll ter veslibule. These IIIIIS, which appenrs in the Holoccne of El Mirón, has samples constitule a single stratigraphic column lhat since disappeared from lhe region because of migration corresponds 10 a relatively un iform area. Ullimalely 10 more favorahle regions. The spedes Arvico/a sapr· lhe Mesolithic- and early Ncolilhic-age mtlterials from dus. although prese nl . is vcry rafe in narthern Spain Le veis 10. 1 and 10 cO llld be compared from equ ivalenl (Zabala 1983). It is also relevant Ihal,like M. o«onomw, leveis exposed in lhe Mid-VestibuleTrench and (for lhe C/rionomys lI;wdis is also lIbsenl today ln Cantabria, MesoUthic only) in lhe Corral excavation arca at the allbough in Ihis case the species has nOI been com· rtar ohhe vestibule (Leveis 304-303 and leveis 102-101, pletely eXlirpated from lhe lberian Peninsula; it cm bt respectively). Sum a comparison could lell us whether fou nd in relic! populalions in mountain massil's, ",11m pOlential differences migh! be dlle more lo localion Ihere are habitats Ihm are favorablc for iI, such assunny, within lhe cave Ihan 10 slratigraphic position (i.e., real unvegel31ed rock outaops. temporal changes in assemblagecomposilion). The 309 II is also worlh noting lhe (ai leasl loca.l) minCIIOll microfaunal samples Ihal wc did analyze are grouped by of lhe garden dormousc (Eliomys querei/JUs), a 'f\-arm Holocene age levei wilh.in lhe Cabin area, as de.scribed woodland laxon. in the seclion on straligraphy. lhe contribulion of each The resl of lhe species have 8. more ar less continuo levei la lhe ensemble is more ar less uniform across lhe ous ruSlribulion lhroughoullhe Holocene sequmc~ ai sequence, wilh the exception of Leveis I (mixed. recenl EI Mirón, wilh increases and decreases in representa­ fill. only partially screened in a syslelll31ic way- LGS) lion (as quanlifi ed ln lerms ofMNI) ar in speciesdiwf· and 2 (a Ihin, discontinuous, yellow-beige day tens lha! si l'y explainable in relation to various non-mutual1y mighl repr~n l some specific hum3n earth-moving exclusive facto rs: aC ljvily- LGS). These sam pies are so smal1 and poor thal they were !eft OUI of any statislica! analyscs (see L. OHferential s..'lm pling cou ld skew results. lhe num· lable 12.3, which gives lhe lisl of al i microfau nal re mains ber of analyzcd samplcs per levei is variable (sec by sample and levei). lable 11.1), bul tltis includes essentially ali lhe micro­ ln t.. bles 12.1 lllld 12.2 we observe Ihat lhe nu Olber mammalian material collecled by lhe excavation of species declines dramatically in lhose mos! recent tcam during severnl campaign$. lhus lhe lotai num· leveis (Leveis I and 1). probably mostly fo r reasons of ber of samples fmm leveis 1- 10. 1s ludicd here is 309 sampling bul perhaps also as a consequence ofthe per­ individual unils, cach wlth its square. subsquart. manenl use of lhe cave by prople and Iheir Ji"estock. levei, and spit provenance and a unique sample num· lhe high species diversity in leveis 3 and la is nota­ ber. lhe number of samples per le\'eI is virtualtr tht ble. Le.veI3. ",ith 17 species (tables 11.1 and 12.1), has the sarne in ali cases except for leveis I and 1, 50 thepau· sarne species as lhe other leveis. except lhe garden dor­ city offinds in Ihese Jatter Iwo IC\'elJ is dearly rtlattd mouse (Eliomysquercinl4s) and lhe robUSI form of Sorex. lo this factor. Except for leveis 1 and 1., the number

I 224 I Chaprtf Twelve of samples is homogeneous. 50 diffcre.nlial sampli ng (figure 12.4) indicates Ihat ii is the infilling or a pil can bt discounled as an explanatory fnctor for inter­ or channel inlo which materiais from older leveis le"el variations in species representations. had eroded. However. thegood preservation ofthe 2. lesser human occupalion (or lesser intensity Ihere­ remai ns as well as the fa unal association with lhe of) rould be. corrdated with greater use of the cave Pliomys finds migh! nol seern ai firSI glance 10 sup­ by lhe predators responsible (or accumuJating aI port lhis hypothesis. although olher evidence for leasl mOS! oflhe mkromammals. Such conditions lhe admixture of Magdalenian·age materiais into could lranslate 10 lhe formation o( assemblages Cabin area layers daling 10 lhe Metal Ages dcarly more fully rep re.sen tative of lhe spedes Ihal lived in supports an age no later lhan lhe Last Glacial for the am. around lhe site. P. fcnki. J. Changts in climalk condition5 could have favored 5. lhe alleration of lhe leveis by processes of biolur· or suppressed grealer diversilY among lhe local bation posterior to stratitication Df the sediments fauna. could mix the microfaunal contents of lhe layers. 4. Changes in the conditions of sedimcntat ioo wil hin For example. it is possible thal the use or lhe ves­ lhe cave could favo r preservalion or deslruclion of tibule for human residence and as a stable in both lhe remains or verlebrales. as in lhe singular case lhe recem and less rece nt past caused some degree of Levei 3-5, which is dearly a feature excavated or biolurbatioll. parlicularly rcsulling from pil into Leve.! J. [I is il1 both these unil lha! re mai ns of digging, as wcll as trampling. Plio",ys fenki we re fou nd- an arvicoline Ihat had arguably gone urinct around lhe end of lhe Last THE EXTINCTION o,: PLlOMYS lENKI Glacial (figure 11.l1). lhe geomelry of Levei 3.5 Independently Df lhe stratigraphic position and age of Le\'elj.5, lhe extinClion of PUom)'! lenki- a ,"ery long­ lived species that according lo ditferenl aUlhors was present since Middle or cven l..ower Pleislocene times­ must have been caused by various factors:

I. A dimatic change lhat atfected the envirooment in which lhis arvicoline Uved. Most aulhors assert Ihat P. fe"ki \>Ias fund arnenlaJly a cold steppe rodent (e.g .• Barlolornei el ai. 1975; Pernán 1990a). 2. A1terntions in lhe species's habitation areas. ln gen­ eral, lhe ditferenl spedes oflhis genus exisled under a diversityof conditions throughout lhe complex d i­ matic changes lhal have I'aken place since lhe Lower Pleistoce ne. However, Pfiomys is gC rl crally found in karslic siles ( uenca Bescós el aI. 1010; Cucnca Bescós, Conudo. and Lapl:lI1a 1999). which makes us Ihink that it is in realily a hypogeous (subterranean) species that is control1ed less by dimate man by lhe suhstrate. The continuous or even occasional use of caves by humans during lhe Up per Pleistocene Pliomys fenki could have atfected P. fe"ki 10 lhe exlent of gradually causi ng its exti nction, with the Cantabrian region becoming a refu gium enclave because o( its wealth RI- 12.21. Pfiomys /ulkI (Heller, 1930). levei 3S: A and 8 of caves and rockshelters with a more moderale di­ (no. 122). Drawing by Gloria Cuenca. mate lhan lhe center of lhe peni nsu la.

Holoc::ene SIostTaography and Otma uc Change I 225 I 3. An unrepresentative picture of the faunal composi­ time of its disappearance remains somewhat uncer· tion during the Upper Pleistocene. The frequently tain. As noted above, in EI Mirón Cave its last unques­ invoked discontinuity of the fossil record has pro­ tioned appearance was in Upper Magdalenian Leve\106 vided us with an imperfect picture ofthe faunal com­ (12,460 BP unca!.). position during this period. One would also have to On the other hand, there does no! seem to have admit that 311 the systematic studies of the modern­ been any important change in the composition ofthe day fauna of northern Spain are incomplete, since microfauna of Levei 3.5 vis-à-vis the rest of the Levei there is no explanation for considering P/enki to have 3 complex, as can be seen in tables 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3. gone extinct in the Bronze Age without also admit­ Except for Pliomys, the micromammals Df Levc\ 3.5 ting that it could in fact be a living species- albeit one are also fo und in the rest of the leveis labeled Y (3, that has not yet been scientifically observed. 3-0- 3-4), and they are found in the same approximate 4. A stratigraphic inversion. LeveJ3.S could actually be proportions in terms of numbers of individual animais. a deposit composed of sediments eroded by water As a working hypothesis, we could propose lha! lhe (or shoveled togethcr by humans) from a m ixture final disappearance of Pliomys is linked to a deteriora­ of recent and older layers. If the presence of P lenki tion of its preferred climate, first in the rest of Eurore is to be eXplained by its having been mixed in from and only later in Spain, with the eventual complete loss older layers, this could be supported by its presence of its last refuges, most likely in the Tardiglacial of the in the Upper Magdalenian, as is the case in Corral Cantabrian region. LeveI 106. But thcre is no evidence that Levei 3.5 could an)'\vhere have cut into such old strata, which CLlMAT IC I NFERENCES FOR THE HOLOCENE , lie very far below it in the outer vestibule (Cabin) SEQUENCE OF EL MIRON 6ASED ON area. However, part of its fill could have come from MICROFAUNAL ANALYSIS Magdalenian deposits eroded down from the steep Quantitative and qualitative data fram stratigraphic slope at the rear of the vestibule in Holocene times distributions provide classic tools for tlle detection of (attested by fossilized bones and Upper Paleolithic faunal composition changes that may or may not be artifacts in post-Mesolithic layers and features of the related to climatic changes. Cabin area ofthe cave vestibule). More detailed stud­ To learn about the stratigraphic evolution Df this ies of the taphonomy would be needed to determine fauna, we analyze both lhe nature of the composition the mode(s) of deposition of these "late-occurring" and the proportions of the different micrafaunal spe· P /enki remains. II would ideally also be useful to cies for each levei, focusing specially on the arvicolines radiometrically date LeveI3.5- preferably with mul­ (rodents) and soricids (insectivores) and the ratio of tiple determinations to ascertain the existence of arvicolines to murids (tables 12.1, 12.2, and 12-3). bones of m ixed ages versus homogeneous contents. A very interesting fact is that the murid species Mus (house mouse) and Raltus (black rat), which pres­ ln the absence of new data, we would like to note ent1y live in Cantabria as weU as in the rest of Spain, that the extant studies of the modem microfauna of are absent from the Holocene leveIs in EI Mirón Cave. the Cantabrian region and northern Spain in general The only murid in the Holocene deposit at the site is as well as the comparative collections that have been Apodemus, which is weH represented in ali the lev· loaned to us for study (by the CSIC Instituto Pirenaico eis (tabIe 12.2). The lack of "modern" murids (Mus, de Ecología and by the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Rattus) gives us some information about the Holocene Naturales in Madrid) lead us to think that this fauna dispersai of lhese taxa. ln fact, thesc murids didn't is sufficiently weU known that it is unlikely an arvico­ colonize northern Spain until ver)' recentl)' (Pokines line as characteristic as Pliomys would have been over­ 1998; Pemán 1985, 1990b l- a conclusion supported b)' looked (Pemán 1990a; Pokines 1998; Brunet-Lecomte this studr They probably appcared as a consequence and Delibes 1984). For this reason, we are certain that of the (relatively late) spread of agriculture into this it is indeed convincingly extinct, although the exact Atlantic region, as weU as the generalizcd extension Df

22 6 Chapter Twelve EI Miron Holocene

, , , • , : J • • , , • • • • • , Idl 1 .. 02 ' 010 01ao ~ ' 0 1030 0 " '2 o • "2 0 1030100 2060 0 " 0100 200101 O" 0 1 2 o 20 O 1 • 100 .'" Fig. 11.22. Stratigraphic distribution or micromammal spedes in che Holocene leveis of EJ Mir6n Cave. Ea ch column Ifpll"Seflt~ lhe mi nim um number af individuais calculated from a significant skeletal element (see rext). The horizontal sCAle is djfferem for each species. Drawing by Gloria Cuenca.

commerce via trode routes Ihat were created to con· species soch as MicrotrlS oeconomus and lhe disap­ nect lhe cenler of lhe península with lhe north coasl. pearance Df species typical of decidllous fo reSI such Trade rout es such lhe so-called Silver Road were major as Eliomys quercinlls (whose las! appeara nce is in axt'S of dispersion fo r commensal animais such as t he LeveI 6). house mouse and lhe hOllse sparrow (Morales Muii.iz 4. The appare nt recove ry of lhe microfauna in LeveI ti alI99S). ).5. which has lhe highest species diversity in lhe ln tables 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 and fig ure 12. 22 wc can whole sequence :md lhe presence of Pliomys lenki. see that lhe dist ribution of rodenls in lhe Holocene of Ihis laner probably lhe result of mixi ng wilh older ru Mirón is characteriu:d by the fol lowing: deposils by natural and/or anlhropic erosion. 5. The decrease in species numbers in leveIs 7 and 4. L. The sporadic presence of a few species, such as 6. The elel/ated number of arvicoli ne species relativc Aryicola sapidus in LeveI 1o, lha! constitule unique to lhe very poorl y represented murids aI this site in occurrences. Also. there is a species of So rex th;'II comparison lO olher Cantabrian Holocene siles. is more robusl than lh e rest and is found only in LeveI 9. As noted ea rH er. some rodents are occasionally 2. The praclica ll y continuous presence of Arvicola fer­ commensals with humans, as in the cases of lhe edi ­ res/ris and Taipa europaea throughout lhe sequence ble dormouse (MyOXIl5 glis) and lhe garden dormOllse up to the presento (Eliomys qllcrcillus). Ir there had been a fu JJ y continu­ J. Afaunaldisco nt inuity in Levels 6 and 7 Ihat culmi­ ous occupation of EI Miról1 Cave during the Holocene, nates with lhe arrival (in LeveI 5) of colder-climate these species would have proliferaled in alI lhe levels.

Holocene 8iomarlgraphy and Cl imaric Change 227 AIso as noted above, most of the micromammals in lhal prefer wate r bodies can also adapt lo wel meado the EI Mirón Holoeene deposits have li \'ing represenla­ owlands (Arvicola). One has to keep in mi nd Ihal ti ves in lhe Cantabrian region . ln general, these are taxa fossil species did nol necessarily have lhe sarne eco· Iy pical oflhe Eurosiberian biome within Spain, a zone logical characteristics as do lhe modem representa· charaeterized by its Atlantie dimale, genera!ly more tives. Modero distribulion and habitat relationships humid Ihan "Mediterranean" Spain. The habitat prefer­ can be lhe consequences of biogeographic factor$. ences of the various species represente

Micromammal species are linkeel to particular habitats. I . There is an overall trend for woodlanrl covcr lo lhe "trick" is detennining which aspect(s) of each habi­ decrease graduall y through time fram Levei 10.1 tat is (are) the criticai controiling fa ctor(s) in each spe­ (Mesolithic-age) to Levei 3 (early Bronze Agt), cies' presence, absence, or relative abundance_ Wilhoul whe n !here is a drastic reduction in wooas in favor entering inlo a very detailed analysis, we observe thal of humid meadows (probably in lhe nearby Calera , most authors agree in grouping particular species Gándara, and Asón valley floors-LGS) and alpine according to Iheir ecological preferences fo r wood­ habitats almost completely devoid of lree5 (pre­ lands, humid grasslands, open pastures, wale.r bod­ sumably the rocky slopes im mediately surrounding ies, and unvegetated rocky areas (also knOW L1 as alpine lhe cave, which were being intensive!y grazed by habitats). Merging lhe classificatiOIlS of various aU lhors domes!icated ovicaprines- LGS). (Pokincs 1998; MarqueI 1989; Chaline 1975), we have 2. The humid meadows are aJways present in theem'i­ developed a matrix of relationships between species anel ronment around the site, bul they increase signifi. environmenlS (nol taking variations in latitude and lon­ cantly (perhaps almos! twofold) relative lOso me of gitude into aceount, si nce Ihis is a very smaU geographic lhe earlier leveis (possibly signifying agricultura! region). ln general lerms (anel subjecl to future refine­ intensificati on by increascd forest clearance on lhe menls), we can suggest that there are seven groups of valley floors-LGS). m icromammals as a function of habitat characterislics: 3. The dry grasslands are aIso best represented in Levei 3, although this biotope is always scarcely I, Woodland species: Eliomys quereinus, Myoxus glis, manifested by lhe micromammals in the EJ Mir6n Apodemus, C/ethrionomys g/areolus Holocene sequence (not surprising, given lhe wel, 2. Humid meadow species: lhe Ihrce species oCSorex, AllanLic d imale of the Canlabrian region- LGS). Arvico/a terrestris, Terrico/a Jusitanicus, Taipa rl/rapaen 4. Water is present permanentl y in almos! ali the leveis, 3. Dry grassland species: Crocidllm rU5m/a, Microtlls except 9, 7, and 4. Levei 9 could in fac! correspond agrestis, M. arvalis, Pliomys lenki to a re!alively dry climatic episode (Subboreal?­ 4. Species from waler bodies and PQnded ficlds: Micro- LGS). since lhere is also a marked drop in woodland tus oeconomus, Neomys f odiens. Arvicofa sapidlls speeies aI lbis time. ln leveis 7 and 4 we observe a 5. Alpine species: Cllionomys niva/is general decrease in faunal diven;ity, whieh could be 6. Generalists: MI4stela niva/is relaled more lo greater human aClivity in lhe eal'e 7. Cave dwellers: Miniopterus, Myotis Ihan to any climatic change. 5. The rocky areas wilhout vegelalion increase nOlably This classification lacks sharp boundaries between in Levei ), allhough Ihey are represenlerl lhrough. the groups because, for instance, woodland species ou! the whole sequence excepl LeveI 4. This habi· can also be found on the edges of dry grasslands with tal is more extensive in Levei 9 Ihan in the resl of abundant shrubs (E/iomys, Apode/mil) and the species lhe Leve! 10 .1-4 sequence, Levei 9 coulrl mark a

22 8 Chapter T welve shorl ptriod of relative aridilY, since there is al50 a CORRELATIQ N W IT H GENERA L ClIMATIC SCH EMES decrease in woodJand species aI this time. BASED O N PAL'fNOlOGY ANO GEOMORPHOLOGY Thc climate oflhe past 10,000 years in lberia is known From whal we argued earHer, we deduce lhal lhere mai nly from pollen analyses (e.g., Sánchez Goni 1993; were (our dimalk phases during the times represented Sánchez Goni ct aI. 2000) and from studies of geo­ by Holocene sedimentary deposits in lhe EI Mir6n vesli­ morphological developments 0 11 lhe península (e.g., bule, a period of major burning in the cave lhal affected Gl1tierrez Elorza and Pena MOIl nê 1998; Gutierrez species diversity. and a final period of gencrali zcd and Elorza and Sesê Martínez 2001), backed uI' by studies intensified 3nthropization ofthe environment. (Keep in of ice cores ín Greenland and Antarctica (e.g., Lowe mind Ihat there were significant hiati aI least before the and Walker 1997) and cven evidence from icebergs beginning of le... el 10.1 depositioll and between Leveis (Heinrich 1988). The vegetation during lhe Holocene 10.1 and 10, and posl- Bronze Age deposits are essentially in lhe nonh-central Spain has been characleri zed by missing,so lhe I\'hole Holocenerecord is nol represented Penalba (citcd in Sánchez Gani 1993). in lhe sile.-LGS) The hypothesized phases are: ln lhe Holocene of lhe soulheast of lhe Iberian Peninsula, Sánchez Goili el aI. (2000) delect th ree di­ Phase I: lhe beginning of the Holocene aI EI Mirón malic phases (which Ihen served as a model for inter­ is warm and humid, with a wooded landscape preting lhe Eem Interglacial-stage se-in lhe region). interrupled by some meadows and open rocky These phascs are of interest here lo determine whether areas. This phase is represented by Leveis 10.1 the Holocene micromammalian record from EI Mir6n and la. has some wider (perhaps global) significance. The Phase 1: AI lhe Slaft of deposilion of lhe Levei 9 phases for southeasl Iberia are as follow: complex, lhe woods undergo a regressioD in fal'or of wel Oleadows. These conditions are Phase a: Beginning of the Holocene: warm, Medi­ maintaincd, albeit with some flu clUations, un­ terranean, wooded (Quercus-dominaled) ti! levei 5 limes, corresponding therefore to Phase b: Humid phase characterized by an increase leveis 9-6. in ferns Phase 3: There is a slight increase in both species Phase c: Major decrease of woods; in crease in eri­ diversity and numbers of individuaIs. Microlus caceous healhlandsi fl ucluations in hurnidity, otCOllomus mak.es its appearance in Levei 5; whic h continues, although ralher less than in lhis is a species thal loday is found in northern lhe previous phase. The disappearance of olive Europe under cold, marshy cOl1ditions. (Olea) indicales colder cond ilions. Phase 4: There is a draslic decrease in micromam­ malian diversity. The bonfires of Levei 4 could ln terms of Phases 1-5 ai El Mir6t1, we believe thal indicate intensive human use of lhe cave (espe­ we can tc ntatively correlate Phases 1-2 with southeast cially for stabling livestock- LGS), and this Po11eo Phase a, Phase 3 wi th Pollen Phase b, and Phases could be lhe cause of the decline in species 4- 5 with Pollen Phase c. Finally, EI Miron Phase 6 rep­ diversity. resents the near-contjnuous recent occupalion of lhe Phase s: \'I'oodlands decrease markedly and are cave by humans and Iheir li vestock. replare

Holocene Biostratigraphy and Climatic Change I 229 associations in lhe Holocene deposits do reflect the Cantabrian landscape lhal continues aI lhe pres­ contemporaneous composilion of the fau nas in the ent ti me. arca around lhe cave, mainly as "sampled" by cave­ • 1hc l evei 3 complelC (3. 3.0-3·4-and possibly in· roosting, raptorial birds (notably owls). For this cluding later-formed feature fil! levei ).5) is lhe reasoo lhe micro l1l ammal remains are useful in the coldest unil in the Holocene sequell ce; ii corre­ paleodimatic and paleoenvi ronmental reconstruc­ sponds to the known pcriod of cold conditioos thal tion of lhe cave's surroundings. coincided wilh lhe Bronze Age throughout Europe . • Human occupation does nOI seem lo have beencon· • EI Mir6n contain$ a late (buI problematic) recoro tinuous in lhe EI Mir6n vestibule during lhe Holo­ of the spedes Pliomys lellki-in a Holocene levei cene. Had human occupalion been continuous, lhe (levei ).5) of undermined specifi c age and origino commensal microl11 anunalian species would have probably lhe result of mixlure. proliferated in ali lhe leveis, bUI Ihal is not lhe case. ln supporl of Ihis observarion, one can also poiot to lhe high spedes divcrsily in alllhe leveis except Acknowledgments lhe topmos! (essentiall y modern) one, a fact Ihat First of ali. we would like to !hank lhe EI Mirón excava· shows the cave la have often been occupied by rap­ tion leam members who. since ]996, have been digging. torso which are incompatiblc wilh humans. scrcening, separating, and curating lhe archaeologi· • 1he appeamnce of the modero murids. which are cal and paleontological finds from Ihi5 sile unde r lhe human commensals. came laler in the Canlabrian direction of Professors Lawrence Straus and Manuel region in northern Spain lhan in lhe south and cen­ Gonzãlez Morules. We acknowledge help from lhe ter of lhe counlry-probably in relation 10 lhe late Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia. Museo Nacional de arrival of agriculture in lhe Allantic environments of Ciencias Naturales. Fundaci6n Atapuerca, Atapuerca lhe north. Projecl (CGL2006-13S3l-C03-0l) and EI Mir6n Pro­ lhe biostraligraphic distribution of rodenls, ject. Qur thanks also go 10 Maria Fernanda Sánchez inscctivores. chiropterans, and murids in EI Mirón Goõi and Cristina Roc Garg:lllo for Iheir help with demonstrates Ihat there were at least tive cJimaticJ the poUeo graphs. lhe early excavation campaigns at environrnental phases duri ng those parts of the EI Mir6n (whence the Cabin area Holocene deposits) Holocene represented by l evei 10.1 (9000- 8000 BP) we re funded by lhe Fundaci6n Marceli no Botin. lhe Ihrough levei 3 (3700 BP) and up lo the present: L. S. B. Leakey Foundation, and lhe Nalional Geographic lhe first was woocled; lhe second saw regression Society. The town of Rarnales de la Victoria (Cantabria) of woodlands; lhe third had variable conditions, has provided material su pporl every year. Lawrence probably under signi ficant human influe nce; the Strn us and Manuel González Morales have provided fo urlo nad d rier. more steppic condilions; and lhe essential information for and construclively reviewed fifth is not so much a climatic phase. as iI repre­ this chapter, which was translated into English and sents inlensive hUllla n occupation and use of the edited by Straus.

1 2)0 Chapter Twelve References AlcaIde Gurt, G. Brune l-Lecomle, P., and M. Delibes 1982 Prtsênsia interessant de P/iom)'f lellki i de MicrotrlS 1984 AlimentaciÓn de la lechuza común Tylo allm en la O«OIIOItIUS en d reompli ment de la cova deI.! cuenca dei Duero, Espa tl a. Do,llltla, Acta Vertebro/a Ermitons (La Garrotxa. Girona). M ta GeoIogica 11 :113-229· Hispanica 17:281-281. Cabre ra-Millel, M., J. Brillo n-Davidian, and P.Ouini Altuna, J. 1982 Génétique biochi mique co m pa r~ de Micro/UI cabre­ 1))72 Fauna de mamíferos de los )'3cimientos prchistóricos me (lhomas 1906) el de Irois autres especes d'Arvico­ de Guipuzcoa. Munibe 24:1- 464. lidae méditerrnnéens. Malllma/ia 46()):)81- )88. 1986 '"Ie mammalian fa unas from lhe pre historic site of Chaline, J. La Riera.ln La Riem Cm'e: Stolle Age Hunler·Ga/lrercr 1972 Les ronge urs dll Wü rmien II de la grolte de I'Hortus Adap/a/iolls iII Nor/ll em Spain, ediled by L. G. Slraus (Va lOaunes. Hérault). Ellldes quatcm aircs 1:233-240. and G. A. Clark. pp. 2)7- 2]4. Anthropological 1975 Evolut ion el rapports phyletiques des campagnols Research PapcT$ )6. Arizona Slate Uni vt'rsily. Tempe. (Arvicolidae, Rodenlia) apparenlés à Dolomys el Arrizabalaga i Blanch, A., E. Monlagud i Blas, Pliomys da ns l'hemisphere nord. Comptes Re/1dlls and J. Gosálbez i Noguera de '''cadlm/e de5 Sciel1ctS D 281:J:~-36 1986 /mroducció 11 III biologia i zooglografill deis petils Corchón, M. S. mllífers (illSectivors i roseglldors) dei MOII/S€II)' 1981 CueVlI ele las Caldas. Excavacionrs arqueológicas (Ca/Ilhmyll). Pape rs de Treba ll. Gc nerali lat de en Espana IIS. Mad rid. Spain. Catnlunya, CIJU T, Barcelona, Spain. Cuenca Bescós, G., ). I. Canudo, and C. Laplana Bartolornei, G., J. Chaline, O. Fejfar, D, jánossy, 1999 An ali sis biocstrati gráfico dI:: los roedores deI M. Jt>annet, W. Koenigswald, and K, Kowalski Plei$loceno Medio dei yacimiento de Ga leria (Sie rra 1975 Plionl)'f fetrki (Heller 1930) (Rodenli a, Mammalia) in de Atapucrca. Burgos). ln Memorias. Arqucolog{a en Europe. Acw Zoo/ag/ca Cracol'iensiIl2o(IO):393-467. Castjl/a y León, vol. 7, pp. 189-210. Ju nta dI.' Casti1l a y Blanco, J. C. León. Valladolid, Spain. 1998 Mamíferos de Espana. Vols. I and l.. Gulas de Campo. 2001 La séquence des rongeurs (Mammalia) des sites du PlaneIa, Barcelona. Pléis t oc~ne inférieur et moren dAtapuerca (Burgos. Espagne).LAI1/hropologie 105:1 15-130. Borghi. C. E., S. M. Giannoni, and J. P. Martinez Rica 1))90 Soil removed by voles oflhe genus pilymys in lhe CuenC3 Bescós, G., L G. Straus, J. Gard a-Pimienla, Spanish Pyre nces. Pirineos 1)6:3-18. M. González Morales, and J. López-Gard a 2010 Late Quaternary smal1 mam mallurnover in the Brunel-Lecomle, P. Cantabrian regio n: lhe eJl:linction or Pliomys lellki I~ Les campagnols soul errains (Terricola, Arvicolidae, Rodem ia) act uc!s et fossi les d'Europe occidentale. (Rodl'nlia, Ma mmalia). Quatcmary /11/emllliolla/ Doctoral thesis, UniveT$ité de nourgogne. 212:129- 136. 1991 Répar1 it ion gêographiq ue des Cll mpagnols du genre Cuenca Bescós, G .• L G. Straus. M. R. Gonzálel. Morales, Micro/UI (Arvicolidae, Rodentia) da ns Ic: nord-ouesl and J. C. Garcia Pi mienta ibérique. Arquivos do MI~u Borngc 2(2):1 1- 29 2008 Palcoclima y paisaje dei fina l dei eUlllunario en Bru net·Lecomte, P., G. Brochet, J. Chali ne, Canta!>ria: los pequenos mamíferos dei Miron (Ramales de la Victori a). Revistll Espmlola de and M. Delibes Paleoll/%g{lIl3:91- 126. 1987 Morph ologic dentaire co mpnrée de Pi/y mys IlIsi /a ­ 2009 11\e reco nstru clion ofpast enl'ironrnents Ihrough m'cZls e tl~ dllodccimcos tmlls (Arl'icolidae, Rodentia) dans le nord-o ll esl de J'Es pagne. Mmlllllll!ia srna ll rn arn rn als: from lhe Mou&lerhm to the Bron ze Age in E1 Mirón Cave (Cantabrla. Spai n). fou m al oi 51:1'45-158. Arclral!ologiclll Seience )6: 947- 955. Brunet-Lecomle, P., and J. Chaline Ferraris, M .. B. Sal a, and V. Scola 1990 Relations phylogénétiques et évolution des campa­ gnols soulcrrairu d'Europe (Terricola, Arvicolidae, 1990 l he Late Pleistocene fauna wilh P/iomys lenki from lhe Ghiacciaia Cave loess (northern It aly). QlIa/ernar)' Rodenlia). Compfes RerldU$ de l'Amdimie des Seicllces /nttrnlltiotlal 5:71-79. } II, 5Cries 2:745-7S0. 199} Mi5C au poinl sur Micro/ u$ (Terricola) pyrenaicus Free.man, L G .• J. González Ec hegaray, J. Pokines. grrbei (Gerbe, 1879) (Rodentill, Arvicolidae). H. Slelller, and M. Krupa !;1aJnllwlia 57(1): 139-142 1998 Tamisage ultra fi n el réc upéralion de loulillage: observations réalisées a El Juyo (Espagne ca nta­ brique). /J\t1lhropologie 102:)S-44.

Ho!ocene Brostratigraphy and Climaric Change 1 231 I Giannoni, S. M., C. E. Borghi, and J. P. Martínez Rica López-Fuster, M. J., and J. Ventura 1992 New data on the burrowing behaviour of Microtus 1996 A morphometrical review of lhe Sorex araneus­ (Pitymys) duodecimcostatus. Zeitschrift für arcticus species group from the Iberian Peninsula Siiugetierkunde 57:23-28. (Insectivora, Soricidae). Bonner Zoologische Beitriige 1993 Comparing the burrowing behaviour of the lberian 46:327-337. mole voles (Microtus (Terricola) lusitanicus, Lowe, J. J., and M. J. Walker M. (T,) pyrenaicus and M. (T.) duodecimcostatus). 1997 Reconstructing Quaternary Environments. Addison Mammalia 57(4):483-490. Wesley Longman, London. Gil, E., and E. Lanchares Marquet, J. C. 1988 Los roedores dei yacimiento musteriense de la Cueva 1989 Paleoenvironnement et chronologie des sites du de Gabasa (Pirineo Aragonés). Interés paleoecológico. domaine Atlantique français d'age Pleistocene moyen Geogaceta 3:5-7. et superieur d'apres l'étude des rongeurs. Doctoral Gil, E., and C. Sesé thesis, Université de Bourgogne. 1985 Los roedores (Mammalia) dei sitio de ocupación Maul, L. Musteriense de la Cueva de los Toros (Teruel). Col-Pa 2001 The transition from hypsodonty to hypselodonty in 40:41-49· the Mimomys savini-Arvicola lineage. Lynx (Prague) Guillem, P. 32:247-253. 1995 Paleontología continental: microfauna. ln El Morales, A., and J. Rodríguez Cuaternario dei País Valenciano, edited by V. M. 1997 Black rats (Rattus rattus) from medieval Mertola Rosselló i Verger et al., pp. 227-233. Asociación (Baixo Alentejo, Portugal). Journal ofZoology Espaflola para el Estudio dei Cueternario y Universitat 241:623-642. de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Morales Mufliz, A. Gutierrez Elorza, M., and J. L. Pefla Monné 1986 Análisis de la fauna de vertebrados recuperada en 1998 Geomorphology and Late Holocene climatic change las sepulturas dei poblado dei Bronce dei Cerro de in northeastern Spain. Geomorphology 23:205-217. la Encantada (Provincia de Ciudad Real). Oretvm Gutierrez Elorza, M., and V. H. Sesé Martínez 2:159-196. 2001 Multiple talus f1atirons, variations of scarp retreat Morales Mufliz, A., M. A. Cereijo Pecharroman, rates and the evolution of slopes in Almazán Basin F. Hernández Carrasquilla, and C. Liesau von (semi-arid central Spain). Geomorphology 38:19-29. Lettow-Vorbeck Heinrich, H. 1995 Of mice and sparrows: commensaJ faunas from the 1988 Origin and consequences of cyele ice rafting in the lberian Iron Age in the Duero VaJley (central Spain). northeast Atlantic Ocean during the past 130,000 lnternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology P27-138. years. Quaternary Research 9:142-152. Musser, G. G., and M. D. Carleton Holden, M. E. 1993 Family Muridae. ln Mammal Species of the World, 2nd 1993 Family Myoxidae. ln Mammal Species of the World, ed., edited by D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, pp. 501- 2nd ed., edited by D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, 756. Washington, D.e.: Smithsonian lnstitution Press. pp. 763-770. Washington, D.e.: Smithsonian lnstitu­ Nadachowski, A. tion Press. 1982 Late Quaternary rodents of Poland with special ref­ Junco, E. erence to morphotype dentition analysis of voles. 1987 Mamíferos salvajes de Asturias. Caja de Ahorros de Pánstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe (Warsaw, Asturias, Oviedo, Spain. Cracow):I-l08. Laplana Conesa, C., and G. Cuenca Bescós Niethammer, J., and F. Krapp (eds.) 1995 Los microvertebrados (anfibios, reptiles y mamíferos) 1982 Handbuch der Siiugertiere Europas, vol. 1, Nagetiere asociados ai yacimiento de la Edad dei Bronce de la l. (Muridae). Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Balsa la Tamariz (Tauste, Zaragoza). Col-Pa 4T55-69. Wiesbaden, Germany. López Antoflanzas, R., and G. Cuenca Bescós Nores, C. 2002 The Gran Dolina Site (Lower to Middle Pleistocene, 1988 Diferenciación biométrica de Apodemus sylvaticus Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): new palaeoenvironmen­ y Apodemus flavicollis en la Cordillera Cantábrica. tal data based on the distribution of small mammals. Primeros resultados. Revista de Biología de la Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology Universidad de Oviedo 6:109- 116. 186:311-334·

I 232 I Chapter Twelve Tab le 12 .'. Number of mic romammal samples per levei and species diversity ln the Holocene leveis of EI Mirón Cave

I 2 2 2 2 2

3 65 17 4 20 8 5 44 13 6 31 10 7 33 8 8 17 13 9 51 12 10 31 17 10.1 13 12 309 21

Table 12.2. Distribution of mic romammal minimum number of indivi duais (MNI) in leveis 1-10 at EI Mirón Cave .

! ~"o 'S ," ~ o •o ," - , ," ~ " o, • • E "'~ . ." o ." ," o. " ~ o ~ ." ," ~ ." ~ -, o " 2 g ,E o •, • • " o ~ o u •o " ,• "- - o • ~ • "-o ~ E ,• o , ,- o • •o ;;, ~ e " ~• il' o ,• • - " '" ~ ~ ,E o " " e o ~ o "o ,• •, E ," E , , , "• • ~ o ~ .g -" 8 E "- ~ o o • - -- -u - 8 ." • o .§ e e .< ~ 'So o < ~ u e " 'S , , -~ o -s o of .ll- ~ ~ --, ," • ." -- ." "- ." o o o ~ " levei -"- ô ti - -Q -- ~ ~ ~ .3 Cf MN1' '"- '"- '" " '" " .. " " " I I '" '" 2 l 2 2 2 4 3 2 44 18 23 32 5 6 14 67 18 19 13 2 3 I I I 269 4 2 I I 17 8 I 2 I 33

5 8 I 4 I 2 5 I 33 21 I 2 I I 81

6 2 3 I 2 28 22 I 9 3 , 73 7 I 2 19 15 I 6 2 2 48 8 3 I 2 I 10 I 31 27 I 7 4 5 I 94 9 4 5 2 7 7 8 52 33 I 2I 3 I 14' 10 3 17 20 2 i8 I9 32 332 97 12 I9 30 I 13 , 4 I 622 10.1 13 7 , , 9 86 2S I 7 7 , I 17l TOTAL 2 3 96 56 34 67 7 55 6' 665 266 17 94 66 I 3 29 5 6 5 1,541 . 'Bascd 00 M. oro iflackiog. (ln anulhcr classifiable poslcrancnl c1cmenL

23 4 I Chapter Twelve Table 11.3. Oi.tribution or mi cromammal species in the sam pies from the Holocene leveis of EI Mir6n ( ave

• , " ", Z Ê " " ~ ." < O ' · O" I e I ~ I -O, .2 -<" "-"< .~ ~I ~ , • .. , co ·0 .'e~ ] õ. - ~ .1::! .,!::! o .S -. < ~ E •> ~ , " c- ce , "'" ... ~o I E "" " ~ • • ~~ ~ ~'~ I ~ • " " I ..J li 6 1 D~ ~2 ~ ~! 1 1 97-112- 1-J4 -A-1 '"1 " 2 1 97-1- 1-)4 -B-2 1 1 3 2 97-2-I- H4-C-? 1 I 4 2 97-2-1-J4-A-ll 1 I 5 3 97-2+3- 1-14-A-1 1 6 3 97-2+3-1-14-B-2 1 7 3 97-2y3- 1-14-A-1 1 8 3 96-3- I-J I-A- l 1 9 3 96-3-20-12-D-89 1 10 3 9i-3.2-3-H I-A· l 02 1 11 3 97-3.2-3-HI-D-l04 I 12 3 97-3.2-S-H2-A- ll8 1 13 3 97-3.2-S-H2-D-11 9 1 1 14 3 97-3,J-6-H2-A-l79 1 1 15 3 97-3.3-6-H2-A-18 1B 1 16 3 97- 3.4 -6- H4 -B- I08 1 17 3 97-3??-3-H4-C-49 1 1 3 1 , 3 1 1 18 3 97-J?-3-H4-C-49B 1 19 3 97-3- I-HI-A-1 1 1 20 3 97-3- I-H I-A-I B 1 1 1 1 3 li 3 97-3-I-H I-B-2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 22 3 97-3·I -H I-B-2C 2 23 3 97-3-. -H2-A-27 1 1 1 I 24 3 97-3· 1-H2-B- 1 1 1 1 .,,- 3 97-3- I-HZ-B-2 2 3 1 1 1 26 3 97-3-I-HZ-B-3 1 27 3 97-3- I-H2-C-3 1 1 3 97-3- I-H3-B-2 I 1 1 "29 3 97-3-1-H3-D-4 1 1 30 3 97 -3-I-H3-D-96 1 1 31 3 97-3- 1- IN -A-l B 1 1 J2 3 97-3- I-H4 -B-2 1 13 3 97-3-l-H4-B-2B 1 1 1 34 3 97-3-1 -H4-C-3 1 35 3 97 -3- I-H4 -D-4 1 1 36 3 97-3-2-H I-A-22 1 2 1 1 37 3 97-3-Z-H I-A-22B 1 38 3 97-3-2- HI-B-23 1 3 39 3 97-3-2-H 1-8-236 1 1 1 , 3 97-3-2·H2·A-27 1 2 , 41" 3 97·3·2· H2-B·28 1 3 97-3-Z-H2·c-z9 1 2 1 1 1 1 "43 3 97-3-2-H2- D·30 2 1 2 2 1 1 44 3 97·3·2- H4-A-23 1 2 1 ~~ J,

HoIocene Biostratigraphy and ClimattC Change I 2.3S I Table 12.). (continued)

1 ~ " 11 " ~ ~ ~ 1 ~1 5 ~~;4= rt I I I I 47 3 97-3-3-H4-D-S O I 48 3 97-3-3-J4-A-19 I 49 3 97-3-3-14-B-20 I I 50 3 97-3-4-H2-B-73 I I I 51 3 97-3-4- H2-C-74 I I 52 3 97-3-4-H2-D-75 I I 53 3.5 97-3.5-7-H4-D- 123 I I , 97-3.5-4-H3- 54 3.5 B(+A)-25B I I I I S5 3.5 97-3.5-4-H3-S-25 , 2 4 4 , , I 56 3.5 97-3.5-4-H3-B-25C I I I 57 3.5 97-3.5·4-H3-C·5\ I I I I I 3 I I I I 58 3.5 97-3.5·4-H4-C-92 I 59 3.5 97-3.5-4-H4-D-93 I I 2 I I I 60 3.5 97-3.5-7- H4-A-122 2 , 3 I I 4 2 2 61 3.5 97-3.5-7- H4 -A- 122B I I I I I 97-3.5-7-H4- 62 3.5 A- 122B(?) I I I 63 3. 5 9: '.5.'.H4-A-I 22C 2 2 4 2 3 I I I 64 3.5 9'·3.5·'·H'4-A· I I I I 65 3.5 97 -3.5-7·H4-B-217 , 66 3.5 'H.5·: I I 97·3.5-7-H4- 67 3.5 I , I I , C/D-123B 3 68 3.5 97-3.5-7-H4-C-221 I 2 I I 69 3.5 I I I ' O 4 97-4-B-H4-B-236 4 I 7 1 4 97-4- 1-1 4-0 -4 I 72 4 97-4-1-14-C-3 I 73 4 97-4upper-2-14-A-24 I 74 4 97-4-2 -14-C-26 I 75 4 97-4-2-14-D-27 I 76 4 97-4-2-[4-8-258 I I 77 4 97-4-2-14-8-250 I 78 4 97-4-6-J4-A-140 I 79 4 97-4-40-540)-6-40B I 80 4 97-4-5-J4 -8-130 2 8 1 4 97-4-4-14- 8-40 I 82 4 97-4-3-J4-D-22 83 4 97-4-4-J4-B-40C I 84 4 97-4-4 -J4-C-9 I 85 , 19'"4,, ~ , . ·I'-A·'" 5 86 4 97-4-2- 14-A-24B I 87 4 I I I ~"'=' I

I 236 I Chapter Twelve I • "',,,,d)

• •• ti ~ •• , Ê y ~ z •• 0'- o· ~ I -g o "E ·'::! - , . ' 0 00 - . -" - - y- .S ~ ~ .- --,- • - .- "g0- E ~• • l:::~ E -," , ~ " - ~~ " ~ • ill .", " " <5 ti "'- I'" '" " ~, 97-5-4- H 1-0 -1 67 , .. , , 97·S-4-H I-B- 157 , I , "91 , 97-5-S-Hi-A-175 , , , 97·5.2+ HI-B-158 , , "94 5 1"·'·4' ·A·1S6B!?) I I 5 97-S-4-HI -A- I56 , " , 97-5-5-HI-B-176 , "97 , 97·5.1 -12-H4-B-270 I , 97-5 +14-0 -135 , , "99 , 97-5-9-14-0 -156 I '00 , 97-S-4-I4-A-132 I lO' , 97-5-9-14-D- I56 , 5 97-S-9-H4-D-244 , ::: , 97·5.4-18- j4-D·228 , , 97·5-3-J2 -B-Bag8 , , , 97-S-8-H2-C-222 , , 97·S.l -12-H4--D-271 , , 97·5+14-B- 133 , , 5 97-5-5-JI-C -12 , , , 97-5.1 -8-H3-D-76 , , , 97-5-9-J4- 0 -167 , , , 97-5.4-11 -J4-D-19 , , 5 97-S-'+I-A-1 44 , , , 5 97·S-9-J4-A-161 B , , , 97 -S -9-H4-B-243 , 2 , , , , 97-5-9-J4-A· t61 , , , , 97·5-9-J4-A- !61A , 5 97-5.l-9-H2-B-251 , "' , 97-5-' -14-8- 141 I , , 97·5.4-1 7-14 -8-224 , , 97·S.1-9-H2- D-253 , 12' , 97-S-S-H2-D·223 3 , , 97-5.2 -1 L- H2-D·289 I 5 97-S-6-H3-D-70 , , , , I , '''.'.'97·5.4'''-1 7-J4--A-218 , , , 97-5-9-14-B-1 59 , 5 97-S-5-H3-C·39 , , , 97-5-5-H3-B-38 I , 5 97-5.1?- 9-H2-C·252 I 2 5 97-S-S-H3-D-40 , , 13' 5 97-5-8- Hl-A-220A , , , , I , Will g ~

Holocene Biostratigraphy and Climatic Change I 237 I Table 11.). (wntjnutd) I ', I

: 97-6-6-H I-D- 19O 1 I 6 97-6-6-H I-B- 189 2 I 6 97-6-6-H t -A- 188 I I 1 6 97-6-7-1-1 t -A-201 I "" 6 97-6-9- 1-13 -C-79 I I 1 6 97-6- 14-J4 -A- 196 1 141 6 97-6- 10-1-1 2-D-287 I 2 142 6 97-6- 10-H2-C-286 I I 6 97-6- JQ -H3-A-I 03 1 I I 97-6- 11-14-B-227 I 1 ::: : 97-6- 12-1-1 2-A-336 2 6 97-6-12- H2-B-337 I 6 97-6. 1-16-1-14 -B-291 I 6 97-6-9-14-13 -186 I 6 97-6- IO-H2-A-284 I , I 1 6 97-6-14-H4-C-288 I 1 151 6 97-6.1-1 1l -14-A-239 I I 6 97-6-9-14-A- 185 3 1 I 6 97-6- IO-H3-B-86 11 1 6 97-6-IO-H3-C-96 1 6 97-6-9-14- B- 186C 1 I 6 97-6-9-14-B- 186B 1 ,' 6 97-6-9-H3- B-77C 1 6 97-6- IO·H3-D-87 2 1 I ; Q 6 97-6- IO-H3-C-96A I I l 6 97-6- ll-14-A-226 2 2 2 1 l I 161 6 97-6-14 -]4-A-203 1 162 6 97-6-7-1-11 -0 -203 l 163 6 97-6- 14-H4-B-276 I 1 I 164 6 97-6- 10-H2-B-285 I 3 l 165 7 97 -7. 1-13-H3-A- 128 I 166 7 ,' - " J28A I l 7 97-7.2-12-H3-B-124 I 7 97-7.4- 13-J4-C- 198 l 7 97-7.5- 16-}4 -C-21613 1 7 97-7-I I-H3-A-115 l 171 7 97-7-1 I-H3-C-I 16 I I 7 97-7- l l -14-C-280 I 7 97-7- 15-H4-D-289 I l 7 97-7- 16-14-A-244 I 7 97-7-16- 14-C-246 l I 7 97-7- 17-H4-A-298 I l 177 7 97-7- 17-H4-8-2938 I ~ 7 b1b~~ 1 1 1

I 238 I Chapter Twelve Table n.l. (cOI1tmLled)

~ , "~ Ó E ," ," , .", o E" ~ ~ ~ '" ," , Z " ~ . ~ O" ." ." ."O .:::1 0- E - , ~ -O ._ o - , ~ .- - -" - - -, "' " " 1,0' " !l • o , o.0_ o' ~ - I ~ -" "', o. o. - - iiQ ... o. - " ~ ~ ~,. .- E ~ " O - Ê :l- o o, • •o '- "g0- I ~ ~ .- o o õ ';: t:: ~• - -- '- oe ,e E .. -o t:~ 00. o ~ - :: ;:, " - o.~ - ~ "• • e ~ ~ - u~ "," ~ ~ ~ ::E 6 .- t3~~ ui ui " " '" "'- " v "," " 179 7 97·7· 17-14-A 25 '" " " I I IS O 7 97-7- 17· 14-B-252 I 18 1 7 97-7· 17· 14-8-2548 I 182 1 97-7· 17- 14-D-254 I 1 183 1 97-7- 18· H4-A-306 I 18. 7 97-7-18- 1-14 -B-307 I 2 185 7 97-7- 18-H4- B-307B I 186 1 97 ·7- 18- H4-C-308 I I 181 1 97-7-18-'-14-D-309 I 188 1 97-7- 18-H4 -D·309B I I 189 1 97 -7-18-14- B-227 1 190 1 97-7- 19-14-A-240 I I 19 1 1 97-7- 19- )4- B-25O 2 192 7 97-7- 19-14-8-250A I 193 7 97-7- 19-14- 8-25O D I 19. 7 97-7-20-J 4-A-249 I 195 7 97-7-20-/4-C-267 I 196 1 97-7-20-)4-0-267 1 197 1 97-7-5-J2- B- 18 I 198 8 96-8-7-13- B-30 I 199 8 % -8-12-I3-C-42 I 200 8 96-8- I 2- [3-D-43 2 201 8 96-8-12-I3- B-41 I 202 8 98-8-19-14-A-298 I 203 8 98-8-19-I4-C-300 I 204 8 98-8-20-1-1 4- D-352 I 205 8 98-8-2 0-H4-A-349 I I I 206 8 98-8- 19- 1-14 -0-323 I 3 2 201 8 98-9-18- 14-A-268 I 1 2 3 I I 208 8 98-8-19·H4-B-32 2 2 2 I I I 209 8 98-8-19- 1-1 4- A- 320 I 2 I I 210 8 98-8-19- 1-14 -C-322 I I 2 6 I 3 21 1 8 98-8-18- 14 -0·271 I I 3 •2 212 8 98-8-18-14-8-269 I 2 2 I 2Il 8 98-8-19-14- D-30 I I , 3 I I 21 ' 8 98-8-18-14-C-270 2 I , 2 I I I m 9 98·9.6-23-H 4· D-400 I 21 6 9 98-9.7-24-[4· 8-553 I 217 9 97-9-14-I3-C-64B I 218 9 98-9.8-25-14-C-666 I 219 9 96-9-7-/1-0 -24 I 220 9 97-9.7-16- 13-0 -1688 I 221 9 98-9.7-24- 14-C-554 I I 222 9 98-9.6-23- 14-A-484 1 I 223 9 96-9-)3-I3-D-48 I

Holocene Biosuatigraphy and Cl imatic Change I 239 I Table 11.] . {wnfinuedj

,, , , O ,• • Z ~ o-!t I. -" -"~ ,~~ 00 ~ ' - ~ --..., .... E ..> ..~ -"- ~ 'I ! ! e~ ~ ~ ~ ::;; ::;; u tJ ~- I ~ ~ ' hl i, ~ " • " ~ E, ~g ~~ vi V " .- ~ I I 9 97-9- 14-I3-B-63A I 9 98-9.8-25-14-B-665 I I 2279 97-9.6-15-13-A-I02B I I 98-9-18-H4 -C-470 I I I : 98-9-24-J4·B-382 I ;;~ 9 97-9.7-16-13-0 - 168 I I 23 1 9 97-9.8-17-13-B-215 I 2 I 232 9 98-9.6-23-14 -0 -487 I 9 98-9-12- H4-0-389 I 9 98-9.6-25-H4-A-5 42 I , 9 98-9.7-24 -14 -0 -555 I ::! 9 98-9-2 1-14 ·C-372 I 9 97-9.7- 16-13-C-1 67B I 9 98-9.6-22-14-0 -413 I I I ;:: 9 98-9.6-22-14-A-410 I 9 98-9.8-25-14 -0 -667 3 241 9 97-9.8-17-13-A-214 I 2 242 9 98-9.6-25-H 4-B-54 3 I I I I 243 9 98-9.6-24-H 4 -0 -4 39 2 9 98-9.6-24-H4-A-436 I I I ::: 9 98-9-1 1-14-A-370 2 I 9 98-9.6-23-14-C-486 I I 9 97-9-?-J3-0-65B 2 I I , ;:~ 9 98-9-21 -14-0 -373 I I 9 98-9-20-14 ·C-320 I I I 9 97-9- 14-13-A-62B 3 I I 251 9 97-9-14-13-B-638 I I I 9 97-9-14-13-D-65A I I I 253 9 98-9.6-25- H4-0 -545 3 , 254 9 97-9-14-I3 -A-62A I I 2 I I , 255 9 97-9.8-17-I3-C-215 I , I I 9 98-9-20-14-8 -319 I 2 I ;:~ I 9 97-9.6-15-13-0 -105 I I 9 97-9.6- 15- 13-B-I03 I ::: 9 98-9.6-25-H4 -C-544 I I 10 I 9 98-9.6-22-14-8-41 1 I I I I 26 1 9 98-9.6-24-H4-C-438 I 2 I 9 97-9-14-13-C-64A 2 I I ::~ 9 97-9.7- 16-13-C- 167 2 I 2 I 9 97-9.8- 17-13-0 -215 I I I 2 I :~ 9 97-9.7-16-I3-D, I I 3 2 10 97-10- 19-13-A-259B I I I 5 I I I 267 10 97- IO-18-13-C-249 3 3 2 2 4 45 120 2 I 4 I I ~~ I I ~ I ~ 1 ,J, I

I 240 I Chapter Twelve Tablt 11.3. (ccntinllt'aj

\ ", i ~ J.. ci l ·~ i .!!l E :S .2 '" z .... ~ I: a. ~ a '" :::I ~ líl !;:õ a - I: I: :::I ..... Q. _ - ~ . := . ;::: S.s

270 lO 97-1O- 19 ·13-C·261 2 2 2 40 110 1 2 2 4 2 1 1 271 10 97-10-18-13-0 -250 2 I 4 2 54 115 I I 3 1 272 lO 97- 10- 19-13-0 -262A I 1 2 5 3 22 9 I I I 1 m lO 96-JQ- I4-[3-C-5 1 1 I 3 274 \0 98- 1O-20-H4-C-70S I 3 1 1 1 275 10 98-10-27-14-0 -686 1 2 1 5 1 276 10 98-10-26·1 <\ ·0 -677 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 m 10 98-10·27-14-8 -684 , 1 5 1 1 278 lO 98·1O-26-14-A-674 2 1 2 1 9 1 1 279 10 98-1 0-26-14-C-676 2 3 1 280 10 98-IO- 26-H4 -D-706 1 7 2 1 1 1 281 10 97-JQ- 19-I3· B·260B 1 1 13 2 1 1 282 10 97-10-18-13-1\·24 1 1 15 3 3 I 1 283 10 97-JO-18-13-A·241 B 1 1 1 1 12 4 1 2 284 10 97-1O-19-13-0 -262 B 1 1 3 3 4 1 285 \O 97 -1 0- 19-1)· 8 ·260 1 1 1 5 16 3 1 1 3 1 2 286 10 96- 10- 14-)3. D-52 1 1 287 10 96-10- 14-)3-3-50 2 288 10 98-1O-26-H4-B-704 1 1 2 I 1 289 10 97- JO- 18- 13-A-247 1 290 10 98- IO-27-H4·0-718 1 291 10 98 -1 0·26- H4-A-703 1 1 4 1 292 10 98-1O-27-H4- B-7 16 1 293 10 98-JQ-27- H4 -C-717 1 294 10 96-10-1 4-)3-A.49 2 2 1 29" 10 97 -1O-18- 13-C-249B 1 1 2 6 1 I 2 296 10 97- 1O -19-13-0 -262B 3 , I 2 32 8132 1 1 297 lO.! 3 298 1O.J 97-10.! -21-I3-A· 272 2 2 1 299 lO.! 97-10.1-20-13- 0 -269 1 1 1 1 300 10.1 197 10.1 · I I·A< 1 2 2 2 8 1 1 1 1 301 10.1 97- 1O. 1-2-13-C-274 3 1 1 1 20 110 1 302 10.1 97-1O. 1-20- I3-C-268 1 2 1 34 5 I , 2 )j)) 10.1 . '·0 ·275 3 1 1 1 5 1 1 304 10. 1 97- 10.1-20-13-B-267 1 1 1 2 13 1 1 1 1 305 lO.! 97-1 0.1-2 1-13-B-273 1 1 1O6 10.1 . 725 1 1 1 1 307 10.l 97- IO .I-28-14-C-699 1 lO8 11O· 198. 1O .1 .28. H4.C:." ~~ dill,"= ~='= ='= CoIumns art in tru:onom ic order: Rodl'ntia: Pliomys--Eliomys; lnsectivora: Talpa-Crocidura; Chiroptera: Myotis- Minioptcrus: Carnívora: Muslm

Holocene Biostratigraphy and Climatic Change I 24' I Table 1:1 • 4 • EI Mirón Cave Holocene radiocarbon dates (1996-2002), CaJibrated Squ3re leveI Spit Period' Date BP 1 SD lab no. Methodb

H2 3 4 BA 3700 40 GX-2S8S1 AMS 114G--2030 )2 5 3 ChaJ 3820 240 GX -12127 Conv. 2575- 1931 13 5.1 4 ChaI 4120 S{) GX-22130 AMS 2858-2586 H2 7 14 ChaI 3740 120 GX -14460 Cxwt 2305-1963 13 8.1 13 Neo? 4680 60 GX -22 131 AMS 3612-337 1 )2 9 8 Nro 5170 170 GX -21 128 Conv. 4221 - 3789 H4 9 22 N,. 5280 40 GX-14461 AMS 4217-4001 14 9." 22 N,. 52SO ISO GX-14462 Cxcnt 4318-394.j 13 10 19 N,. 5570 SO GX-2341 4 AMS 4449-4359 13 10 19 N,. 5690 SO GX-23413 AMS 4582-4458 )4 10.1 34 M" 8380 175 GX-24463 Cxcnt 7586-71B2 14 10. 1 28 Mo. 8700 40 GX-25852 AM S 7745-7609 14 10.1 29 Mo> 9550 50 GX-24464 AMS 9119-8792

Nat~ Ali ileros are from the ouler vts tibule (Cabin) exell\'al ion rone; material is charcoal. 'SA ~ Bronu Age: Chal =Chaico lilhicô Nco . Neolithic; Mts = Mesolilhic ~AMS .. aecelerotorô Conv. = convelllional: Cxent. ~ e",tendted counl ' CJ,.UB 4.1.1

•

242 Chapter Twelve