Lithic technology variability and human ecodynamics during the Early Gravettian of Southern Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Traditionally the expansion of Gravettian industries in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula ∼32 ka cal BP has been seen as a uniform process, characterized by minor regional differences and no diachronic technological changes. In the last decade, however, new research has increasingly shown that this idea is probably unlikely due to new lithic techno-typological data. This paper examines lithic technological organization and variability during the Early Gravettian in Southern Iberian Peninsula drawing evidences from two case studies: the sites of Vale Boi (Portugal) and Cendres (Spain). Using Chi-Square (χ2) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA), the results show the presence of significant technological and tool design variability from both diachronic and regional perspectives.The observed lithic technological variability is likely related to local and regional ecological human adaptations. We argue that the H3 climatic crisis was responsible for the human expansion and the new ecological adaptations during the Early Gravettian in South–Southwestern Iberia, reflected in new geographic and diachronic lithic technology, organization and variability. When applied to archaeology, ecology models have shown that climatic oscillations had major impact on hunter–gatherer population ecodynamics, reflected on demographic, technological and therefore cultural variability and organization during the Upper Paleolithic.