New data for the late Upper Palaeolithic in the Cantabrian region: Arangas Cave (Cabrales, Asturias, Spain)

Abstract

This paper presents new archaeological evidence recorded in the late Pleistocene levels from Arangas cave (Northern Spain). The main goal is to reconstruct the subsistence strategies of the hunter-gatherer groups that occupied the cave between 18,500 and 12,500 cal BP from the integral study of biotic and abiotic remains. Anthracological study reveals that during the Lower Magdalenian (Levels G and F) and Azilian (Level E) daily firewood was collected mainly from species such us as Scots pine nowadays disappeared around the catchment area of the cave or the common oak located in sheltered areas of the hillsides. Faunal remains indicate that the diet was based almost exclusively in the hunting of several ungulates species (red deer, Iberian ibex and chamois). Small vertebrate assemblage is only abundant during the Level G where an open humid and not very cold environment has been inferred.The abiotic evidence is characterized by a lithic assemblage made in local raw materials (above all quartzite). Whereas in the levels dated during the Lower Magdalenian the retouched implements are typologically unrepresentative, in the Azilian level they are more characteristic, above all with the classification of a “thumbnail” end scraper.