Upper Palaeolithic (layer 2) and Middle Palaeolithic (layer 3) large faunas from El Harhoura 2 Cave (Témara, Morocco): paleontological, paleoécological and paleoclimatic data

Abstract

The El Harhoura 2 cave is situated in the commune of El Harhoura in the Temara region (Morocco). The entrance faces west, toward the ocean, around 200 m away from the current shoreline and about 16 m above sea level. The stratigraphy has currently 12 levels numbered from top to bottom. Level 1 is attributed to the early Neolithic. The archaeological material from level 2 places it within the Upper Palaeolothic (Iberomaurusian). Levels 3 to 11 are assigned to the Middle Palaeolithic (Aterian). Since 1977, a surface of 37 m2 has been excavated, yielding particularly abundant remains of a large mammal fauna. This paper is about paleontological, paleoecological and paleoclimatologic data of layers 2 and 3 from El Harhoura 2.