Researchers from the University of Alicante and the University of Valencia documented a bipolar engraving technique on the anvil used to cut stone, a remarkable find from the Iberian Peninsula with only a handful of Neanderthal sites showing such practice. The study, published in Stone Technology, combines archaeological site analysis with a broad program of experimental archaeology across an area settlement dated to roughly 120,000 years ago using current evidence and methods.
A notable development this year is the Aspense deposit of Los Aljezares, a fresh discovery that adds to the list of scarce examples of Neanderthal open air camps on the Iberian Peninsula. From the Middle Paleolithic period, most European excavations in the last century and a half have focused on caves. Los Aljezares stands out as the only open air settlement in the Community of Valencia at its original site, with two archaeological levels rich in lithic, faunal, and archaeobotanical materials that are well dated and documented in time.
They uncovered a 120,000-year-old open-air Neanderthal habitat in Aspe
The documented work shows that bipolar etching on the anvil in lithic materials involves a sequence of coordinated actions: placing a flint piece of a predetermined shape between a moving striker and a stable surface, typically flat. Within this setup, a range of outcomes can be achieved, including shaping volumes, retouching edges, or thinning edges, depending on the goals guiding development. The identification of this technique across diverse regions and contexts is seen as a valuable new research tool.
Detail of the process mirroring the stone-working at the Los Aljezares site
The researchers from the Department of Prehistory, Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Valencia emphasize that the work opens avenues to explore aspects of approach not visible in the archaeological record, such as gestures, postures, and intentions of Neanderthal groups. The study also highlights how the morphology and quality of raw material influenced the choice of this technique, offering a richer understanding of Neanderthal societies and their cultural complexity.
Experiments using materials similar to those found at the site support the idea that the common method involved striking a previously shaped flint with a stone hammer supported by a surface acting as an anvil. This straightforward method can be attempted by newcomers with limited flint and yields meaningful insights into the decisions and skill of Neanderthal toolmakers, as demonstrated by researchers from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alicante, including Jaime Cuevas and Davinia Díez-Canseco. Their work traces the geological processes back to the moment Neanderthals adopted and adapted flint shapes to fit use on an anvil.
joint project
This investigation fits into a broader effort to characterize lithic elements from the Middle Paleolithic period in the central Iberian Mediterranean corridor. It aligns with research strategies supported by regional science initiatives and national science programs aimed at mapping Neanderthal territories along the central Iberian shore. The project is authorized by regional heritage authorities and conducted in collaboration with a local heritage observatory and municipal partners. These partnerships reflect a sustained commitment to understanding how early humans engaged with their landscapes and tools in the central Iberian Mediterranean corridor, and they underscore the value of cross-disciplinary work in archaeology.
[Citation: Vadillo, Eixea, Cuevas, Díez-Canseco et al. 2023. Los Aljezares and Aspe open-air Neanderthal sites, Iberian Peninsula. Stone Technology Journal.]