Ungulates from Atapuerca TD6.

Area of Science:

• Paleontology
• Archaeology
• Quaternary Geology

Background:

• The Gran Dolina site in Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain, is crucial for understanding Early and Middle Pleistocene human occupation.
• Faunal assemblages provide key insights into paleoenvironments and chronological frameworks.

Observation:

• Analysis of ungulate remains from Gran Dolina (TD6) includes Stephanorhinus etruscus, Equus cf. altidens, Sus scrofa, Dama nestii? vallonetensis, Cervus elaphus, Eucladoceros giulii, and Bovini cf. "Bison voigtstedtensis."
• The taxonomic classification and stratigraphic distribution of several taxa remain debated.
• Specific taxa like S. etruscus, D. n.? vallonetensis, E. giulii, and "B. voigtstedtensis" are characteristic of the late Early and early Middle Pleistocene.

Findings:

• The faunal assemblage indicates a chronological age of late Early or earliest Middle Pleistocene.
• This age aligns with palaeomagnetic data suggesting a latest Early Pleistocene period.
• The fauna does not indicate extreme climatic conditions during this period.

Implications:

• The absence of pronounced "glacial" taxa suggests limited impact of glaciations on the Spanish fauna.
• Stable climatic conditions may have facilitated continuous human presence in Spain from the late Early Pleistocene onward.
• This research refines the paleoenvironmental and chronological understanding of early human presence in Iberia.