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Research Article

Neanderthal exploitation of marine mammals in Gibraltar

C. B. Stringer, J. C. Finlayson, R. N. E. Barton, Y. Fernández-Jalvo, I. Cáceres, R. C. Sabin, E. J. Rhodes, A. P. Currant, J. Rodríguez-Vidal, F. Giles-Pacheco, and J. A. Riquelme-Cantal
  1. Departments of aPaleontology and
  2. hZoology, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom;
  3. bGibraltar Museum, 18-20 Bomb House Lane, P.O. Box 939, Gibraltar;
  4. dInstitute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, 36 Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PG, United Kingdom;
  5. eMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
  6. gInstitut Català de Paleoecología Humana i Evolución Social, Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Plaça Imperial Tarraco 1, 43005 Tarragona, Spain;
  7. iDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, United Kingdom;
  8. jDepartamento de Geodinámica y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain;
  9. kMuseo Arqueológico de El Puerto de Santa Maria, 11500 Cadiz, Spain;
  10. lDepartamento de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; and
  11. cDepartment of Social Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada

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PNAS September 23, 2008 105 (38) 14319-14324; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0805474105
C. B. Stringer
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J. C. Finlayson
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R. N. E. Barton
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Y. Fernández-Jalvo
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  • For correspondence: yfj@mncn.csic.es
I. Cáceres
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R. C. Sabin
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E. J. Rhodes
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A. P. Currant
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J. Rodríguez-Vidal
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F. Giles-Pacheco
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J. A. Riquelme-Cantal
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  1. Communicated by Erik Trinkaus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, June 16, 2008 (received for review April 22, 2008)

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Abstract

Two coastal sites in Gibraltar, Vanguard and Gorham's Caves, located at Governor's Beach on the eastern side of the Rock, are especially relevant to the study of Neanderthals. Vanguard Cave provides evidence of marine food supply (mollusks, seal, dolphin, and fish). Further evidence of marine mammal remains was also found in the occupation levels at Gorham's Cave associated with Upper Paleolithic and Mousterian technologies [Finlayson C, et al. (2006) Nature 443:850–853]. The stratigraphic sequence of Gibraltar sites allows us to compare behaviors and subsistence strategies of Neanderthals during the Middle Paleolithic observed at Vanguard and Gorham's Cave sites. This evidence suggests that such use of marine resources was not a rare behavior and represents focused visits to the coast and estuaries.

  • Middle Paleolithic
  • seal
  • mollusks

Footnotes

  • fTo whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yfj{at}mncn.csic.es
  • Author contributions: C.B.S., J.C.F., R.N.E.B., Y.F.-J., and F.G.-P. designed research; C.B.S., J.C.F., R.N.E.B., Y.F.-J., and I.C. performed research; Y.F.-J., I.C., R.C.S., E.J.R., A.P.C., J.R.-V., and J.A.R.-C. analyzed data; and C.B.S., J.C.F., Y.F.-J., and I.C. wrote the paper.

  • The authors declare no conflict of interest.

  • See Commentary on page 14241.

  • © 2008 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
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Neanderthal exploitation of marine mammals in Gibraltar
C. B. Stringer, J. C. Finlayson, R. N. E. Barton, Y. Fernández-Jalvo, I. Cáceres, R. C. Sabin, E. J. Rhodes, A. P. Currant, J. Rodríguez-Vidal, F. Giles-Pacheco, J. A. Riquelme-Cantal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sep 2008, 105 (38) 14319-14324; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0805474105

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Neanderthal exploitation of marine mammals in Gibraltar
C. B. Stringer, J. C. Finlayson, R. N. E. Barton, Y. Fernández-Jalvo, I. Cáceres, R. C. Sabin, E. J. Rhodes, A. P. Currant, J. Rodríguez-Vidal, F. Giles-Pacheco, J. A. Riquelme-Cantal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sep 2008, 105 (38) 14319-14324; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0805474105
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: 105 (38)
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Sites and Their Formation
    • Marine Mammals from Vanguard Cave
    • Marine Mammals from Gorham's Cave
    • Ecological Considerations
    • Discussion and Summary
    • Acknowledgments
    • Footnotes
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