Atapuerca
Encyclopedia
The Atapuerca Mountains (Sierra
de Atapuerca in Spanish
) is an ancient karstic
region of Spain
, in the province of Burgos
and near Atapuerca
and Ibeas de Juarros
. It contains several caves, where fossils and stone tools of the earliest known Hominin
s in West Europe have been found. The earliest hominids may have dated to 1.2 million years ago, representing the first in Europe. "The Archeological Site of Atapuerca" has been designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
The Bureba Pass joins the interior of the Iberian peninsula to France
. It connects the Ebro
river valley leading to the Mediterranean Sea
, and the Duero valley leading to the river's outlet at the Atlantic Ocean. As such, the pass was part of the Roman
causeway
and the pilgrimage Way of Saint James. It is now traversed by the N-I
and AP-1
highways.
The sites in this area were found during the construction of railway cuts through Gran Dolina, Galería and Elefante, and in the cave of Sima de los Huesos. The scientific excavation, started by Francisco Jordá Cerdá in 1964, has found human remains from a wide range of ages: early humans to the Bronze Age
and modern man. Sites in the area have also yielded stone artifacts. It was excavated by a team led by Emiliano Aguirre
from 1978 until 1990, and then jointly by Eudald Carbonell
, José María Bermúdez de Castro and Juan Luis Arsuaga
.
The regional government of Castile and León
has designated the site an Espacio cultural.
The Zona Arqueológica sierra de Atapuerca is protected under Spanish law as a Bien de Interés Cultural
.
Because of its importance, in 2000, the "Archaeological Site of Atapuerca" was added to the UNESCO
list of World Heritage Site
s.
(2000-) recovered ceramic remains from the late Neolithic
, Age of Bronze
and Lower Roman Empire
.
group, there are intact rock paintings
in this cave.
A fragment of jaw was recovered in the 1970s, and a fragment of skull in 1995, both belonging to Homo heidelbergensis
, dating to 600,000 to 400,000 years ago. There are many remains of animals, including a lion
, as well as plants and tools dating from about 400,000 years ago.
The most famous site in Atapuerca is the Sima de los Huesos (the pit of bones). This site is located at the bottom of a 13-metre (50-foot) deep chimney
reached by scrambling through the cave system of the Cueva Mayor.
Beginning in 1997, the excavation team has located more than 5,500 human bones dated to an age of at least 350,000 years old, corresponding to the Middle Pleistocene
and representing around 28 skeletons of the species Homo heidelbergensis
, together with remains of Ursus deningeri
and a biface
called Excalibur. It is hypothesized that this Acheulean
axe made of red quartzite
was some kind of ritual offering for a funeral. Ninety percent of the known Homo heidelbergensis remains have been obtained from this site. The fossil pit bones include:
The excavators suggest that the concentration of bones in the pit may represent the practice of burial
by the inhabitants of the cave. A competing theory cites the lack of small bones in the assemblage and suggests that the remains were washed into the pit by natural agencies.
s more than one million years ago", which may have been the earliest West European hominid. First they discovered a tooth in June 2007 and then, in 2008, a fragment of jawbone, and a proximal phalange
.
and Age of Bronze
.
(1054) between the troops of Ferdinand I of Castile and his brother García V of Navarre
.
Sierra mountains
Sierra is a Spanish word meaning "saw". The corresponding word in Portuguese and Latin is serra. This name is used for various mountain ranges in Spanish-speaking and other countries ....
de Atapuerca in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) is an ancient karstic
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
region of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the province of Burgos
Burgos (province)
The province of Burgos is a province of northern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Palencia, Cantabria, Vizcaya, Álava, La Rioja, Soria, Segovia, and Valladolid. Its capital is the city of Burgos...
and near Atapuerca
Atapuerca (town)
Atapuerca is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the municipality has a population of 195 inhabitants. It encompasses the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca. The small town plays host to an annual cross country running event—the...
and Ibeas de Juarros
Ibeas de Juarros
Ibeas de Juarros is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,192 inhabitants. It is near the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
. It contains several caves, where fossils and stone tools of the earliest known Hominin
Hominina
The more anthropomorphic primates of the Hominini tribe are placed in the Hominina subtribe. Referred to as hominans, they are characterized by the evolution of an increasingly erect bipedal locomotion. The only extant species is Homo sapiens...
s in West Europe have been found. The earliest hominids may have dated to 1.2 million years ago, representing the first in Europe. "The Archeological Site of Atapuerca" has been designated a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Geography of the Atapuerca Mountains
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It connects the Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
river valley leading to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, and the Duero valley leading to the river's outlet at the Atlantic Ocean. As such, the pass was part of the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
and the pilgrimage Way of Saint James. It is now traversed by the N-I
N-I
The N-I was the former main road from Madrid to France in Spain.The majority has now been replaced by the Autovía A-1 and Autopista AP-1. The road starts at Irun then goes via Donostia , Tolosa, Beasain, Altsasu to Vitoria. It then runs parallel to the AP-1 to Miranda de Ebro and Burgos where it...
and AP-1
Autopista AP-1
The Autopista AP-1 is a Spanish autopista route which starts near Burgos and ends near Armiñón. This toll road has a total length of ....
highways.
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and modern man. Sites in the area have also yielded stone artifacts. It was excavated by a team led by Emiliano Aguirre
Emiliano Aguirre
Emiliano Aguirre Enríquez , is a Spanish paleontologist.-Biography:He studied Humanities and Philosophy at the Facultad Eclesiástica de Alcalá , Licensed in Natural Sciences by the University of Madrid and also in Theology by the University of Granada . He was a former Jesuit...
from 1978 until 1990, and then jointly by Eudald Carbonell
Eudald Carbonell
Eudald Carbonell i Roura is a Spanish archaeologist, anthropologist and paleonthologist.Educated in Girona, Barcelona and Paris, he holds a PhD in Geology of the Quaternary from Pierre and Marie Curie University and History from University of Barcelona .He is currently professor at the...
, José María Bermúdez de Castro and Juan Luis Arsuaga
Juan Luis Arsuaga
Juan Luis Arsuaga Ferreras obtained a master degree and a doctorate in Biological Sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where he is professor in the Paleontology Department of the ....
.
The regional government of Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
has designated the site an Espacio cultural.
The Zona Arqueológica sierra de Atapuerca is protected under Spanish law as a Bien de Interés Cultural
Bien de Interés Cultural
A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the Spanish heritage register. This category dates from 1985 when it replaced the former heritage category of Monumento nacional in order to extend protection to a wider range of cultural property...
.
Because of its importance, in 2000, the "Archaeological Site of Atapuerca" was added to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
list of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
Portalón (1910-)
In the 20th century, several archaeologists including Jesús Carballo (1910–1911), Geoffrey Clark (1971), José María Apellániz (1973–1983) and the team led by Juan Luis ArsuagaJuan Luis Arsuaga
Juan Luis Arsuaga Ferreras obtained a master degree and a doctorate in Biological Sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where he is professor in the Paleontology Department of the ....
(2000-) recovered ceramic remains from the late Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, Age of Bronze
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Lower Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
Galería de la Eduarda y el Kolora (1972)
Discovered in 1972 by a local speleologySpeleology
Speleology is the scientific study of caves and other karst features, their make-up, structure, physical properties, history, life forms, and the processes by which they form and change over time...
group, there are intact rock paintings
Cave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
in this cave.
Galería (1978-)
Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
, dating to 600,000 to 400,000 years ago. There are many remains of animals, including a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, as well as plants and tools dating from about 400,000 years ago.
Trinchera Mar Ferrer i Nuria Passarell (1981-)
The site of Gran Dolina is a huge cave with several levels (TD-11 to TD-1), whose excavation began in September 1981:- TD-11: MousterianMousterianMousterian is a name given by archaeologists to a style of predominantly flint tools associated primarily with Homo neanderthalensis and dating to the Middle Paleolithic, the middle part of the Old Stone Age.-Naming:...
tools have been found. - Level TD-10 could have been a camp of Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
, with tools and bisonBisonMembers of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
remains. - Level TD-8, reached by the first time in 1994, has provided magnificent carnivoreCarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
s. - In level TD-7, a leg of a bovidBovidA bovid is any of almost 140 species of cloven-hoofed ruminant mammal at least the males of which bear characteristic unbranching horns covered in a permanent sheath of keratin....
(like a mouflonMouflonThe mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
) in anatomical position was recovered in 1994. - TD-6 (Aurora stratum): In 1994 and 1995, archaeologists found over 80 bone fragments from five or six hominids dating to between 850,000 to 780,000 years ago. About 25% of the human remains found here showed the first evidence of cannibalismCannibalismCannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. These finds are at least 250,000 years older than any other hominid yet discovered in western EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is still debated which species these fossils belong to, either Homo erectusHomo erectusHomo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
, Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
or a new species called Homo antecessorHomo antecessorHomo antecessor is an extinct human species dating from 1.2 million to 800,000 years ago, that was discovered by Eudald Carbonell, Juan Luis Arsuaga and J. M. Bermúdez de Castro. H. antecessor is one of the earliest known human varieties in Europe. Various archaeologists and anthropologists have...
. Some paleoanthropologists who have studied the findings at Gran Dolina argue that Homo antecessorHomo antecessorHomo antecessor is an extinct human species dating from 1.2 million to 800,000 years ago, that was discovered by Eudald Carbonell, Juan Luis Arsuaga and J. M. Bermúdez de Castro. H. antecessor is one of the earliest known human varieties in Europe. Various archaeologists and anthropologists have...
may have given rise to Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
, who eventually gave rise to Neandertals. The erectus-like fossils were also found with retouched flake and core stone tools. - Level TD-5 could have been a den of carnivores.
- In TD-4 (dated to 780,000 BCE), during the 1991 excavation, four lithic pieces were found. Also, it retains a dozen remnants of Ursus dolinensis, a new species of bear.
- At the lower levels (TD-1 and TD-2), there are no fossils.
Sima de los Huesos (1983-)
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
reached by scrambling through the cave system of the Cueva Mayor.
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
and representing around 28 skeletons of the species Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
, together with remains of Ursus deningeri
Ursus deningeri
Ursus deningeri is an extinct species of mammal of the family Ursidae , endemic to Europe during the Pleistocene, living from ~1.8 Mya—100,000 years ago, existing for approximately ....
and a biface
Biface
In archaeology, a biface is a two-sided stone tool and is used as a multi purposes knife, manufactured through a process of lithic reduction, that displays flake scars on both sides. A profile view of the final product tends to exhibit a lenticular shape...
called Excalibur. It is hypothesized that this Acheulean
Acheulean
Acheulean is the name given to an archaeological industry of stone tool manufacture associated with early humans during the Lower Palaeolithic era across Africa and much of West Asia, South Asia and Europe. Acheulean tools are typically found with Homo erectus remains...
axe made of red quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
was some kind of ritual offering for a funeral. Ninety percent of the known Homo heidelbergensis remains have been obtained from this site. The fossil pit bones include:
- A complete cranium (Skull 5), nicknamed MiguelónMiguelónMiguelón is the popular nickname for the most complete skull of an Homo heidelbergensis ever found. More than 5,500 human fossils of this species, which are considered to be the direct ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis, have been found in the Sima de los Huesos site in the Sierra de Atapuerca in...
, and fragments of other craniums, as Skull 4, nicknamed Agamenón and skull 6, nicknamed Rui (from El CidEl CidRodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
, a local hero). - A complete pelvisPelvisIn human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...
(Pelvis 1), nicknamed Elvis, in remembrance of Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. - Mandibles, teeth, a lot of postcranial bones (femurFemurThe femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
s, hand and foot bones, vertebraeVertebral columnIn human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
, ribs, etc.) - A child with craniosynostosisCraniosynostosisCraniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant skull prematurely fuses by ossification, thereby changing the growth pattern of the skull...
was found dated to 530,000 BP and provides evidence for food sharing in early humans.
The excavators suggest that the concentration of bones in the pit may represent the practice of burial
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
by the inhabitants of the cave. A competing theory cites the lack of small bones in the assemblage and suggests that the remains were washed into the pit by natural agencies.
Sima del Elefante (1996-)
According to José María Bermúdez de Castro, co-director of research at an archeological site in Atapuerca, findings have uncovered "anatomical evidence of the hominids that fabricated toolTool
A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...
s more than one million years ago", which may have been the earliest West European hominid. First they discovered a tooth in June 2007 and then, in 2008, a fragment of jawbone, and a proximal phalange
Proximal phalanges
Proximal phalanges are bones found in the limbs of most vertebrates. In humans, they are the bones at the base of a toe or finger, the prominent, knobby ends of which are often called the knuckles....
.
Cueva del Mirador (1999-)
This site provides information on farmers and ranchers from the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and Age of Bronze
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
.
Orchids Valley (2000-2001) and Hundidero (2004–2005)
Stone tools from the Upper Paleolithic have been obtained from these areas.History
Atapuerca is the location of the battle of AtapuercaBattle of Atapuerca
The Battle of Atapuerca was fought in 1 September 1054 at the site of Piedrahita in the valley of Atapuerca between brothers King García Sánchez III, El de Nájera, of Navarre and King Ferdinand I, the Great, of Castile and León....
(1054) between the troops of Ferdinand I of Castile and his brother García V of Navarre
García V of Navarre
García Sánchez III, sometimes García III, IV, V, or VI , was king of Navarre from 1035 to 1054...
.
See also
- List of fossil sites (with link directory)
- OrceOrceOrce is a municipality located in the province of Granada, in southeastern Spain. According to the 2009 census , the city has a population of 1333 inhabitants.- Significance in Paleoanthropology :...
, Sima de las PalomasTorre-PachecoTorre-Pacheco is a municipality in the autonomous region of Murcia in southeastern Spain. It has a population of 27,400 and an area of 189.4 km². The only elevation of the municipality is the Cabezo Gordo, the location of the Sima de las Palomas, a protected archeological site...
, Sidrón CaveSidrón CaveThe Sidrón Cave is an ancient cave in Piloña municipality, Asturias, northwestern Spain, where Paleolithic rock art and Neanderthal remains have been found. It is approximately 600 meters in length....
, Forbes' Quarry, Devil's Tower (Gibraltar), and other important archeological sites in the Iberian PeninsulaIberian PeninsulaThe Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
where prehistoric human remains have been found.