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EUROPE’S FIRST SETTLEMENT
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1.800.000 years ago, HUMANITY left Africa for the first time. Until a short time ago, it was thought that that situation had taken place around 800.000, nearly one million years later, and also that since then the occupation of Europe and Asia had been continuous, without any holdup, until a new shock wave had arrived in the period comprised between 90.000 and 40.000 years, on this occasion associated to Homo sapiens sapiens, who replaced the pre-existent populations.
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The history of the migrations from Africa is more complex of which it
was believed: Between 500.000 and 1.000.000 years: Homo Heidelgergensis |
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It seems to be proved, mainly from the data provided by archeology, that Europe’s occupation process did not consolidate until some 500.000 years ago. So, it is very probable that between the population of the most ancient levels in Atapuerca (Burgos), the one in the lower strata from the Gran Dolina (from around 800.000 years ago) and the one from the Sima de los Huesos (from a bit more of 300.000) a lack of continuity might have taken place. But the truth is since the arrival to Europe of the Homo heidelbergensis 500.000 years ago, the population suffered an evolution process of a strong regional component, which ended up with the appearence of the Neandertal man. The success of that occupation was joined to the growing increase of human skull capacity, the development of new hunting techniques, the fire domestication and other technological improvements and also of the way of life improvements, which are very like of an increasing humanization.
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Between 90,000 and 40,000 years. |
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Our prehistory is the result of this situation and its problems are the same as in other peninsular or southern Europe areas. From the most ancient periods, which correspond to the Homo antecessor, very little information is kept. This situation changes for the periods in which the Homo heidelgergensis settles in Europe and begins its transformation process towards the Neandertal Man. Finally, the expansion phase of the cromagnon man constitutes a real Gold Age of the Paleolithic of Valencia, and La Safor has internationally recognised sites due to its contribution to the knowledge of that period in Europe. |
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The older human rest of the Valencian territory have been documented
in the Cova de Bolomor
[Tavernes de la Valldigna] |
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The older human rest of the peninsula have been documented in “Sierra de Atapuerca”
[Burgos] |
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