| 200.000 YEARS AGO |
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 HOW WERE THEY? WHERE DID THEY LIVE? HOW DID THEY LIVE? |
NEANDERTALS AND THEIR CULTURE: MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC IN LA SAFOR Neandertals descending from the Homo heidelbergensis occupied Europe and Near East until the arrival of the Cromagnon man, around 38.000 years ago. However, in some areas, and particularly in the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula the neandertals survived some more milleniums, until 30.000 years ago. Throughout this period the neandertals cultural material went through some changes, specially during the last milleniums. So, it is possible distinguishing between: Ancient Middle Paleolithic, that in La Safor would be represented by medium and upper levels in Cova de Bolomor (Tavernes de Valldigna). Classic Middle Paleolithic, whose remains would be documented in Cova del Puntal del Gat (Benirredrà) in Cova Foradada (Oliva), and in Penya Roja (Ròtova). |
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 HOW WERE THEY?: HOMO NEANDERTHALENSISAround 200.000 years ago, European populations of Homo heidelbergensis had changed into the humankind we know by the name of Neandertal Man. Its presence in the Iberian Peninsula was very important and its anatomical remains have been found in a lot of sites of the Mediterranean side. In spite of the fact that the mitochondrial DNA analysis has revealed the existence of genetic differences between neandertals and humans nowadays, the data provided by archeology during last years have given a new way of understanding neandertals, considering their humanity in terms of behaviour, language and planification capacity. This is the reason why when it comes to assess their differences with regard to the upper Paleolithic populations, it is better to turn to explanations which bear in mind the different historical paths of the studied populations. |
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| WHERE DID THEY LIVE? Mobility was still high and the sites continued being settled in the closeness of big axes of natural comunication. Their settlements must had been short, of a duration of hardly some weeks. What happened: Fire domestication (around 150.000 years ago). What was improved: The efficacy of weapons (spears, that until then were made of wood, are given a lytic tip which improves not only its repairing, but also its capacity of penetration and of provoking a haemorrhage in the prey). |
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| HOW DID THEY LIVE? What can be observed: A greater structuration of the inhabited space with the presence of huts and folding shields. Hunting continued being widespread and mobility went on being high, because in sites there are a lot of evidences of the presence of meat-eating occupation, such as the wolf or the hyena, which are incompatible with human presence. The hunting activity was improved by the use of a more elaborated armament. The attention was focused in species of medium and big size, such as: elephants, hippos and rhinoceros, or the aurochs, the horse and deeds. Small preys were still consumed. In our latitude vegetable food must have constituted a clear complement to oscillations derived from a hunting that still had a high degree of uncertainty. At the end of the period, burials start to be documented and in some occasions objects not directly related to hunting or maintenance activities have been found, which shows the begining of the attention to symbolism. Fire started to be used in a systematic way, and that had repercussions on food and in the greater attention to the inhabited space, which was now structured around combustion areas. |
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