Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012. 455
Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma
Se ie I, Nue a época
P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012
pp. 455-467
ISSN: 1131-7698
eISSN: 1111-1354
doi: 10.5944/e i.5.5376
(1) Núcleo de A queologia e Paleoecologia. FCHS. Uni e sidade do Alga e. Campus Gambelas. P-8005 Fa o (Po ugal). [email p o ec ed]
(2) Facul ad de Geog a ía e His o ia. Uni e sidad de Se illa. Se illa (España).
(3) Ins i ución Milà i Fon anals. CSIC. Ba celona (España).
(4) School o Social Science. The Uni e si y o Queensland. B isbane S Lucia, QLD 4072 (Aus alia)
VALE BOI (ALGARVE, PORTUGAL) AND THE
SOLUTREAN IN SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA
Vale Boi (Alga e, Po ugal) y el Solu ense en el su oes e
de la Península Ibé ica
João Cascalhei a
1, Nuno Bicho
1, João Ma ei os
1, Telmo Pe ei a
1, Ma ina É o a
1,
Miguel Co és
2, Juan Gibaja
3, Tiina Manne
4, F ede ico Regala
1, Célia Gonçal es
1
y Pa ícia Mon ei o
1
Recibido el 11 de ma zo de 2013. Acep ado el 17 de junio de 2013
Abs ac . Loca ed a he c oss oads o wo a he di e en ecological and cul u al wo lds (Medi e anean
Spain and Po uguese A lan ic), he si e o Vale Boi (Alga e, Po ugal) is a c ucial elemen in unde s an-
ding he economic and social ai s o he communi ies ha inhabi ed Sou hwes e n Ibe ia du ing he
Las Glacial Maximum (LGM). Combining an open-ai wi h a ockshel e componen , Vale Boi p esen s a
leng hy Solu ean eco d s a ing wi h a P o o-Solu ean phase ollowed by a se o occupa ions in he
25 o 20.3 ka cal BP ime-span. The e y ich and well p ese ed assemblages p o ed ha he si e was
ea ed, h oughou , as a seasonal esiden ial camp and al hough a s iking combina ion o exogenous
cul u al ai s has been iden i ied, egional adap i e idiosync asies a e qui e e iden . This pape ocuses
on he esul s o he li hics, auna, beads and po able a analysis om Vale Boi, and hei impac on he
comp ehension o he LGM ecodynamics in Sou hwes e n Ibe ia.
Keywo ds: Vale Boi, Solu ean, Po ugal, Las Glacial Maximum.
Resumen. Localizado en el ma co de dos con ex os di e en es desde el pun o de is a ecológico y cul u al
(el Medi e áneo español y el A lán ico po ugués), el yacimien o de Vale Boi (Alga e, Po ugal) es un luga
undamen al pa a comp ende la o ganización económica y social de las comunidades que habi a on el
sudoes e de la Península Ibé ica du an e el Úl imo Máximo Glacial (LGM). Si uado en una zona en la que se
combinan ocupaciones al ai e lib e y en ab igo, Vale Boi p esen a un amplio egis o solu ense que comienza
con el P o o-Solu ense y a la que le siguen un amplio núme o de ocupaciones en e el 25 y el 20,3 ka BP. El
impo an e y bien p ese ado conjun o demues a que es e asen amien o uncionó como un campamen o
esidencia es acional. Aunque han sido iden i icados di e sos ca ac e es cul u ales de o igen exógeno, son
ambién e iden es los elemen os adap a i os idiosinc á icos. El p esen e a ículo se cen a en los esul ados
de los análisis del u illaje lí ico, la auna, las cuen as o namen als y los obje os de a e mueble de Vale Boi y
su impac o en la comp ensión ecodinámica del LGM en el sudoes e de la Península Ibé ica.
Palab as cla e: Vale Boi, Solu ense, Po ugal, Úl imo Máximo Glacial.
João Cascalhei a, Nuno Bicho, João Ma ei os, Telmo Pe ei a, Ma ina É o a, Miguel Co és, Juan Gibaja, Tiina Manne, F ede ico Regala, Célia Gonçal es y Pa ícia Mon ei o
456 Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012.
1. INTRODUCTION
Geog aphically limi ed o he wes e nmos egions
o Eu ope and wi h a ela i ely sho ch onological ange
when compa ed o o he pan-eu opean echnocomplexes,
he Solu ean has been adi ionally ega ded as one o he
i s examples o human e ugia du ing he La e Pleis ocene
(Jochim 1987; S aus 1991; S aus and Cla k 1986). Clus e s
o si es in pa icula egions o SW Eu ope seem o e eal
ha , simila ly o wha has been ecen ly a gued o animal
and ege al species (Ca ión e al. 2008; Gomez and Lun
2007), Solu ean se lemen pa e ns o m a scena io o iso-
la ed e ugia, ha may ha e con ac ed and expanded hei
cul u al in luence as clima e luc ua ed (Banks e al. 2009;
Cascalhei a and Bicho in p ess; Zilhão 2013).
Solu ean se lemen in Ibe ia is, indeed, ma ked by e y
clea concen a ions o si es, mos o hem loca ed wi hin ca.
50 km o he p esen coas line, in a eas which we e, p esum-
ably, epea edly p e e ed o se lemen due o he exis ence
o di e se and eliable esou ces (S aus, e al. 2000). Al hough
di e ences ha e been long- ecognized be ween hese egions,
pa icula ly in he la e phases o he echnocomplex in Ibe ia,
h ough he p e e en ial dis ibu ion o speci ic ypes o li hic
weapon y (Jo dá Ce dá 1955; Smi h 1966; S aus 1977, 1990;
Ti agom 2006; Zilhão 1997), di e gences ha e a ely been
e alua ed based on he de ailed adap i e pa e ns o human
popula ions o he cha ac e is ics o each egion.
Among hese clus e s he e a e equen ly geog aphical
hia us whe e he comple e absence o he p esence o e y
ew si es do es i y human passage bu no necessa ily in en-
si e occupa ion (Au a e al. 2009b). Du ing he las wo dec-
ades hose blank a eas ha e p og essi ely being punc ua ed
wi h new si es, whose e idence ha e con ibu ed o a be e
unde s anding o Solu ean se lemen and cul u al dynam-
ics, clea ly emphasizing he impo ance o pe iphe al egions.
The sou hwes e nmos egion o Ibe ia (Alga e,
sou he n Po ugal) was, un il e y ecen ly, one o hese
geog aphical gaps, o which no e idence o Solu ean oc-
cupa ion we e known. Ac ually, by he mid 1990s a ailable
da a on he Uppe Paleoli hic occupa ion o Alga e we e
e y sca ce. Mos o he in o ma ion came om he su ey
p ojec s ca ied ou in he emo e 1940s (B euil e al. 1943;
Viana 1947), he elabo a ion o b oad egional a chaeo-
logical maps (Ma ques, 1992, 1995; Gomes and Sil a 1987;
Gomes e al. 1995), o om mi iga ion p ojec s in he con-
ex o oad and public in as uc u e cons uc ions (Quelhas
▲  Figu e 1. Loca ion o Vale Boi in sou hwes e n Ibe ia.
VALE BOI (ALGARVE, PORTUGAL) AND THE SOLUTREAN IN SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA
Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012. 457
and Zambujo 1998). As a consequence, he egion emained
o se e al yea s an a chaeological oid be ween he well-
known Uppe Paleoli hic si es o Sou he n Spain and hose
o Cen al Po ugal.
Only ecen ly (1996-2001) a la ge, ex ended, su ey o
he Alga e o Paleoli hic and Mesoli hic si es was ca ied
ou as a p ojec unded by he Po uguese Na ional Science
Founda ion (FCT) (Bicho 2003). This esul ed in he iden i ica-
ion o some six y si es wi h ch onologies spanning om he
Mous e ian o he Calcoli hic (Bicho 2004). Among hose, six
we e associa ed o he Uppe Paleoli hic bu only one —Vale
Boi— p esen ed a long s a ig aphic sequence, wi h la ge
amoun s o well p ese ed ma e ials, including housands o
s one ools, ma ine shells, e es ial auna, po able a , body
ado nmen s and habi a ea u es (Bicho e al. 2007, 2012a).
Loca ed close o he sou hwes e nmos poin o Ibe ia
(37° 05’ 4.02” N; 08° 48’ 5.41” W GDE; Fig. 1) Vale Boi has
been since 2002, a ge o se e al p ojec s ha ha e e ealed
he mul i-componen na u e o he si e, as well as a ai ly
comple e Uppe Paleoli hic sequence, wi h impo an le els
o Magdalenian, Solu ean, P o o-Solu ean and G a e ian.
Rega ding he Solu ean, Vale Boi s ill is, wi h excep-
ion o he si e o Vala, whose ch onological a ibu ion o a
Solu eog a e ian phase is poo ly based in he p esence o
wo small backed shoulde ed poin s and none absolu e da es
(Zambujo and Pi es 1998), he only known si e wi h secu ely
da ed and ai ly well p ese ed Las Glacial Maximum (LGM)
deposi s in Alga e. I s loca ion a he c oss oads o wo
a he di e en ecological and cul u al wo lds (Medi e a-
nean Spain and Po uguese A lan ic) makes i a c ucial ele-
men in unde s anding he economic and social ai s o he
communi ies ha inhabi ed Sou hwes e n Ibe ia om ca.
25 o 20.3 ka cal BP.
In his pape , we p esen and discuss he a ailable
ch onome ic, echnological, subsis ence and symbolic da a
on he Solu ean occupa ion o Vale Boi and i s impac on
he adi ional pe spec i es o LGM hun e -ga he e ecody-
namics in Sou he n and Wes e n Ibe ia.
2. VALE BOI: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITE,
EXCAVATION AND STRATIGRAPHIC
SEQUENCE
Vale Boi is loca ed in he eas e n side o a wide alley,
2.5 km inland om he p esen -day coas line, in limes one
▲  Figu e 2. Schema ic s a ig aphy o he di e en a eas o Vale Boi.
João Cascalhei a, Nuno Bicho, João Ma ei os, Telmo Pe ei a, Ma ina É o a, Miguel Co és, Juan Gibaja, Tiina Manne, F ede ico Regala, Célia Gonçal es y Pa ícia Mon ei o
458 Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012.
coun y (Bicho e al. 2007). The si e occupies a wide po -
ion o a ela i ely s eep slope, ma ked by he p esence o a
10-15 m high limes one cli on he op. The slope p esen s
a sequence o s agge ed pla o ms o med by he geological
phenomena ha a ec ed he a ea o e ime.
The limi s o human occupa ion a Vale Boi appea well
ma ked in he eas e n and wes e n ex emes o he slope: in
he i s case by he limes one cli a he op, in he second,
by he allu ial plain o he Vale Boi s eam. The no he n
and sou he n bounda ies a e much less pe cep ible in he
cu en landscape, bu he se ies o es pi s ca ied ou o
unde s and he spa ial dispe sion o he occupa ions showed
a sca e ing o a i ac s on an a ea ha exceeds 10 000 m2.
The ini ial es pi s s a ed in 2000 wi h he exca a-
ion o uni s G25 and Z27 loca ed on he mid-slope sec ion,
whe e la ge concen a ions o su ace ma e ials we e iden i-
ied, and whe e he opog aphy appea ed mo e a o able o
he p ese a ion o in si u a chaeological le els (Cascalhei a
e al. 2008). Those es pi s we e p og essi ely ex ended,
mos no ably he G25, whe e he cons an p esence o ma-
e ials h oughou a s a ig aphic sequence o 2.5 m jus i-
ied he exca a ion o an adjacen a ea o 8 m2.
In 2003, ano he se o es pi s (J20, S1 and S2) we e
opened, p ecisely in he wes and eas ends o he a chaeo-
logical si e. These pi s e ealed e y in e es ing esul s, and
once again, equi ed, du ing he ollowing yea s ( o he p e-
sen ), he exca a ion o con iguous a eas o 22 m2 in he
case o he J20, and o 21 m2 in he S2.
Since hen, a chaeological wo k a Vale Boi ha e mainly
ocused in h ee dis inc loci — he Rockshel e (nea he cli
ace), he Te ace (in he lowe sec ion abo e he allu ial
plain) and he Slope (in be ween)— all wi h unique cha -
ac e is ics ega ding s a ig aphy, ch onology and, mos
ce ainly, space unc ionali y (Cascalhei a e al. 2008). The
gene al s a ig aphic co ela ions o he exposed p o iles o
Vale Boi a e shown in Figu e 2.
The Slope locus co e s o e wo hi ds o he si e, p e-
sen ing, wi hin he a ious exca a ed sec o s, he e ogene-
ous pa e ns ega ding si e o ma ion p ocesses. Some a eas
a e, in ac , ema kably well p ese ed, while in o he s (e.g.
op laye s o Z27 sec o ) aces o washing, size so ing, and
loss o aunal ma e ial we e iden i ied (Manne e al. 2012).
S a ig aphically, he Slope is ma ked by a sequence o e y
ine sil s, con aining clas s o limes one whose size and e-
quency a y signi ican ly h oughou he laye s. The op o
he sequence comp ises wo highly mixed li os a ig aphic
uni s (Fig. 2) ha a e ollowed by 3 laye s encompassing oc-
cupa ions om he Magdalenian, Solu ean, P o o-Solu ean
and G a e ian. No ewo hy is he p esence o a geological
discon inui y be ween laye s 2a and 2b ha , simila o wha
happens in he Te ace a ea (see below), ma ks he onse o
he LGM and o he Solu ean occupa ion in Vale Boi. No hab-
i a ion ea u es we e iden i ied in any o he Slope sec o s,
and based on he ype and p ese a ion condi ions o a i ac s
and aunal emains, Bicho e al. (2010) a gued ha his would
ha e been an a ea used mos ly o ga bage dumping.
The Te ace p esen s he longes and mos comple e
a chaeological sequence a Vale Boi. While he op li o-
s a ig aphic uni is s ongly a ec ed by ag icul u al wo k,
Laye 2 con ained an ea ly Neoli hic occupa ion wi h well
p ese ed habi a ea u es, including a hu pa emen , pos -
holes and hea hs (Ca alho 2008). The sequence con inues
wi h a pa ially mixed laye (Laye 3) wi h he majo i y o
he Solu ean ma e ials deposi ed, mos ce ainly, by col-
lu ial ac ion, sepa a ed om he emaining sequence by a
hin laye o small limes one blocks. This discon inui y ops
a P o o-Solu ean occupa ion, as well as a se ies o well
p ese ed G a e ian ho izons, ch onologically b acke ed
be ween ca. 32 ka and 29 ka cal BP (Bicho e al., submi -
ed). Al hough he G a e ian sequence om he Te ace is
one o he iches a all le els, he mos s iking ea u e is
he p esence, in Laye 5, o a e y speci ic ype o weapon y
echnology - he double poin ed and double backed blade-
le s – whose speci ici y and ch onological exclusi i y lead
Ma ei os e al. (in p ess) o he iden i ica ion o a egional
ea ly G a e ian acies: he Vicen ine G a e ian. A single
i e s uc u e was iden i ied in Laye 4 indica ing ha , o-
ge he wi h he wide a ie y o li hics, auna, body ado n-
men s and po able a , he Te ace was, mos p obably, an
a ea wi h esiden ial unc ion (Bicho e al. 2010).
The same ype o space unc ionali y has also been
add essed o he hi d and inal locus: he Rockshel e .
S a ig aphically, 4 majo li os a ig aphic uni s wi h a chae-
ological emains we e iden i ied, con aining wo pa ially
e oded ho izons o Magdalenian (Laye Z) and G a e ian
(Laye D) age, and a ema kably well p ese ed se ies o So-
lu ean occupa ions (Laye s A, B and C) whose p elimina y
spa ial analysis e ealed a leas h ee sepa able a chaeo-
logical ho izons. A he bo om o he sequence, Laye E is
s e ile in a chaeological ma e ials and composed o e y ine
sedimen coming om bed ock disin eg a ion. This a ea co -
esponds o a collapsed ockshel e . The collapse mus ha e
aken place igh a e he LGM as i is a es ed by he la ge
collapsed- oo limes one boulde s ha o e lay he Solu-
ean sequence. Th oughou he s a ig aphy aunal emains
a e excep ionally well p ese ed. Solu ean laye s a e he
iches , p o iding a huge di e si y o li hic ma e ials, bone
indus y and po able a (see below). As o he G a e ian
occupa ion, he mos ele an ac is he p esence o a small
se o bladele p ojec iles, iden ical o he ones eco e ed in
Laye 5 o he Te ace locus. The adioca bon da es ob ained
om each o hese wo laye s clea ly a es ha hose p o-
jec iles in eg a e he ea lies da ed G a e ian occupa ions
in Ibe ia (Ma ei os e al. in p ess).
Ve y ecen ly, a new a ea o 8 m2 was opened some 10
me e s away om he o iginal Rockshel e exca a ion, whose
VALE BOI (ALGARVE, PORTUGAL) AND THE SOLUTREAN IN SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA
Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012. 459
sequence is, so a , simila in he op ca. 2 me e s. A conside -
able amoun o Solu ean ma e ials we e al eady eco e ed
om his new sec o , wi h pa icula emphasis o a se o bi-
acial s emmed and winged pa palló- ype poin s and a cou-
ple o small schis plaque es wi h e idences o eng a ing.
3. SOLUTREAN SEQUENCE AND CHRONOLOGY
P esen ly, he e a e a o al o 15 AMS adioca bon da es
o he P o o-Solu ean and Solu ean occupa ions a Vale
Boi (Table 1). Twel e o hese da es we e ob ained om uni-
den i ied cha coal samples and only h ee we e measu ed
om ei he shell o animal bones. Some o hese esul s a e,
howe e , p oblema ic. In he speci ic case o he samples
coming om Te ace’s Laye 3 (Wk-13685, Wk-24761, AA-
63305, AA-63310), a consis en age-pa e n is e ealed,
wi h all adioca bon esul s being close o 10.9 ka cal BP.
Al hough hese ages we e ex ac ed om non-iden i ied
cha coal emains, wo addi ional samples o iden i ied spe-
cies we e al eady sen o he adioca bon labo a o y, whose
esul s will hope ully shed some ligh on his appa en p ob-
lem. Ye , he classi ica ion o bo h cha coals as Olea sp. may
be, by i sel and wi h he igh cau ion, somehow ins uc i e
in unde s anding he p oblems wi h he p e ious samples.
Indeed, ecen wo k by Ca ión e al. (2010) ha e dem-
ons a ed ha , when p esen and di ec ly da ed in Uppe
Paleoli hic laye s om Ibe ia si es (e.g. Bu aca G ande,
Co a de les Cend es), Olea sp. samples exclusi ely yielded
Holocene ages. The explana ion o hei p esence in La e
Pleniglacial con ex s has, hus, been always a ibu ed o
he exis ence o pos -deposi ional p ocesses esponsible o
sample pe cola ion om Holocene deposi s. Since he Solu-
ean sequence o he Te ace a ea is in di ec con ac wi h
an ea ly Neoli hic occupa ion om whe e some emains o
Olea sp. we e eco e ed (Figuei al and Ca alho 2006) his
seemed, a a i s glance, a pa simonious hypo hesis. The
p oblem is ha , e en i we accep some kind o deposi pe -
u ba ion, he ca. 10.8 ka cal BP da es a e incompa ible wi h
he ages ob ained o he Neoli hic ho izon, all o ca. 7.0 ka
cal BP (Ca alho 2008). Mo eo e , he o al absence o o he
Neoli hic ma ke s (e.g. ce amics) wi hin he Solu ean le els
makes i e y di icul o belie e in he exis ence o se e e
mixing p ocesses be ween he wo li os a ig aphic uni s.
On he o he hand, in he ch onological con ex o he i s
Holocene human occupa ions in Wes e n Ibe ia, he AMS e-
sul s om Te ace’s Laye 3 a e in ull ag eemen wi h o he s
coming om Epipaleoli hic si es o Cen al Po ugal (Bicho,
1994). Hope ully, he s ill ongoing analysis o he li hic ma-
e ials would shed some ligh on he possibili y o an, so a
unde ec ed, Epipaleoli hic occupa ion a Vale Boi.
Wi h espec o he o he a eas o he si e, he easons
behind he p oblems in he ch onology o he da ed samples
associa ed wi h Solu ean ma e ials seem o be o ano he
na u e. While in he case o he Slope he wo p oblema ic
samples (AA-63307 and AA-63308) i pe ec ly well in he
ch onology o he Magdalenian occupa ion o Vale Boi, e i-
dencing, as discussed abo e, he p oblems o he op laye s o
he Slope sec ion; in he case o he Rockshel e (Wk-17840),
some kind o cha coal con amina ion is he mos plausible
eason behind he appa en ch onological in e sion.
O e all, he calib a ion o he accep ed da es clea ly
shows ha he Solu ean occupa ion a Vale Boi is b ack-
e ed be ween ca. 25.0 ka cal BP and 20.3 ka cal BP (1 sigma
ange). Iden i ica ion o speci ic occupa ional phases wi hin
his ime span is possible by he exis ence o ou di e en
clus e s o da es (Fig. 3), cen e ed a ound 24.5 ka cal BP;
23.3 ka cal BP; 22 ka cal BP; and 21 ka cal BP. A i h and
A ea Laye Lab Age Ma e ial Age cal BP (2 sigma) No es*
Rockshel e B Wk-31088 20340±160 Cha coal 24786-23845 R
Rockshel e B Wk-17840 18859±90 Shell 22338-21566 A
Rockshel e C Wk-24765 19533±92 Cha coal 23720-22684 A
Rockshel e C Wk-26800 20620±160 Cha coal 25045-24196 A
Rockshel e C Wk-26802 20570±158 Cha coal 25020-24119 A
Slope 2 AA-63307 11840±280 Cha coal 14821-13131 R
Slope 2 AA-63308 15710±320 Cha coal 19584-18155 R
Slope 2 Wk-12131 17634±110 Bone 21405-20518 A
Slope 2 Wk-12130 18410±165 Bone 22357-21505 A
Slope 3 AA-63306 21420±170 Cha coal 26106-25063 A
Slope 3 Wk-16415 21830±195 Shell 26164-25038 A
Te ace 3 Wk-13685 8749±58 Cha coal 10116-9548 R
Te ace 3 Wk-24761 8886±30 Cha coal 10171-9906 R
Te ace 3 AA-63305 8825±57 Cha coal 10160-9684 R
Te ace 3 AA-63310 8696±54 Cha coal 9888-9541 R
* R – ejec ed; A - accep ed
▲  Table 1. AMS adioca bon da es o he P o o-Solu ean and Solu ean o Vale Boi.

João Cascalhei a, Nuno Bicho, João Ma ei os, Telmo Pe ei a, Ma ina É o a, Miguel Co és, Juan Gibaja, Tiina Manne, F ede ico Regala, Célia Gonçal es y Pa ícia Mon ei o
460 Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012.
oldes clus e is also ep esen ed in Figu e 3, clea ly iden-
i ying he P o o-Solu ean occupa ion o he Slope sec o ,
da ed o ca. 25.5 ka cal BP, bu which will no be he ein e-
e ed since i was al eady add essed elsewhe e (Cascalhei a
and Bicho in p ess).
The Rockshel e p esen s he mos comple e Solu ean
sequence, co e ing all da ed momen s, excep o he mos
ecen esul o ca. 21 ka cal BP. Ne e heless, gi en he
ch onological co espondence be ween Laye B o he Rock-
shel e and he bo om o Laye 2 o he Slope sec o , i is
highly p obable ha he mos ecen da e coming om he
op o Slope’s laye 2 may also co ela e wi h he indus-
ies eco e ed om laye A o he Rockshel e ( o which
no ch onome ic e idence is a ailable), ma king he inal
solu ean occupa ion o he Rockshel e and a Vale Boi.
When compa ed wi h he cu en ly accep ed ch onolog-
ical bounda ies o he a ious Solu ean phases in sou he n
and wes e n Ibe ia, he esul s o Vale Boi seem o be sligh ly
displaced. The main eason is no he ages pe se, bu he
ma e ials associa ed wi h hem. T adi ionally, he Solu ean
in hese egions has been di ided in o se e al phases based
on he p esence o absence o e y speci ic weapon y ypes.
S emmed and winged poin s, o example, a e hough o be
an Uppe Solu ean ma ke , and a e ecognized in he Po -
uguese and Spanish eco ds om ca. 23 ka cal BP onwa ds
(Ti agom 2009; Zilhão 1994, 2013). A Vale Boi, howe e ,
his pa icula ype o poin appea s in he Rockshel e om
as ea ly as 24.5 ka cal BP and con inues un il he end o
he Solu ean occupa ion. Thei p esence h oughou he
sequence is no uni o m and a ia ions in size ha e been
ecognized be ween he di e en laye s (Cascalhei a 2010;
Gibaja and Bicho in p ess). While o he bo om laye (C),
Pa palló poin s p esen a mean wid h and hickness o 25.93
mm and 5.33 mm espec i ely, o he op o he sequence
(laye A) a conside able educ ion in hose dimensions
( o 15.85 and 3.83 mm) is a he e iden . Mo e in e es ing is
he ac ha laye B exhibi a e age alues ha i be ween
he op and bo om momen s. Being clea ly a ch onological
shi , i is easonable o p opose ha , o e ime, a successi e
e inemen o his ype o poin was accomplished a Vale
Boi. A end ha accompanies a ce ain educ ion in size o
he li hic assemblages as well as he p og essi e inc ease in
he impo ance o medi e anean shoulde ed poin s (Cascal-
hei a 2010; Bicho e al. 2012).
▲  Figu e 3. Plo o Solu ean and P o o-Solu ean accep ed adioca bon da es om Vale Boi wi h he h ee momen s e e ed in he ex .
Calib a ion cu es a e In Cal09 and Ma ine09 (Reime e al. 2009).
VALE BOI (ALGARVE, PORTUGAL) AND THE SOLUTREAN IN SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA
Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012. 461
In sum, combining bo h ch onological da a wi h he
gene al e ical dis ibu ion o he Solu ean ools g oup
(see Table 3), a leas h ee key-momen s in he Solu ean
sequence o Vale Boi seem o s and ou (Fig. 3):
1. Be ween ca. 24.5 and 23.3 ka cal BP: i s Solu-
ean occupa ions o he si e wi h hun ing ool-ki s
domina ed by wide and hick s emmed and winged
poin s and a e shoulde ed p ojec iles;
2. A ca. 22 ka cal BP: wide a ie y o li hic poin s a e
p esen in balanced p opo ions, including s emmed
and winged p ojec iles, lau el lea s and shoulde ed
poin s wi h ab up and plan e ouch;
3. A ca. 21 ka cal BP: inal Solu ean occupa ion a he
si e wi h a clea p edominance o small backed shoul-
de ed poin s and when pa palló- ype poin s, hough
educed in numbe , a e much na owe and hinne .
4. LITHIC INDUSTRIES
As became clea om he desc ip ion o he adioca -
bon esul s, he Rockshel e p esen s he mos comple e
Solu ean sequence o he en i e si e. Luckily, his is also
he locus om whe e a comple e analysis o he li hic as-
semblages is a ailable. Da a p esen ed below, al hough only
e e ing o he Rockshel e ma e ials, a e, he e o e, likely
ep esen a i e o he gene al echno- ypological pa e ns o
he Solu ean occupa ion a Vale Boi. Also, p e ious wo ks
on his opic (Cascalhei a 2008, 2010) ha e e ealed ha a
he echnological le el, wi h e y ew excep ions, no majo
di e ences can be iden i ied h oughou he s a ig aphy,
and hus educ ion sequences and gene al echnological
pa e ns can and will be p esen ed as a whole.
Mo e han 22.000 li hic a i ac s we e eco e ed om
he Solu ean laye s o he Rockshel e (Table 2). The mos
common aw ma e ial is che (ca. 65%), ollowed by qua z
(ca. 23%), g eywacke (ca. 9%), and only 3% o he assem-
blage is composed o o he ocks, like qua zi e, schis o
chalcedony. All hese ma e ials a e a ailable egionally, he
main h ee om a adius o no mo e han 15 km om he
a chaeological si e.
In he case o qua z and g eywacke, he mos p ob-
able sou ce was he nea by i e bed. Bo h hese ma e ials
we e knapped h ough e y expedi ious o hogonal educ-
ion sequences, o p oduce mos ly lakes and a e bladele s,
no o en ans o med in o o mal ools such as no ches,
scaled pieces and end-sc ape s. Simul aneously, g eywacke
and qua z we e also used in e y speci ic asks: he i s ,
being a a ie y o a ha d sands one ha appea s a Vale
Boi mos ly in he o m o la ge slabs, was equen ly used
as an ils wi h he likely ask o ac u ing animal bones as
well as o he p epa a ion o pigmen s (Bicho e al. 2012;
Manne e al. 2012); qua z, on he o he hand, and pa icu-
la ly he nodules wi h bo h less wa e -wo ning and in e nal
homogenei y, was mos likely associa ed wi h ac i i ies in-
ol ing hea ing, such as s one-boiling o bone-g ease en-
de ing (S ine 2003; Manne and Bicho 2009). Con a y o
o he a eas in Vale Boi, such as he Slope om whe e la ge
quan i ies o i e-c acked qua z we e eco e ed, he Rock-
shel e p esen s much lowe equencies o hese elemen s,
pe haps due o di e ences in he unc ionali y o spaces
(Cascalhei a 2010). Such appa en di ec ela ion be ween
aw ma e ials and asks a e cong uen wi h obse a ions
done among mode n hun e -ga he e socie ies showing ha
aw ma e ial selec ion is mo e d i en by i s sui abili y o
he in ended ask a he han by i s laking p ope ies (S ou
2002; A hu 2010). This pa e n is also cong uen wi h he
pa e n o almos all he Uppe Paleoli hic si es in Po ugal
(Pe ei a e al. 2012).
Schis was mos ly used as a blank o mobile a
plaque es (see abo e) and chalcedony, on he o he hand,
Laye A Laye B Laye C
To al
% N % N % N
End-sc ape s 12.50% 6 13.77% 19 15.94% 11 14.12% 36
Mul iple ools 0.00% 0 2.17% 3 1.45% 1 1.57% 4
Pe u a o s 0.00% 0 1.45% 2 0.00% 0 0.78% 2
Bu ins 0.00% 0 6.52% 9 2.90% 2 4.31% 11
Backed ools 16.67% 8 2.90% 4 2.90% 2 5.49% 14
T unca ions 2.08% 1 2.90% 4 0.00% 0 1.96% 5
Re ouched blades 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 1.45% 1 0.39% 1
Solu ean ools 25.00% 12 16.67% 23 17.39% 12 18.43% 47
Domes ic ools 27.08% 13 31.88% 44 30.43% 21 30.59% 78
Bladele ools 2.08% 1 6.52% 9 2.90% 2 4.71% 12
O he s 14.58% 7 15.22% 21 24.64% 17 17.65% 45
To als 100.00% 48 100.00% 138 100.00% 69 100.00% 255
▲  Table 3. Tool g oups coun s o Rockshel e .
João Cascalhei a, Nuno Bicho, João Ma ei os, Telmo Pe ei a, Ma ina É o a, Miguel Co és, Juan Gibaja, Tiina Manne, F ede ico Regala, Célia Gonçal es y Pa ícia Mon ei o
462 Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012.
was knapped o p oduce ew lakes bu i is also p esen in
he o m o a bi acial p e o m.
Che is p esen in a wide ange o ch oma ic and g ain-
size a ie ies. Al hough he iden i ica ion o each speci ic
sou ce is s ill in p og ess, a la ge numbe o p ima y posi-
ioned che deposi s ha e al eady been iden i ied in he
egion (Boix e al. 2011; Ve issimo 2004, 2005), whose mac-
oscopic cha ac e is ics o he collec ed samples seem o
ma ch some o he ypes p esen in Vale Boi (San os 2005).
This co ela ion be ween known sou ces and a i ac s indi-
ca e an exploi a ion o he wes e nmos cli bo de s ha
delimi a e he p esen d y land. None heless, he exis ence
o non-ye -iden i ied sou ces seems o open he possibili y
o exploi a ion o e i o ies loca ed u he no h, in he
Alga e moun ainous egions and eas e n adjacen a eas.
I con i med by ongoing su eys and analysis, hese sou ces
migh help o shade ligh on he ela ion be ween ood-
s one acquisi ion, namely o unde s and i che was ac-
qui ed wi hin dedica ed expedi ions o i i was ga he ed
when encoun e ed du ing he execu ion o o he asks.
Bo h nodula and abula olumes we e used, always
e y small in size and wi h equen ly na u al de ec s. These
cha ac e is ics mus ha e g ea ly in luenced he gene al
echnological op ions, namely he o e all dimension o he
debi age p oduc s and ools (Cascalhei a 2010).
Nodules we e, mos ce ainly, in oduced a he si e
wi h none o e y li le p epa a ion since deco ica ion is
well a es ed by high equencies o blanks and ools wi h
o al o la ge pe cen ages o co ex in hei do sal su aces
(Cascalhei a 2008). Che educ ion sequences we e ai ly
simple and in ol e mos ly unidi ec ional o bidi ec ional
p isma ic s a egies. Co e main enance p oduc s a e e-
quen , pa icula ly c es ed pieces and imming elemen s.
Flakes a e he mos common debi age elemen (ca. 62%),
ollowed by bladele s (ca. 23%) and blades (ca. 6%). The o -
me was also he a o i e blank ype o he manu ac u e o
o mal ools, while blades and bladele s occupy he second
and hi d op ions, espec i ely.
Typologically, he che assemblage is domina ed by
end-sc ape s, no ches, splin e ed pieces and une enly e-
ouched blades/ lakes (Table 3). Di e ences be ween laye s
in he ypological composi ion o he assemblages a e, as al-
eady men ioned, mos ly seen in he elemen s coming om
he Solu ean ools g oup and backed shoulde ed poin s.
Finally, use-wea analysis o he li hic assemblage e-
ealed ha a wide ange o ac i i ies we e accomplished
(Gibaja and Bicho 2006). The use o e ouched and non- e-
ouched edges o wo king wood, hide and o he so ma e i-
als (p obably mea , esh skin, e c.) has been iden i ied. Some
o hese pieces, ei he e ouched o no , we e also used in he
manu ac u e o bone and an le ools (É o a 2007).
5. FAUNAL RECORD
Tables 4 and 5 p esen he NISP (Numbe o Iden i i-
able Species) and MNI (Minimum Numbe o Indi iduals)
coun s/pe cen ages o espec i ely e eb a es and shell ish
emains eco e ed om he Solu ean le els o each a ea o
Vale Boi. I should be no ed ha he alues p esen ed o
Laye A Laye B Laye C To al
% N % N % N
Chips 61.55% 2356 60.68% 7858 59.10% 3432 60.42% 13646
F agmen s 17.55% 672 19.42% 2515 17.15% 996 18.52% 4183
Flake 8.39% 321 8.59% 1112 9.90% 575 8.89% 2008
Flake p oximal ag. 1.52% 58 1.41% 183 1.79% 104 1.53% 345
Flake dis al ag. 1.54% 59 1.92% 249 2.60% 151 2.03% 459
Thinning lake 0.26% 10 0.11% 14 0.60% 35 0.26% 59
Blade 0.50% 19 0.48% 62 0.52% 30 0.49% 111
Blade p oximal ag. 0.29% 11 0.26% 34 0.22% 13 0.26% 58
Blade dis al ag. 0.50% 19 0.44% 57 0.50% 29 0.46% 105
Bladele 2.06% 79 1.84% 238 1.96% 114 1.91% 431
Bladele p oximal ag. 0.97% 37 0.86% 111 0.53% 31 0.79% 179
Bladele dis al ag. 2.38% 91 1.88% 243 1.77% 103 1.93% 437
Bu in Spall 0.13% 5 0.08% 10 0.05% 3 0.08% 18
Co e 0.76% 29 0.62% 80 0.98% 57 0.74% 166
Co e main . p oduc s 0.29% 11 0.17% 22 0.22% 13 0.20% 46
An ils 0.13% 5 0.13% 17 0.21% 12 0.15% 34
Manupo s 0.03% 1 0.03% 4 0.07% 4 0.04% 9
Tools 1.18% 45 1.09% 141 1.81% 105 1.29% 291
To al 100.00% 3828 100.00% 12950 100.00% 5807 100.00% 22585
▲  Table 2. Solu ean li hic assemblage o Vale Boi - Rockshel e .
VALE BOI (ALGARVE, PORTUGAL) AND THE SOLUTREAN IN SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA
Uned. Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma. Se ie I, Nue a época. P ehis o ia y A queología, . 5, 2012. 463
he Te ace a e incomple e gi en he ongoing s a e o he
analysis.
Simila ly o he pa e ns obse ed om he G a e ian
and Magdalenian occupa ions (Manne and Bicho 2009;
Manne 2010; Manne e al. 2012), Solu ean e eb a e as-
semblage is domina ed by abbi , ed dee and ho se. Al-
hough in mino quan i ies, o he species a e also p esen ,
like wild ass, au ochs and ibex. Ca ni o es and bi ds we e
Taxon Obse ed
Rockshel e Slope Te ace
NISP NISP% NISP NISP% NISP NISP%
Ungula es
Bos p imigenius 73 2.4 32 1.4 3 0.4
Equus caballus 276 9.0 193 8.5 56 8.1
Equus sp. (possibly hyd un inus) 27 0.9 48 2.1 10 1.5
Ce us elaphus 371 12.1 813 35.9 149 21.6
Sus sc o a 1 0.0 1 0.1
Cap a/O is 3 0.1 5 0.2 3 0.4
Small Mammals
O yc olagus cuninculus 2274 74.4 1147 50.7 457 66.3
Mic o us sp.7 0.2
Ca ni o es
Vulpes ulpes 4 0.1 2 0.1
Canis lupus 2 0.1 1 0.0
Canis spp.3 0.1 3 0.1
Pan he a leo 1 0.0 2 0.3
Lynx pa dina 1 3 0.1 1 0.1
Felis syl es is 6 5 0.2 2 0.3
Mus ela sp.1 1 0.0
Ma es sp.3 0.1
A es
Small bi d 1 0.0 1 0.1
Medium bi d 4 0.1 1 0.0
La ge bi d 1 0.0 1 0.1
To als 3052 2261 686
▲  Table 4. Solu ean e eb a e NISP and NISP% o Vale Boi si e a eas (Te ace, Mid Slope and Rockshel e ).
Taxon Obse ed Te ace Slope Rockshel e
MNI MNI% MNI MNI% MNI MNI%
My ilus edulis 21 5.1 5 3.7
Pec en maximus 3 0.7 1 0.7
Acan hoca dia sp.2 0.5 1 0.7
Ce as ode ma edule 13 9.6
Ca diidae 2 1.5
Callis a chione
Rudi apes decussa us 1 33 9 2.2 2 1.5
Vene idae 2 0.5
Pa ella sp.2 67 374 90.8 106 77.9
Ce i hiidae
Lacuna pa a 1 0.7
Li o ina 4 2.9
Na icidae
Gibbula sp.1 0.2
Pollicipes pollicipes 1 0.7
To als 3  412  136 
▲  Table 5. MNI coun s and % MNI o shell ish (and
Pollicipes pollicipes
) o Te ace, Slope and Rockshel e assemblages.