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. 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.