Out in the cold? A review of Early Middle Palaeolithic settlements in northern Central Europe, age data and geological preconditions for site formation and preservation

verfasst von

Gianpiero Di Maida, Jutta Winsemann, Malte Hoffmann, Tobias Lauer, Utz Böhner, Thomas Terberger

Abstract

The characteristics of settlement of Neanderthals in northern Central Europe during the earlier phases of the Middle Palaeolithic (Marine Isotope Stage 8–6) have been a matter of debate for decades, specifically regarding the population dynamics at such latitudes during the coldest phases. In this paper, we review the known archaeological record of the study region, focusing on 10 sites with available numerical dating and discussing their lithic assemblages and chronological attribution, together with the geological preconditions for the formation and preservation of archaeological sites. The results of our review show that our current knowledge remains affected by several issues, as for instance difficulties in interpreting the depositional setting and taphonomic processes at play, as well as the complexities regarding the dating. A proper understanding of the site formation and sedimentological background is therefore required to evaluate the reliability of the numerical ages. According to the data collected here, it is evident that currently known sites attributed to interglacial/interstadial stages within the early Middle Palaeolithic are neither more numerous nor located further north than during the previous and subsequent colder phases. Whether this reflects climate-independent demographic fluxes or is instead related to the non-preservation of interglacial/interstadial sediments, has to remain undetermined at present. Limitations of the applied dating techniques (error ranges covering several Marine Isotope Stages) do not currently allow us to establish how ephemeral the human presence was at such latitudes, in terms of both population size and duration. Following such reasoning, we think that proposing a continent void of population for tens of thousands of years as the main working hypothesis is not scientifically valid. Instead, we suggest including in the future discussion on the early Middle Palaeolithic settlement strategies an ‘out in the cold’ hypothesis, alongside the currently existing ones.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Erdsystemwissenschaften

Externe Organisation(en)

Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Typ

Übersichtsarbeit

Journal

BOREAS

ISSN

0300-9483

Publikationsdatum

2025

Publikationsstatus

Angenommen/Im Druck

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Ökologie, Evolution, Verhaltenswissenschaften und Systematik, Archäologie, Geologie

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 14 – Lebensraum Wasser

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.70032 (Zugang: Offen)