Tardiglacial Human Adaptations in the Cantabrian Cordillera, Spain

马格达林文化标志着欧洲史前旧石器时代的顶峰。时间跨度从大约16,000-11,000年前，即最后一个冰河时代的结束，马格达勒尼亚人占领了从西班牙延伸到德国北部的地区。拉斯科和阿尔蒂梅拉等洞穴中著名的岩画是由马格达勒尼亚人创作的，雕刻的骨头和象牙雕像构成了世界上已知的一些最早的艺术活动家。从人类学的角度来看，这一群体之所以有趣，是因为它展示了广泛的生存适应能力。通过对文化内部差异的分析，人们希望有可能辨别出基本的组织原则。米隆遗址在这方面特别令人感兴趣，因为它位于马格达勒尼亚分布的南端附近，位于蒙丹地区。在国家科学基金会的支持下，施特劳斯博士和他的合作者将在该遗址进行为期四个季节的考古发掘。密隆是一个巨大的洞穴，俯瞰着亚松山间山谷，周围环绕着科迪勒式的高耸山峰和山顶。由于它的大小，它接近于一个露天场所，因为在它里面进行的活动相对不受限制。初步发掘发现了富含岩屑和动物群遗骸的马格达林层状沉积物。由于其隐蔽性，它为通过沉积学、地貌学、微地貌学、孢粉学、古植物学和古生物学研究长期环境变化提供了理想的场所。这一系列研究将由坎塔布里亚大学的合作专家进行。该遗址出土了马格达勒尼亚人的地层学上可以确定年代的岩刻，并可能产生更多的艺术遗迹。这个项目之所以重要，有几个原因。它将为在狩猎和采集技术层面上的史前适应提供新的线索。它将提供许多考古学家感兴趣的数据，并帮助培训一些西班牙和美国学生。

Magdalenian culture marks the apex of the Paleolithic period in European prehistory. Covering the time span from ca. 16,000-11,000 years ago, the conclusion of the last Ice Age, Magdalenian peoples occupied an area which extended from Spain through northern Germany. Famous rock paintings in caves such as Lascaux and Altimera were produced by the Magdalenians and carved bone and ivory figurines constitute some of the earliest known art mobilier in the world. From an anthropological perspective the group is interesting because of the broad range of subsistence adaptations displayed. Through analysis of within-culture variation, it is possible, one hopes, to discern basic organizing principles. The site of Miron is particularly interesting in this context because it is situated near the southern end of Magdalenian distribution and is in a montaine location. With National Science Foundation support Dr. Straus and his collaborators will conduct four seasons of archaeological excavation at the site. Miron is a huge cave dominating the intermontaine valley of Ason and is surrounded by high Cordilleran crests and summits. Because of it's size, it approximates an open-air site since activities conducted within it would have been relatively unconstrained. Preliminary excavation has revealed stratified Magdalenian deposits rich in lithics as well as faunal remains. Because of its sheltered nature, it provides an ideal locus for the study of long-term environmental change through sedimentology, geomorphology, micromorphology, palynology, paleobotany and paleontology. This range of studies will be conducted by collaborating specialists from the Universidad de Cantabria. The site has yielded rock engravings stratigraphically datable to the Magdalenian and is likely to produce additional artistic remains. This project is important for several reasons. It will shed new light on prehistoric adaptation at a hunting and gathering level of technology. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists and assist in training a number of both Spanish and American students.