Tardiglacial Human Adaptations in the Cantabrian Cordillera, Spain

马格达莱尼文化标志着欧洲史前旧石器时代的顶峰。从大约16000 - 11000年前，也就是最后一个冰河时代的末期，马格达莱尼人占据了从西班牙一直延伸到德国北部的地区。拉斯科洞窟和阿尔蒂梅拉洞窟中著名的岩画是由马格达莱尼人创作的，雕刻的骨头和象牙雕像构成了世界上已知最早的艺术流动物。从人类学的角度来看，这个群体很有趣，因为他们表现出了广泛的生存适应能力。人们希望，通过对文化内部变异的分析，有可能辨别出基本的组织原则。在这种情况下，米隆遗址特别有趣，因为它位于马格达莱纳分布的南端，位于山区。在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，斯特劳斯博士和他的合作者将在该遗址进行四季的考古发掘。米隆是一个巨大的洞穴，支配着阿松的山间山谷，周围环绕着高高的科迪勒山脉的峰顶和山峰。由于它的大小，它近似于一个露天场地，因为在里面进行的活动相对不受限制。初步挖掘发现了富含岩屑和动物遗骸的马格达莱期层状沉积物。由于其隐蔽的性质，它为通过沉积学、地貌学、微形态学、孢粉学、古植物学和古生物学研究长期环境变化提供了一个理想的场所。这一系列的研究将由坎塔布里亚大学的合作专家进行。该遗址出土的岩石雕刻可以追溯到抹大拉纪的地层年代，很可能还会发现其他的艺术遗迹。这个项目之所以重要，有几个原因。这将为史前人类在狩猎和采集技术水平上的适应提供新的线索。它将为许多考古学家提供感兴趣的数据，并帮助培训一些西班牙和美国的学生。

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.