Uranium-series isochron dating at El Castillo Cave (Cantabria, Spain): The "Acheulean"/"Mousterian" question

Journal of Archaeological Science
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Abstract

A massive flowstone layer, Level 23, near the base of the stratigraphic sequence in El Castillo Cave (Cantabria, Spain), is dated by the uranium-series isochron method to 89+11/−10 ka bp. The flowstone separates cultural layers traditionally labelled “Mousterian” (above) and “Acheulean” (below). The date reported here, in association with other recent age determinations for “Mousterian” and “Acheulean” artifact assemblages in Western Europe, calls into question the temporal significance of these archaeological designations. In addition, it further underlies the importance of the Castillo cultural sequence and allows tentative discussion of changing rates of sedimentation in the vestibule of the cave, where some 18 m of cultural and geological deposits were laid down during the course of the Upper Pleistocene.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Uranium-series isochron dating at El Castillo Cave (Cantabria, Spain): The "Acheulean"/"Mousterian" question
Series title Journal of Archaeological Science
DOI 10.1016/0305-4403(92)90006-O
Volume 19
Issue 1
Year Published 1992
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Description 14 p.
First page 49
Last page 62
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