A study conducted at the Cova Eirós archaeological site and published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports is led by Iván Rey, a micropalaeontologist at the Marine Research Centre (CIM) of the University of Vigo, in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC).
A new study carried out at the emblematic site of Cova Eirós (Cancelo, Triacastela, Lugo) by a multidisciplinary team of researchers — led jointly by the Marine Research Centre of the University of Vigo and the University of Santiago de Compostela — provides a fresh perspective on the territory once inhabited by the last Neanderthals of Galicia. It reveals that they lived in a significantly colder environment, though with a rainfall regime similar to today’s.
The research, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, is led by CIM micropalaeontologist Iván Rey Rodríguez and archaeologist Hugo Bal García from USC. Also contributing to the study are Ramón Fábregas Valcarce (USC, CISPAC), Arturo de Lombera Hermida (University of Oviedo, CISPAC), Mikel Díaz Rodríguez (UVigo, CISPAC), Carlos Fernández Rodríguez (University of León) and Xosé Pedro Rodríguez Álvarez (Rovira i Virgili University, IPHES-CERCA).
Analysis of over 1,000 faunal remains
The study presents an analysis of more than 1,000 faunal remains recovered from Level 3 of the site, which dates back approximately 41,000 years. At that time, Neanderthals still inhabited the eastern mountain ranges of Galicia, exploiting a wide variety of resources — with deer as their primary prey, although intentional exploitation of cave bears was also identified. The study confirms that these Neanderthal groups had high mobility and made extensive use of their surroundings. Cova Eirós is located in an ecotone (the boundary between different ecosystems), which would have provided access to a broader range of resources.
Reconstruction of climatic conditions and identification of over 30 species
In addition to examining Neanderthal subsistence strategies, the study’s most remarkable contribution is its approximate reconstruction of the climate conditions faced by these hunter-gatherers. Based on ecological data provided by over 30 identified species — several of which are now extinct, such as the woolly mammoth — the researchers deduced an average annual temperature around 3ºC lower than today. Meanwhile, rainfall remained relatively high, with only about 150 mm less per year compared to current figures.
The eastern mountains of Galicia: a true climatic refuge
This relatively stable and humid environment supported a diverse vegetation cover, with landscapes of low-density forests interspersed with wet meadows at a time when much of the Iberian Peninsula was dominated by cold and arid conditions. This made the eastern ranges of Galicia a true climatic refuge, allowing Neanderthal groups to survive longer here than in other parts of the northern Iberian Peninsula.
Source: DUVI
