Geoarchaeological approaches for geomorphological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction during the Middle Paleolithic: Insights from the Vinalopó valley (Alicante, SE Spain)

The integration of archaeological and geological methodologies is an essential aspect for the study of human activity, landscape evolution, and resource procurement. This approach emphasizes the strong relationship between human activity and various geomorphological and sedimentological processes, offering valuable insights into geomorphological and paleoenvironmental evolution, as well as the adaptation of hominins to these ancient landscapes.

This study focuses on the Middle Paleolithic archaeological sites of Los Aljezares and La Coca, two open-air settlements located in Aspe (Alicante) in the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. The study area is located in the NE sector of the Betic Cordillera, within an intra-mountain area currently dissected by the Vinalopó River. Both sites are linked to the Quaternary deposits of this fluvial system. Various archaeological campaigns have identified significant Middle Paleolithic lithic assemblages at these sites, but a more comprehensive understanding of their depositional context and paleoenvironmental framework requires a thorough geomorphological reconstruction.

Based on detailed geomorphological and geological mapping and a sedimentological analysis, the depositional evolution of the Pleistocene sediments that contain this archaeological record has been reconstructed. The Los Aljezares and La Coca sites would form part of small and connected semi-endorheic basins with fluvio-lacustrine deposits and alluvial fans and colluvial sediments from the surrounding reliefs during the Upper Pleistocene. The fluvio-lacustrine system, now being eroded by the Vinalopó River dynamic, is consistent with a previous co-genetic highstand stage, resulting in a base level and a relief remarkably different from the nowadays landscape.

It is important to note that Los Aljezares site has been excavated and studied in detail while the findings from La Coca consist of a collection from the surface without further geological or archaeological context. However, by integrating geological data (e.g. sedimentary facies or geomorphological features) in the archaeological interpretation, we can improve our understanding of the formation of La Coca site and attributing a preliminary chronology.

Comparing these nearby sites highlights the challenges, but also the achievements, of integrating geological and archaeological data and the importance of collaborative efforts in the reconstruction of the landscape. Although both sites show evidence of Middle Paleolithic occupation, understanding their connections and temporal relationships is essential, as the recognition of similar stages in the basin infilling at both sites suggests a shared geological evolution.