Hannah Boys
Dr. Hanneke Hoekman-Sites
ANTH 3019
3-28-13
Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina:
Paleolithic sites in Central Spain
Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina are both lower to middle paleolithic sites found in central
Spain. They are located in the Sierra de Atapuerca region of central Spain, which is a mountainous
region containing several caves. The earliest evidence found from Sima del Elefante can be dated to
1.3-1.1 million years ago (Martinón-Torres), and the earliest evidence from Gran Dolina can be dated
to 1 million to 780,000 years ago (Antoñanzas).
Sima del Elefante was a cave site during its Paleolithic occupation. The sites in Atapuerca have
been known of since the end of the 19th century; however it wasn't until 1962 that a group called
Eidelweiss Caving Group (also known as GEE) discovered early human remains in a railway cutting,
which is what ultimately led to further excavation of the area (Fundación Atapuerca). The railway
trench cut through and exposed several cave sites, Sima del Elefante being one of them (Bermúdez de
Castro). The site is located in a large ravine with digging cutting into the side of the cliff. There is
currently scaffolding in place to ensure the stability of the cliff so there can be continued digging, as
well as safety for visitors and tourists of the site.
Digging at Sima del Elefante yeilded abundant faunal remains, mostly of larger mammals.
These include red deer, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and bears (Blasco). However, there was also some
evidence of smaller remains such as rodents, tortoises, and beavers. This evidence of smaller mammals
may indicate some consumption (especially of tortoises), although small animal consumption during
that time period is considered rare (Blasco). Micromammal analysis shows that the climate during the
lower to middle paleolithic at Sima del Elefante was cold or possibly a Boreal climate (Antoñanzas). In
2007 evidence of a hominin mandible was found, making this discovery that of the earliest human
remains in Europe, dating to approximately 1.3 million years ago (Martinón-Torres). The remains were
identified as a descendent of Australopithecus, Homo Antecessor (Bermúdez de Castro).
The faunal evidence at Sima del Elefante can lend some insight as to what type of economy was
in place during the lower to middle paleolithic era. Large mammals were very important and could
have played a large role in the economy, as the remains of several different types of species were found
(Blasco). In 2000, the first evidence of human activity was found at Sima del Elefante in a small flint
flake, showing that the occupants contained knowledge of lithics and the technology necessary to
produce them (Fundación Atapuerca).
Gran Dolina was excavated initially at the same time in 1962, when it was discovered by GEE
in the same railway cutting as Sima del Elefante (Fundación Atapuerca). This site is similar in
appearance to Sima del Elefante, since it was one of the cave sites discovered due to the railway trench.
Excavations cut into the side of the cliff, and there is also currently scaffolding in place here as well.
Large faunal remains were found, such as red deer and bears (Carbonell). In 1994 and the four
consecutive years to follow remains of at least six different hominins were discovered at the site
(Carbonell, Fundación Atapuerca). The human fossils, which were identified as a possible descendent
of Homo Erectus, contained stone tool cut marks that suggest cannibalism was a possibility
(Fernández). The marks found on the early human bones were an indication of human consumption
rather than ritual or other intentions (Fernández). More faunal remains and lithics were founds as a
result of the 1994 dig as well (Fernández).
The economy of Gran Dolina seems to be similar to that of Sima del Elefante. Many large
faunal remains suggest that they held a position of great importance within the paleolithic community.
The small mammal and aquatic animal remains are similar to that of Sima del Elefante as well,
suggesting animals such as tortoises possibly held some economic value as well (Antoñanzas). The
1994 dig also yeilded several stone lithics, which give us insight into the type of technology available
(Carbonell). The stone-tool cuttings on the early human remains also show us what type of tools they
were capable of producing (Fernández).
There are several apparent similarities between the two sites. The first is the evidence of small
mammal consumption at both sites. As stated in the Blasco article, small mammal consumption during
the lower to middle paleolithic was rare. However, we have evidence from both sites that small
mammals and aquatic animals were at least a substantial part of their subsistence. At Sima del Elefante,
there is apparent evidence of tortoise consumption (Blasco). Though there is not as much apparent
evidence of aquatic animal consumption, there is evidence of small mammal consumption
(Antoñanzas). Another similarity between the two sites is that they are both cave sites located in a
mountainous region. Their way of life would have been very similar due to the environmental
restrictions of the regions. The greatest similarity between the two sites is that there were early human
remains found at both. Though these similar discoveries give us insight into who the earliest hominids
were in Europe, the findings of each were significantly different.
The main difference in the remains found at Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina are that they do
not appear to come from a common ancestor. Dental evidence suggests that the early human remains
founds at Gran Dolina were the descendents of Asian Homo Erectus (Bermúdez de Castro).
Meanwhile, the mandible found at Sima del Elefante was thought to have traits derived from
Australopithecus, which are shared by some early Homo species. The conclusion was that the mandible
was that of Homo Antecessor (Bermúdez de Castro). Another major difference is that evidence of
cannibalism was found of the bones from Gran Dolina, but not at Sima del Elefante (Fernández). This
suggests a major lifestyle difference between the two groups.
There are several conclusions that can be drawn from the findings at these two sites. The first is
each site has its own unique artifacts that can be interpreted on an individual basis to give us an idea of
how each group functioned on its own. The second is that while these two sites have many differences,
we can look at these similarities and differences to give us a greater overall picture and understanding
of life in the lower to middle paleolithic era in central Spain.
1062 words
Bibliography
Antoñanzas, Raquel López and Gloria Cuenca Bescós
2002
The Gran Dolina site (Lower to Middle Pleistocene, Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): new
palaeoenvironmental data based on the distribution of small mammals. In
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Volume 186, Issues 3–4, pp. 311–
334.
Bermúdez de Castro, Jose María, et al.
2010
New human evidence of the Early Pleistocene settlement of Europe, from Sima del
Elefante site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). In Quaternary International, Volumes
223–224, pp. 431-433.
Bermúdez de Castro, Jose María, et al.
1999
Dental remains from Atapuerca-TD6 (Gran Dolina site, Burgos, Spain). In Journal of
Human Evolution, Volume 37, Issues 3-4, pp. 523-566.
Blasco, Ruth, et al.
2011
Earliest evidence for human consumption of tortoises in the European Early Pleistocene
from Sima del Elefante, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. In Journal of Human Evolution,
Volume 61, Issue 4, pp. 503–509.
Carbonell, Eudald, et al.
1999
The Pleistocene site of Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain: a history of the
archaeological investigations. In, Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 37, Issues 3–4,
pp. 313–324.
Fernández-Jalvo Y, et al.
1999
Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de
Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). In Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 37, Issues 3-4, pp.
591-622.
Martinón-Torres, et al.
2011
Early Pleistocene human mandible from Sima del Elefante (TE) cave site in Sierra de
Atapuerca (Spain): A palaeopathological study. In, Journal of Human Evolution, Volume
61, Issue 1, pp. 1–11.
Fundación Atapuerca
2013
Project History and Site Histories. Reports Available at
http://www.atapuerca.org/portada.htm.