Multidisciplinary approach to Mammuthus meridionalis from the late-Early Pleistocene archaeological site of Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, North-East Iberia)

Abstract

Proboscideans have been used as a keystone in Quaternary palaeoecology and biostratigraphy studies throughout Europe, with genera such as Mammuthus and Palaeoloxodon widely represented in their fossil record. This study presents a multidisciplinary analysis of proboscidean remains from the late-Early Pleistocene site of Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Iberian Peninsula; 1.07–0.87 Ma), offering new insights into their biochronology, palaeoecology and human interactions. The fossil assemblages includes several fossils attributed to Mammuthus meridionalis advanced form, based on biometric, morphological and Schreger angle analyses. Stable carbon isotope (δ1 3 C) data in the enamel indicate a diet related to C3 grasslands under a Mediterranean climate, consistent with previous palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Taphonomic evidence reinforces the published idea of an archaeological context with anthropogenic processing of a mammoth carcass, including cut marks and spatial association with Acheulean lithic tools. In addition, carnivore modifications suggest the hyenas activity. These findings underline the ecological importance of proboscideans in Early Pleistocene ecosystems and provide decisive evidence for human-megafaunal interactions during the early Acheulean dispersal in Europe. The study reinforces the importance of Mammuthus meridionalis as a palaeoenvironmental and biochronological proxy and contributes to broader debates on the role of large herbivores in Pleistocene ecosystems.