El rapto de Europa... una y otra vez

Laburpena

European Early Palaeolithic's record of Europe shows, at least, three human occupation episodes. The oldest one is only recorded in the Iberian Peninsula. The sites are scarce and dated between 1,5 and 1,25 Ma BP. The lithic assemblages are very similar to those recorded in Dmanisi (Georgia) circa 1,8 Ma BP and may represent the same hominid dispersal event. This is related to the faunal changes detected in Caucasus, Middle East and European ecosystems by the Plio-Pleistocene conventional limit. This event involved the diffusion of African taxa in those regions. A second human occupation of Europe episode, restricted into the Mediterranean area, it is recorded by a slightly more abundant number of archaeological sites. They are dated between late Early Pleistocene and Matuyama/Brunhes limit, berween OIS 25-OIS 24 and OIS 19-OIS 18 transition. Paleoantropological and archaeological record points to an Asian origin of this hominid dispersal, related with the Galerian faunal event. After a new archaeological record hiatus, there are new evidences of anthropic activity in Europe since OIS 16-OIS 15. At this time the European geographic range populated by hominids increases, reaching as northern latitudes as South Great Britain and North Germany during the warm isotopic stages. In general terms, locations representing this third phase involved the introduction in Europe of new technologies and behavioural trends, as a better knowledge of the environment. While the previous human occupation events don't seem to be successful, paleoanthropological and archaeological data recorded from circa 550 Ka BP points to demographic continuity, linking with the earliest manifestations of the technologies and human populations characteristic of the European Middle Paleolithic.