Magnetic properties of cave sediments at Gran Dolina site in Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain)

We report new rock magnetic results from a cave in the ?Sierra de Atapuerca? (Burgos, North of Spain), that is one of the most important archaeological and palaeontological sites of Lower to Middle Pleistocene in Europe. Our samples are taken in cave sediments of Gran Dolina Cave. Rock magnetic analyses allowed us to determine changes in grain size, composition, and concentration in both cave-entrance and cave-interior sediments. Generally, the cave-entrance sediments are characterized by a high concentration of magnetic minerals while the cave-interior presents a more variable concentration. Because rock magnetic properties, in particular the iron oxides, are affected by environmental factors (such as the intensity of physical and chemical weathering) they offer an important reconstruction proxy for better understanding the paleoenvironmental conditions at the time the earliest hominins began to migrate into Europe. The main goal of this study is to identify magnetic proxies that help to better reconstruct the environmental conditions of this archaeological and palaeontological site.

Automated summary

The study presents new rock magnetic results from a cave in the Sierra de Atapuerca, analyzing the distribution and concentration changes of magnetic minerals in cave sediments to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions of the archaeological site. Through rock magnetic analyses, the study aims to identify magnetic proxies for a better understanding of the environmental conditions at the time of early human migration into Europe.