The exploration and appropriation of the underground environment in the paleolithic: an approach from geology and parietal art

PhD researcher: Iñaki Intxaurbe Alberdi

PhD supervisors: Diego Garate Maidagan and Martin Arriolabengoa Zubizarreta

The caves represent a hostile environment for human life, given the complete darkness, humidity and generally irregular topography. However, human populations have frequented these underground landscapes since at least the Middle Paleolithic, and particularly during the Upper Paleolithic and Prehistoric and later Historical phases. Therefore, studies on the archaeological context in caves are of really useful, as they help to decode the behaviour and capabilities of paleolithic humans.

The objective of this project is to objectively, accurately and quantitatively analyze the appropriation and exploration of the endokarst by paleolithic human groups, based on the detailed geomorphological study of several decorated caves in the Upper Palaeolithic and the use of digital tools, like geographic information systems.

For this, the geomorphology and the karst evolution of various decorated caves will be studied, identifying and pointing out the processes and modifications that occurred in the endokarst, as well as its stratigraphic chronology, and as far as possible, direct. In addition to relating these erosion and sedimentation processes to external paleoenvironmental changes, there will be special interest in learning as accurately as possible about the disposition and morphology of the cavity during the period of its use during the Upper Palaeolithic (MIS 2-3). This specific objective will allow a precise approach to the following specific objectives, considering the parietal art and the archaeological remains that may have deteriorated, disappeared or moved, in order to know whether or not we are facing a biased vision of the underground prehistoric landscape, and if so, what degree of modification can it have.

On the other hand, new digital methodologies will be developed and applied to study the role played by endokarstic geomorphology in a specific problem such as the exploration and appropriation of the underground environment by the Upper Palaeolithic societies. Using digital and 3D technology, spatial studies will be undertaken (accessibility, visibility and capacity) of several caves decorated with paleolithic art, to try to identify common patterns in the selection of decorated spaces using analytical statistics, as well as helping to measure the cost and effort invested in these settings.