Testing the distribution of animal species in Solutrean rock art sites in Iberia and its relationship to palaeoenvironmental modelling

Abstract

During the Solutrean, regional differences in topography as well as climate constraints influenced not only the dispersal of animal species, but also human behaviour on the Iberian Peninsula. In this paper, past environments within catchment areas are reconstructed using Site Catchment Analysis and Species Distribution Modelling. By comparing modelled data with documented faunal remains in the archaeological deposit of the settlement site Higueral-Guardia, an evaluation of subsistence patterns is possible. To further develop this approach, data on animal species represented in rock art from La Pileta rock art site is included. This combined approach allows an evaluation of the potential relationship between environment, subsistence and iconographic behaviour.