Iberian Neandertal fossils: Exploring funerary practices in a paleoclimatic context

Abstract

The Iberian Peninsula is essential to our understanding of Neandertal populations due to its rich Middle Paleolithic archaeological record, boasting over 40 sites containing remains of Neandertals and their ancestors. This paper presents an updated review of the human remains from MIS-12 to MIS-3 found on the Iberian Peninsula from a taphonomic perspective. The goal is to explore whether there is a relationship between mortuary or funerary behaviours and the paleoclimatic context of each chronological period. The results show that most of the human remains found on the peninsula do not provide sufficient resolution to determine whether their deposition had a mortuary or funerary component. This is mainly due to the fact that the fossils are often found as isolated remains, which do not allow for comprehensive analysis. However, it has been possible to trace behaviours related to a culture of death with roots in the Middle Pleistocene. It is also noteworthy that in MIS-3, a time nearing the end of the Neandertals’ existence, the most diverse taphonomic contexts are observed, including cannibalism, funerary practices, and carnivore-related contexts. To date, no proper burials have been documented in the Iberian Peninsula, in contrast with certain Euroasiatic regions. The absence of clear burial practices does not necessarily mean Neandertals did not engage in funerary behaviour. Neandertal funerary traditions in the Iberian Peninsula may have differed from those elsewhere in Europe, thus calling for a re-evaluation of the funerary practices associated with Neandertals and a greater focus on alternative manifestations of the culture of death that could have been present in southern Europe.