Neanderthal Activity Through Fire During the Middle Pleistocene in Cova Negra (Xàtiva, Spain)

Abstract The micro-archaeological study of Neanderthal fires provides exceptional insight into the behavior and activities carried out by these populations. We present the micromorphological results of level VIII of Cova Negra (Xàtiva, Spain), which is attributed, based on its dates, to MIS 7. Large areas of combustion were recorded, featuring important accumulations of ash and rubefied surfaces, with very few charred residues and sparse archaeological material. Micromorphological analysis enabled us to establish patterns of repeated combustion events and identify the type of fuel used. We identified fuels from substrate residues (animal excrement and plant remains) and, in other cases, more selectively chosen plant fuels. In one of the episodes, the action of fire enabled the preservation and identification of plant remains, which were predominantly grasses possibly deposited in the form of bedding. Furthermore, the data obtained allowed us to identify periods of cave abandonment associated with the presence of hyena coprolites. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the variability in fire use and occupational patterns in caves inhabited by Middle Pleistocene human groups in the Mediterranean basin of the Iberian Peninsula.