The Ebro Basin in NE Spain: A crossroads during the Magdalenian

This synthesis shows the transformation of an area traditionally described as a “research desert” (The Ebro Basin) into a well-known territory with more than 30 sites from the Lower to the Upper Magdalenian. The recent excavations in the majority of these sites have furnished 109 numerical dates that allow a preliminary overview of the development of the human population on the south slope of the Pyrenees and its relationships to the north slope and to the Cantabrian Magdalenian. In the case of Archaic Magdalenian (also called Badegoulian) in Gato-2 cave (Zaragoza), there is speculation concerning its relationship with the Levantine cave of Parpalló, based on the greater antiquity of their dates in relation to those obtained along the Cantabrian coast. During the Lower Magdalenian, the population was concentred in the Jalón and Segre basins, along communication axes towards the Meseta and the southeastern France respectively. During the Middle Magdalenian the only important site is the Abauntz cave (Navarra). For its level e (13,500 BP), a reconstruction of space-use is proposed, based on the study of structures and a factor analysis of the lithic and osseous industrial remains. Human mobility routes during the Middle Magdalenian were studied through the portable art and possible lunar calendars. The Upper/Late Magdalenian saw a notable population increase along the southern slope of the Pyrenees and in the Iberian mountain range.