Geoarchaeological analysis of Mousterian settlements in the upper part of the Eresma river valley: Abrigo del Molino (Segovia, Spain)

The absence of systematic archaeological investigations in the upper part of the Eresma River valley has resulted in this area being considered as an empty space during the Palaeolithic. This paper presents the first results of the project the 'First Settlers of Segovia', where the geoarchaeological approach has not only allowed the discovery of Mousterian sites such as the Abrigo del Molino, but has also allowed the contextualization of the first human occupation of this area of the Eresma River valley from a chrono-cultural and paleoenvironmental point of view. Undoubtedly, the excavations at this site are the main source of information for this analysis. Furthermore, new results obtained during the excavations in the upper part of Abrigo del Molino and in the recently discovered site of the San Lazaro cave, together with the data of the surveys performed in this area are also providing new information on the geoarchaeological interpretation of the first human occupations in the upper part of the Eresma River valley.