Oxford J Archaeol 18 (3)

A paper concerned with the statistical precision of radiocarbon dating at the earlier range of its efficacy - a period covering the extinction of the Neanderthals. A basic and provisional attempt to interpret the archaeological database is made, with the assumption that Late Middle Palaeolithic and `transitional' industries are proxy indicators of Neanderthal presence in a region. From this it is suggested that the processes of Neanderthal extinction began by c. 40ka BP in the Balkans and Central Europe, radiating out from there, leaving Neanderthals on the periphery of their old distribution (southern Iberia, southern Italy, Crimea, Siberia and possibly the UK) as late as c. 29ka BP. The processes differ in signature (and therefore by extension nature and probably cause) region to region, and because of this, the role of anatomically modern humans in the extinction of Neanderthals is questioned.

This paper analyses survival in the Upper Thames Valley and Stonehenge Environs. Persistent arable farming in the medieval period had a highly destructive effect. This can be seen despite later agricultural activity. Barrow type can also be an important factor. Distribution analysis must take later historic land-use into account as well as the contemporary prehistoric landscape.