The oldest workshop for making shell jewellery has been unearthed at the Palaeolithic site of La Roche-à-Pierrot in Saint-Césaire, Charente-Maritime. Dating back at least 42,000 years and accompanied by red and yellow pigments, this unique assemblage in Western Europe has been linked to the Châtelperronian culture, which marks the transition between the last Neanderthals and the arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe. The study, conducted primarily by scientists from the CNRS, the l’université de Bordeaux, the ministère de la Culture and l’Université Toulouse 2 Jean Jaurès, is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This major discovery allows us to discuss the mobility of prehistoric populations and possible contact between different human groups during this significant period of prehistory.

A research team from the University of Seville has created a highly accurate 3D model of La Pileta Cave in Malaga, a site of major archaeological and artistic significance that preserves thousands of motifs from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age, along with unique finds such as a Gravettian lamp. Using a combined methodology of mobile LiDAR and terrestrial laser scanning, the researchers captured both fine textures and precise measurements, producing a validated model with minimal error. Published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the study highlights how this digital reconstruction enhances archaeological research, conservation, rock art analysis, and immersive educational experiences, reinforcing the preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage.

Farmers in the Middle East were more committed to wine production over olive growing during times of climatic change in the Bronze and Iron Ages, according to new research.

The lentils now grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years on the site. This is shown in the very first genetic study of archaeological lentils, carried out by researchers at Linköping University and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain. Since these lentils have been adapted for cultivation in hot and dry climates for a very long time, they may become valuable for plant breeding in the light of ongoing climate change.