The first human settlement of Mediterranean Europe

In this paper, we discuss about when the first occupation of Europe took place. According to the present-day data, the South of Europe was occupied before the northern latitudes. The first evidences have an age of around 1.3–1.4 Ma. The lithic technology utilized by these humans is simple, and can be classified as Mode 1. This technology does not have handaxes, cleavers, and neither complex strategies of production. Probably the access to Europe during the Lower Pleistocene was accomplished through the Near East. An access through Gibraltar or Sicily is unlikely. To cite this article: E. Carbonell, X.P. Rodríguez, C. R. Palevol 5 (2006).