title: The Pleistocene site of Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain: a history of the archaeological investigations.
abstract: Gran Dolina is part of an archaeological and paleontological complex located in the Sierra de Atapuerca karstic system (Burgos, Spain). The Trinchera del Ferrocarril sites were discovered as a consequence of the construction of a railway for the transport of minerals at the end of the nineteenth century. The systematic excavation of the upper Gran Dolina levels was initiated in 1981. In 1993, a 6 m(2)biostratigraphic survey pit was started, reaching level TD6 in 1994. This level was excavated during four consecutive years, yielding human fossils, identified as Homo antecessor, in association with lithic and faunal remains, dating to more than 0.78 m.y.a.
authors.affiliation: Area de Prehistoria de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Unidad de Investigación Asociada al CSIC), Imperial Tarraco, 1, Tarragona, 43005, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carbonell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nájera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mosquera
authors.forename: X P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ollé
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vergès
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bermúdez de Castro
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ortega
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001106:Archaeology / Q000266:history* / Q000639:trends; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005580:Fossils; D005843:Geography; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D011890:Railroads / Q000266:history; D013030:Spain