El Salt

El Salt is an archaeological site from the Middle Paleolithic near Alcoy, in the Spanish Province of Alicante, which was frequented by groups of archaic humans for thousands of years [1]. Scientists have found evidence of Neanderthal settlements, including fire pits and flint tools, dating back at least 50,000 years, including six teeth; they disappeared from the site and possibly the Iberian Peninsula some 45,000 years ago [1]. In 2014, the then-oldest known human coprolites were discovered at the site, which revealed that Neanderthals' diets included plants [1]. El Salt is located close to the confluence of the Polop and Barxell rivers [1]. It is an open-air rock shelter at 680 (or 700) meters above sea level, one of several site clusters in the plain of Valencia that give evidence of "significant levels of mobility across extended territories" by population groups [1]. The site has a 6.3 meters thick stratified deposit, at the bottom of a limestone wall, 38 meters high [1]. Thermoluminescence dating indicated its age is between 60.7 ± 8.9 and 45.2 ± 3.4 Ka [1].