Lower Palaeolithic paleoenvironment illustration

Illustration by Mauricio Antón for the permanent exhibition of the Altamira National Museum and Research Center. This illustration is a recreation of the likely environment and ecosystems during the Lower Paleolithic period on the Iberian Peninsula. The succession of temperate and hot climatic phases during this period led to the appearance of vegetation that was similar to that of the present day, with a predominance of Mediterranean forests as well as large mammal species such as elephants, rhinos, hippos, lions, horses and deer. This landscape of the Iberian Peninsula was mainly inhabited by Homo heidelbergensis.