OTHER INHABITANTS OF THE ROCKSHELTER

...and the rats, mice and other micromammals

The karst and sheltered environment of the Lapedo Valley also provided a haven for the smaller creatures. Water rats, common wood mice, red-toothed and white-toothed shrews are some of the fifteen or so species of rodent and insectivorous micromammals documented at Lagar Velho. The remains of these small or very small animals can only be recovered through the water sieving of sediments; teeth and jaws are the most frequent finds. The simultaneous presence of this group of species at the site contributes to the ecological characterisation of the valley during the last glacial period.
It is worth mentioning that these small animals were not part of the Palaeolithic communities' diet, but they were preyed upon by other species that inhabited or frequented the rockshelter.