Miriam Cubas | Universidad de Alcalá (original) (raw)

Books by Miriam Cubas

The objective of this book is to analyse ceramic technology within the geographical context of th... more The objective of this book is to analyse ceramic technology within the geographical context of the Cantabrian region (N Spain) during the fifth millennium cal BC. It analyses ceramics, understood as manufacture, as the result of a technological fabrication process, in relation to the principle of a ceramic manufacturing sequence, which covers a set of operations that transform a raw material into a product with certain physicochemical properties which practically eliminate its original characteristics. Interest in the prehistoric ceramics of the Cantabrian region is a relatively recent phenomenon and is tied to its importance as a cultural marker of the Neolithic Period. The primary references to these types of materials were used to defend the cultural attribution of certain regional contexts to this period. The scarcity of recognisable morphological and decorative features among the first ceramic groups has resulted in their study being relegated in favour of other types of ceramics, such as the Bell Beaker ones, whose morpho-stylistic characteristics permit the establishment of cultural and chronological systems. This current research is focused on analysing the ceramic groups ascribed to the fifth millennium cal BC from the Los Canes (Asturias), Los Gitanos (Cantabria) and Kobaederra (Vizcaya) sites. These sites constitute important sequences for the study of the Neolithisation processes in the region’s western, central and eastern zones.

Papers by Miriam Cubas

Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Granada, 2020

En este artículo se presenta el análisis tecnológico del conjunto cerámico documentado en la Cuev... more En este artículo se presenta el análisis tecnológico del conjunto cerámico documentado en la Cueva del Niño (Aýna, Albacete), un yacimiento arqueológico emblemático situado en el interior de la Península Ibérica con ocupaciones adscritas al Neolítico y al Calcolítico. Nuestra investigación aporta nuevos datos sobre las elecciones tecnológicas empleadas por estas comunidades en los diferentes procesos de manufactura de los productos cerámicos. En total se han caracterizado 20 muestras mediante petrografía, de las cuales 6 fueron posteriormente analizadas mediante difracción de rayos X con el objetivo de realizar un acercamiento a las temperaturas de cocción.
Nuestros resultados señalan una cierta variabilidad en las estrategias de captación de las materias primas, cuyas mineralogías son coherentes con el entorno geológico cercano. Además, las elecciones tecnológicas y el uso de los desgrasantes son similares a los observados en otros conjuntos cerámicos adscritos al Neolítico y al Calcolítico, con el uso de arcillas sin modificar y otras con la adición de desgrasantes. Esto está en consonancia con otras tradiciones alfareras identificadas en distintas regiones de la Península Ibérica.

Nature Communications, 2020

The introduction of farming had far-reaching impacts on health, social structure and demography. ... more The introduction of farming had far-reaching impacts on health, social structure and demography. Although the spread of domesticated plants and animals has been extensively tracked, it is unclear how these nascent economies developed within different environmental
and cultural settings. Using molecular and isotopic analysis of lipids from pottery, here we investigate the foods prepared by the earliest farming communities of the European Atlantic seaboard. Surprisingly, we find an absence of aquatic foods, including in ceramics from
coastal sites, except in the Western Baltic where this tradition continued from indigenous ceramic using hunter-gatherer-fishers. The frequency of dairy products in pottery increased as farming was progressively introduced along a northerly latitudinal gradient. This finding
implies that early farming communities needed time to adapt their economic practices before expanding into more northerly areas. Latitudinal differences in the scale of dairy production might also have influenced the evolution of adult lactase persistence across Europe.

Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 2020

Remains of perishable materials only survive at archaeological sites in extraordinary preservatio... more Remains of perishable materials only survive at archaeological sites in extraordinary preservation conditions. This means that some technologies, such as woodworking, are clearly under‐represented in the archaeological record. Twelve wooden objects were found in the Aspio Cave (Ruesga, Cantabria). The application of an appropriate analytical methodology has allowed us to identify the processes of their selection, acquisition, fabrication and main morphological characteristics. In the case of the combs, morphological parallels have been established with artefacts at Iron Age sites in the British Isles. This singular archaeological assemblage, from a deposit dated in the second or first centuries cal BC, enables an exploration of the role of wood technology in Iron Age societies in Cantabrian Spain.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019

This paper presents for the first time the results of a combination of petrographic, geochemical ... more This paper presents for the first time the results of a combination of petrographic, geochemical and organic residue analyses of early Neolithic ceramics from the Iron Gates region of the Danube basin. Eleven early Neolithic potsherds from Schela Cladovei (Romania) were analysed in detail. The results of the petrographic analysis show that the ceramics were made with the same recipe that was used by Starčevo-Körös-Criș potters elsewhere in southeastern Europe. The SEM-EDX analysis shows one of the earliest uses of Mn-rich black pigments to decorate Neolithic European ceramics. Organic residue analyses detected dairy, non-ruminant and ruminant adipose fats. No evidence of aquatic resources was detected. In summary, the early Neolithic potters at the Iron Gates, although able to make coarse and more sophisticated painted ceramics, did not make specific vessels for a specific use.

Pyrenae, 2019

Scientific dissemination programs seem prepared for all types of audiences, but certain groups ar... more Scientific dissemination programs seem prepared for all types of audiences, but certain groups are often left out because specialists do not think about them when planning them. Those groups include people with physical and intellectual disabilities, older adults, people at risk of social exclusion and newcomers. In this article, we present two outreach activities on Prehistory specifically designed for people with intellectual disabilities. We believe that the model used, the evaluation carried out and the results obtained can be useful for other research groups or educators who work with people with intellectual disabilities.

Antiquity Project Gallery, 2018

Newly discovered archaeological sites in the Uribe Kosta region of northern Spain are illuminatin... more Newly discovered archaeological sites in the Uribe Kosta region of northern Spain are illuminating the establishment of late prehistoric coastal farming settlements and specialised tool-production activities.

RESUMEN La cueva de El Cierro (Fresno, Ribadesella, Asturias) es una cavidad kárstica situada en ... more RESUMEN La cueva de El Cierro (Fresno, Ribadesella, Asturias) es una cavidad kárstica situada en la margen oeste del río Sella y desarrollada en las calizas carboníferas del Macizo Asturiano de la Cordillera Cantábrica (norte de la Península Ibérica), que contiene un importante registro sedimentario, arqueológico y paleontológico del Pleistoceno superior y Holoceno inferior, con abundantes evidencias tecnológicas y restos faunísticos. El registro arqueológico arranca con un nivel que podría corresponder al Paleolítico medio final, sigue con una completa secuencia del Paleolítico superior de la que se cuenta con un nivel del Magdaleniense inferior cla-ramente identificado y datado, y termina con unos niveles datados a finales del Paleolítico superior/Aziliense y en el Mesolítico que configuran un conchero. La secuencia estratigráfica se compone de catorce niveles agrupados en dos unidades litoestratigráficas con características sedimentarias muy distintas, una inferior, siliciclástica y otra superior biogénica formada por la acumulación de conchas y huesos de aporte antrópico, que se estudian con metodología geoarqueológica. En este trabajo se analiza la secuencia litoestratigráfica y se presentan los datos de los análisis granulométricos, mineralógicos, edafológicos y radiométricos. El resul-tado de estos análisis permite interpretar con precisión tanto la litoestratigrafía del depósito como los pro-cesos sedimentarios y diagenéticos responsables de su formación y posterior evolución. Las dataciones radiocarbónicas disponibles permiten situar los niveles superiores de la secuencia siliciclástica en el GS 2b y el conchero inferior en el GI 1 y el GS 1 (Dryas reciente), al final del Pleistoceno superior, mientras que el con-chero superior estaría situado en la cronozona Boreal en los inicios del Holoceno. Palabras clave: karst, norte de Iberia, Pleistoceno superior, procesos sedimentarios, radiocarbono. ABSTRACT The Cierro Cave (Fresno, Ribadesella, Asturias) is a karst cavity located in the west bank of the Sella river and developed in the Carboniferous limestone of the Asturian Massif of the Cantabrian Range (northern Iberian

The number of prehistoric ceramic studies in Catalonia has increased since the beginning of this ... more The number of prehistoric ceramic studies in Catalonia has increased since the beginning of this century. Most of these studies regard pottery as the result of a technological process and focus on raw material procurement, modifications of clay and technological aspects of manufacture. The application of these approaches allows us to distinguish different technological

Archeologické rozhledy LXIX, 2017

Earliest pottery evidence in Cantabrian Spain materialises the way this new technology was adopte... more Earliest pottery evidence in Cantabrian Spain materialises the way this new technology was adopted on the threshold of the 5th millennium cal BC. These ceramic assemblages have rarely been the object of specific
study owing to their limited representativeness from both numerical and morpho-decorative points of view. This paper presents an update on the archaeological evidence, chronology and technological characteristics
of the first pottery in the Cantabrian region. It summarizes recent research on this topic focused on technological analysis of some paradigmatic pottery assemblages. It focuses on the importance of the technological study of the first ceramic assemblages in the Cantabrian region (northern Spain) as a way to approach the social significance of this technological innovation. The available information supports the assertion that the appearance of ceramics in the region does not correspond to an exchange of products, but rather to a transfer of technology, and summarizes the nature of this technology and the main activities related to it.

Sautuola , 2014

RESUMEN A pesar del apogeo de los estudios cerámicos en la década de 1970, el análisis de la cerá... more RESUMEN
A pesar del apogeo de los estudios cerámicos en la década de 1970, el análisis de la cerámica prehistórica en la región cantábrica no ha sido un objeto de investigación recurrente, aunque no debemos olvidar los distintos intentos por sistematizar los conjuntos cerámicos más representativos. La documentación y registro de importantes secuencias arqueológicas, como la del yacimiento de El Mirón, ha provocado que en los últimos años haya un mayor interés por estos materiales, especialmente aquellos adscritos a las cronologías más antiguas. Este aspecto, junto con la introducción de nuevos enfoques en la investigación, ha supuesto que, en la actualidad, contemos con una información pormenorizada sobre este tipo de productos. En este artículo se presenta la cerámica documentada en la región cantábrica entre el V y el IV milenio cal BC señalando su cronología, los contextos arqueológicos disponibles para su estudio y las principales características de estas manufacturas.

ABSTRACT
Despite the peak in pottery studies during the 1970s, the analysis of prehistoric pottery has not been a recurrent topic in research in the
Cantabrian region, although we must not forget the different attempts at systematizing the most representative pottery assemblages. The recording of important archaeological sequences, as at El Mirón, has provoked more interest in these materials, especially those assigned to the earliest chronologies. This aspect, together with the introduction of new theoretical approaches, allows us to obtain detailed information
about these kinds of products. In this paper, we present the pottery documented in the Cantabrian region in the 5th and 4th millennia cal BC
highlighting its chronology, archaeological context and the main features of these manufactures.

En el año 2013, en el marco de la intervención arqueológica en la cueva del Aspio (Ruesga, Cantab... more En el año 2013, en el marco de la intervención arqueológica en la cueva del Aspio (Ruesga, Cantabria), se procedió a realizar una prospección intensiva en el interior de la cavidad que, junto a los distintos conjuntos prehistóricos, permitió recuperar un singular terminal de cinturón altomedieval fechado entre mediados del siglo IX y mediados del siglo X.

In 2013, in the framework of an archaeological project in El Aspio cave (Ruesga, Cantabria), we carried out a superficial survey in which we recorded, together with different prehistoric remains, a singular Early Medieval strap-end dated between the mid- 9th and the middle of the 10th century.

RESUMEN El uso de la arcilla como material constructivo está bien documentado en la Prehistoria e... more RESUMEN El uso de la arcilla como material constructivo está bien documentado en la Prehistoria europea. Su presencia en yacimientos arqueológicos, (en forma de adobes, manteados, revoques…) permite reconstruir los métodos constructivos y los procesos de abandono. Estos fragmentos procedentes del manteado de barro aplicado sobre un entramado vegetal han sido ampliamente documentados en el interior de hoyos en varios yacimientos de cronología calcolítica del valle del Duero. En este artículo se estudian las concentraciones de este material halladas en dos hoyos del yacimiento de El Casetón de la Era (Villalba de los Alcores, Valladolid). Su conservación se debe tanto a la acción del fuego que destruyó la vivienda y provocó el endurecimiento del barro como a su rápida deposición en el interior de los hoyos. Estas acciones abren un interesante abanico de hipótesis sobre el final de la vida de estas estructuras y el destino dado a los escombros resultantes.

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 253-270.

La Cueva del Niño es uno de los yacimientos clave en la Prehistoria antigua de la provincia de Al... more La Cueva del Niño es uno de los yacimientos clave en la Prehistoria antigua de la provincia de Albacete, gracias a sus pinturas rupestres paleolíticas, únicas en la región, y a su larga secuencia estratigráfica, que incluye niveles del Paleolítico Medio, del Paleolítico Superior y de la
Prehistoria Reciente. No obstante, la información disponible sobre el yacimiento era limitada, a pesar del potencial mostrado en la excavación realizada en 1973. Desde el año 2009 se está llevando a
cabo un análisis multidisciplinar del yacimiento. En este artículo presentamos dicho proyecto, junto con un resumen de los resultados obtenidos hasta ahora.

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 297.311

Tradicionalmente, las distintas influencias en la tecnología cerámica se han establecido a partir... more Tradicionalmente, las distintas influencias en la tecnología cerámica se han establecido
a partir de las similitudes morfo-decorativas; sin embargo, la aplicación de métodos de caracterización
permite reconocer diferentes tradiciones tecnológicas con las que se pueden vincular
los distintos conjuntos cerámicos. En este artículo se presenta la descripción macroscópica de los
conjuntos cerámicos procedentes de los yacimientos de la Cueva del Niño (Ayna), Cueva Blanca y
Pico Tienda III (Hellín) con la finalidad de establecer una descripción sistemática en la que basar la
selección de los fragmentos más representativos para el posterior análisis tecnológico.

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 287-296

El abrigo de Pico Tienda III (Hellín) ha proporcionado en las dos campañas de excavación que se h... more El abrigo de Pico Tienda III (Hellín) ha proporcionado en las dos campañas de excavación que se han realizado una notable densidad de material arqueológico. Los análisis preliminares desarrollados en ámbitos como la industria lítica, la cerámica, la zooarqueología, etc., junto a las dataciones absolutas, apuntan a la existencia de un horizonte de ocupación del Neolítico antiguo. A tenor de estos datos, Pico Tienda III puede convertirse en un referente para el conocimiento del inicio de las formas de vida agropastoriles no solo en los Campos de Hellín y la cuenca del río Mundo sino también de la provincia de Albacete.

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. (eds.) ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 271-286

El yacimiento de Cueva Blanca (Hellín, Albacete), descubierto en 2006, contiene un nivel de ocupa... more El yacimiento de Cueva Blanca (Hellín, Albacete), descubierto en 2006, contiene
un nivel de ocupación humana atribuido al Mesolítico geométrico. En este trabajo se presentan
los resultados más significativos de la investigación multidisciplinar que venimos desarrollando en
él desde que en 2008 se llevara a cabo la primera campaña de excavación. Se trata del primer
yacimiento de este periodo en estratigrafía de la zona de Campos de Hellín (Albacete). Así mismo, en
una de sus paredes son visibles representaciones de arte prehistórico, circunstancia que incrementa
la importancia de este enclave.

La investigación sobre la Edad del Bronce en la región cantábrica se ha centrado tradicionalmente... more La investigación sobre la Edad del Bronce en la región cantábrica se ha centrado tradicionalmente en el estudio de objetos de prestigio y de contextos funerarios, dando lugar a un estado de la cuestión con importantes lagunas acerca del poblamiento, las actividades cotidianas y las estrategias de subsistencia de los grupos humanos durante este período. En este artículo presentamos las evidencias recuperadas en el yacimiento de San Adrian (Sierra de Aizkorri, Gipuzkoa), cuya excavación ha permitido reconstruir aspectos relativos a los modos de vida, la base económica, la cultura material y el contexto medioambiental de una serie de ocupaciones de la Edad del Bronce. Los resultados preliminares revelan la existencia de ocupaciones de hábitat periódicas y la explotación de recursos procedentes del Valle del Ebro y de la costa atlántica, contribuyendo a reconstruir los modos de vida y la circulación de bienes cotidianos en el norte de la península ibérica. LABURPENA Kantauri itsasoko ertzean Brontze Aroko ohizko ikerketa luxozko ondasunen eta hileta-aztarnategien azterketara orekatu izan da. Horren ondorioz, gai historiko honi buruzko egungo egoeran hutsune larriak daude populatze eredua, eguneroko bizimoduak, eta estrategia ekono-mikoak ezagutzeko. Artikulu honetan San Adrian (Aizkorri mendilerroa, Gipuzkoa) aztarnategiko Brontze Aroko okupazioen datuak aurkezten dira, zeinen in-dusketari esker aztertu ahal izan ditugun aldi hartako bizimoduak, oinarri ekonomikoak, kultura materiala eta ingurumena. Behin-behineko datuek bertan bizi-okupazioak maiz ezarri zirela eta Ebro Arroko nahiz Atlantiar itsas-ertzeko baliabideak erabili izan zirela adierazten dute, modu honetan Iberiar penintsulako iparraldean Brontze Aroko bizimoduen eta eguneroko ondasun-zirkulazioaren ezagutzari lugunduz. ABSTRACT Bronze Age studies carried out in the Cantabrian Region have traditionally focused on prestige goods and funerary contexts. As a result of this, the lack of information about daily activities, subsistence strategies, and human settlement on a regional scale is evident in the state of art. However, current research has achieved new discoveries in recent years, allowing a reconstruction of some aspects of the economic structure, settlements, material culture and the palaeoenvironment during the Bronze Age. Indeed, besides the funerary practices discovered in 1983 in San Adrian (Parztuergo Nagusia, Gipuzkoa), research has now revealed the presence of Upper Palaeolithic and Early Bronze Age occupations. This paper presents a first characterization of the retrieved evidence and a preliminary evaluation of the archaeological site and its environment. San Adrian is a tunnel-shaped cave located at 1,000 meters a.s.l. in the Aizkorri mountain range, opening a passage beneath the Atlantic-Mediterranean watershed in northern Iberia. The strategic character of this mountain site is demonstrated by the presence of Upper

The Asturian is a classic cultural complex of the European coastal Mesolithic. Since its discover... more The Asturian is a classic cultural complex of the European coastal Mesolithic. Since its discovery by Count Vega del Sella
in 1914, about one hundred thirty sites have been registered solely in Eastern Asturias, and several tens of them have been explored.
However, archaeological information about this Mesolithic complex is tremendously biased. Most of the sites are shell middens in
which only small often calcited sections of the original layers were preserved. One particularly poorly understood aspect is the characterisation
of the dwelling places. Despite the high density of sites (one of the highest in the European Mesolithic), few dwelling floors
features have been described. For this reason, the investigation of this issue was specifically included into the ’COASTTRAN’ research
project, which aimed at studying the Mesolithic and the transition to the Neolithic on the Atlantic coast of Europe. This investigation
started out with the hypothesis that most Asturian dwelling-places would have been located in open air locations near caves containing
shell middens — where waste was accumulated. To test this hypothesis, certain areas that presented the conditions for the preservation
of Holocene sediments and therefore seemed to be appropriate for geophysical surveying were selected. This paper presents the results
obtained at an open air site located near the cave of El Alloru (Llanes, Asturias) characterized by a shell midden deposit. This site was
studied by geophysical surveying and an excavation was carried out in 2013. The paper briefly describes the stratigraphy, discusses the
absolute dates and presents the preliminary results of the study of the lithic assemblage and of the micromorphological, zooarchaeological
(mammals and marine invertebrates) and archaeobotanical analyses (palynology, anthracology and carpology).
El Alloru displays a long sequence with evidence of open air human occupation, which started at a still undetermined time point in the
Upper Palaeolithic, continued during the Mesolithic and finally yielded also Prehistoric remains (at the transition from theLate Bronze
Age to the Early Iron Age). The most significant phase, and the one with the greatest density of evidence of occupation, is dated to the
Late Mesolithic, between 7000 and 5500 cal. BC and can be assigned to the Asturian cultural complex. With regard to this phase, the
excavations made it possible to highlight the existence of an open air activity area, near a cave that contained a shell-midden. This is
shown by the relative variety of the documented archaeological remains, the features identified and the signs of trampling at the basis
of the main occupation level. It still remains unclear whether this was a camp or an area in which specific activities took place, but in
any case, the hypothesis could be confirmed: Asturian settlements existed in the surroundings of caves containing shell middens.
The existence of differences between the archaeological contents of the open-air deposit and the shell-midden should also be noted,
particularly the density of lithic artefacts. This seems to confirm that the caves basically contained accumulations of waste associated
with nearby occupations.
The Mesolithic industry at El Alloru was mostly made from quartzite. The assemblage is outstanding for its important number of Asturian
picks, one the highest known. The archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological records suggest that the groups that occupied El Alloru
in the Mesolithic exploited a wide range of biotopes in the eastern part of the Asturias province. The anthracological study points in
that direction, indicating that wood was collected in the oak forests that at that time covered areas of acidic soils but also in the holm
oak groves on the limestone massifs. The mammal fauna displays the typical traits of the Asturian and the Mesolithic in Northern
Spain in general, with a clear dominance of red deer, complemented by forest species such as roe deer and wild boar. Evidence of the
consumption of hazel nuts, which is also very common in the Mesolithic of Northern Spain, should also be noted. Marine resources
were equally exploited, as shown by the remains of fish and molluscs that have been documented. It is interesting that the sample of the
latter that has been studied to date, while dominated by the characteristic Asturian species (limpets and top shells), displays a peculiarity
already observed at this site and at others, which is that of higher percentages of the top shell (Phorcus lineatus) than is usual in this
archaeological complex.

Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Granada, 2020

Nature Communications, 2020

Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 2020

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019

Pyrenae, 2019

Antiquity Project Gallery, 2018

Archeologické rozhledy LXIX, 2017

Sautuola , 2014

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 253-270.

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 297.311

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 287-296

In Parras, B. y Sanz, R. (eds.) ACTAS DE LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE ALBACETE: 271-286

Cantabria. Nuevas evidencias arqueológicas (ISBN 978-84-943297-6-0), 2016

PalaeDiet. Inferring dietary changes in the human past

The development of studies focused on pottery in Cataluña has increased since the beginning of th... more The development of studies focused on pottery in Cataluña has increased since the beginning of this century. Most of these studies consider pottery as the result of a technological process and they are focused on raw material procurement, modificationsof clay and technological aspects of its manufacture. The application of this kind of studies allows us to distinguish the different technological choices used in the
manufacturing process and to propose new interpretations about the productive organization.
In this study we present the methodology and first results of the analysis of the pottery ensemble from Can Gambús-1 (Sabadell, Cataluña). It is a complex archaeological site
with evidence of different chronologies, among them we have to highlight the necropolis attributed to the Middle Neolithic due to its relevance and to the quality of the archaeological materials recovered. Radiocarbon dates available allows us to propose a chronology focused on the end of the 5th and beginning of the 4th millennium cal BC. This necropolis is composed by different funerary structures for which the construction and the composition of the grave goods may indicate some social differentiation between the individuals buried. The grave goods include different kind of vessels of different morphologies and decoration.
This contribution is focused on the mineralogical analysis through thin section of samples selected by their morphological and decorative characteristics. The petrographic study in thin section has allowed a systematic description of textural and mineralogical aspects of the samples. Based on the petrographic description, we propose different manufacturing groups with similar textural and mineralogical characteristics. The analysis allowed us to propose different areas of raw material procurement based on the geological coherence with geological environment and to stablish different methods of manufacture, suggesting different technological choices in the preparation of clays.

Technology and provenance studies of pottery allow researchers to better understand aspects such ... more Technology and provenance studies of pottery allow researchers to better understand aspects such as the production organisation, distribution and use patterns of these products. How ceramics were produced, exchanged and used are key elements to elaborate interpretations about important archaeological topics, related to strategies of environmental exploitation, mechanisms of knowledge transfer, technological innovation, labour distribution and exchange networks, all of them basic for our understanding of the development of social processes, like craft specialization and the arisen of hierarchical and complex social systems.

The application of methodologies related to the analysis of raw materials procurement and clay composition offers great opportunities in the development of those technology and provenance studies. A great variety of techniques can be applied in these analyses, focused on the compositional, mineralogical and textural characteristics of these products to explain the different socioeconomic conditions of the pottery production and its role in the prehistoric societies.

The session welcomes papers focusing on raw materials for making pots in relation to work with analysis and contextualization of prehistoric pottery ensembles in different chronologies and geographical areas of the world. The session hope to assemble archaeologists, anthropologists, archaeometrists and ethnographers who are working on raw material procurement and provenance studies of prehistoric pottery.

Pottery, understood as manufacture, is the result of a technological process, which covers a set... more Pottery, understood as manufacture, is the result of a technological process, which covers a set of operations that transform a raw material into a product with new physico-chemical properties. Using this general framework, we allow distinguish different tasks related to the definition and characterization of different manufacturing sequences in some ensembles recorded in the Cantabrian region (North of Spain). The objective of this study is to propose some hypothesis to understand the technological transference of this technology and to understand the social context of its appearance.
In this communication we present the pottery technology within the geographical context of the Cantabrian region during the fifth millennium cal BC. This research is focused on the pottery ensembles from Los Canes (Asturias), Los Gitanos (Cantabria) and Kobaederra (Vizcaya). These archaeological sites constitute important deposits for the study of the Neolithisation process(es) in the region. After describing the main characteristics of the pottery assemblages, we propose some hypothesis enabling an approach to how pottery production was organized and the role it played in these processes.

Desde el año 2013 se viene desarrollando el Proyecto de Intervención Arqueológica en la cueva del... more Desde el año 2013 se viene desarrollando el Proyecto de Intervención Arqueológica en la cueva del Aspio (Ruesga, Cantabria) que ha permitido documentar distintos momentos de ocupación y que ha contribuido a abordar su correlación con el poblamiento del marco geográfico del valle del Asón. Las primeras referencias sobre la cavidad se produjeron en la década de 1960, a las que se añadió posteriormente el reconocimiento de distintos depósitos arqueológicos; sin embargo, la inexistencia de una intervención arqueológica sistemática impidió individualizar la naturaleza de las ocupaciones en la cavidad. En este trabajo presentamos los estudios que actualmente se están desarrollando con el objetivo de conocer y documentar la secuencia estratigráfica, su dinámica de formación y analizar de forma exhaustiva las características de su depósito.

La intervención arqueológica desarrollada en el año 2007 en la cueva de Arangas se orientó fundam... more La intervención arqueológica desarrollada en el año 2007 en la cueva de Arangas se orientó fundamentalmente a la documentación del tramo paleolítico de la secuencia estratigráfica de este yacimiento. Se realizó un sondeo de 1m2, en el que se distinguieron cuatro niveles arqueológicos caracterizados por una elevada densidad de restos de mamíferos. En esta comunicación presentamos los resultados del análisis arqueozoológico de los restos identificados en el nivel F, el único datado directamente hasta el momento, valorando su estado de conservación y las posibilidades que ofrece para reconstruir la gestión de este tipo de recursos por parte de los ocupantes paleolíticos de la cavidad, tanto desde el punto de vista de la subsistencia como de la obtención de materias primas.

Los estudios de caracterización de cerámica prehistórica han tenido una escasa incidencia en la M... more Los estudios de caracterización de cerámica prehistórica han tenido una escasa incidencia en la Meseta Norte. Este estudio pretende contribuir al desarrollo de esta línea de investigación a partir del análisis de las cerámicas procedentes del poblado Calcolítico de Las Peñas (Quiruelas de Vidriales, Zamora). El análisis mediante lámina delgada se ha basado en una selección de catorce muestras que reflejan la variabilidad tecnológica y morfológica del conjunto cerámico, con el objetivo de realizar una aproximación a las áreas de aprovisionamiento de materias primas, su posible modificación y las secuencias de manufactura.

Tradicionalmente, las influencias en la tecnología cerámica se han analizado a partir de las simi... more Tradicionalmente, las influencias en la tecnología cerámica se han analizado a partir de las similitudes morfo-decorativas; sin embargo, la aplicación de métodos de caracterización permite reconocer diferentes “tradiciones” tecnológicas con las que se pueden vincular los distintos conjuntos cerámicos. En este póster se presenta el proyecto de caracterización de la cerámica neolítica de la Cueva del Niño (Ayna), Cueva Blanca y Pico Tienda III (Hellín).

El yacimiento de Cueva Blanca (Hellín, Albacete), descubierto en 2006, contiene un nivel de ocupa... more El yacimiento de Cueva Blanca (Hellín, Albacete), descubierto en 2006, contiene un nivel de ocupación humana atribuido al Mesolítico geométrico. En esta comunicación se presentan los resultados más significativos de la investigación multidisciplinar que venimos desarrollando en él desde que en 2008 se llevara a cabo la primera campaña de excavación. Se trata del primer yacimiento de este periodo en estratigrafía de la zona de Campos de Hellín (Albacete). Así mismo, en una de sus paredes son visibles representaciones de arte prehistórico, circunstancia que incrementa la importancia de este enclave.

El abrigo de Pico Tienda III (Hellín) ha proporcionado en las dos campañas de excavación que se h... more El abrigo de Pico Tienda III (Hellín) ha proporcionado en las dos campañas de excavación que se han realizado una notable densidad de material arqueológico. Los análisis preliminares desarrollados en ámbitos como la industria lítica, la cerámica, la zooarqueología, etc., junto a las dataciones absolutas, apuntan a la existencia de un horizonte de ocupación del Neolítico antiguo. A tenor de estos datos Pico Tienda III puede convertirse en un referente para el conocimiento del inicio de las formas de vida productoras no solo en los Campos de Hellín y la cuenca del río Mundo sino también de la provincia de Albacete.

Thanks to investigations in northern Iberia during the last two decades, it is now possible to es... more Thanks to investigations in northern Iberia during the last two decades, it is now possible to establish models for the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition (5th millennium cal BC). This requires a critical evaluation of the archaeological evidence, and agreement on which criteria allow discrimination between context with evidence of hunter-gatherer groups and those
corresponding to Neolithic groups. In northern Spain a traditional criteria based on technology was used to identify the new way of life until the 1990s. Currently, well-established but scant data about farming and stockbreeding is available, and a consensus exists about the importance that should be given to the introduction of artificial techniques in food production. However, this criterion can be difficult to apply and the cultural
attribution (Mesolithic vs. Neolithic) of distinct contexts is complex. After a consideration of these difficulties, this paper presents a model for the transition to the Neolithic based on the statistical treatment of the radiocarbon dataset.
In order to analyse the Neolithisation process from the chronological point of view, published dates for the period of time covering the process have been compiled ca. 9500-2500 cal BC. Bayesian statistical models have been constructed to investigate the transitional process and assess the value of radiocarbon dates in understanding this period.
Using published dates, the chronological models show an overlap between the final Mesolithic and the Early Neolithic archaeological deposits. The final hunter gatherer societies appear to have disappeared after the Neolithic groups were present in the region. This result is in accordance with the complexity displayed by the Early Neolithic in archaeological terms. Results support the hypothesis of a “mosaic” Neolithisation process, with groups of hunters and farmers living together in the region during the first half of the fifth millennium, at least in the eastern part of Cantabrian Spain.

The relationship between researchers, at both local and international levels, is a key factor in ... more The relationship between researchers, at both local and international levels, is a key factor in the historiographical evolution of any research topic. In this paper, the work of the pioneers of Mesolithic research in northern Spain (1914-1930) is described within the framework of scientific and personal relationships at that time. The goal is to analyze their impact on the early research on the period and its subsequent historiographical development. The study examines monographs and excavation reports, as well as other documents (diaries, correspondence and biographies) directly related with the scholars involved in prehistoric research in northern Spain during the first third of the twentieth century: Count of la Vega del Sella, Hugo Obermaier, José Miguel de Barandiarán, Henri Breuil, Lorenzo Sierra and Jesús Carballo, among others. As in the case of Palaeolithic studies, the first research on the Mesolithic in the region did not take place in isolation from European prehistoric studies at the time. The
study of the Mesolithic in Cantabrian Spain began within a historiographical context marked by the existence of relationships between local pioneers in Prehistory and a number of foreign archaeologists. These relationships fostered, for example, Obermaier’s collaboration in some of Vega del Sella’s excavations. In this way, the German prehistorian was witness to the start of Mesolithic research, and he also took part in it. However, the available information reveals that relationships between Spanish archaeologists were rather lukewarm, in general. The feedback between Spanish and foreign archaeologists sometimes had a significant impact from the historiographical point of view, such as the early location of
the Asturian culture in its European context. At the same time, the cooler relations among Spanish researchers meant that no debates took place about matters that still remain open, such as the existence of “different Mesolithic facies” in Cantabrian Spain.

Since the very beginning of the twentieth century, several generations of archaeologists have inv... more Since the very beginning of the twentieth century, several generations of archaeologists have investigated about one of the most characteristic manifestations of the Mesolithic of Atlantic Europe, the Asturian. Yet the available information for this archaeological entity is clearly biased, as the research has focused on shell midden deposits in the mouth of caves and rock shelters, in most cases providing scarce, if any, evidence that suggest that they may be considered living places. Thus,
one of the most relevant issues that are currently opened to discussion is the location of the main settlement areas corresponding to the Asturian. The hypothesis has been posed that those hunter-gatherers groups might have been mainly established in open-air camps close to the caves where the shell middens have been preserved. However, so far, no systematic attempt has bee made to test it. This paper exposes some preliminary results of a programme of research aiming to solve that problem. In 2013 a systematic geophysical survey of the surrounding of a group of selected Asturian sites was
started, looking for Mesolithic remains in the open air. They were chosen attending to both Geomorphological and Archaeological criteria, attempting to define the places with the highest probabilities of preserving Mesolithic sites. One of the areas that were chosen was close to the cave site of El Alloru, right in the core area of the Asturian, in Llanes (northern Spain). A surface of 1670 m2 was surveyed using magnetic gradiometry
methods. That permitted the location of some anomalies that were judged to be potentially related to prehistoric human activity. Four test pits were opened to validate that hypothesis.
Both geological and archaeological features were found in the test pits, confirming the hypothetical interpretations of the survey. The Mesolithic open air site includes a high density of Holocene marine molluscs and Asturian picks. Unlike the typical Asturian ensembles, evidence of knapping and other kinds of artefacts, such as bone and antler tools, and pendants were recovered. Besides two small pits possibly corresponding to postholes were identified. It appears to be the first Asturian dwelling structure discovered.
The hypothesis that the shell middens could be linked to nearby areas where the greater part of everyday activities were performed has found confirmation through the combined use of geophysical surveying and archaeological excavations.

Bronze Age studies carried out in the Cantabrian Region have traditionally focused on prestige go... more Bronze Age studies carried out in the Cantabrian Region have traditionally focused on prestige goods and funerary contexts. As a result of this, the lack of information about daily activities, subsistence strategies, and human settlement on a regional scale was evident in the state of art. However, current research has achieved new discoveries in recent years, allowing a reconstruction of some aspects of the economic structure, settlements, material culture and the palaeoenvironment during the Bronze Age. Indeed, besides the funerary practices discovered in 1983 in San Adrian (Parztuergo Nagusia, Gipuzkoa), research has now revealed the presence of Upper Palaeolithic and Early Bronze Age occupations. This paper presents a first characterization of the retrieved evidence and a preliminary evaluation of the archaeological site and its environment. San Adrian is a tunnel-shaped cave located at 1,000 meters a.s.l. in the Aizkorri mountain range, opening a passage beneath the Atlantic-Mediterranean watershed in northern Iberia. The strategic character of this mountain site is demonstrated by the presence of Upper Palaeolithic and
Bronze Age occupations, and by the construction of a road passing through it and the fortification of both its entrances in the Middle Ages. The aim of the archaeological survey started in 2008 was to identify, describe and evaluate the heritage potential of the cave, because previous fieldwork had only managed to make surface finds in the side galleries, including
a medieval hoard and Bronze Age human remains. The work carried out by the research group at San Adrian includes a series of test pits and the excavation of an area nine square metres in size following stratigraphic criteria. In the current state, we identified at least two contexts corresponding to Late Upper Palaeolithic and Bronze Age occupations in the cave.
Fieldwork included the sieving and flotation of sediment and the collection of samples for different types of analysis: palynology, carpology, sedimentology, and radiocarbon dating. The evidence is being studied by a multidisciplinary team according to expertise requirements for each topic: palaeobotany and environment, archaeozoology, sedimentology, geology, physical anthropology, prehistoric industries (lithics, pottery and bone) and archaeological and historical documentation. Because of its recent discovery, Upper Palaeolithic evidence remains still under study, but first results on Bronze Age layers can be presented. The ongoing archaeobotanical and archaeozoological studies reveal the exploitation of domestic plants and fauna complemented by hunting and foraging of wild species. At the same time, the archaeological artefacts and their production sequences show the exploitation of nearby resources on both sides of the mountain range, while prestige goods are absent. This evidence is also used to estimate the regularity of cave occupations and to propose a model of seasonal exploitation of the mountain environment. The results obtained reveal the exploitation of resources from both the Mediterranean and Atlantic basins, and contribute towards an understanding of the daily activities
of Bronze Age societies. In addition, the evidence shows the exchange and circulation of quotidian products between the Cantabrian region and inland Iberia in other networks than those of prestige goods.

The discovery of Cueva Blanca rock shelter in 2006 and the archaeological excavations and investi... more The discovery of Cueva Blanca rock shelter in 2006 and the archaeological excavations and investigations that have been developed subsequently have a noticeable relevance because there is the only stratigraphical reference of human occupation for the Late Mesolithic in a broad area of the northernmost part of Betic mountains. This region houses outstanding levantine
rock art sites such as Minateda but traditionally lacks of evidences of Mesolithic / Early Neolithic settlements that can link to those. Cueva Blanca has come to provide the first piece of a puzzle that in the next years is going to increase. This works collects the results coming from the multidisciplinary investigations conducted on Cueva Blanca and the archeological material registered there. We must remark those concerning paleoenvironment, absolutes dating, lithic industry and fauna. The recent data confirms the attribution of Cueva Blanca to the Late Mesolithic. The last excavation campaign (2013) has allowed us to increase the lithic assemblage and to ratify its consideration within the first facies of Cocina. The archaeobotanical analyses indicates a mediterranean open coniferous forest and steppic conditions around the site. Radiocarbon dates points a contemporaneity of the human occupation with the 8.2 cal yr BP event. On the other hand, fauna analyses states the predominant consumption of lagomorphs and the scarce presence of medium-small size hervivores. The closest geographical region where we can find well known Mesolithic sites is the area of Villena (Alicante).
Examining the data we defend a similar functionality between Cueva Blanca and the archaeological site of Cueva Pequeña de la Huesa Tacaña. Cueva Blanca was occupied during temporary and seasonal periods in the Late Mesolithic according to the different data that we have handled so far. Despite it, we believe this site has an undeniable importance to deepen in the knowledge of the settlement patterns during this period in the hinterland of southeastern Iberia. In the future new sites belonging to the transition Meso-Neolithic will be make known in this area and therefore we could contrast the possibility of a settlement by the same last hunters-gatherers groups throughout the northern Betic valleys and mountains from Villena (Alicante) to Hellín (Albacete).

El castro del Alto de La Garma (Omoño, Ribamontán al Monte) es un pequeño recinto fortificado (ca... more El castro del Alto de La Garma (Omoño, Ribamontán al Monte) es un pequeño recinto fortificado (ca. 2 Ha) de la Primera Edad del Hierro situado en la zona costera de Cantabria. Las excavaciones realizadas han permitido documentar una fortificación datada en el s. VII a.C., reconstruida en un momento posterior (probablemente en torno al s. VI a.C.) En el interior se han observado diversas estructuras habitacionales de planta con tendencia circular y zócalo de piedra, así como restos de cereales y de fauna doméstica.

Junto a los escasos restos metálicos y óseos, el registro material destaca por el aporte cerámico, un conjunto con un alto grado de fragmentación y conservación variable que constituye la primera colección adscrita con certeza a la Primera Edad del Hierro en la región. En este trabajo se lleva a cabo un estudio integral de este conjunto cerámico. Su análisis tecnológico, morfológico y decorativo permitirá abordar desde bases más sólidas futuros estudios de este tipo de materiales en otros yacimientos de la región.

Los trabajos arqueoantropológicos de campo desarrollados entre 2008 y 2012 en la Parcela 11796 de... more Los trabajos arqueoantropológicos de campo desarrollados entre 2008 y 2012 en la Parcela 11796 de Alcalá de Henares han determinado la existencia de un gran yacimiento con cerca de 50.000 m2 y que hemos denominado como “La Magdalena”, por el paraje en donde se ubica.
La fase inicial de este yacimiento se corresponde con una necrópolis calcolítica con campaniforme, inscrita en un área ligeramente inferior a los 2.000 m2, compuesta por un conjunto de hasta nueve tumbas, cinco con ajuares campaniformes y cuatro sin presentar ningún tipo de ajuar, a los que habría que sumar lo que hemos interpretado como tres depósitos votivos con distintas piezas cerámicas. A estos materiales, con una alta carga simbólica nos vamos a referir en la presente comunicación.
El conjunto material más representado es el cerámico, con presencia de vasos, cazuelas y cuencos, mayoritariamente con decoración del tipo Ciempozuelos, aunque han sido recuperadas, junto con éstas, algunas piezas lisas.
Otro elemento presente en este registro es el de piezas metálicas de cobre, del que han sido recuperadas dos objetos: una punta de palmela de cuidada factura y un punzón en el que se observan las huellas de su enmangue.
Igualmente nos encontramos ante una pieza singular, un botón de marfil con perforación en “V” de forma piramidal y sección rectangular, que se encontró quebrado longitudinalmente y que presentaba restos de pigmento rojo (cinabrio), que impregnaban tanto éste como el subcuerpo superior del individuo asociado.
Por último, en el nivel inferior de la estructura tumular fue localizada una pieza lítica de sílex, con huellas de alteraciones físico-químicas.

The Neolithisation process in Cantabrian Spain has been studied systematically since the 1980s, t... more The Neolithisation process in Cantabrian Spain has been studied systematically since the 1980s, thanks to the excavation of several deposits, mainly in Asturias and Cantabria. This paper presents a critical review of the archaeological data relating to the genesis of early Neolithic societies in the transition from the sixth to the fifth millennium cal BC, and assesses the models proposed to explain this process of historical change.

Encontro de Zooarqueologia Ibérica (EZI2017)

The site of “El Ostrero”, which is now destroyed, was located in Alto de Maliaño (Camargo, Cantab... more The site of “El Ostrero”, which is now destroyed, was located in Alto de Maliaño (Camargo, Cantabria), on a hill about 500m from the Boo Estuary. Excavations in 1984 documented a tumulus-shaped deposit, 5m in diameter, formed by a dense accumulation of archaeological remains, including fauna, pottery and metal objects. The faunal remains are restudied here. The number of mammal bones is very small, contrasting with the large quantities of mollusc shells,
mainly oysters, clams and razor shells. A radiocarbon determination of an oyster shell dates the deposit’s formation in the Early Iron Age.

Comunicación oral y Poster en el Congreso "El Cuaternario en la Región pirenaico occidental. Investigación multidisciplinar", 13-14 Octubre, 2013. Bilbao

El interés arqueológico de la Cueva de Baltzola (Dima, Bizkaia) se conoce desde el s. XIX pero la... more El interés arqueológico de la Cueva de Baltzola (Dima, Bizkaia) se conoce desde el s. XIX pero la información disponible era escasa e imprecisa. Nuestro equipo ha realizado durante los años 2006 y 2007 varios sondeos mecánicos y arqueológicos en el yacimiento que nos han permitido definir al menos dos secuencias de interés, una junto a la boca principal de la cavidad y otra en la galería superior o Redil, en este caso con niveles de Paleolítico medio y superior.
En la Galería Principal hemos documentado una secuencia de 1,60 m de profundidad con varias unidades estratigráficas que incluyen cerámica, restos de cultivos y fauna doméstica. La datación de un hueso de bóvido de la base del sondeo ha proporcionado una cronología que corresponde a la
Edad del Bronce (Beta 317437: 4240-4010 cal BP / 2290-2060 cal BC) y que es coherente con toda la secuencia con la excepción de las capas superiores que incluyen también algunos materiales modernos.

La Cueva del Niño es uno de los yacimientos clave en la prehistoria antigua de la provincia de Al... more La Cueva del Niño es uno de los yacimientos clave en la prehistoria antigua de la provincia de Albacete, gracias a sus pinturas rupestres paleolíticas, únicas en la provincia, y a su larga secuencia estratigráfica. No obstante, hasta hace poco era escasa la información disponible sobre el yacimiento. Por ello decidimos llevar a cabo un proyecto multidisciplinar de revisión de la excavación arqueológica de 1973. En este poster se presenta un resumen de dicho proyecto.

Pottery is rarely found in Final Mesolithic contexts but, nowadays, its presence is well document... more Pottery is rarely found in Final Mesolithic contexts but, nowadays, its presence is well documented in Atlantic Europe shell middens. Some decades after the Scandinavian experience and Zvelebil’s availability model (e.g. 1986), the pottery documented in these contexts was understood as a material result of networks which connected hunter-gatherers with Neolithic societies. This supposed that pottery was understood as a foreign item that the indigenous groups introduced in their traditional background.
In Sado shell middens, the relationship between the pottery –practically the only Neolithic element identified- recorded at Poças de Sao Vento, Amoreiras, Vale Romairas, Cabeço do Pez and Várzea da Mó, and the cultural environment of the last hunter-gatherers is not clear.
In this paper, we present and debate the stratigraphic, typological and functional issues associated with the pottery, although information from former excavations is sometimes scarce. Petrographic analysis will contribute to this discussion in order to establish whether these pottery ensembles are local or non local productions.

El escaso desarrollo de los estudios cerámicos en esta área geográfica está motivado por la disti... more El escaso desarrollo de los estudios cerámicos en esta área geográfica está motivado por la distinta entidad de la información arqueológica disponible para la Prehistoria reciente y la mala conservación de los conjuntos cerámicos prehistóricos.
A partir de una exhaustiva revisión bibliográfica de los contextos arqueológicos y los conjuntos cerámicos documentados, en este póster se presenta una visión diacrónica de las producciones cerámicas en la actual provincia de Cantabria desde su aparición (V milenio cal BC) hasta el momento en el que finaliza lo que tradicionalmente se ha considerado como Prehistoria (siglo I cal BC). Se señalan las características tecnológicas, morfológicas y decorativas, resaltando aquellos rasgos comunes de los conjuntos cerámicos documentados durante este intervalo cronológico. Con ello se pretende asentar las bases para un posterior análisis de los aspectos tecnológicos de estas producciones y su comparación con las áreas limítrofes.

We use the concept of “chaîne opèratoire” or “production sequence” based on a theoretical framewo... more We use the concept of “chaîne opèratoire” or “production sequence” based on a theoretical framework in which the characterization methods are the main analysis tools to study the different phases of the complex production systems.
This paper presents the study of the pottery ensemble from Los Gitanos (Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, Spain). This cave is one of the few archaeological sites where Ancient Neolithic has been documented in the Cantabrian Region.
The subject of this paper is an approach to the “production sequence” of the pottery sherds as direct material evidence. We have developed a methodological protocol based on different levels of analysis. The macroscopic analysis is the basis for the systematic sampling and for the subsequent mineralogical studies. We present the description of the mineralogical variability of the pottery ensembles, which is based on petrographic analysis. With this study we aim to describe the different manufacturing groups, based on the different mineralogical and textural characteristics, and to point out the technological features of the Neolithic pottery in the Cantabrian Region, related with the ensembles known in the Iberian Peninsula.

En este estudio presentamos la base metodológica y los primeros resultados del análisis basado en... more En este estudio presentamos la base metodológica y los primeros resultados del análisis basado en del conjunto cerámico documentado en el yacimiento de Los Canes (Arangas, Asturias) La caracterización macroscópica de todo el conjunto cerámico ha constituido el pilar indispensable para el muestreo sistemático de los fragmentos que posteriormente han sido analizados mediante técnicas microscópicas. El estudio petrográfico ha permitido realizar una descripción sistemática tanto de las características texturales de la matriz cerámica como de las inclusiones minerales.
El objetivo de este análisis es realizar una aproximación a su mineralogía -a través del estudio petrográfico en lámina delgada- así como un reconocimiento de las técnicas de elaboración empleadas en las manufacturas cerámicas. Con ello hemos pretendido realizar una acercamiento a la posible determinación de las áreas de aprovisionamiento de las materias primas arcillosas. De la misma manera, se procede a una descripción sistemática de la variabilidad mineralógica del conjunto cerámico.
Entre los aspectos más relevantes de este estudio se encuentra la documentación de la calcita empleada de manera intencional en la manufactura de este material, cuya utilización ha sido ampliamente documentada a lo largo de la Prehistoria en la Península Ibérica. Con este estudio pretendemos contribuir a perfilar los rasgos tecnológicos de las primeras evidencias cerámicas en la Región Cantábrica, en relación con los aspectos conocidos para el resto de ámbitos peninsulares.

The archaeological site of Los Gitanos (Sámano, Castro Urdiales) is a fundamental site for the st... more The archaeological site of Los Gitanos (Sámano, Castro Urdiales) is a fundamental site for the study of the Neolithisation process in the Cantabrian Region. The sublevels A4, A3 and A2 are the central part of the sequence dated between the first half of the V millennium and the III millennium cal BC.
The subject of this paper is to disclose the pottery ensemble recorded in the sublevels A4, A3 and A2 of the sequence. The macroscopic analysis of the material allow us to establish a set of technical and morphological features, which characterized the first pottery manufactures recorded in the archaeological site.

Systematic research on the Mesolithic in northern Spain began about a century ago, at a time when... more Systematic research on the Mesolithic in northern Spain began about a century ago, at a time when the pioneers’ main aim was to establish the stratigraphic-cultural sequence in the region. The excavation at El Penicial cave in 1914 by Count Vega del Sella marked the beginning of the long tradition of Mesolithic studies in the province of Asturias. At an even earlier date (1909), another pioneer of prehistoric studies in the region, Lorenzo Sierra, explored a number of caves in Cantabria with Mesolithic shell-middens, but unlike what was to happen in Asturias, in Cantabria no specific research line developed about this kind of deposit. The early excavation at Santimamiñe cave (1918) recorded the Basque Country's first shell-midden, which was thought to belong to a different facies from the deposits in Asturias (Asturian shell-middens). Nevertheless, no line of research into the Mesolithic was developed in this area either, possibly because of the scarcity of shell-middens on this part of the Bay of Biscay coast.

As in the case of Palaeolithic studies, the first research on the Mesolithic in the region did not take place in isolation from European Prehistoric studies at the time. For example, the Asturian was believed to be a “Pre-Neolithic” culture, in consonance with Mortillet’s so-called “hiatus theory”. On other occasions, the influence of European prehistorians crystallised through more personal relationships, as occurred during the First World War, when Hugo Obermaier lived for a time in Count Vega del Sella’s mansion at Nueva de Llanes (Asturias). This circumstance propitiated the German prehistorian’s collaboration in some of the Count’s excavations.

This poster presents the pioneers’ work on the Mesolithic in northern Spain (1914-1930), and also the framework of Spanish and international relationships within which their research was undertaken.

All archaeological research is founded on a theoretical approach, whether this be explicit or imp... more All archaeological research is founded on a theoretical approach, whether this be explicit or implicit. The approach determines the objectives of the research and, therefore, the type of information to be obtained about the societies being studied. Research into the Mesolithic in Cantabrian Spain began in the second decade of the twentieth century, a time when the historical-cultural paradigm was fully consolidated in Europe. This circumstance is perceptible in the research on the period in the region, although certain influence of evolutionist thought could still be felt. In the 1960s, the contribution of Anglo-Saxon archaeologists to Mesolithic studies in Cantabrian Spain is a good example of the theoretical impact of Processual Archaeology (in its American and British version) in Iberia. This approach has continued uninterruptedly in Cantabrian Spain until the present time, with no Post-processual alternative and only a timid presence of historical materialism as a theoretical background to research. This poster presents some key examples of this historiographic development and reflects on the relationship between the approaches used and the results obtained by research during this period.

Within the framework of the growing interest in research into Recent Prehistory, the research pro... more Within the framework of the growing interest in research into Recent Prehistory, the research projects carried out in Cantabrian Spain since the 1980s have contributed greatly towards understanding the Neolithisation process in this part of Iberia. Located in a littoral environment, Cueva de los Gitanos (Castro Urdiales) provides interesting data about the introduction and development of a productive economy in the coastal strip of northern Spain. The archaeological sequence that has been documented and the absolute dates obtained situate the lower part of the series in the first half of the fifth millennium cal BC. This is therefore a key site to understand the Neolithisation processes and human-environment interaction in a coastal area.
This paper summarises the results attained in the different kinds of studies made on the record found in the stratigraphy (archaeozoology, archaeomalacology, archaeobotany, ceramics and lithic assemblage). The palaeo-economic traits of the groups occupying the cave in the fifth-third millennia cal BC are discussed, in the context of the social and economic development characterising the process of the introduction and consolidation of a productive economy in the region.

Jornadas de Arqueología de la Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi

En octubre de 2015 el azar quiso que durante un estudio preliminar de impacto arqueológico, se lo... more En octubre de 2015 el azar quiso que durante un estudio preliminar de impacto arqueológico, se localizase una estructura funeraria del neolítico que desde entonces, ha sido objeto de estudio en diferentes intervenciones arqueológicas. Además se ha convertido en el eje vertebrador de un proyecto más ambicioso de investigación, conservación y puesta en valor, que desde el Ayuntamiento de San Martín del Rey Aurelio (Asturias) se está promoviendo.

El origen de las primeras evidencias cerámicas en las distintas áreas geográficas, constituye un ... more El origen de las primeras evidencias cerámicas en las distintas áreas geográficas, constituye un tema de investigación de primer orden. Su estudio supone no sólo el establecimiento de su cronología de aparición, sino también el análisis del contexto en el que se produce. Además, el análisis de las secuencias de manufactura de los conjuntos cerámicos permite conocer e inferir los mecanismos de transferencia, mediante la discriminación de productos locales o foráneos.
Este tema de estudio es especialmente interesante en la fachada atlántica europea en la que se observa un cierto carácter retardatario en la adopción de las nuevas prácticas económicas que conlleva el Neolítico y una cierta importancia de los últimos grupos de cazadores-recolectores en el proceso. De esta manera, el análisis del material cerámico contribuye a perfilar cuál es el papel desempeñado por los distintos grupos en la introducción y desarrollo de esta nueva tecnología y cuáles son las características principales de sus producciones. Para ello, se ha aplicado una metodología de análisis basada en distintas técnicas de caracterización, especialmente de identificación mineralógica (petrografía de lámina delgada y difracción de rayos X).

El interés por los momentos finales de la Prehistoria en la región cantábrica es relativamente re... more El interés por los momentos finales de la Prehistoria en la región cantábrica es relativamente reciente si lo comparamos con el que suscitó el arte rupestre desde su descubrimiento. A pesar de ello, Asturias se convirtió a inicios del siglo XX en un referente en el estudio de la Prehistoria Reciente, gracias a los trabajos desarrollados por el Conde de la Vega del Sella, centrados especialmente en el Mesolítico.
Se realizará un recorrido desde el inicio del Holoceno (en torno al 10.000 antes de Cristo) hasta el momento en el que se produce la aparición del metal en la región. Trataremos aspectos tan representativos como la importancia de la explotación de los recursos marinos, cuya elevada representatividad durante el Mesolítico da lugar a un tipo muy concreto de yacimiento, los concheros. La singularidad de estos yacimientos llevó al Conde de la Vega del Sella a proponer una cultura denominada Asturiense.
Posteriormente, se repasarán las primeras evidencias de la economía de producción en Asturias y su relación con la aparición de las estructuras megalíticas. El importante debate suscitado a finales del siglo XX sobre la relación entre ambos fenómenos puede ser hoy matizado gracias a los últimos avances en la investigación del Neolítico. Será inevitable la mención y presentación de las principales manifestaciones de arte postpaleolítico, como el Dolmen de la Santa Cruz o Peña Tú, que guardan una íntima relación con la aparición de las desigualdades sociales en estas sociedades. Por último, se presentan las primeras evidencias de minería en Asturias y el contexto social y económico en el que se produce su aparición.

ARCH-BOT: II Ciclo de conferencias en arqueoloxía e arqueobotánica Coordina: María Martín-Seijo ... more ARCH-BOT: II Ciclo de conferencias en arqueoloxía e arqueobotánica

Coordina: María Martín-Seijo (GEPN-AAT.USC)
Inscrición previa: maria.martin.seijo@usc.es

Este curso ofrece un panorama general sobre los métodos aplicados durante las últimas décadas en ... more Este curso ofrece un panorama general sobre los métodos aplicados durante las últimas décadas en el ámbito de la Arqueología. Para ello, el curso contará con tres bloques formativos para el estudio de la Arqueología de una manera transversal.

El primero de ellos tiene que ver con los análisis de elementos materiales más destacados dentro del registro arqueológico, siendo las cerámicas, los restos óseos y la numismática los principales protagonistas.

El segundo bloque se centra en determinados estudios dentro del campo de la arqueología militar y en concreto en los datos que la epigrafía y los Sistemas de Información Geográfica nos proporcionan para el estudio de la misma.

El último hace referencia a la dimensión social de la Arqueología destacando los últimos métodos para la puesta en valor de un yacimiento arqueológico, así como las diferentes formas de dar a conocer el Patrimonio Arqueológico a la sociedad en su conjunto.

El curso está enfocado a proporcionar al alumno de la UNED unos conocimientos teóricos y práctico... more El curso está enfocado a proporcionar al alumno de la UNED unos conocimientos teóricos y prácticos avanzados sobre el proceso de excavación arqueológica. Pretendemos que el alumno pueda completar su formación académica en las áreas de Prehistoria, Arqueología y Arte Prehistórico, desarrollada básicamente con la metodología a distancia, con el acceso a un curso práctico sobre el terreno. El yacimiento en el que se llevará a cabo el trabajo arqueológico es el abrigo de Pico Tienda (Hellín, Albacete). Recientemente descubierto, alberga un nivel de ocupación del Neolítico antiguo, un periodo esencial de la Humanidad, pues supone el primer poblamiento de sociedades que basan su subsistencia en la agricultura y la ganadería y que sustituyen a los últimos grupos de cazadores-recolectores. A lo largo de la semana de duración del curso el alumno aprenderá no solo los métodos y técnicas de excavación y documentación arqueológica sino también las actividades relacionadas con el trabajo de laboratorio y gabinete. Además, el curso se desarrollará en un marco participativo y de colaboración entre los alumnos y los profesores.

ARKEOIKUSKA 2013 (ISSN 0213-8921): 196-199, 2014

Arkeoikuska 2014 (ISSN 1132-2292): 259-262., 2015

Arkeoikuska 2014 (ISSN 1132-2292): 134-135, 2015

Arkeoikuska 2013: 291-292, 2014

Arkeoikuska 2012: 274-275, 2013

Arkeoikuska 2011: 342-343, 2012

The project First ceramics in Atlantic Europe: manufacture and function (CerAM) is focused on the... more The project First ceramics in Atlantic Europe: manufacture and function (CerAM) is focused on the study of the role of pottery across the transition to farming in Southern Europe, specifically along the Atlantic coastline. The arrival of farming had important consequences on many aspects of human society, from health to ideology. The study of this process constitutes a key theme in Prehistory and Archaeology. One of the traits traditionally associated with the transition to farming in Europe is the introduction of pottery technology. For centuries, archaeologists have documented the appearance and dispersal of ceramic vessels across the European continent, using them as a proxy for the shift to farming, domestication and sedentism, collectively known as the Neolithic transition. However, the role of pottery in the transition to farming is unclear. In other parts of the world there are examples of both pre-farming pottery production and aceramic farming communities.

CerAM aims, applying the latest chemical and molecular analysis, to reconstruct the use of pottery during this key transition focusing on the sequence of Atlantic Southern Europe. The application of these techniques will allow to establish a direct link between subsistence strategies and pottery thanks to methodological advancements in lipid residue analysis. The project involves the analysis by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and isotopic determination using GC-combustion-isotope ratio-MS of individual lipids (GC-c-IRMS) extracted from archaeological pottery. Using these approaches CerAM aims to study the differences in the use of early pottery following the selection of well established archaeological contexts along the Atlantic coast of Europe.

Post-doc Researcher in Focus. Department of Archaeology. University of York

Este curso ofrece un panorama general sobre los métodos aplicados durante las últimas décadas en ... more Este curso ofrece un panorama general sobre los métodos aplicados
durante las últimas décadas en el ámbito de la Arqueología. Para ello,
el curso contará con tres bloques formativos para el estudio de la
Arqueología de una manera transversal.

El primero de ellos tiene que ver con los análisis de elementos
materiales más destacados dentro del registro arqueológico, siendo
las cerámicas, los restos óseos y la Numismática los principales
protagonistas.

El segundo bloque se centra en determinados estudios dentro del
campo de la arqueología militar y en concreto en los datos que la
epigrafía y los Sistemas de Información Geográfica nos proporcionan
para el estudio de la misma.

El último hace referencia a la dimensión social de la Arqueología
destacando los últimos métodos para la puesta en valor de un
yacimiento arqueológico, así como las diferentes formas de dar a
conocer el Patrimonio Arqueológico a la sociedad en su conjunto.

The spread of the agriculture to the Southwest of Europe is one of the most important phenomena i... more The spread of the agriculture to the Southwest of Europe is one of the most important phenomena in the history of the humankind. In this context the sea-pathways played an important role as vehicle of expansion of the new subsistence practices, technology and cultural knowledge.
The Mediterranean is one of the regions where these aspects are particularly apparent. However, exciting new data are arising from other coastal environments. The important novelties on the Atlantic, Baltic or North Sea reflect an increase in the density and quality of the research focused on the transition to the farming and livestock way of life in coast landscapes.
This session is intended as a forum for the critical assessment of the new data and for the discussion of the settlement patterns, the coastal resources and the spread of farming to littoral and inland environments. It aims to be a meeting among researchers who focused their activity on the study of neolithisation processes and Neolithic in coastal areas.

Traditionally, the debate concerning the Neolithisation process has been focused on the study of ... more Traditionally, the debate concerning the Neolithisation process has been focused on the study of both technical and cultural aspects, the origin and exploitation of domestic plants and animals as well as their chronological context. Although these aspects have still an important role within this debate, new topics and the application of brand-new techniques are contributing with relevant data in the last years. Among them, genetic and isotopic analyses, chronological and simulation models are some of the most relevant. These studies are reinforcing some hypothesis linked to the spread model, territorial patterns of these farming communities and the rhythm and chronology of the phenomena.
This session aims to encourage debate among researchers who focus their research on new studies and proposals related to the spread of the Neolithic, the tempo of the phenomena and the role of the hunter-gatherers communities in this process. Although this session is focused on the European region, it welcomes proposals from the origin and spread areas, such as the Near East or North of Africa.

Interchange in Pre- and Protohistory, 2018

One of the elements that defines the so-called "Pit Burial Horizon" is the presence within certai... more One of the elements that defines the so-called "Pit Burial Horizon" is the presence within certain burials of a set of tools and ornaments which were made of exogenous materials or which their acquisition and processing required an enormous investment effort Chronologically, we stand at end of the 5th and beginning of the 4th millennium cat. BC, a period that stands out due to the relevance of its funerary structures, usually burial chambers containing a single individual.

O Idéario Patrimonial , 2018

[EN] Although scientific dissemination programmes related to Archaeology seem prepared for all ... more [EN] Although scientific dissemination programmes related to Archaeology seem prepared for all
types of audiences, the reality is clearly different. Museums, archaeological parks, guided visits to archaeological sites usually have a “captive” or faithful audience, such as children and young people from primary or high schools, and families with resources that usually participate in scientific events, such as Science Week or Museum’s Night. In this sense, other target groups are ignored by these programmes and even they are not considered in their design. Among them are included the elderly people, those who have some physical or intellectual disabilities, people in risk of social exclusion or newly immigrants without economic resources. In this paper, we present our experience with elderly people, some of whom are in a difficult economic situation due to the pension they receive or present physical and mental difficulties. This situation become even more critical when, being interested, they cannot afford the payment of a bus or they have difficulties to move alone. The model and methodology employed in our activities can be a reference for other research groups or educators who work or pretend to begin a scientific dissemination program with elderly people.
[ES] Aunque los programas de divulgación científica relacionados con la arqueología parecen preparados para todo tipo de públicos, la realidad es muy diferente. Los museos, los parques
arqueológicos, las visitas a yacimientos, suelen tener un público “cautivo” o fiel como son los niños y jóvenes de escuelas e institutos, y las familias con ciertos recursos que suelen participar en las Semanas de la Ciencia, la Noche de los Museos, etc. En este sentido, muchos otros colectivos quedan al margen de tales programas y ni siquiera se piensa en ellos a la hora de diseñarlos. Entre ellos estarían, por ejemplo, las personas de la Tercera Edad, las que tienen alguna discapacidad física e intelectual, las que por distintos motivos están en riesgo de exclusión social o los inmigrantes recién llegados que no tienen los mínimos recursos económicos. En el presente artículo queremos detenernos en nuestra experiencia con personas de la Tercera Edad, algunas de las cuales se encuentran en una situación económica complicada por la pensión que reciben o presentan ciertas dificultades físicas y psíquicas. Esta situación, evidentemente, se hace aún más crítica cuando, estando interesados, les es imposible costearse un autobús o tienen dificultades para trasladarse solos. El modelo y metodología empleada en las actividades que organizamos pueden servir de referencia para otros grupos de investigación o educadores que trabajan o pretenden iniciar un programa de divulgación científica con nuestros mayores.

VII Congreso Internacional del Neolítico en la Península Ibérica, 2020

Fat residue analysis in sherds has allowed in the last years to target the cooking practices of p... more Fat residue analysis in sherds has allowed in the last years to target the cooking practices of prehistoric groups. Lipids identified in several ceramic samples from diverse sites in Northern Iberia show that dairy products were already present during the early stages of the regional Neolithic, side by side with meat derived from ruminants.